The Beginning

The best place to start a story is in the very beginning. I will never forget the day I realized I was late, really late. Four different branded positive pregnancy tests later, I was setting up an appointment at the local clinic. Getting pregnant was not part my plan, but the very first moment that test read positive I knew my plan didn't matter anymore, I was going to be a Mommy, I was already a Mommy. I remember that once I got over the shock, I was excited. Being a Mom was something I always wanted. Granted being a single mom was not my ideal situation, but I had an incredible support system. I never disliked being pregnant, even when the morning queasiness hit me. I enjoyed finding ways to keep it at bay, while watching my tummy steadily grow. I will never forget the first time I heard my baby's heartbeat, the amusement I felt when my little one pushed away from the monitor (he seemed to enjoy making it a difficult task to get a good read on his heartbeat). I will never forget the instant connection I felt to the little life I had growing inside me.

As my pregnancy progressed normally I settled into the role of motherhood. I started watching all sorts of birthing documentaries, doing research on the best baby furniture, reading pregnancy books and of course tapping into the best resource I had, my Mom. My excitement just could not be contained! Every prenatal appointment went well, I started to feel all sorts of little flutters. I refused the AFP test, because I knew, despite the results I would keep my baby. I mean after all, if they did have something wrong, I would trust God to care for them. I wasn't scheduled to have my second trimester anatomy ultrasound until 18-20 weeks, but at my 16 week appointment I was measuring a little large. It was assumed that I was just a little farther along than we originally thought, so I was scheduled for the anatomy scan. As a first time Mommy anatomy scan meant only one thing to me, I was going to find out if my little one was a boy or a girl!