Originally written on November 26, 2009
“It feels like Christmas!” I whispered.
Waking up this morning made my heart beat a little faster. I rolled over to see the response to my sleepy-eyed statement. A sly little grin was situated on my sweet boyfriend’s face. He was seeing the same thing on me.
We both knew exactly why this Thanksgiving morning felt a little different. Why the anticipation of a new gift was hanging in the air like fairy-tale dreams. Why we were both oozing happiness as we cuddled in bed.
Today was the day.
The day that we would find out if our little baby, cuddling between us, was a little boy or a little girl. And the surprise was finally going to be revealed. The only difference here is that the grand prize is not a SUV with a giant red bow or a kitchenette set….it’s the determination for the rest of our lives.
Will we be those parents who are driving to the football field or cheerleading practice on Saturday? Will we be practicing tea parties or playing GI Joes? Will I forever be hunting for polka-dot sparkly dress up highheels or shopping for toys that have strange names like Pokimon or Bakugon? This one day was going to determine how our lives were going to take shape. It is the first giant step in our little family. And we both knew that hearing the results surrounded by some of our loved ones, on the day dedicated to having gratitude for the gifts in our lives, from the mouth of a young child was going to be nothing less than perfection.
I don’t even know how to wrap my brain around the fact that after today Moto will have a gender and a name. A real name. And the gender? My brain won’t sit still….it’s like my thinking organ is headbanging inside my skull trying to figure it all out. My first inclination is that the baby is a boy. But then I waver. And the dreams of a little girl come flooding in. But then the blue waters fight back. Back and forth it goes until my brain and my heart feel completely tie-dyed, a wash of blue and pink. It’s the most delicious taste of anticipation that I have ever felt. Better than all the turkey, stuffing and gravy in the world. It is a beautiful day. Better than Christmas. Better than shopping. Better than all the other gifts I could have ever gotten.
Oh how I can’t wait to have the sweet satisfaction of calling my baby by name. And the spilling over of my heart as I hear the name from my Jeremy’s lips. I can’t imagine falling in love even more with this man and at the same time feeling the arms of happiness wrap around me as we realize the shape of our little family. The very thought has me right where I need to be on Thanksgiving day….on my knees tearfully thanking God for his amazing gifts.