And What Does This Say To You?

I left the bathroom quickly without looking behind at the counter. I walked straight to the kitchen and set the timer for three minutes.

My husband, Wendell, and I arrived at the lakeside campsite with $100 of groceries and a brand spankin' new tent we'd just bought at Target. With our borrowed sleeping bags and foam pads, we were prepared for the camping trip with his family.

I busied myself around the kitchen as I watched the timer tick down. My heart seemed to beat in time with the count-down edging up in by body until it felt lodged in my throat.

A family friend took us out on the lake in his boat, we cooked dutch oven style and gossiped. In the late afternoon when the food was cooking the girls would play Skip-Bo, Phase 10 and Uno. I took long naps and would wake slightly boiled in my plastic heat-bubble of a tent.

The timer went off and I felt my heartbeat was audible. I froze and suddenly didn't want to see. One way or the other, this moment would change my life forever...

I'm so glad you bought these Rolaids, I remember telling Wendell. He often had heartburn, but it was unheard of for me. But with the greasy camping food I was eating, I was popping Rolaids like M&M's.

It's time, I told Wendell. We have to check it now or the results won't be correct.
I took his hand and shakily led him to the bathroom.

I am so tired, I confessed after another hot afternoon nap. Four of my sisters-in-law exchanged looks. You aren't pregnant are you? Tiffany finally voiced. I went three shades of purple and looked elsewhere. No, I said. Everyone laughed, but they left me alone.

I turned on the bathroom light and looked at the stick. Two lines. Two pink lines. I showed Wendell and hugged him. He held me.

That night in our tent I whispered to Wendell, The girls think I'm pregnant and that's why I'm so tired.
Could that happen already? he wondered.
I don't know. As soon as we get home lets get a pregnancy test.
Don't you have to miss your period?
I'm supposed to start Tuesday if we take the test then we'll know. I think it'll work.
Alright, he shrugged, lets get a test when we're home.

Wendell picked up the stick and held it out to me. And what does this say to you?

This is how my life in Momville began.