Nelsy has been married for 11 years. Her husband, Weston, and she went to the same high school but never knew each other. She pretty much fell in love with him right away, it took him six dates to kiss her! Together they have twin girls, Naomi and June. Her days are filled with lots of laughter and lots of diapers. She had a dream that she had twins six months before she got pregnant with them. Yes, she wanted twins. Yes, her hands are full. Yes, her heart is fuller. No, twins don't run in her family. Yes, she wants more kids.
Of course we were devastated. At this point we had already been trying for over a year & a half. Although it was the most heartbreaking thing I had ever experienced up until that point, I truly felt it to be somewhat of a tender mercy. I had been questioning for so long & I felt this was God's way of telling me that it was indeed possible but, to trust in His timing. Somehow I walked away from that experience more positive & hopeful than ever before. It was like a drew up all this extra strength out of thin air, little did I know all that extra strength was coming to me for a reason. I was going to need to rely on it to get me through the next five years. Yes, FIVE.
In the world of infertility, every journey is different & unique. It's a roller coaster of emotions. Full of ups & downs, uncertainty, frustration, & heartache to name a few. It's not a topic that most people are comfortable with, no matter what side of it you are on. Every situation is unique & everyone handles things in different ways. Like I mentioned earlier, after our first loss, I was blessed with an unexplained strength that really made a difference for me those first couple of years. Although, I was well acquainted with disappointment month after month, somehow my faith stayed strong during that time. But, it wasn't always that way.
As the months turned into years, the harder & harder it became to rely on that feeling to trust in God's timing. Finally, my frustration & heartache hit an all time high shortly after someone close to us announced their surprise pregnancy in the middle of a party. I felt completely blind sided & in that moment it was like a dam broke inside of me. All these feelings I had suppressed for so long came out with a vengeance, torturing every corner of my fragile heart. I had endured a lot of pregnancy announcements up until this point but, this was the most shocking & difficult due to the nature of my relationship with this person. It was the most conflicting feeling I had ever felt. How could I be so happy yet so sad at the same time? That is infertility for you. There is a quote by John Mayer that says: "The saddest kind of sad is the sad that tries not to be sad. You know, when Sad tries to bite it's lip & smile and go "No, I'm happy for you."? That's when it's really sad." That's exactly how I felt.
This is the part of my journey that was the hardest & most trying. Shortly after this surprise announcement, I had back surgery & spent a lot of time alone at home recovering & feeling sorry for myself. My relationship with my husband & God suffered. I felt angry. I felt guilt. I felt shame. I even felt unworthy. I began to believe these lies from the adversary. I even recall a couple of intense moments waking up in the middle of the night & hearing the words "You're never going to be a mother"... it was awful, even now writing that makes me feel sick inside. Just as God is real, so is the adversary. Thankfully with time this darkness began to lift. With the help of priesthood blessings from my husband & prayers from those closest to me I started to feel God's love for me again.
I was not always open about my infertility. In many ways I didn't want to burden anyone with worry. I also had feelings of shame & embarrassment which I realize now, was so silly. For a time, I was the master at concealing it, but eventually my silent suffering got the best of me. I didn't realize how therapeutic it would be for me to put it out there. There were days I could literally feel the prayers of my friends & loved ones carrying me through. I wish I would have confided in someone sooner, so much good can come from talking & having a good cry with a friend.
A year & a half after my back surgery we began fertility treatments. This took us a very long time to start. I had so many fears about the procedures, the hormones, the costs... it was overwhelming to say the least. You really do have to be mentally, emotionally, physically, and not to mention financially ready to start. It may have taken us longer than I wanted to get there, but the timing couldn't have been more perfect. I'm so grateful that I had such a patient & understanding husband to comfort & support me through it all.
I would never wish infertility on anyone, but just like any trial or test of our faith we can come out stronger. Through this experience I've gained a deeper understanding of God's love for us. My relationship with my husband grew in ways that brought us closer together. I gained friendships with others I would have otherwise missed. My heart grew bigger than ever & I have more compassion & understanding than before. My gratitude & appreciation for my sweet girls is deeper than ever, they truly are my greatest blessings. The joy I feel when I look at them, is greater than any pain or sorrow I ever felt getting them here. I learned a lot of lessons throughout my infertility journey, but perhaps the biggest one I learned is that God's plans for us are always BETTER than our own. I promise you they are. He knows your heart, he knows your pain. He will never leave you comfortless. If you look for Him, you will find Him.
No comments:
Post a Comment