My husband and I had been married for eight years before I got pregnant. Although the first couple years we were deliberately preventing pregnancy while both of us finished our degrees, after five years of trying we had nearly given up on having children of our own. On two teachers' salaries, IVF and other options weren't possible.

I'll never forget the day we realized I might be pregnant. We were going on a camping trip over Easter vacation as chaperones for the church youth group. I had been feeling puny for a couple of days but wrote it off as a late spring stomach bug. I spent most of the three-day trip camped out behind bushes trying just to keep liquids down.

When we got back home, I was on the verge of dehydration. Jon took me to the emergency room. Can I tell you the shock when our doctor and also a close friend of the family came in. As we gripped hands, wondering what would create the look on his face, he casually broke the news to us.

As a whole, the pregnancy wasn't an easy one. Teaching rowdy high school students while dealing with severe morning sickness is a daunting task at best. As winter and my due date of December 12 approached, I became more and more tired and exhausted.

Against the advice of family members, Jon and I chose to have a home birth. Our doctor was surprisingly supportive, and we found a midwife that made the experience such a positive one.

Two days before Thanksgiving I had my last checkup. My midwife told me I was already 60 percent effaced and 1 centimeter dilated! That was a huge shock by itself considering we were expecting at least two more weeks.

The whole family (think 25+ people) were coming for Thanksgiving. It was a zoo for the next two days, including the Wednesday at school. I was still teaching at this point, determined to maximize my maternity leave after the baby was born.

Thanksgiving, my sister-in-law, both moms and my sister, Judy, all showed up to help with the preparation of the meal. I should have been suspicious right away because my energy level had surged. I accomplished more that morning than I had for the last two weeks.

I did notice some pretty consistent pains mid to late morning and through the early afternoon. But I didn't think much of them and didn't have time to dwell on their possible significance.

We sat down to eat about 2 p.m. Once I was finally seated, I began to notice the intermittent pain a lot more. My family thought I was tired because I seemed preoccupied a couple of times during the meal. It was actually me focusing on not reacting to the pain.

Finally, I got up and went into the kitchen, making the excuse of beginning to serve dessert. Judy came in a few minutes later and sized up the scene pretty quickly. I was leaning against the counter, trying to stretch my back and reduce the pain.

You're in labor aren't you? she asked me as she brought over a chair for me to sit in. I nodded. I think so, but don't say anything to anyone quite yet.

Thankfully, we finished the meal, although at the time it must have seemed strange how much of the time I spent walking around, offering to take plates just so I didn't have to sit through the contractions.

It was after the meal when I finally said something to Jon. It was good I did because he had no sooner recovered from his surprise when my water broke. The family, too, was a little on the surprised side. But everyone except my mother took things in stride, helping to clear the table, call the midwife etc.

I spent the next hour pacing, my sister-in-law walking with me. Labor has been correctly named. The pain was never intolerable, although there were a few moments when I might not have agreed. My family was wonderful, giving me my space.

I found that getting on my hands and knees on the floor and bed helped a great deal with the incredible pressure. That, and oooing up and down the musical scale to focus past the pain.

The midwife had told me that although labor was strong it could take hours. But just past 10 p.m., I told her I felt the need to push. Sure enough, I was dilated to a 10 except for a lip.

Almost an hour after starting to push, Hannah Nicole made her way into this world. She was a small but healthy 6 pounds, 13 ounces, 19 1/2 inches long, confirming that she was, perhaps, a little early. She was assigned Apgar scores of 8 and 9 and nursed like a little trooper shortly after she was cleaned up.

My entire family got to see her moments after she was born. It was such an incredible experience.

Hannah is now 3, and we're expecting our second child in January.