Thursday, November 19, 2009

Theme Thursday ~ Late

Halloween 1983

Four months since Dad passed away.

I’m 17 and two month’s “late.” What the hell am I going to do? How am I going to tell my mother that I could possibly be pregnant?

Thoughts running through my mind included how can I take care of this without getting caught? Am I going to have this baby if I am pregnant? What about adoption?

I ask my mother “How "late" do you have to be before you start to worry?” She responds “How "late" are you?” I reply “Two months.” She said “Worry now.”

One week later I’m in a Planned Parenthood facility with my mother. How ironic – Planned Parenthood – NOT. It’s confirmed, I’m pregnant. My mother asks “Who’s the father?” Me: “You don’t know him.” Again, racing thoughts – “What to do, what to do?? Someone please tell me what to do?”

My mother says “You have to decide what you are going to do.” I tell her that I need more time. She says “fine” and walks away.

Now what? I’ve graduated high school, thankfully. I think it would be frowned upon that a Catholic school student got pregnant. And had put off college for a year. Apparently, I’ll now be putting off college indefinitely. What to do?

May 12, 1984 – the day before Mother’s Day

My baby was due on April 28, 1984 - yup, he is "late." I go into labor at 6 p.m. on May 12, 1984 and go to the hospital at 9 p.m. where they promptly sent me home – you aren’t ready, I’m told. Back in at 11 p.m. and delivered a healthy boy at 11:34 p.m.

If I terminated the pregnancy, I never would’ve experienced the never-ending struggles that I had as a single mother. 11 years as a single parent meant paying bills "late"(if at all), "late" getting him to school because we had no car...but, somehow, we got by.


November 19, 2009

Now...much "later"...My son is 25 now. Married, college graduate and now buying a house. Bright blue eyes, curly blond hair. Looks just like me, except I’m not blond or blue eyed. If I had given him up for adoption, I never would’ve looked at a blond haired, blue eyed child and wonder if he was mine. Being “late” was one of the best thing that ever happened to me.

15 comments:

Rebecca said...

I'm so glad that being late has been such a blessing for you.

My son was a week late...I keep telling him it was so warm and safe inside me that he wanted to stay:).....Thanks for sharing...

Alan Burnett said...

That is a wonderful post. So positive. Well done you.

Wings1295 said...

Great post. Sometimes being late is the best way to go.

Better late than never takes on a new meaning, eh?

:)

Jill from Killeny Glen said...

Lovely post. There is much joy to be found in our children.

Mike said...

That was a very happy ending!

RLM Cooper said...

I'm so glad everything worked out for you. Good on you.

Stephanie said...

Lovely post.

Skip Simpson said...

I read up above for a second.
"I can't think of anything decent to say about myself."
How about compassionate, kind, warm, understanding, creative, funny, sensitive, caring, nurturing... shall I go on?

JeffScape said...

And to think... you had to be bullied into starting a blog. Your writing is improving with every piece.

Brian Miller said...

what an amazing late story...with a wonderful ending...happy tt!

Maude Lynn said...

What a wonderful post!

Kris McCracken said...

I hope that I'm never late.

Dreamhaven said...

My youngest daughter was pregnant and unmarried. She decided to keep the baby and married his father a month before he was born. He is a healthy happy 3 year old. We were so blessed.

Harnett-Hargrove said...

He must have known YOU were ready. I reckon I'm 'late' here, but early for 'Friends'. Be back... -Jayne

The Silver Fox said...

Hmm. I missed this one, evidently. Excellent way(s) of working in the theme.