How We Told the Family

Seven times of seeing a positive pregnancy test.  Seven times of telling the news.  I remember them all...

1. When I discovered I was pregnant with Josiah, Jeff was with me as I took the test in our apartment on the bay in San Diego.  

2. With David's pregnancy, I took a test after we got back to Israel from a trip to California; I remember walking into the living room of our apartment in Tel Aviv and telling Jeff, who was sitting at our desk, doing something on the computer.

3. With our first miscarriage, I first saw a positive pregnancy test on a Sunday afternoon; and I came downstairs and woke Jeff up from his Sunday-afternoon-nap-on-the-couch long enough to whisper the news to him.  

4. With Tobin, I put the pregnancy test inside a baby bottle, placed it in a nice gift bag, and gave it to Jeff during his Family Night (pictured here, although I didn't mention anything in that post about telling Jeff the news...because I hadn't announced the news to anyone else when I published that post).

5. With Shav, the story is here:  how, during a date, I told Jeff that I might be pregnant, and how I confirmed that to him a few days later.  We were in the kitchen, grocery bags and various other items piled around, evidence of an Errand Day, when I shared with him the good news and we processed it and rejoiced together.

6. With the miscarriage earlier this summer, I mentioned in this post how I carried the test downstairs to show Jeff.  In my mind, I can still see him at the computer desk down in our library, and how his face brightened, perhaps reflecting my joy.

7. And now, with this precious seventh opportunity to carry and nurture and grow a child, I tuck away in my memory bank how I walked with Jeff under the trees of Purcell Park and told him the news, to his great astonishment.  :)

To make the announcement to the rest of our family, I pulled a funny card out of my stash and wrote the following message on the front:  

"Dear Shav,

You finally get to do something that Josiah, David, and Tobin have all done..."

...and on the inside:
"...be a big brother!!!!!
We know you'll be a great one!
Love,
Daddy and Mommy" 

We gave the card to Shav at supper one evening; but to involve all the boys, I let Tobin open the envelope, David read the front of the card, and Josiah read the inside.  I love how Josiah's voice gets higher with excitement as he reads the message and understands what it's saying.  ;-)

I feel so blessed to have each of these people in my family!  Our little baby will surely be welcomed with much love from many people.  :)