Tag Archives: grandparents

My Journey To Motherhood Part 3

Announcement Anxieties:

The next announcement we planned was for my mom and stepdad. I was especially nervous about this one, unsure of how they would react. Would they be excited or concerned? Would they disapprove of the timing—or be completely over the moon?

When we made plans to tell our parents—Blake’s mom and my dad—I knew they would be overjoyed. We had talked many times about how special it would be that, even though they didn’t share a child together, they would still share the rare and beautiful privilege of having a grandchild in common. (See part 2 of My Journey to Motherhood.)

But at the time Blake had not spent much time around my mom and step dad and even though I knew they liked him in a general sense. I was still unsure if they’d approve of our next endeavor.

My mom was already an incredible grandma to three beautiful granddaughters, ages three to seven. I think being a grandma might just be her favorite thing in the world—she’s truly wonderful in that role. She has a whole room in her house just for the girls, complete with bunk beds and every toy a little girl could dream of. Her pantry and two refrigerators are always stocked full of snacks, and without fail, the first thing the girls do when they visit is run to pick something from Grandma’s pantry.

Deep down, I knew she would be thrilled about our news—but that didn’t stop the wave of anxiety I felt. I think most women would agree that, aside from your partner, the person you most long for support from in motherhood is your own mom—the woman who raised you, knows you best, and is the first person you want to turn to for advice.

Improvise:

My mom and stepdad live about two to three hours away, depending on traffic, so we didn’t make the trip down there very often. Gas prices had been high, and for a while, we didn’t have the most reliable vehicle—thankfully, that’s no longer the case. Luckily, one of my nieces had a ballet recital the second weekend after Blake and I discovered our blessing, which gave us the perfect reason to visit.

The recital was being held about twenty minutes from my mom’s house, which meant we could naturally stay there for the weekend. It created the perfect opportunity for Blake and me to visit without raising any suspicion from my mom or stepdad.

On the drive to my mom’s house, I couldn’t stop trying to think of the perfect way to make the announcement. When I couldn’t come up with a plan, I decided to call my sister. She’s the creative, quick-thinking type, and I knew she’d have an idea. Sure enough, together we came up with the perfect plan to surprise them.

It was early December, and my mom took advantage of our visit to recruit some extra help with Christmas decorating—which worked perfectly in our favor. My sister, who would also be there, came up with the brilliant idea to tie the positive digital test to a string like an ornament. Then, while we were decorating the tree, we’d ask my mom—who’s always particular about where each ornament goes—“Does this one look okay right here?”

My sister and I were so excited and proud of the plan that we had come up with and we couldn’t wait to execute it.

Blake and I arrived at my mom’s house around 4 p.m., before my sister had gotten there. The plan was for me to leave the test in our unlocked car so she could grab it later and tie a ribbon around it to hang like an ornament. I was a mix of nerves and excitement—so eager to tell them, yet anxious about how it would all play out. Thankfully, my mom was so focused on decorating that she didn’t notice how oddly I was acting—pacing around, smiling nervously, and not saying much as we hung ornaments and placed Christmas decorations throughout the house.

I grew increasingly impatient as I watched my sister pull into the driveway, my heart racing with anticipation. In just a few minutes, I would be sharing with my mom and stepdad the most important, most beautiful news I had ever told anyone. The thought alone made my eyes sting with tears and my heart feel like it might burst.

As my mom and I kept decorating, I found myself glancing at the clock every few minutes. Five minutes had passed—then ten. What’s taking her so long? I wondered. Finally, I decided to check my phone and slipped away to the bathroom. There, I saw a text from my sister that put a small dent in our perfect plan—she couldn’t get the string to stay tied around the test. For a moment, I panicked. How am I supposed to announce it now? I didn’t have a gift bag like I’d used for the other announcements, and this was the one I’d been dreaming of sharing with my mom my whole life.

Finally, I texted my sister back and told her to just leave it and come inside—we’d have to improvise. I quickly explained for her to be ready, because I was going to hand her my phone to record when the moment came. As soon as she walked in and greeted everyone, I slipped her my phone, and she quietly stepped behind the kitchen island, hitting the record button.

I stood behind the couch, watching as my mom hung a wreath by the back door. Trying to sound as casual as possible, I said, “I have a question for you.”

“What?” she replied, still focused on making sure the wreath was perfectly centered.

“How would you feel…” I began, just as she turned to look at me. She glanced over with a curious but relaxed expression, completely unaware of the surprise we were about to share. “…about having another grandbaby?” I finished.

My mom instantly took a step back. “Nuh uh!” she gasped, eyes wide.

“Yes,” I said with a nervous little giggle.

“BECCA!” she shouted, her mouth falling open in pure shock and joy as she made her way across the room toward me. Her excitement was contagious, and in that moment, every ounce of my anxiety melted away.

My stepdad congratulated us right away, shaking Blake’s hand with a big grin. Then, in classic fashion, he followed up with, “So—you’re gonna do the right thing, right?” implying there’d better be a ring soon. I couldn’t help but laugh as I overheard them.

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and happy chatter—the girls giggling about baby names, everyone wondering who the baby might look like, and stories flowing about my mom’s and sister’s pregnancies. It was one of those moments I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Even though things didn’t go exactly as planned, the moment turned out more perfect than I could have ever imagined. My mom was overjoyed, and all my fear melted away. In that instant, I knew I had the best support system a new mom could ever ask for.

Don’t forget to like and subscribe! Coming later this week, I’ll be sharing how we chose the perfect name, the highs and lows of my pregnancy journey, and the unforgettable moments leading up to labor and delivery. You won’t want to miss it!

Question Of The Blog:

Did your announcements go according to plan? If not, how did you improvise?

My Journey To Motherhood Part 2

Planning The Announcements:

When that one little word appeared, Blake and I knew our lives would never be the same. I let out a shriek of pure excitement, jumping up and down in disbelief and joy. I had always dreamed of becoming a mama, but for so long, it felt out of reach — like something meant for everyone else but me. We’d often said there would never be a “perfect time,” and yet here we were, standing in the middle of God’s perfect timing.

In that moment, I felt an overwhelming peace. God was in control. He had chosen us for this — to love, protect, and raise the most precious gift He could ever give. He knew the time was right, even when we didn’t.

The very first person I wanted to tell was my big sister. Without a second thought, I grabbed my phone and FaceTimed her. “Hey, guess what?” I said, my voice trembling.

“What?” she asked, smiling — completely unaware of what was coming.

I held up the digital test, and her eyes widened. “BECCA!” she gasped. “No way! You’re gonna have a baby!”

We both burst into laughter and tears — talking over each other in shock and joy. It was a short call, but one I’ll never forget.

Once the excitement settled a bit, Blake and I started planning how to share the news with our families. We knew it was early — barely past the test line — but we were too thrilled to keep it a secret. Neither of us are exactly good at that anyway.

We decided to make little gift bags for my dad and Blake’s mom. (A fun twist to our story: about a year after Blake and I started dating, my dad and his mom began dating too — and by this point, they were engaged, just two months away from saying “I do.”)

The bags were simple but sweet — brown paper with white handles and polka dots. Inside each one, we carefully wrapped a long-sleeved white onesie around the digital test and tucked in a few tiny pacifiers. It was such a small gesture, but it carried the biggest secret of our lives — a new heartbeat, a new beginning, and the start of our journey into parenthood.

To Our Parents (My Dad-His Mom):

We called our parents that night and made plans to visit the next day. This wasn’t unusual — we only lived about fifteen minutes apart, and we were all really close. It wasn’t uncommon for us to drop by two or three times a week just to chat or share dinner. We often talked about the future during those visits — marriage, careers, and, eventually, kids. But babies were always part of the “someday” plan. I had always wanted to be married first, and Blake and I weren’t quite ready for that step yet. So to say they weren’t expecting this news would be a complete understatement.

We pulled up to their house around 4:30 that afternoon. It was early December, one of those evenings where the daylight fades before you even realize it. The sky had dimmed to a pale blue, casting a soft glow over everything. As we sat in the car, I was putting the final touches on the small gift bags, my hands trembling with excitement. Blake and I kept grinning at each other, giddy about what was about to happen. I told him how nervous I was that his mom would immediately sense something — she’s the type who can read a room in seconds. Blake just laughed and said, “She won’t have a clue.” And, as it turns out, he was right.

We made our way up the stone path to the front door, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it. My mouth was dry, and I could barely keep from bursting into nervous laughter. When we stepped inside, we were greeted with warm hellos and hugs. Before anyone could ask, I told them, “We brought wedding gifts for you!”

As everyone settled onto the couch, I discreetly pulled out my phone and hit record. My dad, assuming he’d need to save the gift for later, set his bag aside until I quickly said, “No, no, you have to open them now!” Blake’s mom chuckled, knowing how terrible I am at waiting to give gifts. (I’m the type who buys something the night before just because I can’t stand the suspense.)

We stood there, practically vibrating with anticipation, as they began to unwrap the first item — a small bundle wrapped in white tissue paper. Blake’s mom smiled as she carefully unfolded it, completely unsuspecting. But the second the tiny white onesie came into view, her expression changed. The smile faded into a look of wide-eyed disbelief. She looked up at me, her eyes and mouth wide open — and in that moment, I knew she understood.

My dad had already finished unwrapping his gift and stared down at it, confusion written all over his face. “Whaaaaat?” he said, stretching the word out in disbelief as he looked up at us with a grin that suggested he thought it was some kind of joke. I couldn’t hold it in any longer — laughter bubbled out of me uncontrollably. Blake’s mom, still frozen in shock, slowly broke into a smile. “Really?” she asked, her voice trembling with emotion.

“Yes,” I managed to say between bursts of nervous laughter.

My dad blinked, still processing, before finally blurting out, “You’re pregnant?!”

“I am,” I said, grinning ear to ear.

The room instantly filled with warmth — laughter, happy tears, a thousand questions all at once. We spent the rest of the evening talking about baby names and guessing the gender, dreaming up nursery ideas, and soaking in every second of this brand-new chapter. It was one of those rare, golden moments in life — pure joy, shared with the people we love most. And I’m so grateful I caught it all on camera to relive forever.

To Be Continued…

Join me this Wednesday October 29th, for Part Three — when I share the moment I told my mom she was going to be a grandma again and reflect on the highs, lows, and everything in between from my pregnancy journey.

Question of the day:

How did you share your pregnancy news with your family, were you excited or unsure of how they might react?