The Day We Found Out: Picture This

It was not a typical Sunday for us. Sunday November 14, 2010, so a sunny Sunday none the less. My dad, Sparky, was out of town preaching at a church in Mexico, my brother, Austin, was leading worship at his church in Denver. My mom, Donna, rode to church with me and Mark. I was feeling really peaceful, and hungry that morning. At church I remember looking around during worship and noticing little things. Little things like the way the air felt in the gym, the way our voices hung in that air, I was just very aware of every little thing going on. (It's amazing how many people get up during a service!) 

We arrived home around 10:30 that morning and I raced into the kitchen to make breakfast. Mark watched some football, I tried to study. But study I could not! Because there was this huge issue that I couldn't ignore anymore. So I snuck out of the house by myself (to Target of course) to buy a pregnancy test. At this particular store they keep the men's shaving necessities in or near the same isle as the tests. A guy approached me and looked like he wanted to start a conversation. So quickly I grabbed a test (the one on sale) and smiled at him and said, "I think I'm pregnant!" and happily walked away. When I got home my heart was beating so fast and I was sweating. This was one of two goals that I've really had for myself: first one being that I would be the absolute best wife that I could be, and the second one being that I would be the best mom that I could be. So this moment was huge, this is what I had wanted since I was a little girl, to be a mommy. 

(I will spare you the mechanical details here) so the test was positive and I slowly knelt to my knees in the bathroom and lifted up my hands to the Lord and sincerely thanked Him. I asked that He would use me and Mark to allow this child to know and fear Him. So with tears of great joy I quietly walked out to the living room, Mark was on the computer, he turned around slowly and looked at my beaming face. He knew. His first words were, "no way! we're going to be parents". He rose to his feet and gave me a huge hug and we stood there really quiet, not saying anything. A few minutes later we composed ourselves and walked next door to tell my mom. This is a really strange thing to tell parents! She took the news with grace and love of course and we three gathered in prayer. Our next task was to tell my dad. He came home from Mexico that evening. Waiting those 6 hours to tell him were really hard! But the time finally came, he was home! Mark and I raced over to tell him he was going to be a grandfather. He was so excited in a way that only Sparky can get excited.

That night, and for the following 6 weeks I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about my child and how much I love him/her already. Thank you Jesus, for giving me this special gift.