A Tale to Begin All Tales

...Joe meets Jane.

Rebecca and I met at college. It wasn't love at first sight and it wasn't hatred at first sight. Our first interactions could be summed up in two words: RANDOM and AWKWARD. We first met when she was a high schooler on campus and I was charged with 'wooing' her to not only attend the university, but to take over the college yearbook of which I was Editor-in-Chief. I remember feeling so out of place amid dozens of high schoolers on campus for Tennessee Governor's School and then having our first awkward conversation ever. I imagine it being...

Me: Hey, my name is Joe(y). Tomi wanted me to tell you...um....that UT Martin is a great school and that you...um... should really thinking about coming here.

Rebecca: Ughh. Ok. (Thinking, who the heck is this guy and WHY IS HE TALKING TO ME?)

Me: Ok.....well....have fun this summer.

THE END. AWKWARD.

Walking away I remember thinking and feeling like a total dufus.

The next time we met was her first day back on campus (I guess my UT Martin speech worked!). She came to the bookstore to complain that her pre-ordered books were packed wrong. I helped correct her order and she left the store. It was the second time we met, and no sparks flew, no numbers were given, and no lives changed. Just more randomness.

After this our paths started to cross more and more often. Nothing really stuck until we were jammed packed in a Volvo driving to Nashville to film a music video for Brad Paisley. Our mutual friend's brother needed extras to be background actors for his new music video - Mud on the Tires. After arriving in Nashville with a comfortable group of friends we PLAYED IN THE MUD all day long, I mean for like 8+ hours. There were about 20 people in the mud doing silly, crazy stuff. It was so much fun its hard to believe we got paid to do it. Rebecca and I flirted in the mud most of the day, ignoring the others.

After being sprayed down with a hose, getting dried mud out of my hair and drying off we loaded back into Rebecca's Volvo and headed back to school. Rebecca and I ran into each other a couple of times later that night and it was still a little awkward. We both liked eachother, but we were still in that shy/unsure phase. Later that night I 'bit the proverbial bullet' and called her. The short conversation that we had landed me a lunch date! I was so excited and happy! We met for Chinese buffet as our first date. Before you JUDGE my SKILLS - remember I was broke and this place was probably one of the nicer places in our dinky little college town.

After lunch we split our ways - she went to a sorority game party and I went to hang with fraternity brothers. Thankfully one of my brothers was dating one of her sisters and we crashed the game night. We just showed up, stayed for a about ten AWKWARD minutes and we left. I did notice that she couldn't stop smiling at me and I was trying to play it cool - can you imagine? Ha.

Anyways, we started dating that day and have been together ever since. It's been several years since then and I can't believe what came out of all those random awkward conversations we shared. I can't imagine life without her and now our little blueberry...aka Baby Pierce.

Joe

The video that brought us together...

Holy cow!!!

It has been 11 days since the lady in Student Health called me back to a private room, told me I was pregnant, asked me if it was a good thing, or did we need to talk about options. Man was she relieved when I told her the timing was not the greatest, but it was a good thing. Other than the extremely sore nipples, the occasional nausea, the desire to eat all the time, and the fact that I have continued to take a couple of pregnancy tests, it is hard to believe that I am actually pregnant. I can't feel anything or see anything. I am so ready for my doctors appointment in 10 days. I should get an ultrasound that morning!! If everything is ok, we will then announce this to the world. I will probably also post this for people other than Joe to read. We have told a few more people. My gross anatomy lab teacher assistant told a large group of people because I was wearing a mask and she proclaimed, "Well you either have TB or you are pregnant!" Our parents also know! They are so excited!!! I have to admit I was nervouse about telling my parents, but they were both very excited! I can't wait to see this little for one for the first time and hear that heart beat that started on day 22 when the two tubes joined to form one. I could go on about the heart development, but I will spare everyone. Now on to study pulmonary physiology.

The next day

Yesterday I was told I was pregnant. I have kind of had an idea for a couple of days because my nipples have hurt so bad. I went to Dollar General on Tuesday (2/2/10) and bought three one dollar pregnancy tests. I took one as soon as I got home. It had a very, very faint line in the positive section. I decided I was just making it up and decided I would take another one on Wednesday morning (2/3/10. I had the opportunity to sleep late because of class starting late, but of course I was up at 5:00 ready to pee. I took the second test. The line was slightly darker, but it still wasn't anywhere near as dark as the control line. I woke Joe up to make him look at it. He thought it was pretty faint and went back to sleep. Later when we talked about it again, he told me to do research and see if these usually have faint lines. I then informed him that I have used the several times before when I had been late and obviously not pregnant, and I had never seen a line before. He decided that maybe it might be positive. I then went to school and consulted my friend Michelle about the likely hood of a faint line being positive. She informed me that any line was positive, and I was pregnant. She told me to go to Student Health and get a blood test. I called Student Health and learned that they only do urine tests. I thought I would wait and just buy a different home test. After I got done with physical diagnosis, I decided to go to Student Health anyway. Guess what....positive test! I will tell that story later. Michelle and the Tim and Diane Paul are the only other people to know besides Joe and myself. I am debating on when we should tell our parents and the rest of the world. I can't wait to see what the future holds.