A Faint Second Line

“Bri, I need you to look at this and tell me if you see a line.” My sister spins around in her bedroom, eyes wide as she gets ready for the morning. I had already been in Louisiana at my mom’s house for a few days, and we would be heading to my brother’s house in the Tyler area in just a handful of hours, then hopping on a plane back to Seattle the following day. 

I knew that if, by some chance, I was pregnant- I would love to tell my family in person, considering I usually live +1500 miles away with my husband, Nick, and our two pups, Lilah and Luna. 

“Is that a pregnancy test?!” Bri exclaimed while rushing over and grabbing the test from my hands. I gave her a brief run down and showed her what I thought to be a faint second line. Holding it under the light and turning the test in various directions to double-check, she looked at me and agreed, “It’s faint, but there’s a line. You need to take a second test to confirm.” Of course, I didn’t have a second test because I hadn’t thought past the part of taking a test in the first place. 

Like a great big sister, she ran to the store for me and picked up another test. As we wait in anticipation, we small-talk about who only knows what to pass a long three minutes when mid-conversation, she turns around and looks at the test only to turn back at me with excitement in her eyes as she exclaims, “Yes, b*tch! Yes, b*tch!” while dancing around the vanity area. 

If any of you happen to know my sister personally, you would know how very “on brand” of a response that was naturally followed by a long, tear-filled hug. 

After two positive tests, I had to think on my feet and made an executive decision not to tell Nick. (Insert sweat smiling emoji) Instead, I tried to find a way to tell my family that was sentimental yet exciting. 

Goodnight, Teddy.

Luckily, by being at the home I had grown up in since I was four, finding a sentimental item wasn’t too hard to come by. I specifically remembered a book from my childhood, “Goodnight, Teddy.” After a bit of hunting, I found it and memories came flashing back of being a little girl and laying in bed with my mom, helping guide Teddy through the actions of getting ready for bed. I knew this book would be a perfect way to share the news, starting with my mom first. 

While my clothes were minutes from being done drying, my sister and I went into the kitchen to join my mom; I showed her the slightly faded blue book I was looking for, and a smile lit her face. I unzipped its cloth fabric, revealing the thick pages and sending her down memory lane. As I approached the last page, I asked, ” Can I have the book for our future baby?… That should be here in about nine months.” 

The word shocked doesn’t begin to explain the look on my mom’s face. Nick and I had been very private with our decision to grow our family, so the shock was genuinely justified. 

Rather than walk you through the conversation, I’ll upload videos of these moments so you can see them firsthand. This includes my niece proclaiming that she could already “see the baby,” which was met with a glare and lots of giggles. 

As lunchtime approached, we needed to take our excitement, pack the truck, and make our way to Tyler to meet up with my Dad, brother (Chanse), sister-in-law (Ashley), nephews, and niece. 

Expanding the Circle of Trust

Fueled by Raising Canes and the thrill of a secret, the 2.5-hour drive went quickly, and before we knew it, we pulled into the little town of Bullard, TX. Considering this was a pit stop before heading to Gunter for one last sleep before getting to see Nick, I decided to share the news quickly as we all settled into the living room to catch up. Like with my mom, I pulled out my baby book to show my brother- which he met with confusion on why I felt it necessary to show him my 25-year-old baby book. Once I made it to the punchline, there were teary eyes, hugs with all… and potentially a re-shoot of the special moment after we learned the first time we didn’t record correctly. 

My grandmother was the last person in the family I told in person before returning to tell my husband. So, the following day, I brought the test over to her rocking chair, and she asked me if I was holding a thermometer. I chuckled and told her it was a pregnancy test. “Have you taken it?” she asked, looking up at me. When I told her I had and that it said that I was pregnant, she smiled softly and said, “Praise the Lord. Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus,” before saying a quick prayer and dedicating the baby to Him.

Decisions, Decisions…

I know some of you may be reading this, surprised that a) I told other people before the 12-week checkpoint or b) I shared with so many before telling my husband; if I’m honest, I surprised myself. I knew it was risky, but at the end of the day, we never know what the future holds, and the opportunity to share with my family, hug my Mom, Dad, and siblings, feeling their excitement firsthand while sharing the biggest news of my life- worth the risk.

Like any good story, we have a brief cliffhanger. In the next blog post, “Life Update: We’re Having a Baby (Part 2 – The Next Five Days),” I’ll share how I told Nick, his reaction, and the impending head-on collision that happened just a few days later. 

XO,

Haley