Baby Cakes: Due January 4th, 2013

In March of 2012, Patrick, my husband, and I heard the words from our fertility doctor that we did not want to hear.

"You will never conceive naturally.  Your only option is IVF."

But this is not a tale of doctor offices, needles, hormones, and in-vitro fertilization.  Patrick and I walked out of his office, confident that if we were meant to have children naturally, God would provide.  If not, in a year we would begin the adoption process.
My heart had been broken by those words.  I cried as Patrick drove us home, feeling empty.  He did his very best to comfort me, as he always does, but I needed to mourn.  Mourn the fact that a doctor had told me I would not be able to carry a child that would be half Amanda and half Patrick.  Mourn the fact that I might never feel a baby turn and kick inside me.  I might never bring a life into this world.  If only I had Patrick's faith, I would not have needed to cry that day.
Fast forward, I started seeing a homeopathic hormone therapist to help balance my estrogen and testosterone.  The beginning of April was my first appointment, and I began taking the supplements that day. The next month, I was due for a check-up.  She called ahead and told me to take a pregnancy test the day before, to insure that I was not pregnant, as she could not do the test on me if I was.
I waited until the next morning.  I knew I wasn't pregnant and wanted to put off as long as possible seeing the negative sign on that little pee stick.  I woke up, made Patrick's breakfast, and as he was eating, excused myself to the bathroom.  I peed and placed the stick aside, ignoring it completely.  As I was washing my hands, I glanced down... and saw the plus sign.

My heart stopped.

Blood thudding in my ears, I put the test under the sink and went back in the kitchen, not saying a word.  As soon as Patrick drove away to work, I hopped in my car and went to the nearest drug store.  Soon I was back in the bathroom, drinking water and preparing to pee on three more tests.

All positive.

Needless to say, I did not take the hormone test that day.  When Patrick came home, I made him take me to dinner, where the waitress presented him with a stein I had dropped off earlier that said, "Patrick, you're going to be a daddy.  Love, Amanda."
We were both crying tears of joy that night.

We are having a baby.  And we couldn't be happier.