The BIRTH Story: Part 1

I am fully aware that one of the rites of passage to becoming a mother these days is to tell the birth story of your child.  After completing the process of conceiving, growing, and delivering my baby, I don't believe it to be something that needs to be shared with the world, therefore I won't be Facebooking links to this post to publicize the experience.  However, given that it was the most amazing and beautiful string of moments Josh and I have ever experienced, I must include my thoughts on this experience for myself and posterity.  Emrie needs to know how special she is to our family.

In April of 2009, Josh and I decided that it was a good time to start working on a family.  I had graduated from college and we had been married for just under two years.  The timing felt right.  However, we discovered after years of unsuccessful trying and visits to a few different doctors that the process would be more difficult than expected.  Our infertility problems were linked to complications with Josh's counts.  This information was very taxing on Josh.  We spent a couple years pretending like the problems might fix themselves.  Truthfully, it was easier to pretend like there wasn't really a problem and that a pregnancy might just sneak up on us than it was to face the potential reality of being infertile. 

Finally, we gained the courage to seek a solution, deciding an answer was best even if the it was less than hopeful.  After more testing, we were encouraged to try rounds of artificial insemination.  If that didn't work, we would then need to seek help at an office that could help us with IVF.  Josh and I guarded our emotions through this process because our chances of insemination working appeared to be small.  After the first round didn't take, we began to have conversations about the next big decision:  IF WHEN this doesn't work, do we try IVF or do we adopt?  We approached our second insemination appointment with that same attitude, expecting to waste more pregnancy tests.  However, miraculously, this treatment worked.  In April 2012, we became pregnant.  We were beyond excited!  Here is a picture from the day we found out we were having a little girl.

To explain this experience in just a few short paragraphs makes this trail seems insignificant.  However, it was such a trying experience that taught Josh and I to have faith in Heavenly Father and patience with each other.  We learned to be content with the life that we had, to look for joy in the little things, and to find fulfillment in different things than most of our couple friends.  Looking back, I am so grateful for the timing of the pregnancy.  I taught English at Madison High School for a four years, which allowed me time to use my degree to become a confident and capable teacher.  However, now I am able to devote my time to being a mother, and it is my favorite job so far!!!  We love you Emrie Claire Cooper!  You were worth the wait!