The Big Bang

One of the things I love the most about my husband is how family-oriented he is. From the time we started getting serious, he would talk about getting married and starting a family. Of course being young and crazy in love, I knew this was normal and didn't read too much into it. Time went on, we grew together and fell more in love, and I started thinking seriously about the future. Every time I pictured walking down the aisle and family portraits, he was by my side. I never could, let alone want to, picture myself with someone else. He was (and still is) everything and more to me. When he left in August of 2013 for boot camp, I experienced true loneliness for the first time. I could be in a room full of loved ones and friends and still feel like something was missing because my boyfriend was hundreds of miles away and there was no way to hear his voice or give him a huge hug and kiss like I wanted to every day. Time seemed to pass slower than ever and all I did was count down the hours, days, and weeks until I got to see him again. 13 long weeks later, we made the trip from Sacramento to San Diego to see that man of mine graduate and "officially" earn the title of a United States Marine.
Seeing him on family day was like nothing I've ever experienced before. I still remember how I felt and I get butterflies to this day thinking about how overwhelmed with pride and love I was seeing the transformation he had made. He didn't look like my little baby anymore; he looked like a man... MY man. The next day on Graduation Day, he got to be in his dress blues because he was the honor grad, and let me tell you something... no tuxedo on earth compares to the suave look and sex appeal that a handsome Marine in dress blues exudes. I was floored. What happened next still makes me smile. My boyfriend got down on one knee in front of my family, his family, all the new Marines around us and their families, and asked me to be his wife. I believe my exact words were, "Is that even a question? Yes!"
We spent a month and a half at home together for the holidays after that, and he was shipped off to his next training program for another 3 months. That one was hard on both of us, and we started seriously talking about the possibility of starting a family and picking a date for the big "I do." We got married April 4th, 2014 when he came home on leave, and we didn't actively start trying to conceive, but we stopped trying NOT to. I had gone to the doctor several times and had been diagnosed with PCOS, also known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I was told I had hundreds of cysts on both of my ovaries, and this was the reason for my wildly irregular periods and the reason I didn't ovulate. I was told then and there it would be near impossible for me to get pregnant and I would most likely need fertility treatments to conceive. I was devastated of course and after some long talks with my husband and lots of tears, he only had one thing to say: we would try whatever we could and he would do anything possible to make sure we got the family we both wanted. He was so compassionate about it and has been so wonderful helping me deal with anything I've come across on our journey together.
We moved in together July 5th, and a few weeks later I went on vacation with my family to Hawaii. I came home August 4th (our 4 month wedding anniversary) and badda-bing, badda-boom. A few weeks after this baby-makin' magic, we were walking through the NEX and when we passed the "family planning" aisle I got this gut feeling that caused the little voice in my head to whisper "Grab a box of pregnancy tests." So I whispered back Shut up crazy lady, you obviously don't know how my internal organs work, or better yet DON'T work, and I don't need to test. I already know the answer: I'm not pregnant. So she whispered back, "Grab the damn box" and that was that. I grabbed a box, got a funny look from the hubby, and went home and straight to the bathroom. I was sitting on the toilet after gracefully peeing on a stick as wide as a sharpie, and skillfully managing to not get my own urine all over my hands, when low and behold... the first pink line popped up. Within 5 seconds the second pink line appeared on my pee stick and good thing I was already sitting down, because I got dangerously close to passing the hell out. My heart started pounding and my stomach turned and I immediately grabbed the second stick and forced all the pee left in my body out to make sure the test wasn't defective.
Two tests, four lines, and one freaked-out crazy lady later, I was screaming for my husband to come into the bathroom. I couldn't get any words out and just waved the stick around in his face while squealing and saying things neither one of us could understand. He was shocked. Happy (I think) but shocked! Here we both were, thinking we couldn't have offspring without medical intervention, and after one perfectly timed Big Bang, we were on our way to becoming a family of three. I went to the doctor a few weeks later to confirm the good news - I was pregnant! This was 19 weeks ago and we're still going strong. Little bear is playing kickball with my bladder as I type this and I still have moments where I think "Is this really happening? Did we really get lucky enough to create a human being? Am I REALLY going to have to shove a baby out of me? DID I EVEN THINK THIS THROUGH?!" Then I calm down and remember it's all worth it, I'll be fine, and I have the best damn husband anyone could ask for. In just a few short months I get to meet the little man that is half of the big man that I love most on this earth, and I am beyond blessed with that alone.