Pee sticks

It was January 16th. I'd been on birth control since I was 15. I had no idea what my 'normal' cycles might be, but according to and ideal 28 day version... I was 2 days late. I'd been in pain since January 1st. A twinge low on my right side like a runners cramp had been plaguing me for weeks. The only thing that made it let up a bit was snowboarding strangely enough. My boobs were HUGE and so very sore.

Blaine picked me up from work and I sort of mumbled that I may be a few days late. He kept strolling and casually asked if I thought I was pregnant. I tried to match the casual tone and just said "I think it might be a good idea to at least pick up a pregnancy test, it's probably too soon to tell, but it's possible."

We were both excited and nervous.

Now that I had abandoned my birth control was I going to get all wound up and take a test every single month? Again, it seemed impossible that I could really need it. I wondered if I would be happy or sad if it came out negative.

In the aisle I wrestled over what to buy...
Do I go economical or are the expensive ones better?
Can I read that one?
How soon can I expect reliable results?
Do I get just one or go for value with a 10 pack?

I decided a two pack of 'fact plus' was practical - and on Sale! That way, I has back up if I messed up the first one and wasn't overdoing it in case it was positive and I didn't need any more.

I took the test as soon as I got home.

It was ... well... unclear. I could swear there was a light blue line in there making a plus. The instructions said they didn't need to be the same darkness, but was it really there?

My husband took a peek and declared it a negative.

I still wasn't convinced. I couldn't help pulling it back out a few hours later - well beyond the 10 minute reliable evaluation time frame. It's not that I was really hopeful, it's just that I was so sure. By then the faint line I'd thought I had imagined was a thin dark streak and a plus seemed clear to me. But, was it reliable or accurate that long afterward? I read the instructions again, and no - I couldn't trust it at that point, but I also discovered I may have skewed the results by testing at the end of the day.

I decided to wait a few more days. If I was still late, I'd test again but do it first thing in the morning.