As the wedding planning progressed, the next step was to get a blood test for my marriage license. After we got married, we planned to live near the college Steve was attending and I would enroll there also. Unfortunately, they required me to get another MMR shot which I had heard was super painful. I was afraid of needles at the time and one of Steve’s friends told me that I could tell the health department that I was pregnant and they would sign a paper so that I didn’t have to take the shot and could still get into school. I remember the visit to the health department as clear in my mind as if it was yesterday. I even remember the dress I was wearing.
The nurse took me back for the blood test and I proceeded to tell her that I needed the MMR shot as well but that I thought I was pregnant and asked her to sign the paper so I could get into college. She left and after a few minutes came back in and told me to follow her. She gave me a cup and told me to pee in it but didn’t tell me why and I didn’t ask. I gave her the cup and she sat me down to draw the blood. She then told me that they had to do a pregnancy test before they could sign the paper. I thought, “ugh, I’m going to have to get the shot!” Then it happened. She walked over, picked up the stick and said, “it’s positive.” I went into shock. I was totally lying and literally had no idea I was pregnant. I began to shake, kind of like you do when you’re nervous but I was shaking so badly that it was almost to the point of convulsions and all of the color ran out of my face. The nurse came over to me and grabbed me asking if I was ok. I began sobbing so drastically that was gasping for air. I barely got the words out that I didn’t think I was pregnant and that I was just trying to get out of taking the shot. She was super sweet and tried to console me. I guess God showed me! That’s what I get for lying! To this day, that moment is still the biggest shock of my life.
I decided that I would wait until after I was married to tell my parents. One thing I never wanted to do was tell my parents that I was pregnant before I was married. Unfortunately, my mom found my prenatal vitamins in my purse. She didn’t confront me. Instead, she then had my dad come down and they both kept telling trying to get me to tell them. I refused. I wasn’t doing it. I wasn’t saying those words. Finally, since all the hinting didn’t work, my mom got mad and said, “fine, you won’t tell us what is going on, but in a few months you won’t be able to hide it!” At that point, I knew that they knew and I walked outside where they were, sat down and told them everything. To my surprise, they were very calm, consoling and helpful.
We moved up the wedding date from end of 1996 to beginning of September and my sweet Danica was born on March 3, 1997. We were young, just married and had no idea what we were doing but I wouldn’t go back and change it for the world. That wonderful little surprise just turned sweet 16 this past Sunday. She is beautiful inside and out and I am so incredibly proud to be her mom.
