The Big News

April 24th, 2008—that was the day we learned we were expecting a new addition to our family. I had suspicions for some time. Somehow I just felt it. When I did realize that it was a possibility, I discovered that I was quite excited. I was eager to take a pregnancy test to find out for certain, but I was afraid I would be disappointed to learn that I was not pregnant. So, I made myself wait. I gave myself a deadline. The wait seemed like forever. When my "deadline" approached, I couldn't wait any longer. I knew Pat's parents would be over for a barbecue...but I swung by a Rite Aid on the way home from work and bought an E.P.T. pregnancy test anyway. I came home then, greeted everyone, and headed straight to the bathroom.

There were 3 tests in the box. Two of the normal variety, offering a plus or minus sign, and a third that was a new digital test. If you were pregnant, the word "pregnant" appeared, clear as day. I took a normal test. It was positive. I was elated. I went back to join everyone...but found it difficult to contain the news. Finally, I got Patrick alone. I showed him the positive test. He hugged me, perhaps a bit in shock. We returned to the barbecue, but kept the news to ourselves until we could talk about it.

Later that night, I took the digital test. That word appeared: "pregnancy." Clear as day. You can't really second-guess that one. I suppose the rest is history. History in the making. We told our parents the next day. We waited two weeks before telling our brothers, after our first doctor's visit. I didn't realize how much I wanted a baby until our baby came.

- Shana