Table Topics Take Two

The other day I was attending a Toastmasters International meeting. When Table Topics rolled out, I was called to make a 1-2 minute impromptu speech on the question: when was the last time you went camping and what happened? I shared that I didn't particularly like camping—my idea of camping was staying at a Holiday Inn with a black and white TV. I had married a man who loved camping—he could take a knife and a sleeping bag and he was set!  I ended my short speech with the last time we went camping, we compromised by staying in a campsite with showers, sinks and restrooms.

After I left the meeting, I was able to digest the question more thoroughly and came up with a deeper answer to:  What happened the last time you went camping?

The last time I went camping was with my husband about 16 years ago.  We were at a camp site near Pioche, NV that had showers and bathroom facilities.  We compromised, since camping is not my favorite vacation and my husband would take his knife and sleeping bag and be set! For the 4^th of July weekend we were there, I woke up feeling sick in the mornings. I figured it was my body reacting to my dislike of camping.

Hold on a second—I was feeling sick…in the morning?!

The thought of being pregnant was scary. We had been married for 4 years and not really trying to have a baby. Sure, I was a step mom to my husband’s two sons (side note: I now refer to as my bonus sons after reading an article in People Magazine about Susan Sarandon. I liked the phrase she used to describe her daughter as Tim Robbins “bonus” daughter) but they were young boys who could verbalize what they needed. Also, they didn't permanently live with us, just a few weekends and a month or two at most.  Now a baby was completely different. I was worried about the added responsibilities and the huge changes to our life style. No more could we just go on the spur of the moment, no matter what time of day. My mind was littered with panicky thoughts: the midnight feedings, the changing diapers, a little tiny being so utterly dependent on me. As theadvertisement for Johnson and Johnson goes “Having a baby changes everything.”

My husband too had suspicions that I had a bun in the oven, but we wouldn't be 100% sure until we got back to town and went to the doctor. We were camping with friends, and I asked him to keep this to ourselves since we really didn't know if I was or wasn't. Maybe my body was just rebelling against camping—many all this fresh, clean air was too much for me!

Right??

On our last day of the trip, we drove to the lake so my husband and friends could fish. I don’t care to fish (surprise, surprise!) so I sat on a lawn chair by the lake taking in the scenery. When we arrived at the fishing spot, it was at the height of the Nevada heat. Now, it was nearing twilight, and as the sun was setting, the cool desert breeze took over. As I watched the sky changing colors, I noticed a father teaching his young daughter how to fish. She must have been about 4 years old and she was dwarfed by the fishing pole. Suddenly, the fishing pole started to jerk and her father helped her reel in her first catch! Her peals of laughter attracted other fishermen and women to gather around her as she held up the pole with the wiggling fish. Her dad carefully released the fish back into the water and scooped her up in his arms, beaming from ear to ear, as everyone shared in her excitement.

At that moment, I let go of the fear of the unknown on having a baby. This heartwarming scene made me realize that a new chapter of my life was beginning. My husband sat down beside me and I motioned to the father and daughter.

“I’m looking forward for what the doctor has to say,” I told my husband with a smile as he squeezed my hand.

What happened the last time I went camping was when I realized that I was pregnant with our son. Sure, I was scared of the new prospect, but after seeing the little girl and the joy she was bringing all of those people around her, I knew everything would be all right.