Having Known for Five Days.

This evening I’m remembering a moment that I want to be sure to remember years from now.

Remember when I was still scared, vain and in utter panic over the reality that this – a pregnancy, a baby, certain changes – this was happening NOW?  (If not, it’s all right here.)

I distinctly recall the moment when I started realizing that everything was going to be okay.

It was a Tuesday night.  Brian’s head was about to explode for lack of permission to share the news.  We decided that night to tell our friends and neighbors, the McKinleys.  Mike wasn’t home yet, so we chitchatted with Karen for a bit.  Naturally, she asked about the hair show in Chicago and I tried to sound interested in that conversation as I flipped through the pics on my phone, showing her all the wild styles.

Then I flipped one more picture, the pregnancy test picture.

Her whole face lit up, her jaw dropped, her eyes positively twinkled with joy.

Karen, “Wait.  Are you serious?!”

We silently nodded.

Karen, “Is this why you came over tonight?!”

We nodded again.

Her daughter, Kendall, poked her head over the couch in the living room wondering what all the commotion was about.

“Wow!” Karen projected.  “What a great hair show!”

I’m convinced that Kendall was still suspicious.

Then Mike arrived.  We had gifted them a bathroom window that had been installed that weekend.  (Seems like a strange gift, but our houses are identical.  So when they saw the improvement in our own bathroom, they, too, wanted to get some natural sunlight of their own.)

Trying to be discreet, Karen directed Mike, “Hey, Mike!  Let Brian show you the new window!”

Mike had already seen the new window, but he was a good sport.  The two guys walked into the bathroom.  After a second of silence, Karen and I heard Mike shouting from the bathroom, “Are you SERIOUS!?  That’s awesome!”

As he exited, Mike, too, discreetly proclaimed, “Man!  That’s a great window!”

The “new window” quickly became our code word for our “new baby.”  That night Karen began to rejoice with me (kinda with me, but mostly beside me) as she assured me that the Lord’s timing in this was intentional and good.  She reminded me that just as He knit me together in my mother’s womb, he’s doing the same work in me.  Then she began to offer practical advice, helpful suggestions and offers for hand-me-downs.

As I walked home that night, I realized that for five days I had been feeling so frightened because it had never occurred to me that others might want to come along side of us and share their time and resources to aide us.  For the first time since the previous Friday morning, weight began to lift from my shoulders and joy began to settle in my soul.

What a wonderful and kind gift our friends offered, to immediately celebrate both the known and the unknown, helping me to get swept up in the moment and breathe a sigh of relief!