Shannon Taylor Vannatter – Real life Romance – Part 1 of 3

Me & Hubby at 20 to Watch in 2011 Luncheon

My husband and I waited several years to have a baby. At first, we wanted to adjust to living with each other before we brought anyone else into the mix. Then, we wanted me to be a stay-at-home mom, so we waited until we could afford it. Once we were ready, things didn’t happen as quickly as we expected. Finally, sixteen-and-a-half years into our marriage, when most people are on the verge of sending their chickets out into the big world, we were on the verge of becoming first time parents.
About four months into my pregnancy, I started swelling. Pre-eclampsia morphed my usually slender ankles into Sumo Wrestler ankles. For my last six weeks, the doctor put me on maternity leave/bed-rest. I had to lay on my left side to keep my blood pressure down, and keep my feet above my heart to keep the swelling down. So, by the time our son was born, I was already exhausted. With seventy extra pounds of mostly fluid, and horrible heart-burn every time I ate anything, I couldn’t get comfortable enough to sleep any more than three hours at a time.
Not sounding very romantic, especially with me all swollen and snoring. But stick with me, I’m getting there.
It was cold, the dead of winter, and I was even more exhausted after our son’s birth. I think someone was visiting with my husband and I, but with our son safely in the nursery, I zonked out. And probably snored. With the extra weight, I snored even more than usual. I woke up to an empty room and looked at the clock. 3:00 AM. Where could my hubby be? We lived forty-five minutes from the hospital and when I’d conked out, I was pretty sure he was staying. Probably at the nursery. I wanted to join him, but didn’t have the energy.
Instead, I did what writers do. I plotted a book. The manuscript I was working on at the time, still unpublished so far, was about a married couple who had split up, reunited, and were trying to work things out. Just when it looked as if all might end well, with her expecting their child, she suspected him of having an affair. I came up with a scene of her waking up after giving birth to their child and finding her husband gone. Of course, she just knew he was with his other woman. After working the scene out in my head, I thanked God that my life isn’t like my characters’.
About that time, hubby returned with my big red bear and a football for our son. Wound and unable to sleep, he went to Wal Mart Supercenter to buy us gifts. Nine years later, we both still have our gifts.
Come back Jan 19 for a romantic interview featuring the hero and heroine from White Pearls.