November 5th, 2022

Our Plan

One of our big dreams as Chris and I fell love was that we would create a family together. After we got married, our first step was adopting our puppy, Cookie! We planned to spend that first year of marriage as “just the two of us,” with Cookie as our child-training-wheels. As our first wedding anniversary approached, we were excited to come back from our European Honeymoon, ready to officially start growing our family.

Finding Out

Our journey to getting pregnant was a fast and easy one! That first month I just had this FEELING. I went to take a pregnancy test and it came back negative…which I somehow KNEW must be wrong. I waited a day and took another one. Again, negative. While I realize that it doesn’t always happen on your first try, I still had this *feeling* and I didn’t trust the negative tests. Well, I was on to something! In all my excitement about pregnancy, I disregarded the instructions on the pregnancy tests that insist on waiting to test within a specific window of your first missed period. I was simply testing WAY too early! About a week later, my would-be period finally approached, I tested again. As I went to set the test down to set a timer, I noticed the results were already showing loud and clear. PREGNANT! The Romaine family had officially started to grow, by one tiny little baby-in-the-making as of October 2022.

Sharing the News

The morning I found out, I couldn’t wait to tell Chris! But he happened to have a work trade show in OC that day so I waited allll day long for him to get home to tell him the incredible news. As soon as he walked through the door, I handed him an Amazon package. Inside was a newborn onesie that said “Hello Daddy” (which I had ordered two weeks ago when we started “trying”). He held up the onesie…he looked at it…he seemed confused for a second…then his face told it all. Smiles. Both of us. Love. Hugs. Happiness and excitement for a brand new chapter neither of us had embarked on before.

Telling the Family

While most people wait until the end of the first trimester to share the beautiful news of pregnancy with others, Chris and I just couldn’t wait that long! As much as we tried, we couldn’t stop ourselves from telling our families before Thanksgiving. We made a special trip up to the Bay Area to spend the holiday with the Wenzl side of the family while we FaceTimed the Romaine side to tell everyone. There were tears, more hugs, more excitement, and more love.

The Start of a Dream

As we enter this new chapter of our lives, Chris and I have grown closer. We have become more patient with one another. And even more loving. It isn’t just us two anymore…now, it’s about more than that. It’s about creating the family we dreamed about, talked about, prayed about. I have always known my purpose to be a wife and mother was stronger than anything else. Looking at Chris, watching him love and care for me and Cookie has made me so proud. I have the husband I’ve always dreamt of and now I will get to watch him be the most incredible father to our children. I can’t wait to meet our future baby and become parents together and I’m counting my blessings and pinching myself along the way.

With love,

Ashley Jo