I couldn’t sleep last night, because all I did all night long was dream and think about the fact that today we would find out such a special part of who our baby is.
Today was our 20 week ultrasound, that would tell us if God has given us a boy or a girl.
I was literally so excited this morning that I’m certain it was my fault that I threw up. Mornings are still quite difficult, and I’m telling you–if I breathe too quickly or say too many words or even look at someone for too long, I will throw up. Well, this morning, I woke up with the biggest smile on my face, jumped out of bed, threw a special load of laundry in (our blue & pink t-shirts!), bounded down the stairs, grabbed my bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios (you’ll all be happy to know that I’ve moved on from the Lucky Charms phase) and sat down on the couch to stare at the gorgeous water and rising sun. At that moment, Brian was walking towards our house after just coming from a run, and I began to wave frantically, bouncing up and down. And it was in that moment that the familiar feeling took over my body, and I realized that I needed to calmdown fast. But, like the kid who already has cookie crumbs on his face when his mom catches him reaching into the jar for the second time, it was too late.
But it was okay! Nothing could steal my joy! I just had to sit in time out for the remainder of the morning until it was time to leave… 🙂
We each wore white to our appointment, and packed our matching blue and pink t-shirts with us to change into as soon as we found out…
(We’re whispering, so you’ll have to turn your volume way up to hear us)
I laid down on the table and Brian clenched my hand. You couldn’t have wiped the ridiculous grin off my face. I literally could not handle the suspense for one more second. I had to know if this baby–whom I was convinced was a boy–really was.
The ultrasound tech had barely put the ultrasound wand on my stomach when she said,
“You’re having a boy!”
I gasped and cried and squeezed Brian’s hand so tightly, who also had tears in his eyes. And, ever since that moment, I have been seeing everything in blue.
Watching Baby MoBoy (the new nickname!) on that monitor was, by far, one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had. He was just so cute…the most perfect baby I have ever seen…and the experience was just breath-taking…like watching a miracle kick and stretch and swallow right before your eyes. My eyes were glued to the screen as tears just poured down my face for those 30 minutes of glory. All I want to do for the rest of my life is stare at our son… Our son!!!
This was the very first position we saw him in:
Is he not the most adorable thing you have ever seen?!?! Later he stretched his legs out straight and arched his back…which is when I exclaimed, “Ope! Yep, there it is! Definitely a boy!”
We could see every bone in his spine, his stomach (that’s the black hole at the bottom of his tummy), his beating heart, the umbilical cord…oh, what a miracle. She counted every toe and every finger (10 and 10!), and even noticed that he had small ears for the size of his enormous head. Then she looked at Brian and said, “Oh yeah–you have small ears, too!” He is going to look just like his daddy, which pleases me beyond words :).
Here are a few more favorites:
All glory goes to God, who has kept our little peanut healthy and strong during the last 5 months…The ultrasound tech used the word “healthy” more times than I could count, and when we met with our midwife, she did the same…praise God he is healthy for all my body has been through!! Baby MoBoy’s head is in the 92nd percentile!! Yikes!! His abdominal circumference is 54%; femur length–78%; humerus length–>95%! He weighs 12 oz!! Our little buddy is not so little!! Long arms, long legs, a big head and a normal waist :). He is perfect.
The After Tale:
We ended up going back home to change so I could eat my normal lunch of steak and mashed potatoes before beginning our journey of telling our family and friends. My parents were in Germany at the time, and I was so bummed at the fact that we may not be able to get a hold of them. WELL, I called anyway in hopes of leaving a message for the next time they turned on their phones, and my dad answered!!! It was the greatest blessing in the world…I couldn’t believe it! So my parents were the first people we told and they were in Germany!! Then, we set off in our blue shirts to tell Brian’s family and some of our good friends.
Our first stop was seeing Brian’s mom, who we knew was in the middle of her recess time at school. We hadn’t told anyone that we were getting our ultrasound that day because we wanted to just show up on people’s doorsteps with our matching t-shirts and see if they could figure it out. We spotted Marilyn instantly, and we walked right up to her on the playground. She soon figured it out and was so excited!
We visited the rest of Brian’s immediate family (with the exception of Angela who is in Spokane) and several of our friends. We have to give kudos to Kevin and Melisa who were, of everyone, the quickest to figure it out without us saying anything. We visited Melisa at her current work. She said, “Oh cute, guys! Matching outfits!! Wait…YOU’RE HAVING A BOY!!!!!” Others, who didn’t catch on quite as fast would say, “What are you guys up to?” To which we’d respond, “Oh, we just wanted to stop by and show you our new shirts!” Then our friends would look at us like we were out of our minds, and say, “Cool, guys………..” and be really confused until they finally figured it out… It was awesome :). We loved it.
Well, everyone! Thank you for reading The Tale of the Second Chromosome! We are so excited to share our news with you!!!
God gave me the most incredible husband on the face of this earth and beyond.
I’ve thought many-a-times over the last few months, “So this is what they mean when they say, ‘or for worse’….” I’ve heard a lot of people reference vomiting as one of the first “for worses” (I know that’s not a word) that they experience as a married couple. I don’t know what it is about having partially chewed, blended food mixed with stomach acid come back up and into sight again that so quickly trumps every fight, quarrel and difficulty, and qualifies it as a “for worse.” But, it’s true. There have been countless nights of Brian waking up to the sound of my heaving and the familiar splash into my faithful bucket–over, and over, and over. But he’s never ONCE in those moments been awakened from his sleep and ever said anything like, “So this is what they mean when they say, ‘or for worse’.” No, he’s always responded in immediate selflessness, immediate service, immediate affirmation, and immediate love. And you know, you can do anything for a week or even a month. But I tell you what…come month 2, 3… of constant nausea and vomiting, I was so defeated and he was still so strong. I had tried EVERYTHING, but my body is no longer my own…there is nothing I can do to get it back under my control. So when the third throw up of the night would come, all I could think was, “This is the worst…and there’s nothing I can do about it…” And Brian would barely be out of his slumber before he was quenching my fear with truth and hope: “Oh, I’m sorry…you’re doing such a great job! You’re such a great mother to our baby! You’re going to make it…it’s going to be okay…”
Today, I broke my 10-day vomit-free streak. Brian had just left to go to breakfast with a friend when the nausea that had plagued me for the previous 3 hours finally took over and discovered the outside world by launching itself through my throat and out of my mouth.
“I’ll always have those 10 days!” I texted him, after relaying the news.
“I’m so sorry, my Love,” he so gently and lovingly replied.
He got home from breakfast, came immediately upstairs to check on me, held me for a moment with such tender compassion, and then without saying a word, he picked up my vomit bucket to bring into the bathroom to wash out, a routine he has become quite practiced at the last 3 months. “I haven’t gotten to do this for you in 10 days!” he joyfully declared.
And with tears in my eyes, I just silently thanked God again for this man He has brought into my life, who serves me with such a gracious love and whose attitude towards this “for worse” could not be better. Without ever being asked to do so, Brian has cleaned out my vomit bucket virtually every single day and night–multiple times–for the last 3 months. And he’s never batted an eyelash. He has held my hair back when I didn’t have a hair tie. He has learned to know what I need when I don’t even know what I need. He knows when to just let me be, and when to distract me from the constant nausea and pain. He knows when to stay clear of me (at times, any little movement triggers the vomiting) and when to gently rub my back or hold my hand. He knows when to empathize with me, to just hold me and listen and tell me it’s going to be okay. And he knows when to encourage me and press me out of my tears and defeat, helping me declare hope over my body and our baby. He stays so strong, even when I have convinced myself and the world around me that vomiting must be my destiny for eternity. He’s always on top of putting a new bottle of apple juice in the fridge when the current one is getting low and buying me more boxes of Lucky Charms when we’re almost out (yes, apple juice and Lucky Charms are my two “needs” first thing every morning…blame it on Baby Moby!). He has picked up my slack in laundry, cleaning, dishes, grocery shopping…driven me to get Vitamin B shots in my bottom when I couldn’t drive myself…beared with me–mostly ;)–when all I craved my first trimester was watching Christmas movies over and over and over again.
And I’m just finally grasping that this “for worse” has really served as an amazing “for better” in our lives and in our marriage. We have grown so much as a team these last few months; our love for each other has deepened and widened… We have been through this trial TOGETHER… Praise you, oh God for this “for better” in our lives right now! Give me the understanding to see every “for worse” as it really is–as a “for better” in your hands…
I cannot tell you how many times daily this song runs through my head. Clay Walker knew what he was talking about when he wrote this little ditty.
I love my husband so incredibly much…and he loves me so well. I wake up each morning and think, If only it could be as simple as loving each other, and getting paid to do so… We’d be doin’ what we love and lovin’ what we do…
We have barely broached the subject of “What’s next?” because there have been so many current life/job details to tie up. Yet, we remain full of peace and excitement for what’s ahead.
The morning that I woke up in the hospital, I heard this Scripture ringing through my head: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness!!” (Lamentations 3:23)
I couldn’t get it out of my system…I was overflowing with gratitude for His new mercies every single day… This is a promise to His children! His love is steadfast and it never ceases…the power in these words is extraordinary, and I heard it with new ears that morning.
That afternoon, when we received the call about KLM, I knew it was no accident that that was the Scripture the Lord put on my heart that morning. He set me up for a total win in my spirit that day: I knew instantly that the news was not “bad,” it was His mercy. And when you have that perspective, it’s really difficult to not be at peace. When you know it’s His mercy that the company collapsed, then you don’t wish it were still intact. You are thankful that He orchestrated everything so perfectly that, despite your great efforts to keep it running, His will prevailed. It’s these moments that I am so thankful that God’s hand is so much stronger than our own hands. Because He is Sovereign. And I want His Sovereignty to control our lives, not our striving and good intentions.
I met with a woman who has had a similar experience; the company she and her husband owned collapsed several years ago. Praise God for men and women who have gone before us, with the faith to follow the Lord and not give in to the world’s ways of fear, anxiety, and materialism. Praise God! In the three hours I met with her, I was filled with unction, faith, and direction for my heart. I could write a book on the wisdom she shared with me, but there is one particular word that stands out the most. She said, “We knew God was saving us from a life of mediocrity.”
And that did it. It was the nail in my coffin of any temptation to fear that God was not in control of our lives. Brian and I have both prayed over the years that we would be saved from a life of mediocrity, and I know God has, is and will honor our cry. And so again, I rest assured that He allowed KLM to slip through His hands–for His glory and for our sakes. He is saving us from things we cannot even fathom. His mercies have rained down upon us afresh in this new day.
And so we stand, in faith. Knowing He is God. Hallelujah.
From the moment we informed people about our pregnancy, people have been saying to me, “Well you look great!” Which, I’ll be honest, has baffled me a bit. Were they expecting me to gain 50 pounds upon conception? I’d BETTER look great NOW or else I’d have a REAL problem in 8 months! 🙂
I lost a few pounds (thanks to my obsession with vomiting the last 2 1/2 months) and so starting about two weeks ago (at 12 weeks) you could see a small, but definitely pronounced, little tiny baby bump because I didn’t have any tummy left to hide it. So some people at that point said, “I see a little bump…but you look great!” At about that time was the first time I could feel myself needing the “you look great” affirmation, so at that point I WAS thankful for everyone’s kind remarks. But if you didn’t know me you would for sure just think I pigged out at lunch and decided not to hold my belly in.
Well, yesterday, EVERYTHING CHANGED. From the instant I walked into our church building, I had friends shout from across the room, “You’ve got a belly!!” Literally–every single person I saw put their hand on my “belly” and awed at how huge I’ve become. No you-look-great’s last night! Only, “Wow, you’ve got a huge belly!” It’s so hilarious that suddenly, for the first time in my life, it’s okay to be fat. I suck in my tummy as far as I can, and my belly still sticks out. I must say, I did have one very kind friend tell me that if you didn’t know I was pregnant, you wouldn’t be able to tell.
The most ironic part to me is that today I went in for a check-up and they weighed me. I happened to be in the clinic exactly 10 days ago, and when they weighed me then I was still about 4 pounds under my pre-pregnancy starting weight. Well, today when they weighed me, I had apparently gained back all 4 of those pounds, and I’m now back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I’m sorry…did you catch you that? I’VE GAINED 4 POUNDS IN 10 DAYS. And I’m still throwing up almost daily! How does that happen?!? If I continue at this rate, I will gain 73 more pounds before giving birth! Ah!
Anyway, that’s not even my point. My point is this: That, last night, I was (apparently) back at my PRE-pregnancy weight, and it was the first time that everyone I saw commented on how big my belly was. Umm…I’m starting to wonder if people have ALWAYS thought I had a big belly…? I mean, I know I’ve skimped on the sit-ups the last few years, but did I have a weight problem that I didn’t even know about?? Friends, if any of you would like to have a care-front with me, I am open.
But really, the truth is, I LOVE having a belly :). I cannot WAIT to get bigger and bigger and bigger and actually have a reason to wear maternity clothes! I cannot WAIT to sport my belly with pride! For those of you that know me well, you know that I have ALWAYS loved to push my belly out as far as I can and hold it as if I were pregnant. I can’t even remember ever NOT loving to caress my belly as if it contained a sweet baby. People used to get really uncomfortable when I would do that, but NOW look at who’s caressing my belly! Every friend and perfect stranger that I see! So don’t call ME crazy…
We could have never guessed how timely the Lance Wallnau conference and the concept of Brian finding his true passion would be when we booked tickets for it in early July…
Right before heading down to Mexico, Brian’s company (KLM) was in an extremely fragile spot. To put it *very* simply, a client that has owed them a lot of money for over a year was still refusing to pay and the back-log had finally caught up to KLM. Brian & his business partner had been meeting with lawyers to try and do everything they could to get their money from this client, but nothing was working. We went down to Mexico knowing that the company was in a very fragile spot, and this confirmed in both of our hearts that we were meant to go. We had a feeling we were about to enter a season of major transition, and we needed fresh vision and direction!
We flew from Mazatlan into Seattle on Tuesday and that’s when I started getting really sick…threw up for virtually 12 hours straight and finally ended up in the hospital on Thursday. Friday afternoon I was released from the hospital, and on our way home we got the call from Daniel, who had just gotten off the phone with one of the lawyers, that there was nothing more they could legally do at that point. KLM was forced to shut down. They just didn’t have the resources to keep going without that money.
Talk about a roller coaster.
So, we did what any normal person would do when finding out their company was collapsing would do: We made tacos and ate dinner with our friends (did I mention we had two dear friends–Erika & Melisa–living with us? And we liked to call Troy, Melisa’s fiance, our surrogate roommate because we got to see him most every day/evening!) So the 5 of us ate, drank (water), and were merry. Brian & I retired early that night and began to talk through just the beginning of the ramifications of our news…life was transitioning. Big time.
We were heading into Melisa’s wedding week, and Brian began the intense process of getting all of their trucks/supplies/materials back to Tacoma from Santa Cruz…LONG, intense hours of driving and labor.
That same week we got a call from the owner of the house we are renting: “Brian, I’ve stopped making payments. I just can’t do it anymore…I’m short selling.”
I couldn’t stop laughing when Brian told me the house news–absolutely NOT because I was pleased with what the owner had to do (in fact, I’ve been genuinely praying for him for months that he would sell his house at full price), but because it was like our entire physical world was literally crashing down around us. Of course the house we were living in was about to get swiped out from under our feet! Losing our job wasn’t a drastic enough of a change. 🙂
I’m not sure how we made it through the next two weeks, but we did :). When I think of August I think of LOTS OF VOMIT, a terrible Mexican resort, the worst plane trip in the history of plane trips for me, my heart swelling with joy as two of my dear friends got married while my stomach was swelling with nausea the whole time, Brian driving back from Santa Cruz 3 times, early mornings, late nights, throwing up in the middle of the nights–every night, roller coaster of news, Brian getting two spider bites that required a (very) minor surgery, more vomit, and the biggest transition we’ve known as couple. When September arrived I just remember taking a deep breath and not wanting to MOVE…or think…or blink. What a crazy August.
So what are we going to do for work, you ask? Great question. We likely have another few months of receiving a paycheck, so the “Um, we’re jobless” shock hasn’t hit quite yet. Brian’s been up to ears with lots of projects and things that are required to close the company out. When things start to settle a bit he’ll start actively looking for another job or business opportunity.
The bottom line: We’re at peace, actually–we’re excited–for what’s next. We follow a faithful God who has not abandoned us or left us out to dry. We trust Him, and we’re looking forward to seeking His will!!
As if growing a baby, throwing up multiple times a day and being in two weddings weren’t enough challenges for the month of August, we decided to go Mazatlan.
As many of you know, other than spiders & heights, I’m not scared of too many things. Especially international travel. Let me remind you that I ventured to Mexico by myself at age 17, barely speaking the language, and having no clue what I was doing. But I was I scared? Not really.
But I was scared to death of flying to Mazatlan at 10 weeks pregnant. Because all I did every day, all day long, was throw up. Throw the idea of a very early morning flight, a plane, and the country of MEXICO into the mix, and I am shaking in my boots.
The journey to Mazatlan was one I’ll never forget. If you’d like to read about my recount of the trip to Mexico, click here:
If you have a weak stomach yourself, I wouldn’t read it… If you need a good laugh, I would. 🙂 The very short, much less entertaining version is this: I threw up all the way to Mexico.
Somehow I had managed to have every friend, family member, and stranger that I ran into before I trip praying for me, and…it worked. I was trying a new combo of vitamin B & anti-nausea meds while there, and during the 4 full days we were in Mexico, I only threw up once. That’s miraculous. So I figured I’d hit the jackpot in the perfect meds combo! That is, until I got home, did the EXACT same thing, and still threw up multiple times a day. It was then that I realized that God must have had His strong hand upon me and all of my fear during our Mexico stay.
However, once I returned HOME, I got incredibly sick (which was kicked-off by my first restaurant throw-up), incredibly de-hydrated, and ended up in the hospital overnight. Another first for me. So Brian and I had a sleepover at St. Joe’s, which is where we are planning on delivering the baby. It was altogether a great experience, and we were both actually really thankful for it. I learned a lot about ways to keep hydrated, my body, and signs to look for when I’m heading down the wrong path. Apparently seeing stars is not a normal symptom of pregnancy…who knew?
I’m sure you’re wondering, why on earth did we plan a trip to Mexico in my first trimester?? Well, Brian has been listening to a guy named Lance Wallnau, who is a Christian Business guy (that’s how I describe him…not sure what his official title is…). Brian has been incredibly motivated by his message and has just loved all of his teachings. His basic premise is, if, as believers, we are to be advancing the Kingdom of God, then we can’t ALL be solely working in the church. He points out “7 Mountains” of the world–Religion (the Church), Business, Government, Arts & Entertainment, Media, Education, and Family. Each of these “mountains” needs Christians within them–we can’t all flock to the church, thinking that’s the only way to do ministry. He basically says, “Take your passions, whether they be for the church or for politics, and use them for the glory of God!” Anyhow, it’s a really powerful message and he’s a fantastic speaker. He reminds me of Jerry Seinfeld. 🙂 So, Brian and I both felt this would be a strategic conference to attend, knowing that Brian likely wouldn’t be doing construction forever. He doesn’t want to work just to work…he wants to be advancing the Kingdom of God within the realm of the passions and the gifts that God has given him.
So, all in all, the conference was really great. Brian got several personal touches with Lance and left the trip really encouraged and motivated. I was glad to be there with Brian, but honestly quite distracted as the morning sessions were the meat of each day, and mornings and I do not mix in this season. So although I didn’t throw up, I was so nauseaus that that was mostly all I could think about. I would sit there and imagine my exit route in case the vomit began to creep its way up my throat. But I really loved the evening sessions!! 🙂
I’m so glad we went. And I hope I never have to go to Mexico when I’m 10 weeks pregnant ever again.
It may not have been so bad had I not been in the height of sickness, but you throw throwing-up multiple times a day into the mix of ANYTHING and it becomes crazy.
WEDDINGS GALORE!!
Two of my best friends got married in August to two incredible men!! Yay!! I thought I was a big fan of marriage BEFORE, but now that I’m married I am–I think–the BIGGEST fan! I couldn’t be more grateful that two more of my friends get to step into the bliss of marriage. (Just a few more of my single friends to go! And I’m praying!!)
The Dorseys! Chrisy & John
August 6, 2010
The Mobergs & The Dorseys!
“The Shivering Butterfly”
Chrisy & John’s wedding was BEAUTIFUL…I wish I had more pictures to show it off! They got married right on the water in a neighbor’s backyard. Beautiful. And COLD. It was chilly when the sun was out, but when it set–wowzers. They released butterflies right after they were pronounced “Mr. & Mrs.,” but it was so cold they wouldn’t fly! They landed in her flower girls’ hair because it was the closest thing they could land on! Well, one of them chose my bouquet as its landing pad, and I couldn’t have been more delighted. This little buddy spent the entire evening with me, just shivering on my bouquet.
After the wedding was over, Brian & I transported all the gifts back to Chrisy’s parents’ home. My shivering butterfly and I gratefully climbed into our Suburban with heated seats and the warm air blowing. I put the bouquet down on the center console. We drove to the house, unloaded the gifts, and when I got back in, I gasped! My shivering butterfly was gone!! GONE!! I figured he must have warmed up, had the courage to fly, and forgot all about the love and care I had given him over the few short first hours of his life. And out he flew. I was so sad as memories came flooding back into my mind of when my very first bird flew the coup. Suddenly, I was 13 all over again, and Kristy, my cockatiel was out there somewhere, in the middle of the cold winter’s night…
Well, I was so nauseous and tired at that point that I forgot about The Shivering Butterfly pretty quickly actually. And that’s the story of the Dorsey wedding.
The Basses! Melisa & Troy August 29, 2010
Melisa was my Maid of Honor, and there was no greater joy or honor than to stand beside her as a Matron of Honor on her wedding day. Melisa is one of the most vibrant, exciting, fun people that I have ever met. She’s brought a lot of pizazz into my life!! Her wedding was nothing short of a beautiful, extravagant display of these qualities about her that I just adore. Have YOU ever seen a wedding with 7 different wedding colors??!! Well, you’re about to.
The Matrons & Sister of Honor!
Look at this wedding party! GORGEOUS! We held parasols instead of bouquets, which was so fun!
Mr. & Mrs. Troy Bass!!
Little bump!
Baby Moby has now officially been in two weddings!! And he (or she!) is only 12 weeks old!!
So there we were at church on a Wednesday night, and my pastor came up to me and said, “Are you pregnant?”
“No!” I quickly responded.
Without hesitation, he asked again. “Are you SURE?”
At which point, I paused, did some quick thinking and calculations and replied, “No….”
And he just shrugged his shoulders with a little smirk and left it at that.
Now, a little background: As many of you probably know, Brian and I have each been ready to have kids for years. We considered trying as soon as we got married, but both felt like it was of utmost importance to have a solid first year under our belts before throwing a baby into the Moberg mix! Since neither of us were (really) working for the first 4 months of our marriage, we have been INCREDIBLY blessed to have spent A LOT of time together over this last year. We spent most of every waking & sleeping moment together those first 4 months, which, considering most couples have to work all day and don’t see each other till around 5 or 6 every evening, we figured our first 4 months should count as an entire year!! 🙂
Anyhow, we’re definitely not saying that our marriage is perfect or that we’ve solved every problem in our first year so we shouldn’t have anymore the rest of our lives…BUT we do feel like we have gotten an incredible amount of “together” time, and we were for sure ready to start building our family.
So–back to Wednesday night church–I told Brian what our pastor had said and we both just laughed, knowing it was highly unlikely that I was pregnant. And some point that night someone making announcements said, “Raise your hand if you’re a parent in here.” And Brian and I just looked at each other and giggled and dreamed…
Well, there was for sure a bug in my ear, and so I began to watch my body (and the calendar) like a hawk. A week and a half later when I was late, we couldn’t even believe it…
So, the thing is, we HAD stopped being “careful,” but apparently about one minute later we were pregnant. (I guess I got the “Fertile Mertile” gene from my mom…thanks, Mom!!) We were ABSOLUTELY not expecting it to happen so quickly. When we took the pregnancy test and saw the two pink lines I just kept saying, “But how did this happen? Is this really REAL?!?!”
We’re parents!!!
Two pink lines!!!
Look at this photo of my mom when she was pregnant with me! She is so little with just a big bump! I hope I look this good when I’m 9 months pregnant!!
This is me, attempting to figure out how I’ll look when at 9 months pregnant… I think I look just like my mom! 🙂
So our pastor intuitively knew before either of us did… Later, when we told him, he just laughed and said, “I knew it! You just had this glow about you!” And I didn’t even know I was glowing!! 🙂
We kept it to ourselves for a couple weeks until we could get in to the doctor to confirm the pregnancy. At the end of my 5th week it was confirmed, and I was beginning to feel nauseous, so it was feeling a bit more real. The first day of Week 6 I began throwing up, and at the beginning of Week 7 we had an ultrasound that showed us our little baby and his/her heartbeat. Oh, what a miracle. Truly the hand of God…
There was a real, live baby growing in my tummy, we had a picture to prove it, and we were finally ready to tell people :). You all found out shortly thereafter…
The day started a little early for a Saturday morning. Susanne had questioned why they were leaving at 8:30 but Brian had assured her that it would be good to get the day started early. She didn’t care that much. Brian was taking her out to breakfast on the Seattle waterfront and then they were going ring shopping. Ring shopping! It was almost too good to be true for both of them. The last few weeks had cemented one thing clearly in both of their minds: they were getting married. They both knew it would be just a matter of a few weeks before they were engaged.
Susanne and Brian were excited that they were going to be able to spend all morning and afternoon together. Susanne’s parents were visiting from out of state but they had made lunch plans with friends up in Seattle so Brian and Susanne had most of the day to themselves. The last few weeks had been so busy. Between Brian’s weekly work trips to California and Susanne traveling to Michigan last weekend it had been some number of days since they got to spend any real time together.
As they talked Brian drove the Suburban north on I-5. They hadn’t been on the road long when Brian’s business partner called. Brian immediately silenced the ringer and ignored it. But, thirty seconds later Daniel was calling again. Brian was torn and a little irritated. He wanted Susanne to be his first priority today but Daniel wasn’t calling twice in a row for no reason.
“Babe, do you need to get that?” Susanne asked.
Brian reluctantly clicked the button to answer the call on speaker phone. “What’s going on?” Brian asked without emotion.
“We’ve got some problems out on the Hood Canal project,” Daniel responded. “Josh has been working through the night. They are making good progress on the first portal but they are concerned that the sway frame is quite a bit worse than we originally thought. The state inspector is awfully concerned that we aren’t going to have the bridge back open by 8:00 am tomorrow morning and frankly I am concerned that he is right. One of us has to get out there as soon as possible.”
“I can’t go out there today,” Brian interrupted. “We’re on our way up to Seattle for breakfast and then we’re going shopping for ‘something special.’” Susanne smiled, thinking about how that ‘something special’ was going to bling on her finger!!
“Well, the truth is,” Daniel replied. “I am in California so even if I left right now I wouldn’t be able to make it to the peninsula for at least four hours. We have too much riding on this project to ignore this. With the Hood Canal Bridge closed for repairs there is no way the state is going to extend our deadline. We have to get all the lanes on this bridge back open to traffic.”
“I just can’t do it today. Maybe you can get Kevin out there and at least have him be your eyes and ears. I just can’t spend the next six hours driving back and forth to the peninsula.”
“Let me look into a few details. I’ll call you back,” Daniel said as he hung up abruptly.
A few seconds later Susanne broke the silence. “Babe, be released. If you need to go out there today I totally support you.”
Brian knew one thing for sure. She was a real treasure. The way she trusted him, the way she barely even let out a sigh of disappointment at the possibility of their ring shopping plans getting canceled for the day. He was torn. He knew the job situation was both urgent and important but he just hated the way work so often pushed other plans aside. He wanted any other option but he felt like he really should go out to the job site. “We’re not going to spend all day driving,” he told her. “Daniel can find another way. I am spending the day with you.” The phone rang again just few minutes later. The caller ID confirmed it was Daniel calling back again. Brian answered the call and Daniel cut straight to the point.
“There is a plane waiting for you at Lake Union. Kenmore air can fly you across to the Hood Canal Marina. The flight should only take twenty or thirty minutes and once you are on the ground the marina has a rental car you can take. You know how close the bridge is to the marina. You can probably be back in the air an hour after you land. Just make sure Josh is making smart decisions and that they have a clear game plan for being finished by the morning.”
Brian hesitated. He still had no interest in changing the day’s plans but two hours was a lot better than six hours. It was actually Susanne that really made the decision more palatable. From her side of the car she was smiling at him. She whispered that it sounded like a lot of fun to take a float plane flight.
Daniel continued, “I just need Susanne’s last name so I can get her listed on the plane’s manifest.”
Brian still didn’t respond right away. Finally he broke the silence. “Mauss, M-A-U-S-S.”
“M-A-U-Frank-Frank?” asked Daniel.
“No, M-A-U-Sam-Sam,” Brian replied.
“Okay, the plane is waiting,” Daniel said. “There is a Starbucks adjacent to the terminal. You can grab something as you arrive. The address is 950 N Westlake.”
“Make sure they have champagne on board,” Brian deadpanned.
“I don’t think it’s that kind of plane,” Daniel retorted.
As Brian hung up Susanne was actually excited. “I’ve never been on a float plane! It’s okay, Babe…let’s make this a fun adventure!”
“Thank you for being so gracious,” Brian said softly. She really was amazing he thought. She was so supportive, so selfless.
When they approached the terminal they looked for the Starbucks to grab something to eat. When they found it Brian dropped Susanne off and went back to the terminal to check in. Minutes later he picked her back up. “Everything is all set,” he said. They parked and walked toward the terminal together.
As they walked he stopped to kiss her. She really was amazing he thought. So beautiful. Such a gift.
As they walked down the dock it became apparent that Susanne’s high heels were going to be a little awkward climbing the ladder into the plane. “We didn’t plan this. Can you tell?” she joked with the pilot as Brian helped her up the ladder.
As they taxied out and became airborne Brian and Susanne were all smiles. “This really is fun!” she exclaimed. They took picture after picture. The day was cloudy but flying below the cloud level gave them an incredible view out over Seattle. Seeing everything from the air was so picturesque. From the Space Needle to all the bodies of water that were visible they took in the sights.
Brian stole another kiss. “Good thing the pilot doesn’t have a rear view mirror,” he joked.
“This is amazing!” Susanne gushed. “I really owe Daniel big time for setting this up for us.”
“Oh come on Babe,” Brian joked. “I really set this all up as a fun surprise for you. Give me a little credit.”
“Yeah…I’m sure!” Susanne smiled. She was glad to see Brian a little less serious.
As the plane approached the Hood Canal Marina the pilot circled several times trying to figure out how she was going to drop us off on the beach. Even after she landed she taxied back and forth trying to find a spot where she could get the plane in to the beach and turned around without clipping the wing on the high bank adjacent to the shore. After she pulled up to the beach she and Brian hopped out to get the plane spun around before the sinking tide left the plane stuck. Brian then helped Susanne down the ladder and held her hand as she jumped from the float to the beach in her white heels.
On the beach Susanne asked Brian to pick her up and hold her in his arms for a picture. The marina attendant snapped a few shots with the plane flying away in the background. “Wait, why is the plane taking off?” Susanne asked.
Little did she know…
“Oh, it will be right back,” Brian said brushing off her question.
Susanne stopped off at the restroom for just a moment and when she came out Brian was already walking out toward the boat dock. “Wait for me,” she smiled.
“Come on Babe.”
“I thought we were getting a rental car. How come we are heading to the boats?”
“Oh, I decided we would take a boat out to the bridge instead.”
“What? How did you change so fast?”
“It’s a small town operation. They can make changes quickly,” Brian said as he quickly signed a contract that the marina attendant held out on a clipboard.
“Slip number six,” the attendant said as he handed Brian the keys.
Some secret squirrels (Doug and Melanie!!) took these photos from hiding as Brian and Susanne approached the boat!
As they approached the boat Brian held Susanne’s hand tightly. It was only a matter of time… “What? What is this? What’s going on here? Do my parents know about this?” asked a shocked and stunned Susanne. “Did you plan this? You did plan this! What are we doing? What’s going on here?” The boat was decorated with lilies around the entire perimeter. On the center table there sat a small pile of wrapped presents and a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Next to the presents was a photo album with a cover photo of Brian and Susanne.
The inside of the boat…
Brian helped her into the boat without saying much of anything. He wanted to get out away from the dock so they could be alone. Susanne slowly recovered from the initial shock but her mind was still spinning. It was still 2 weeks until her birthday, and they hadn’t been ring shopping yet, so he couldn’t be proposing… Was this just the world’s most incredible date? When they were a few hundred yards away from the marina Brian killed the power and scooted over to hold Susanne tight. A mix CD of love songs was playing softly on the stereo. They just sat for a few minutes together.
Brian took the opportunity to give Susanne one of the presents to open. It was a waterproof rain coat that they had talked about buying together. It seemed fitting to start with that as the rain beat down on the roof of the boat. Thankfully the boat was fully enclosed and plenty warm inside.
When the next song started Brian turned the volume up and pulled Susanne up off the bench seat. He held her close and attempted to dance but he had never been much of a dancer. He looked more like a Jr. Higher at his first dance standing next to Susanne and swaying back and forth. He was thankful that she loved him enough not to care.
About an hour had passed since they first got in the boat when Brian decided it was time to surprise Susanne again. As they sat together on the padded bench seat Brian reached down into a cubby hole and pulled out a small gift bag. Brian placed the bag on the table and pulled a card out of the bag. “Can I read this to you?” asked Brian. Susanne nodded and smiled a smile that seemed part thrilled, part filled with joy and part nervous.
Brian held the lengthy card he had written in one hand with his other arm wrapped tightly around Susanne. She closed her eyes, leaned her head against his, and listened as he read the heart-felt words out loud. He finished the card, set it aside and picked up the bag. Out of the bag he pulled a small wrapped box. He pulled off the bow and removed the wrapping paper. He opened the gift box and removed the tissue paper which left him holding a black velvet ring box. Without further hesitation he pulled out the ring and got down on one knee. There was just enough room to kneel down in the center of the boat. “Susanne Mauss,” he began. “I love you. I want to marry you. Will you marry me?”
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!” answered Susanne as he slid the ring onto her finger. The minutes following were hard to really remember. There was pure joy and wonder and excitement. They reveled in the moment and it slowly sank in that they were really engaged. With everything going through Susanne’s mind she managed to be surprised all over again that the ring was actually on her finger. “Did you put this on me?” she asked Brian. Brian nodded and smiled.
A ring!She said, “YES!!!”Engaged!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
After spending minutes or perhaps an hour reveling in the moment Brian encouraged Susanne to open the rest of the presents. She opened a children’s book that Brian knew she loved. The last present was a new cell phone and a garage door opener to their new house.
Showered with gifts, love and a FUTURE.
After the presents were finished Brian pointed the boat east and set off for the Alderbrook Resort for lunch. Susanne piloted much of the way and Brian took the helm to bring the boat into the dock.
Because when you’ve been waiting a long time for your man, you can’t help but show off that hand when there’s a ring on it!!!!
The marina attendant was there again to help tie up the boat. Brian and Susanne just stood there in the boat for a minute or two savoring the moment not quite wanting to leave. But the peaceful silence was broken when Susanne heard a laugh she recognized. “Melanie!?!?” she screamed as she peered out of the boat at her brother and sister in-law. Susanne was overwhelmed. She stood there laughing and sobbing until the crying pushed aside the laughter. She was shaking too badly to even step off the boat to hug her family. For what seemed like minutes she stood there reaching out to embrace them but unable to step off the boat to actually reach them.
“You’re actually HERE?!!!!!”After finally getting over the shock and gaining some control of herself, Doug asked to see the ring and then Susanne wanted to see Melanie’s baby bump!!!! (Fable as a tiny bump!!)And then in classic “Susanne” style, she proceeded to tell the crazy story of the day!
After much crying and picture taking Brian and Susanne accompanied Doug and Melanie into the Resort for lunch. After lunch the rain held off just enough to spend time taking a bunch of pictures around the grounds and out on the dock.
Too good to be true!Our ever-after begins, hand in hand…
Somehow Brian’s car moved itself from Seattle to the Hood Canal (thanks to Brian’s parents!). So after lunch, Doug and Melanie headed back toward Tacoma and Brian and Susanne headed to the Tacoma Gene Jaurez for the manicure appointment Brian had set up.
After Susanne got her nails done they headed over to Indochine for dinner. Susanne knew all along that there were dinner plans with her parents and Brian’s parents who would be meeting for the first time. Brian had also invited his brother and sister in-law and their kids as well as his sister and Doug and Melanie. Dinner presented the opportunity to retell the story of the day for the first time to the family.
After dinner Susanne knew the plan was to go back to the new house for dessert with the families. However, as they were pulling up to the house Brian had Susanne navigate to brianandsusanne.com on his cell phone and she saw the website for the first time and she read that there was to be an engagement party just as they were nearing the house.
As they pulled up there were cars parked all up and down the street and there was a full house of extended family and all of Susanne’s friends that packed the house and were bursting out onto the decks as they pulled in. With drinks and desserts waiting inside Susanne and Brian got to walk into a house full of ecstatic friends and family. After the initial burst of excitement died down dessert was served and the Brian and Susanne got to tell the story of the day. A love story…. Starring themselves…
(To see pictures of our INCREDIBLE engagement party, surrounded by our closest friends and family, click on our Engagement Album!)
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