Intro

Several people have already asked me if I was going to start a blog for Baby Houston or open up our private blog to readers. After a lot of thought and consideration, I have decided to leave our private blog just that - private - and start Baby Houston a blog of its own.

I will begin with our edited pregnancy post from June 24, 2008, on the private blog for those that don't know the story...

In the famous words of Grandaddy Gapen, "Wow!"

I don't even know where to begin! It's been such a long journey, and it's finally real!

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!!!!

I think I'm still in shock!

Just to record the events leading up to our finding out the wonderful news, I'll begin with this morning...

I woke up around 4 and needed to use the bathroom. Once I crawled back into bed, all of a sudden, I had a pain in my left breast. Ouch! And then I felt it. A lump. Or two. Or something! What's wrong?! Surely it's nothing. Go back to sleep. It'll be alright in the morning.

I finally got up out of bed to get ready for work. The lump is still there. It doesn't feel right and I'm officially scared. I tell Benjie. We decide I'll call my doctor to get it checked out.

I go to work. My boss is on vacation, so I go ahead and tell the girls I work with that I'm scared something's wrong. I figured they would hear me talking to the doctor, so I might as well fill them in. Caroline says, "Oh no, it's nothing. You're just pregnant." Oh hush, Caroline. I think I just hurt a muscle Friday night carrying a huge cooler. But then I start talking about how bad they've both been hurting for several days now.
I played it off. I've been disappointed SOOOO much over the past nine months. Up. Down. Up. Down. That's how my emotions have been.
It's only day 31 - and I've been going until day 40. I refuse to get my hopes up.

Benjie calls later & asks if I have called the doctor yet. I tell him no - I want to take a pregnancy test first just to rule that out. That was like throwing a curve ball at him, but he agreed.

Then he later calls and says he's coming to Corinth for a meeting. We set a dinner date. 12 noon at The Waldron.

God? Is that You?

Surely not.

I go to K-Mart. The digital pregnancy tests are ON SALE!!! This is the best day ever! God, are you playing with me? I still am not getting my hopes up, but it feels so much different than any other time.

Benjie is in the parking lot, parked right beside me. I hop in the truck with him, along with my tests and purse. We arrive at The Waldron and are seated. We ordered our drinks, and then off I went to the restroom - purse in hand with a test stashed inside.

What a perfect restroom! Cozy, comfortable, and equipped with a unique table to set my purse on! God's plan again, right?
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. There. That's enough.
The goofy thing is flashing something at me - but I'm too blank to even figure it out. It's taking too long, so I decide to wash my hands. By the time I'm finished, I glanced over at it. I could tell it said something, but I wasn't sure what it was. As I was drying my hands, I leaned over and read what I never thought was possible.

Pregnant

Oh. My. Gosh!!!!! I immediately just stop to pray. Praise God! I give Him thanks, and do all I can to hurry up and get out of that restroom! The door is locked. I almost fall coming out. There sits my husband with his back towards me. How do I tell him? What do I say? Oh, I'm so excited!

I placed my hand on his left shoulder and tell him, "We did it!!! I'm pregnant!!!"
He said, "You're kidding!"
"No! I'm not! LOOK!!!"
"Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" (Gosh has two syllables with Benjie: Gah-ush!)

I'm crying. I'm smiling. I'm laughing. I'm crying. I'm smiling.

But now I can't tell anyone!!! Ugh!! This is going to be hard! Thank goodness for blogs!

I still can't believe it's true. And of course I realize this could be a false alarm. I'm going to get a blood test done, some way, some how, in order to be sure. And then we have to figure out how to tell my huge family and his. Oh me!

I have prayed for this child for so long. I was just about ready to give up. And God has pulled through and answered my prayers!

I told Benjie I definitely have a new favorite restaurant! : )

I go from thinking I have breast cancer to having one of the best days of my life! God is so good!

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That was all I wrote that day, but I'd like to add a little more now. What topped off the evening was we rode over to the park on the golf cart, and of all people, who do we see? My doctor! Wow - what an amazing God we serve! When He has a plan, He works out ALL of the details! I tell her our wonderful news, and she told me to call her the next day to set up the appointment. We scheduled the big day for July 17th at 10:30.