Military families have it extremely hard, especially when their loved ones are deployed for long periods of time. This family has gone through their ups and downs because of this lifestyle…
Navy Life
Being involved with any sort of military branch or service ultimately means being away from your family for long periods of time. A lot of the time, this can put a lot of strain on a relationship…
Matt Wilson
Matt Wilson is a Navy seaman. He was severely missing his family during his six-month deployment on the USS Carl Vinson. He had left his wife, Rebecca, and children back on the military base. Even though Rebecca knew what she was marrying into, she found it more and more difficult with each deployment…
Separation
This current tour was Matts first after a huge fallout with Rebecca. On the last tour, which was his second, he came home to a literal nightmare…
Enough is Enough
When he got back from his tour, he came home to an empty home. His wife and baby son were nowhere to be seen. As it turns out, Rebecca had a mental break and left him high and dry and moved back in with her mother…
Getting Her Back
They ended up working through this breakup, but Matt’s trust was diminished. No one could blame Matt for the anxiety that he got from this experience. Coming home from a long deployment to an empty house is anxiety-inducing for anyone…
Two Kids Later
They reconciled their marriage and even brought two more babies into the world. They were a happy family once more, even though Matt still couldn’t fully trust or rely on Rebecca.
On The Rocks
The couple loved each other and wanted to do their best for themselves and their kids. Matt’s parents were divorced, and he didn’t want to bring his kids into that kind of life…
Third Tour
This was going to be the first test to their relationship since their harsh separation. Matt was nervous about this tour. Rebecca was, too, especially since she has three kids to tend to now.
First Months
Matt was out at sea doing his job and keeping in contact with his family. He was able to communicate frequently with Rebecca, so he was feeling confident. Then, his friend wrote him a concerning message…
Getting Quiet
Matt’s friend said that Rebecca was becoming somewhat reclusive from their friend group. After a few months, she never really hung out with anyone. This really concerned Matt.
Keeping the Trust
He wanted to keep the trust that they had built, so he avoided asking her what was going on. If there was something troubling her that she wanted him to know, she would have said something.
She Was Hiding Something
With Rebecca, she was indeed hiding something. She even had an email written out to Matt but decided to keep her secret with her until he got home…
Surprising Him
The deployment was hard on Rebecca, but she was as determined as Matt to keep their relationship strong. Shortly after he left, she was faced with some life-changing news.
Their Fourth Baby
Soon after he left, Rebecca found out that she was pregnant! It was a bit overwhelming, of course, but she was ready to bring on the sixth member of their family.
Things Got Real
Near the end of Matt’s deployment, he got some troubling news. His ship was set to head near the coast of North Korea. At this time, it was extremely dangerous as North Korea was still testing their missiles.
Should She Tell Him?
“I got emotional about it and I was wondering, ‘Should I tell him? Would I feel guilty if something happens and he doesn’t know?’” Rebecca recalled. “I went back and forth about it.”
Perfecting a Plan
She was keeping her pregnancy a secret from everyone, which is why she became so reclusive. Matt and Rebecca were still in close contact, especially while he was away in North Korea.
Closer and Closer
Matt’s time in North Korea was turning out to be uneventful, which is the best news that Rebecca could get. He was now slated to come home, which meant she had to prepare his surprise…
Back to America
Rebecca and the family saw the ship approaching the shoreline. All of the kids were holding signs welcoming their Dad home.
Waiting
Rebecca was so nervous! It felt like her heart was in her throat. She waited for him as he got off the ship, the big sign she made covering her very-much-there baby bump…
There He Is!
A crowd started to form as the sailers got off the ship. Rebecca had her eyes peeled for her husband. Finally, she saw him!
Welcome Home!
The kids all tackled him, excited to see their dad finally back home. Their youngest grew so much in the six months, Matt couldn’t believe it! As he was being tackled, he looked at Rebecca and smiled.
It Was Time
Matt was able to pry the kids off of him so he could go hug his wife. She walked towards him with the sign still covering her belly. Once he reached out for the hug, she dropped the sign.
Total Surprise
“My heart was racing,” she recalled. “I stood back and let the kids run to him. I hung back for a minute, and then he reached into me to give me a hug and then I dropped it. He just stood there in shock. He didn’t know what was going on.”
Is This A Prank?
Naturally, Matt assumed it was a prank. His wife did have a funny sense of humor, after all! “I actually poked her belly because I wasn’t sure if she was playing a trick on me or not. Clearly, she was not,” he said.
Oh, It’s Real
Matt was beyond excited. What a gift to come home to! Can you imagine leaving home for six months and then coming home to your life being completely changed?
Before Anyone Gets Any Ideas…
Yes, the baby is obviously Matt’s. Many people assumed that since he was away, she had cheated on him. That’s obviously not the case!
Denying Rumors
“I found out about a week after he left. I didn’t believe it,” Rebecca said. “I took the pregnancy test again and I was like, ‘Oh no way.’ I was excited about it and I emailed him and I told him to call me as soon as he gets a chance.” Obviously, she decided against telling him… And everyone else!
Keeping It A Secret
Naturally, Rebecca didn’t really trust many people to keep her secret. So, she had to lay low once her belly started to show. She had to get creative!
Sneaky Pictures
“I would always use the kids to cover my belly,” she said. “My best friend always does Snapchats and she would put emojis in front of it just in case to throw him off.”
Being Pregnant Alone Was Hard
Being pregnant is not easy, as most people know. But, without Matt, Rebecca knew that it was going to be even harder. Plus, she was sad that he was missing part of this journey…
Weekly Belly Pics
She managed to take photos of her growing belly every week so that he can see her progress, and he was extremely thankful for that. Now that he was home, he was able to revel in the last months of her pregnancy with her!
Homecoming Party
The family threw Matt a homecoming party the next day. They ended up using that time to tell everyone the gender of the baby. To no one’s surprise, it was another girl! Now, it was four girls against two boys, they were outnumbered! Too cute!
Baby Anara
Then on September 14th, 2017, baby Anara was born! The family of five turned into a family of six. Hopefully, this sweet family story will brighten up your day!