thing too, and even though I know being a working mother isn’t something to feel bad about, I still constantly struggle with all my responsibilities.
Wife. Mother. Business owner. Friend. Sister. Sister-in-law. Daughter.
It’s a lot.
I’m so grateful for Sandra. When Trent and I found out we were expecting, we were overjoyed… but when we found out we were having three girls, it was hard to take in.
Of course, being a girly girl myself, having daughters was a dream come true… but I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do it all.
Turns out, I can’t.
No one can.
Which is why opening my heart and letting more people into my life to support Trent and me, and our girls, has been a game changer.
“Why did you bring a suitcase?” I ask as I dig around the hallway for my heels. They must be buried somewhere under the pile of coats and bags.
Sandra smiles. “You and Trent aren’t coming home after work tonight. Go pack a bag for you both, get dinner, a hotel room — I will see you tomorrow.”
I laugh, running a hand through my hair. “Do we really seem that frazzled?”
Sandra picks up Lily and places her on her hip as Ivy and Juniper both manage to find one of my heels in the hallway clutter, producing them with a, “Ta-da!”
“It’s not a judgment. It’s called a support system.”
I start crying, shaking my head.
“Oh, sweetie, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
Tears fall down my cheek. “No, they’re not sad tears. It’s just… the timing is so great because I have something to tell Trent tonight. Something big.”
Sandra’s eyes go wide. “Is everything okay?”
I laugh. “I guess it’s all about perspective.” I shake my head. “I’m pregnant, three months. I had no idea… we weren’t trying. I went in yesterday, and the office called this morning with the news.”
Sandra’s hand covers her mouth. “Oh, Trista, this is wonderful.”
“Yeah? Trent will be as shocked as me.”
“You two have been through so many hard times, but you’re amazing parents, and this little baby is so lucky to have you.”
My eyes well up with tears again. “It explains why I’ve been crying over everything and why my jeans won’t button.”
Sandra laughs. “Go pack that bag, and maybe pack it for two nights — I think you and Trent need more time to adjust to this.”
I give her a hug, thanking her for being here for us.
“Always, Trista.”
And I know she means it. She says being a grandma is what she has been waiting years for, and that having a daughter-in-law has brought her so much joy.
I wipe the tears away as I walk up the stairs to the master bedroom. If Trent and I are sneaking away for a few days, I am going to make sure the love my life has an un-pho-getable time.
Trent and I slide into our seats at a new, upscale Vietnamese restaurant in town. The moment I picked him up, I told him the news. It’s impossible to keep things from him.
He is still in shock.
The waitress brings us our bowls of piping hot pho. I rip pieces of basil into mine, and he adds bean sprouts to his. We fix up our meal in silence and it’s killing me.
“Say something,” I urge, squeezing Sriracha onto my soup.
“It’s just… incredible.”
I wrinkle my nose. “Incredibly good or bad?”
“What?” he reaches across the table for my hand. “Good. Great. Amazing. Everything.”
“Oh,” I exhale. “I thought your silence meant you weren’t happy.”
“I’m just stunned. When we got pregnant with the girls, it was after two rounds of in vitro. It was after a lot of hard years and a lot of loss… so for this to happen without any intervention, it feels like a miracle.”
I nod, blinking back a fresh batch of tears. “That is what the doctor said.”
Trent squeezes my hand. “I love you so much, Trista. I can’t believe we get to have another child.” I see tears in his eyes too.
“Do you hope it’s a boy?”
He gives me a half-smile, taking off his glasses and wiping his eyes. “No. I’m a girl-dad, Trista. I’d be a lucky man if I had another daughter.”
Now we are both in a heap of tears and we haven’t even eaten, but our hearts are so full.
So pho-king full.
You’re Waffle-Y Cute
The Way To A Man’s Heart Book 6
By Frankie Love
Bailey says waffles are her favorite.
So, when I ask her to prom, I make sure she knows just how waffle-y cute I think she is.
But she’s