…I found out I was pregnant. I often remind my children—usually after a heated argument—that while I may not always look or sound like it, I love them deeply. That love began the moment I knew they were growing inside me.
Like the young kids they no longer are, they beg me to retell their origin stories over and over. Each time, their eyes light up with wonder. Or maybe it's just my tear-blurred vision? Nah, definitely not.
Nearly 13 years ago, in early May 2004, we were en route to visit my mother-in-law. The day before, I'd visited the lab downstairs with a nagging suspicion after just two or three days of delay. The weather was beautiful, and I felt inexplicably happy, as if I already sensed what was coming. My husband drove, ever the gentleman, while I relaxed. The lab instructed me to call the next morning for results. As we pulled into her driveway, I dialed. After giving my name, a brief pause… then: "POSITIVE."
I turned to my husband: "Positive!" We screamed it together—"POSITIVE!!"—before composing ourselves to greet her like nothing had changed. Well, almost. We kept exchanging giddy glances like mischievous kids, whispering "positive" whenever we could. Not once did doubts creep in about this first pregnancy. We embraced the joy without hesitation, and everything unfolded perfectly. Our firstborn is now 12, on the verge of surpassing me in height. 
A little over 10 years ago, in November, anticipation built differently. We'd waited about four or five months. Our birth control had expired after two years, and we were ready for number two. The home test was ambiguous at first—was that a faint line or not? Debating between a lightbulb change and an eye exam, I thrust the stick under my husband's nose: "Is there a line or not?" He blinked in surprise—he hadn't even realized I'd tested—then nodded: "Yeah…" I had to spell it out: "That's great news!" Welcome, little one (who felt tiny right then).
Why share this now? A few days ago, Agnès from the lovely blog Quatre Enfants invited me to join a blogging moms' writing challenge. I jumped at it—I thrive on themed prompts with deadlines. Check out the other participants here: Agnès, Aurélie, and Julia.
Got a topic you'd love me to cover? Let me know!
