When I Look Back at Where this Journey Began...

Our journey to have a child is still in progress, but we are much closer!  We're 14 weeks pregnant!  I want to share a little history about what the beginning of this journey looked like.

When I look back at where this journey began I kind of laugh!  When Nathan and I were very young and began dating at the age of 16 we would discuss our dreams for the future.  We said we wanted to have children and probably adopt one.  Then, when we married in 2004 we decided for many different reasons that we didn't want to have any children.  We enjoyed being "just the two of us." 

Well, in 2007 I decided that I would like to be a mommy someday!  I didn't tell this to Nathan right away in fear of his reaction.  This is also the year that I was diagnosed as infertile, but neither of us were too concerned.  I dropped subtle hints here and there that parenthood wouldn't be so bad and Nathan would just laugh at me.  In the spring of 2008 I couldn't hold it in any longer.  I told Nathan and he said that I had backed out of the deal with him!  I laughed and said I never made a deal with him.  Soon I found out just how serious he was about this.  I am grinning as I type this because if you know Nathan, you know he doesn't like change. 

Well...I know of one person who can help Nathan to see things in a different light...his mom!  So I called her and asked for her help.  Nathan and I went to his parent's house for "dinner" one night.  I opened the  flood gates and I just about drowned with his response.  I will spare you the details, but about 3 hours later he had agreed to start trying to conceive in six months! I couldn't stop smiling...for the next six months!  The rest of the story is in my first blog if you would like to read it.  I will share one detail of that long night and that is something that Nathan's mom said that I will never forget.  She was trying to explain to Nathan why this was so important to me.  She said "Nathan, when you were younger what did you always want to be?"  He responded with confidence "An electrical engineer."  She said "Well, since Cathy was young she has always wanted to be a mom."  She knew my heart and she couldn't have said it any better!  I think this is when Nathan realized how I felt and he changed his mind.

Now I want to share the story of finding out we are pregnant.  Two days before the test I told Nathan my body felt  different and thought I could be pregnant, but in doubt of my feelings I waited to take a test.  When I woke up at 5:30 and took the pregnancy test and saw that it was positive within two seconds my heart started racing!  I ran into the bedroom and woke Nathan up and asked him if I could tell him something.  He was very groggy so I didn't wait for his response.  I blurted out "I'm pregnant!"  I began to cry with joy!  He asked "What?"  So I said it over and over again!  I asked him if I could turn on the light to show him the test results, but before he could answer I turned them on anyway!  I think he was in shock because neither of us expected this.  I then called his mom, but she didn't answer.  I then sent her a picture of the test and she responded "Is that a test strip?"  I immediately called her back and we cried as I shared the news.

I wanted to shout from the rooftops that we were pregnant, but knew it would be best to wait.  However, I was prepared for this moment and had already decided who I would tell in what order.  The next night our best friends came to Joplin to have dinner!  I think I waited maybe five minutes before I blurted it out to them.  They responded with excitement and we can't wait to share the rest of this experience with them!  These friends have always been there for us through these difficult times.  We have so much fun with them and have had so much fun experiencing life with them and growing in Christ with them!

I can't wait to share with everyone the journey of this pregnancy and birth of our child!  Oh and by the way, we won't find out the sex of the baby until it is born!