Our Story: Telling Ryan We're Having Twins

I was driving from my mom’s house where I dropped off my sister. I was headed for my husband's work to tell him things were okay and I wasn’t miscarrying. How I was going to tell him there were two babies, I hadn’t quite figured out yet.

PLAN B! I had called in sick to work: crying to my boss that I was miscarrying and need to go to the hospital. I detoured. Work wasn’t too far out of the way, so I postponed telling Ryan. Maybe buying some time will help me think of the right words. I hate to have him still wonder and worry, but I need some more time.

I walk in to work. I haven’t showered. I’m not wearing my contacts and I can now see all the smudges and dust on the lenses of my glasses with the light of the dispatch center. My hair is a mess. I’m in pajamas. But I’ve got a grin on my face the size of Texas. I walk in and everyone starts applauding and laughing. Such support. I start flashing the ultrasound printout. I use my finger to circle the black dot on the left, “That’s a baby.” Then I circle the black dot on the right and say, “And that’s a baby!” The inner brain light bulb comes on – that is how I will tell my husband. After getting some teasing and some congratulations, I feel much better about the impending doom of twins, and the impending doom of telling Ryan.

I get to his work and park. Deep breath! I walk in the store and don’t immediately see him. I ask at the front desk. They page him overhead. I wait near the front desk. Ryan quickly walks up to me with a concerned look. I say, “Everything is fine.” He relaxes. I brace myself for the big moment. I had rehearsed this. I can’t say the word baby, babies, twins, or anything. I have to be exact. “I have an ultrasound picture. Do you want to see it?” His eyes lit up. “Yes!” I hand it to him and give him a few minutes to look at two black dots that don’t mean much to him just yet. “That’s a baby.” Pause. “And that’s a baby…” “WE’RE GONNA HAVE TWINS?” I have never seen a smile so big. He hugs me, kisses me, grabs my hand and starts running around the store dragging me along and yelling. “We’re gonna have twins. That’s a baby and that’s a baby. We’re gonna have twins!” Employees and customers alike are smiling and congratulating as fast as we can take it.

I head home to relax. More things were changing than I even could fathom. I was tired. I was dog tired. I took a nap.