Fatherhood Revealed

I promise I did not forget about you. In My Journey to Motherhood I said I would finish telling you our story. I hope my written words will do justice to this next part because it was one of the most memorable moments of my life. 

When Brad and I decided it was time to start a family, my wheels were already turning about a special way to tell him when we got pregnant. I have always felt like the fellas get the excitement of planning the marriage proposal so I knew I wanted to be able to surprise him with the news that he was going to be a father. 

I will always remember the night that my plan for the big reveal came to me. I literally woke up in the middle of the night with this idea. I got up, wrote down my idea, and hid the scrap piece of paper in my nightstand certain that I would be needing it any day. 

Fast forward to nearly 2 years later. Still no baby. I happened to be cleaning out my nightstand one day and found my brilliant idea-full of hope and excitement-squished up in the back of the drawer. I pulled it out and in my despair, I threw it away. In that moment, I felt like that idea was a fantasy that might never happen and maybe it was time to let it go. 

I found out I was pregnant the next month. 

Can we just pause for a minute to reflect on how amazing our Lord is? He knows the desires of ours hearts (He places them there) and He is so incredibly faithful and precise in His timing. I am just in awe at times. 

Ok, back to the story...it was time to put that discarded plan into action! 

Step 1: Don't tell Brad yet. This was so hard, but totally worth it in the end!! 

Step 2: I put a call in to the local Salvation Army to schedule a time for them to pick up all of our furniture in one of our guest bedrooms. Their first available appointment was a week away. This was going to take a lot of will-power NOT to let the cat out of the bag. Luckily, that meant I had a week to secretly pack up the guest room...empty all the dresser drawers, hide the contents, and strip the bed except for the top comforter. I had to make it look like nothing was changing in that room even though my plan was to have it be completely emptied.

Step 3: Balloons. Lots and lots of balloons. I blew up 50 pink and blue balloons (with the help of some precious co-workers) and ordered about 50 more helium filled balloons to be picked up the day of the big reveal. I also ordered a bag of rose petals. 

Step 4: Signage. I made a huge poster board sign that said 'Welcome Home Daddy'

Step 5: Wait. (This was the longest week of my life!!)

Brad was working in sales when we got pregnant. This was such a blessing at the time because he was on business world time and I was on teacher time. I was able to take time off during the workday without him knowing so I could put my plan into action. The Salvation Army came and hauled off all the furniture in the guest bedroom. Then I filled it with 100 pink and blue balloons. I used the rose petals to leave a trail from the garage into the future nursery where I waited for him with the 'Welcome Home Daddy' sign. Oh and I video taped the whole thing....the guest room before-hand, the workers moving the furniture out, the balloon-filled room, and the moment he finally came home. 

I will never, ever, ever forget the look on his face when he made his way into the nursery. Best. Moment. Ever. Sometimes I forgot that he had to face infertility with me. My sorrow was his sorrow. My joy was his joy. Revealing fatherhood to him was definitely one of our greatest joys.

Our precious Channing Elizabeth was born later that year. And soon after she turned one, we found out we were expecting a second little bundle of joy. That has a good story too, but I think I'll save that one for another time. :)

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there...especially my Brad!