A Retrospective

Im the mother to an almost one year old son. Oh...MY.... GOSH!! People say it all the time, but where HAS the time gone? I feel like that first 6 weeks was just a blink behind me. But this time last year, I was just a week away from meeting my sweet angel baby man. Amazing!
In the last year, I have...

• had a major surgery.
  
• joined the club, finally.
  
• Had every human emotion possible
• thrown about a gabillion diapers in the landfill, something Im not proud of at all.
  
• been comforted and soothed by so MANY friends
• been stretched to the MAX!
• LOVED and BEEN loved in incredible ways I didn't think were possible.
  
• been so very blessed!

The weight loss is going. I'll put it this way. No matter what the scales say, I feel better since making the decision to put my health on the priority list. I'm purposefully exercising now, which is difficult, but afterward, I'm very proud I did it. I wish I could tell you how much I've lost. I would if my scale had a battery in it. But right now, its really kind of nice to see when I step on it, the pretty blue screen lights up and the word,"LO" appears. YEAHHHHH baby! That's what I'm talking about.

We are celebrating our Baby Man's first birthday with a bash at the house. It will be a bug theme. We will have a hayride and games, cupcakes, and a TON of folks. As long as Baby Man gets to ride around on something with wheels, he'll be FINE! I've just imagined, waited, and planned this day in my head for so long. I'm just incredibly happy to be at this place.

I know just a short time ago, I was on the other side of this odyssey. I think so often of the fellow IFers out there that have yet to be blessed. I can't tell you to keep fighting. I can't tell you, "it will happen." I think that was the hardest thing about infertility, the uncertainty. Life is such a gamble. Infertility taught me, a very conservative play-by-the-rules type person, to take a risk. My Daddy used to say, "Anything worth having is worth fighting for." He was so incredibly right. I didn't know HOW we would accomplish our goal, but with God's grace, we made it! The tears and heartache were immense. The challenges, both physical and mental, were enormous. The life lessons learned were innumerable. The sacrifices were immeasurable. But, I now see how each instance prepared me for the life I have now. I sincerely pray for each and every man and woman that desires to have a child be blessed with their heart's desire.

Here is my almost one year old, Baby Man...