-
9 Tested Tips for Navigating Infertility on Infertility Awareness Week
Infertility Awareness Week is a time of reflection and support for those navigating the complexities of infertility. In this post, I share personal insights and practical tips based on my journey through infertility and adoption. From the initial realization of infertility to the profound moments of hope and joy in the adoption process, I offer guidance and encouragement for those facing similar challenges. Join me as we explore the emotional ups and downs, the unexpected twists and turns, and the unwavering hope that has carried me through my journey. 1) Describe the moment when you first realized that you might be experiencing infertility. What thoughts and emotions surfaced for you, and what made this realization particularly challenging? Around the beginning of our journey with infertility, roughly six months into our attempts to conceive, I felt a creeping sense of unease. It was quite a departure from the confidence I’d always had in my fertility. Despite having regular cycles and no known issues, the thought that infertility might be in our future blindsided me. During that time, I was hit with a whirlwind of emotions. First came disbelief, as if my body had somehow betrayed me. Then came a deep sense…
You May Also Like
Candid Reflections: Authentic Tales of Motherhood and Adoption
-
Candid Reflections: Authentic Tales of Motherhood and Adoption
As Mother’s Day approaches, I reflect on my journey of motherhood and adoption filled with twists, turns, and unexpected joys. It’s been a long and often painful road filled with uncertainty and doubt. There were moments when I thought I might never become a mom, moments that broke me and tested my resolve. Yet, through the struggle, I found growth. It made me stronger and more confident and instilled in me a deeper appreciation for family. Dealing with infertility forced me to reassess my expectations of motherhood. It taught me to cherish the present joys rather than fixate on future hopes. My path to motherhood has been slower and different from others, but it’s precious nonetheless. Regardless of how one becomes a mother, the essence of motherhood lies in love, nurture, and unwavering support. In this blog post, I’ll explore the complex journey of motherhood, sharing my unique experiences and insights gained through adoption. From dreaming of building a family to navigating the complexities of the adoption process, I’ll explore the profound impact adoption has had on my journey. Join me as I explore the complexities of motherhood, sharing personal stories and insights gained through the transformative journey of adoption.…
You May Also Like
9 Tested Tips for Navigating Infertility on Infertility Awareness Week
-
Unveiling Authenticity: A Tale of Infertility and Growth
After a very long break, I’m thrilled to announce that I’m picking up blogging again! This platform has been a part of my life since early 2019, evolving alongside me through various phases and challenges. As I dive back into sharing my experiences, I want to take a moment to reflect on the journey that led me here and the direction I envision for the future of this blog. Join the journey of ‘Unveiling Authenticity,’ witnessing the growth of this blog amidst tales of infertility and personal growth. Starting the Journey: Back in 2019, just three months into my marriage, I launched this blog as a hobby, a space to share my thoughts and discoveries without a clear direction. Life soon became a whirlwind with purchasing a house, an internship, and the beginning of our journey to parenthood. However, amidst the chaos, the blog provided a sanctuary where I could document the highs and lows of newlywed life. Navigating Challenges: The year 2020 brought unforeseen hurdles as we grappled with infertility while the world around us was engulfed in the chaos of a pandemic. Loneliness and uncertainty clouded my days, and despite sporadic attempts to revive the blog, I found…
-
The Best Gift to Give to a New Dad for Father’s Day
I had planned on writing this post a couple months ago, right before Father’s day, to share what I think is the best gift to give a new dad, but then we got some really exciting news that changed our lives! A little back story: My husband and I have been in the process of adopting an infant since October 2021. It has been an extremely long process, where our patience has been tested! Adoption has always been something we wanted to do. I’ve been wanting to adopt since I was a teenager, and I am pretty sure we talked about adopting on our very first date! The process has been long, with a lot of ups and downs, and we have been tested with our patience! Well, all that waiting has paid off, and on May 1st, at 8 am, we finally received the phone call that we were matched! We could not be any happier!! This was one of the best days of my life! Mother’s Day and Father’s Day have been a little bit hard for us these past few years. One major reason is because we have been dealing with infertility. My husband and I have…
-
Life Update
It has been so long since I’ve posted here on this blog! I cannot believe that my last post was at the end of September! It is a little sad to me that I haven’t been as active on this blog, because I really do enjoy posting on here! I’m not even really sure if anyone even reads any of this, but it really is a joy for me to write on here. So much has taken place since my last post, including a huge life decision that I will share later in this post. This is a pretty big update, and it will probably change what I write about moving forward. In October we had the opportunity to go to a pumpkin patch with a group of friends from church. One thing that has been super wonderful in the second half of 2021 was the growth of our community. Going to this pumpkin patch was a testimony to that growth of community. Community has been something that I had been hoping to grow back in 2020, but as you know, that was significantly hindered due to the things going on in the world at that time. But back then,…
-
Intentional Living // The Blueberry Park
A few days ago, my husband and I went to a blueberry park near us. I haven’t been there since I was in middle school. Harvesting blueberries from my own garden recently triggered a memory of the blueberry park. And so, I let my husband know about it and we took a trip down there. After about an hour or so of gathering blueberries, we took them back home and I wash them, and then I was able to make a really yummy blueberry crisp with them. It was by far the best blueberry crisp I’ve ever had, and I don’t think it’s from my cooking. Those blueberries were awesome! I really enjoyed being there, collecting my own blueberries. It was really peaceful, and it made me think about intentional living. Slowing down, and really appreciating the simple things. Not only that, but there is just something about going out, gathering (not from a store) your own food, and bringing it back home to make something with it. Maybe it’s my hunter/gather instinct being awakened. Maybe it’s my love for free things. Either way, it is such an enjoyable experience. I see so many posts on “slow and simple living”.…
-
A Letter to Those Struggling with Infertility
Did you know that one in eight couples experience difficulty conceiving? Before January 2020, these numbers were just that, numbers. They held no significance in my life, and I was blissfully unaware of the reality that they hold. I remember when we decided to start trying to have kids. We planned to start trying January 2020 because I was set to graduate college 8 months later. So, this felt like the perfect time. I’d be able to finish school and then have a baby during that transition phase before I had to start paying on my student loans.right out of schools I was filled with so much hope and excitement, and a little bit of nervousness. Oh that first month I was sure that we were pregnant. I mean, unprotected sex leads to a baby right? Oh boy was I in for it. That month came and went, and I told myself it’s okay, not everybody gets pregnant the first month trying. The second one came and went, and I felt disappointed. This isn’t how it supposed to happen. I’m super regular which means I should be able to conceive quickly, right? But it’s OK, it could take up to…
-
A Thought on Simple Weddings
Sad, but honest truth… when planning my wedding, I was worried that it would be too simple, or boring, or that the pictures would be lame on social media. These were some of my darker thoughts during the wedding planning season. And they weren’t just my thoughts! Other brides have shared with me similar thoughts. But when did weddings become more about the pictures you would post on social media than the celebration of two people joining their lives together? When did it become having that perfect day with everything just right so that it could be a Pinterest worthy wedding? When did the decorations, flower arrangements, venue, food, cake, dress, and whatever else become more important than the people involved? Yes, some weddings are Pinterest worthy. They are stunning! Everything looks like a fairytale. But that shouldn’t cause you to worry that your wedding won’t be beautiful, and have fun planning and decorating your own special day. And it’s not just weddings. We live in a culture that lives for keeping up with the Jones’s. Everyday I see posts of the cute things that people buy at their Target runs. I see amazing trips people go on. Beauty products…
-
2020 Word of the Year: Community
At the beginning of each year, I like to pick a word or phrase that sets the direction of the new year. Usually the word comes from the direction I’m moving in from the end of the previous year and what God was moving in my heart. In 2019 my word was “growth”. I wanted to grow in my relationship with Dakota, my career, community, and a healthy lifestyle. Over the last couple months, I have been feeling led to focus on community, and it seems to be the direction I am headed into this new year. Let’s be real, adult friendships are hard. People are busy. And for some reason, it is hard to get out of my comfort zone and make friends as an adult. But community is important. Community helps us grow. It offers support. It makes life a little more fun and enjoyable. So my word of the year for 2020 is “community”. As I have been preparing for this year, the Lord has been teaching me a few things about community, which I will be sharing more about in other posts! These last few months I have been contacting old friends to meet for coffee.…
-
Reflection on 2019
At the beginning of each year, I like to pick a word or phrase that sets the direction of the new year. Usually the word comes from the direction I’m moving in from the end of the previous year and what God was moving in my heart. Last year my word was “growth.” I specifically wanted to grow in my relationship with Dakota as his wife, my calling of helping others as a counselor, community by building up old and new friendships, and in a healthy lifestyle. In each of these areas I feel like I’ve grown so much in! In my relationship with Dakota, I have grown so much as I’ve learned how to better communicate (and am still growing in). I’ve learned how to think in terms of we instead of me. I have learned how to be more selfless instead of selfish (although, Dakota is way more selfless than me! I found out through marriage that I’m a pretty selfish person). I have grown a ton in my career as a counselor as I have been doing my internship at a private practice counseling agency. At the beginning of this year, I started out as a crisis…
