Planned Parenthood was the first step in a joyful surprise pregnancy. I was 42 years old and in a relatively new, loving relationship when my period stopped, and for the first time in my life I wondered if I could possibly be pregnant. Planned Parenthood was my first stop because I knew I could trust the reliability of their testing. The wonderful woman who helped me in a small office outside of San Diego not only confirmed I was pregnant, but gave me an expected due date that would prove to be absurdly accurate, and counseled me on the first steps I could take immediately for my own health and the health of our baby-to-be. I will never forget the lift in my heart as I went from the Planned Parenthood office to the nearby grocery store to find some quality prenatal vitamins—on the advice of my Planned Parenthood consultant. Today, our family looks like any other do-everything-in-order-family…my husband, son and I savor our time together and have never known a greater love. But note that pregnancy came first, then support from Planned Parenthood, then marriage, then moving in, then becoming a family. One person’s story is never the same as another’s.