The Challenge of Becoming a Parent

So after I had this amazing, super deep post a few weeks ago, there have been some developments. We found out we're having another baby!  My mind has had a hard time focusing on much else.  Especially because I've felt as though all the energy has been sucked out of my body. I'm also trying to focus on NOT gaining the 50lbs I did the last two times.......

Now - this whole "challenged" blog is not a mommy blog and I won't be telling you all of the TMI details of my pregnancy, but there are some things I've experienced and some realizations I've had and will continue to have along the way that I'd like to share.

Each one of my pregnancies has been different. The first was a trick (no sickness), the second had me sick the first trimester, and this one - we'll I mentioned that previously. This one also happens to be our last. It seems hard to explain ....knowing that now we'll have the number of children we had always talked about, and having our focus change a bit; knowing that from now on we'll just be able to focus on our kids growing up and doing our best to help them along the way.  Of course we wonder what God has in store for this child and what will be different?  I've learned something pretty obvious and that is that you can't expect each child's experiences to be the same.  In fact, you should expect them to be completely different.

So as I mentioned earlier, I've had some realizations already.  One of these that stick out the most to me is that so many of us are called and gifted with the responsibility of being a parent, and unfortunately some just haven't been able to get there yet.  But, all of us have different ways and different paths of arriving at the same place.  Every parent's journey is unique and should be treasured, pains and all.  I can't say that I know what its like to not be able to have children, or to have to go through the long process of adoption or IVF treatments, etc.  I don't know why things happen the way the do, like why do some struggle to become parents at the same time that careless drug-addicts can't stop having them?  It seems though that whatever journey we all have to go through, a lot of good does come from it.

An acquaintance of mine recently told me of how she and her husband had been trying for seven years to have children including fertility treatments, etc.  Just when they had decided to go the route of adoption and were about to start the process, she became pregnant.  Everything went smoothly and nine months later their little miracle came to be.  When she told me this story I couldn't help but be emotional myself.  I could see and feel by the way she spoke of her daughter that her love for her child was deep and intense.  To her, although those long seven years will not be forgotten, it was all worth it and those seven years of struggle now made a little more sense.

So although I've felt drained of energy and a little nauseous at times, my experiences are nothing compared to the experiences that many others have had.  Its for that reason that I cherish my "story" even more.  I guess the point of all this is to say that I respect you greatly if you've had anything but an easy process.  You definitely deserve some kind of prestigious award.  If you do have the honor of being a parent, whether by adoption or some other route, that child is so blessed to have you as a parent.  And if you're still struggling to get there and understand why.......please don't give up.  Your story isn't finished yet.