We had a GREAT summer vacation to Europe: spent 3 weeks there on our way home to the US. We spent a week in Italy, then did a 9 night cruise of the Baltic cities (Rostock, Germany; Tallinn, Estonia, St. Petersburg, Russia (2 days); Helsinki, Finland; and Stockhom, Sweden), and then finally stayed for 3 1/2 more days in Copenhagen, Denmark.
We flew home to Arkansas to stay with Michael's parents on June 25 (Michael's birthday and our anniversary). That whole week (and really from then on out) I was feeling really tired and just wanted to nap all the time. I suspected that maybe I was pregnant but it was too soon to know. The next week I got a yucky cold which made me feel even worse and I was afraid to take any antibiotics in case I actually was pregnant. I went to the doctor and she prescribed me some but told me not to take them unless I knew for sure that I was not pregnant, but she didn't offer to give me a blood test to check! haha So then of course it was the waiting game for a while longer. I tried taking a pregnancy test but it came up negative. I have heard that it can take a few weeks before they will accurately detect them...so anyway, I decided to wait to take one again until I knew it had been long enough. The following Sunday, July 10, I got up in the morning to get ready for church, and decided to go ahead and take another pregnancy test. Lo and behold, here is what I saw:
Even though I was hoping for that, it was still quite shocking to actually see it! I've taken many pregnancy tests in the years since I've been married and always out of fear that I was pregnant and didn't want to be. They always turned out negative, so it was strange to see something different, and to be excited about it! I woke up Michael and told him the news. He was so excited too. I think we were both a little in shock. Michael joked that we should name our baby Denmark and call it Mark for short. :)
Now, we debated next about what to do. Who to tell? I had always wanted to wait as long as possible to tell people, just to be sure that I made it through the first trimester--the riskiest time. Especially with my colon issues, I just thought that I might have complications or issues. So, I've always said, let's not tell anyone! Michael convinced me that we needed to tell our parents in person, since we were home and with them! I'm thankful that he did. I can be stubborn, but I am open to reason. :) However, we didn't leave Arkansas for three more days, and I didn't want to tell my parents over the phone, but I also didn't want to tell Michael's parents 3 whole days before mine! So, we decided we would wait until Tuesday evening to tell Rodney and Vicki, and then we would tell my parents on Wednesday evening after we got to San Diego. I thought Michael was going to go crazy keeping it a secret for the next few days. I've discovered that he is really bad with keeping secrets/surprises. haha
Several years ago, when Michael and I first got married, we would spend a lot of time in Barnes & Noble. I discovered these Grandparent memory books that are filled out by the Grandparents (about themselves, their childhood and growing up, as an adult) and given to the grandchildren to keep, so that as they grow up, they can read more about their grandparents and get to know more about who they are as people. I've always had this idea that I wanted to tell our parents by buying them these books (they are actually published by the AARP! haha) and giving them as a gift, to surprise them. I feel weird just coming right out and saying "I'm pregnant" and wanted to make it more fun.
We were in Searcy, AR. There is not a lot of choice in the way of books. We went to Hastings to find them but couldn't find anything like that, so instead we just bought some kids books, "Grandma and Me" and "Just Grandpa and Me." We wrapped them and gave them to Rodney and Vicki on Tuesday afternoon. We said we just wanted to thank them for letting us come to stay for a couple of weeks, and when they opened it, they seemed a little confused at first. Actually, I think Rodney figured it out quickly, but Vicki said, "Oh, some books to read with Phoebe!" (her granddaughter) and thought it was an odd gift. Then she read the card that we had included (after she put on her glasses) and realized that it was for a NEW grandchild! They were both pretty shocked/surprised, but definitely excited.
Then we flew to San Diego the next day. We had dinner with the extended family at my grandmother's house, and afterward we said we needed to go to Barnes & Noble to get this new book that Michael was wanting that just came out that day. Well, instead I looked for those books, and found them! At least I found the one from the Grandfather...they didn't have the one from Grandmother but I found a different one, same concept, called Grandmother Remembers. So, we bought those and then ran to Target and got a little yellow onesie to include in the gift. We again, told my parents we wanted to give them a gift for letting us come and stay with them, and they opened it and were of course, also shocked/surprised (at least they appeared to be!). But they were very excited and my dad's response was, "I was beginning to wonder if I was ever going to have a grandchild!"
So, we had told our parents. I was surprised at how nervous I felt both times when telling them! I guess I knew they would be happy and excited but I just wasn't sure how they'd react knowing that we were going to be in Korea for it. We decided we'd tell our siblings too and our few closest friends, and then wait to tell everyone else until we were further along in the pregnancy. We told my younger brother and his fiancee and then my older brother and sister-in-law when they got to San Diego. Then we called Michael's sisters and told them over Skype one weekend while his parents were visiting with them all in Texas. So, it was an exciting time and so fun to be able to share with our families while we were home. We did make them swear to secrecy and they did a really good job keeping it under wraps for the next 2 months. :) We also assured them that we would be coming home for Christmas to spend some time with them, so they could be with me big and pregnant in person, and that we would definitely be coming home for the entire summer next year, and pretty much from now on.
We really love our families and are so thankful for them and their support. I know that it has got to be hard for them, especially our parents, to think about us having our baby here in Korea and being so far away from them during this time, but we really appreciate their encouragement and the fact that they have not tried to make us feel guilty for being here. God has blessed us with amazing families!
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