First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in the baby carriage.

Wait. What?

If that’s really how the plan is supposed to work out, then I’m way off track.

I’m a 21-year-old single student who never thought I would be in the position I’m in today – five months pregnant with a baby girl on the way.

Last year at this time, I was on the volleyball court doing what I loved most, and life seemed to be happening just like it was supposed to. It wasn’t until May of this year that my life would be turned upside down.

After I saw the positive test and then the five others that I took, all I could do was laugh. (Side note – six positive pregnancy tests provide a pretty clear indication that you might, in fact, be pregnant. No matter how shocked you are.)

Yes, emotions ensued, but I was in a state of shock and life suddenly seemed so funny to me.

Ever since we were younger, singing K-I-S-S-I-N-G rhymes to each other, each of us has been given an idea of how life is supposed to work out.

But it may not happen that way.

The truth is, as you grow up – yes, we all have to grow up – we realize that life isn’t necessarily going to work out exactly how we want or expect it to.

Right before I found out I am expecting, I was telling myself I really wanted something to spice up my life. While this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind, I couldn’t be more excited for the adventure I have headed my way.

Tears rolled down my face as I told my mom she is going to be a grandma and how nervous I am for my life to change, and all she had to say to that was, “There’s no time for that.”

She couldn’t be more right.

My life is changing rapidly and I am learning every day that I don’t have time to spend planning how I want everything to work out.

Someday, I will look back on everything that I didn’t expect to happen and realize how blessed I am for the spontaneity that transpired.

I urge you to do the same, because life doesn’t go according to plan. That’s the beauty of it.

And babies. Those are beautiful, too.