How to tell the family!

One of the very worst things about trying to get pregnant (for me, personally) are the late periods.

The most unfortunate part about this is that the signs for your period approaching are THE EXACT SAME as the signs that you are pregnant.  Well... as far as I've read they are :) Whose bright idea was this?!

Oh Google... how you've tutored me.  I'm pretty sure I've googled the following things more often than I care to admit: "signs of pregnancy"  "spotting in early pregnancy"  "cramps during early pregnancy"  "how early do pregnancy signs start coming" and so on and so forth.

Like all else... the information out there is a lot.  Pregnancy is such an individual matter that when you Google above phrases your answer basically comes out to be: "yes"  "no"  "sometimes"  "probably"  "every 3rd Tuesday in March"

It. Is. Awesome.

So Google + late periods + overactive brain = Ideas on how to tell the family!!

The first time that I remember truly believing I was pregnant was in October.  I was planning on wearing a shirt like this:

Then at Thanksgiving I was having another possibly pregnant experience.  Remember these pictures?

Well one of them was supposed to look like this:

Don't worry I would have taken more time on it and made it cuter... 

Also during our last family photographs:

I was planning on talking to our photographer and having Woody and I announce it right before she took a picture, so then we could get the reactions in a photo, cute yeah??

And lots more that I won't bother talking about...

Needless to say, I'm a slow learner.  But NOW I have learned that pregnancy tests are not to be even thought about until you are 2 months late.  The words "pregnancy test" have become swear words to me now.

This part has been hard.  Because as you're late and seeing "signs" you TRY really hard to not let yourself get excited.  Logically you can think, I'm probably not pregnant, I've had these signs before... but you're heart says, "I'M PREGNANT! I'M PREGNANT! AND I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT!"  So you decide OK I'll take the pregnancy test.  You get anxious, and excited and then.... 

not pregnant.

But Don't worry you're little heart whispers to you.... you can have a false negative

So the time came last month.  My period was late.  My heart was excited. I was exhausted.  

I went to the Temple.  And I laid my heart out to my Father in Heaven.  I told him I had Faith, I knew whatever His answer was I would be strong, so I asked, "please lift this burden from me, Am I pregnant or not?"

I am sure you all can guess, the answer was No.  But it was the best, most rewarding, "no" I have ever received.  This truly was a tender mercy from my Father in Heaven.  I knew I was just late, at the same time I received this knowledge, I received a surge of love from my God.  He told me He loved me, He knew me, and was watching out for me.  

So for the first time throughout this experience I was able to wait for my period without the roller coaster.  It was the most peaceful late period I have had this entire time.  I thank my Heavenly Father for that tender mercy.

During scripture study this week I came across this beauty:

"I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you" John 14:18

Yes, of course this is a trial.  But, who doesn't have trials?? Yes, I hate it.  But, my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have not let me tackle it solo.  They have taken every step with me, and some steps (most) they have taken for me.  

I am grateful and appreciate all the kind words and uplifting thoughts that everyone has given to me.  I know that I do not take this journey alone.  So many girls walk it with me, and God the Father, and Jesus Christ walk it as well.