Chapter 2

This is me at 10 weeks along.

Later that week, the morning sickness (or in my case all day nausea) set in, for which I was glad only because this was normal for me and meant a healthy pregnancy. September 18th was our 7th anniversary and my mother-n-law Ann’s birthday. So when we got back into town after vacation, we went to their house with a cake and a card. We signed the card from Joey, Lisa, JJ, Kayla, and Baby Mast! She read it, but it did not sink in as she glanced at it. I said, “Read who it is from.” Then she got it. She called Jud over and read it to him. They were shocked. Then we had my family come over to our house. My parents, my Aunt Beve and Uncle Jim, and my grandfather who had recently moved in with them after my grandmother passed away unexpectedly back in June. When everyone was settled in the living room, I made sure everyone heard me ask grandpa if he would like another great grandchild because we had one on the way for him. Hooray! They were all happy for us.
One would think that this pregnancy was off to a great start, but not so in my mind. I had felt sicker than I had remembered being in the other pregnancies and though I could not pinpoint it, something just did not seem right. Even before this pregnancy I had heard of several ladies whose third pregnancies failed in miscarriage. A few years before our assistant pastor’s wife lost her third baby early in the pregnancy. When she went to hear the baby’s heartbeat there was no heartbeat. Others seem to have a similar story and this was my third pregnancy so before I even conceived I had prayed for a healthy baby and to not have to go through a failed pregnancy. When my appointment came to hear the heartbeat I was obviously nervous, but there was that faint little beating heart. I told the doctor I was relieved and told her why. She assured me that I would be fine. At the next appointment I heard the heartbeat again and was assured that by this time there was only a small percentage that I would loose the baby, so I was hopeful and optimistic. They scheduled the ultrasound for me. I knew that would really be conclusive and squelch any doubts. About that time I was able to feel movement from the baby. I could not believe how early I could sense the baby, maybe it was because this was my third child and I knew what it felt like.