Feeling Sappy today!

It's National Infertility Awareness Week and I'm sitting here thinking of all the people it took to make this baby happen.  I feel so incredibly blessed that so many took time out of their lives to do what they could for us!

Creating a child is usually an intimate affair involving you and the love of your life.  That's it.  And it is a beautiful thing to be able to create a child, just the two of you!  And if you ask me, it's a miracle all on its own that babies are created naturally.  After going through treatments and especially IVF, I have such a greater understanding of what actually has to happen in order for a child to be made and all the things that could go wrong in the process!!!  So yes, naturally convieving a child is a miracle.

Part of me feels a little cheated that G and I couldn't create our child that way.  I mean, we weren't even in the same room when we made our "contributions" nor were we even in the building when our child was created.  But none of that really matters in the big picture.  Like, at all!!!  In fact, we have a running joke about it.  (Hey, it's how we cope!) We say that we didn't actually make our child, but we provided the ingredients!  (For the record, it doesn't even really matter if you provided the ingredients, either.  Or if you carried your child.  Or even if your child is a dog!  Our children are our children and biology is neither here nor there.)

Anyway, what was I saying?  Oh yes! So the people that were involved in creating our child will forever have a place in our hearts!!

First and foremost, my hubby.  He was my rock.  And willing to do anything he needed to in order for us to even have a chance.  He's pretty introverted and self proclaims extreme social awkwardness so for him to put that aside and follow some stranger down a hallway into a little room with raunchy pictures so he could "do his thing" is no small feat for him.  People dumb down what the male partner has to do during infertility, but their job is much bigger than jacking it into a cup.  I leaned on G so much and he had the responsibility of keeping me afloat, while trying to remain strong himself.  I would not have made it without him!

Then of course, then friends and family.  My parents covered us financially so we didn't have to take out loans (which we totally would if we needed to.) They were also such a great support to us emotionally. I had a lot of "I need my mom" moments during infertility!!!  One time, I even bailed on a girls camping trip we had planned and drove to my parents at 11pm.  I shudder thinking of those moments where I had so little faith left.  Yet, with the support of everyone and a little bit of inner strength, was able to pick myself back up again.

We all know about my friends who were there to pick up the shattered pieces of me off the floor when I needed it.  I've talked about them a lot before.  I think my friendships with them have only gotten stronger through infertility.  And I hope I am able to be as good of a friend to them as they are and have been to me.

Then there are the hundreds of people I have never met, haven't seen in ages or just barely know who took the time out of their lives to pray for me, send me messages or texts.  Talk about humbling!  Those meant a lot to us!  To know that people can care that much for a stranger, or and aquaintence or mutual friend is amazing to me!!!  Such good people in this world.

And of course, the doctors and nurses it took to create this baby.  First and foremost, our infertility specialist here in Great Falls.  We worked with her for 4 years!  And while we did have to go to Seattle for the actual IVF procedure, she was the one who pointed us in the right direction, worked with me to control my PCOS, and gave us hope through IUI's!!!  It was bittersweet when we had to move on to an OB!

The actual trip to Seattle took a village, too!!!  Mom and dad insisted on paying for our gas. We stayed with my aunt, uncle and cousin, crashing their house for almost 2 weeks, where they cooked us meals every night!  Aprill took care of our dogs on top of her already hectic schedule!  My dad drove over to stay at my house a couple nights on there so Aprill could have a little break from watching our pups...

This child will know how much love was poured into its creation!  I don't think any child could be loved more than another.  In the end, a child is a child and they all deserve equal love.  I'm not saying my child will be loved more than another!  It doesn't matter how a child is created or brought into this world.  I'm just saying that it brings a tear to my eye that we had so much love and support around us during this process.  And I want my baby to know that without that, we might not have made it this far.  It's amazing what a small kind gesture will do for someone going through a rough patch in their life...whatever it may be.  I have no idea what my baby will grow up to be like, but I hope they know and display the kind of compassion that everyone showed during their creation!