I'm Preggers!!!!

It's the most amazing thing! God is so good. Completely unexpected, surprised beyond belief, overjoyed and so, so, so excited! We had begun to think that God was telling us no, that we were done and needed to move on and find other ways to serve Him. Here's the story so far...

Okay, as far as ttc... almost 2 years ago we had learned the Creighton method of charting and in Oct 2010 we saw a specialist, tried a few meds. In Jan of this year the Dr moved to St Louis into a teaching position... that threw me completely into a funk and I stopped meds but continued temping/charting. In January this year I also got very motivated on weight loss and that has been my focus this year. I have lost 38# as of this morning. I really didn't expect it to be this much of a help so quickly though!

To be honest, Tom and I both had pretty much given up. We had started to look at the good side of having older children, enjoy the freedoms it gave us and I was beginning to look at taking courses for midwifery so that when the kids were old enough, I could consider pursuing that. Also, we had just begun to look into foster care a bit. The Lord had put on Tom's heart that we should be doing more to help others and share Him, and this was a way that we saw might work for us. I had just 2 weeks ago met with a friend to learn about the specifics and their experiences with fostering.

Another funny, Tom's parents are looking at retiring here with us and we have been in discussions on how to best fit them into our home and give them what they need so that we can help them as they age. An addition onto our home was our initial thought, and then we had the past 2 weeks begun to look at houses for sale in our area to see what was available. Guess we'll be stepping the timeline up a bit on that now and adding another bedroom!

I had not been temping or charting at all for the past 2 cycles (since June 11 actually), but due to my training I knew my ovulation date based on how I felt and had calculated that my period should start on Thurs Aug 2. I spotted just a tad on Fri Aug 3 and I assumed it was on the way but then it disappeared. I have had a handful of days in the past week where just one time a day I will have a slight pink tinge on the tissue.

So, Sat Aug 4 I took a test - it was neg but I remember looking at it twice thinking maybe there was a little something there. I was trying not to overanalyze so tossed it and went on. When this past Thurs arrived, I realized I was a week late. Since I wasn't temping I wasn't sure what to make of it and really was just kinda frustrated because I had thought I had made huge steps in understanding my body.

Thursday morning, Tom woke us all up early to go run at the local track (we've been doing this on Tues/Thurs/Sat mornings for a couple months now). I was half asleep and I remember being kinda mad and grabbing the stupid test out of the cabinet and peeing on it. Tom and the kids were out doing their stretching in the living room. The test was positive very quickly. I was shaking and started crying and asking God if this was for real. I got dressed and we left to run. I didn't say a word! I was so shocked, and I wanted to be sure. The test was a blue-dye one which I had read were not as reliable, it had been in the cabinet a while, yada yada yada... I walked the track for 30 min and prayed and sang and thought and my world spun and reeled around me.

When we got home, Tom showered and I got some breakfast together. He left for work, and I ransacked the bathroom cabinets for more tests. I found two!!! Completely different brands and I took them immediately. Both positive instantly. Okay, now I was beginning to really believe it! I went outside to do the milking and couldn't help standing on the deck and screaming (hushed, so kids didn't hear from inside) "I'm pregnant!"

We had plans for the day to go to a friends and watch her kids for her and then she was watching Rose and Will while Heather and I went to the library to do her assessment tests. I grabbed the tests and put them in a baggie on my way out the door. I was there from 10-12:30 and got to enjoy her 1yo little man in a whole new way, snuggles and smiles and playing peek-a-boo! Heather and I left for the library and while she tested, I googled "ways to surprise husband with pregnancy" and looked up due dates and 5 week baby images and got absolutely no lesson planning done!

When we left the library, I made Heather stay in the van while I went into the Dollar Tree and got a little bottle and some baby decor items, a gift bag and tissue paper. I put the tests in the little blue bottle and closed the lid, put a little pink "baby" sign on it and then put it in a white gift bag with a bunch of yellow tissue paper. I couldn't wait to give it to him!

We went and picked up Rose and Will and then had plans to meet Tom at Sam's Club for dinner and then take the kids to Putt-Putt for a night of celebrating their completion of assessment testing. We pull into the parking lot next to Tom's truck and the kids all pile out. I made them all get back in the van telling them I needed to talk to daddy. So, yes, in the middle of the Sam's Club parking lot I gave him the little gift bag! He pulled out the bottle and saw the tests, and (this cracks me up) says "are these yours?". (no honey, I asked random women to pee on sticks so I could give them to you?) :D I could only smile and tearfully nod and he hugged me a long time and prayed with me for our new baby and thanked the Lord for this gift.

I called my mom Thursday night, late, she was kinda worried by the hour at first but was SO happy I had called. She cried and has sent me pictures of blankets she is starting on for the baby. She is beyond excited and happy for us.

I wanted to come up with a fun way to tell the kids the next day, just savor the news between the two of us for a little while. I was thinking something clever at dinner-time. Tom could *not* wait though! He managed to make it until morning, but Friday morning, he was banging on doors calling a family meeting. The kids were all protesting that it wasn't a run day, so they wanted to sleep in. Tom came in and told me he was getting the kids up and I stared at him trying to remember what day it was and thinking I had planned to sleep in too. Took a minute for me to remember what he was so anxious about! :-) He sat them all down on the couch and said something about convening the family meeting and first order of business was to let them all know that he is handsome. They roll their eyes and are very confused but suspicious because I had pulled out the video camera. He said next was to find out what they thought about having a new brother or sister? Heather started crying and crying and sobbing. Rose let out a "whoop" and then hugged Heather. Will grinned from ear to ear.

Will has been cracking me up, you can just tell he is processing it all... when Tom said something about a brother OR sister, his smile kinda fell and he realized he wasn't guaranteed a brother, that's taken a bit of thinking. At WalMart yesterday, we walked down the baby aisle and he loved some little pink booties and a snuggie he thought we should get if she is a girl. I overheard him talking to Rose though, he said we should name the baby Thomas William Sullivan III if it's a boy. We told him that was his job since he was Jr, he could have a III if he wanted to and we'd think of a different name. He thought for a minute, and said "I'll probably have all girls though. If I do Rose, I'll just give them to you. I'll say - 'go see your Aunt Rose'." Silly little man! He also told me that when the baby is 10, if it's a boy, he will buy him a football for his birthday. :-)

Tom called his parents, brother, and sister and our pastor during the day on Friday. I stopped by my sister Amanda's house and gave her the same gift bag I'd given Tom. She was so fun, shock and happy tears flowing, love it!!!

We had plans to go to the park to see my friend Amy and so I gave her the same gift bag. Heather says "It's the present that makes everyone cry!" It's been fun to be able to surprise people who have been praying with and for us for so long! I got in touch with my brothers throughout the day.

We left the park and took dinner over to my dad's. Once Tom got there and we gathered everyone for prayer, I had dad open the gift also. We ate dinner and relaxed with them a bit and then headed home and I zonked out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Thursday was completely surreal, yesterday exciting and exhausting, today has been calm and happy.

I'm having a few symptoms here and there which are reassuring, a bit of nausea when I took my prenatals in the morning (switched to evening and it's better), hot at night, peeing a lot, Tom's sweat smells like vinegar to me, lower back is sore, crazy dreams, some twinges and little cramps. Overall I am feeling calm and confident, peaceful.

My Creighton teacher strongly recommended that I get progesterone and hcg levels checked. I am more prone to miscarriage with PCOS and having had 2 I know this. I am going to call the new NaPro doc in Richmond in the morning and have her order the labs locally for me so we can keep an eye and supplement the progesterone if needed. I also contacted the local midwife about meeting with her. We will see, not sure what we will do yet.

I'll keep everyone posted on our progress as things unfold. I appreciate prayers for this sweet little life the size of a sesame seed that we already love so much!!! For the record, I am 5 weeks along and officially due April 14, but have gone late with all of mine, so probably nearer the end of April. Looking forward to a spring baby! :-)