Life in a Northern Town

Two Pink Lines

What a kooky month. The Grandma and Grandpa saga continued, culminating last week in a Bonnie-n-Clyde run from the law (they hid from the family and drove up to Butte to avoid being served guardianship papers; they spent nearly $2k there on a lawyer who reversed the guardianship the next day). They held an estate auction and sold everything in their house and are staying with a friend until the official guardianship/conservatorship hearing in September, after which they plan to go live in Hemet California. But considering the recent antics, I doubt they will be able to legally retain their autonomy (which mean they’ll be in assisted living in Billings).

We were so concerned with that family drama and my being released form Young Women, the days of August just flew by. Before I knew it, I was 3 days “late.” So yesterday, Rich suggested I take a pregnancy test before our Melin family dinner. So we came home from church—I “took the test” and then all 3 of us changed clothes and went back to look at the stick, which was hidden under a tissue. Addie got up on her footstool at the bathroom counter and we looked on as she pulled off the tissue and yelled, “Surprise!” (as if she knew what was coming). The two pink lines told us that our Wee Melin #2 was on the way—ETA=April 28, 2004. We began jumping and telling Addie, “Your baby’s on the way!” I hugged Rich and Addie waved the stick around going, “My Baby, my baby!” Then we sanitized the stick, wrapped it up and put it in a gift bag.

Addie carried the gift bag in to the family dinner with a gift tag saying something like, “Dear Gramma: I know you’ve had a hard week, so we got you something to cheer you up.” Grandma Melin whooped and hollered and so did our other family members, and we sat happily down to dinner. After we ate, I called my family and learned that my sister, Jill, had just found out (same day!) that she is pregnant and due May 2nd! How cool is that!?! For anyone keeping track of me and my fertile sisters, that’s Audrey in February, Amie and Erin in March, me in April, and Jill in May.

I’m glad there’s a reason I have been so tired. It will be a challenge keeping up with Addie while my energy is so sapped, but hey—only 7 weeks until the second trimester and a little boost of energy, right? We can hope.