Like many young girls, I eagerly anticipated the day I would get married and have children.
As an adult, I fell in love with a man who had already been married and had a son. Although this was not the scenario my child-mind had envisioned, I saw in him as a wonderful father and knew he would be just as wonderful with any children we might have together.
After we got married, we were excited to grow our family. However, after a few years of unsuccessfully trying to conceive, I received devastating news from my doctor: I was experiencing premature menopause and would not be able to have biological children. Door closed.
This was a hard blow, but I had faith that everything happens for a reason. While one door had closed, I trusted that another would open.
We considered egg donation, but after some research, we realized it was not the right path for us. Another door closed.
Although my husband was initially hesitant about adoption, I persuaded him to attend an informational meeting. Many of his concerns were validated during that meeting, and I began to feel defeated, as yet another door was closed and locked tight.
Do not be mistaken, I loved my stepson dearly, but I wondered if I would ever have a child to call my own… Would I end up resenting my husband for having something I could not? Would he resent me if I pushed him into something he was not comfortable with? Doubts and uncertainties swirled in my mind…
At the end of the adoption meeting, we received a pamphlet about Snowflakes Embryo Adoption. Neither of us had heard of embryo adoption before… This path intrigued and resonated with us, and so far, the door seemed wide open.
We decided to jump right in. We embarked on the process of getting home study approved and were matched with a set of three embryos.
The journey was not easy; it involved a lot of prayer, fear, uncertainty, learning to communicate our thoughts and feelings, hoping and praying that everything would come together at the right time.
Our first embryo transfer resulted in a miscarriage. It was heartbreaking to have hope and then lose it so quickly, but we were determined not to give up. Our precious son was the last of three embryos we had been gifted through the adoption. He was a strong, spirited, healthy boy, born exactly two years after we began our embryo adoption journey.
I am thankful for the network of families who encouraged us and brought us hope during discouraging times. I am also deeply grateful for our embryo donors and the path that led us to each other.
Our positive experience gave us the confidence to adopt traditionally, as well. Five years after welcoming our “snowflake,” we adopted another baby boy through domestic adoption. We are abundantly blessed and grateful for all of our boys and the unique paths that brought them into our lives.
If a door has closed in your life, do not stop looking for the new door that has opened for you!
Do you have an embryo adoption or donation story? Send your story and photos to us! Post them yourself via Facebook or email us your story and we will make it available on our Family Stories page, found on our website.
Email Paige@nightlight.org and help another family build their embryo donation or adoption story.
To learn about embryo donation and adoption, visit EmbryoAdoption.org.
Recent Comments