February’s FEATURE STORY is here!!! This month’s story is from a proven surrogate who came to us for her second journey. She holds a unique perspective and I absolutely love her story.
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“Little souls find their way to you. Whether they are from your womb, or someone else’s” -Sheryl Crow
I knew when I started my first surrogacy journey that I was about to change many lives. The life I didn’t expect to change in so many ways, was my own. And once it was over, it was as if life gave me new lenses. Nothing would ever be the same. I have gained so much gratitude for the things I took for granted. My fertility, morning sickness, the painful kicks of a 38 week old baby inside of you. Knowing that someone else would give almost everything to feel those moments we are so quick to complain about changes your outlook on life and everything that we have to be grateful for. Surrogacy has been on my heart for as long as I can remember. Even before becoming a mother myself. But it wasn’t until I had my own children, that I knew it was no longer something I would just hope to do one day, it was something I WOULD do.
Everyone who knows me knows I am an empath in every sense of the word… and then some. I cannot handle emotional television commercials, hurt people or animals, just hearing of someone’s heartache, I TRULY feel it in my body and my soul. I would rock my babies to sleep, soaking in every moment, and silently send hope and love to the men and women with empty arms and empty homes, longing for that feeling of a tiny hand on your skin, the weight of a child in your arms, the sound of their voice, the smell of their skin. I knew that I had the ability to help. I will save the details of all that I went through to get to the actual point of being pregnant, because let’s be honest, it is far more than I ever could have imagined, and is a whole story of its own. Let’s just say, Surrogacy is so worth it, but it is not all sunshine and rainbows. It is artificial hormones, changes to your family dynamic, emotional rollercoasters, self injections for months, and so many tests. Speaking of stories for another day, another post could be written just for the gratitude I have for my husband, a quiet little hero in all of this! None of this would be possible without his support. I never expected to feel so out of tune and out of control with a body I pride myself of being very intuitive with.
Fast forward to Thanksgiving day, 2017; I gave birth to two beautiful babies, and it lit a fire in me. If you’re a parent, you know that feeling when you first meet your baby, and you try to explain that feeling to other people who do not have children. Surrogacy is so similar to that. The feeling you get watching a loving couple turn into a family because of YOUR body, there are no words. I said out loud to my husband “I know why I was placed on this earth. For this moment. I found my purpose in this life”
2 years later, I felt at a point in my life to do it all again. I found Abundant Life Surrogacy and quickly learned that an agency doesn’t have to be just an agency, they can become FAMILY! I remember feeling so alone when I was pregnant with the twins because no one truly understood what I was going through. It is already so different with this incredible group of women. The support is unlike anything I have ever seen, and I have made lifelong friends through this experience. They led me to another big life change when they introduced me to the most amazing couple. For privacy purposes I cannot share too much, but I will say that I have never met anyone more deserving, with so much love to give, in my entire life. This couple has been through hell and back and I knew, I just KNEW the moment I met them that every moment has led me to them. The mother and I are not and example to how every surrogacy journey will be, but it feels like a soul connection. Our friendship has grown to lengths I only could have dreamed of. I knew this had to work. Fate brought us together for a reason, and it is to fill their hearts with the love of a child that they have prayed for, for longer than anyone deserves. Our journey has just begun together, but I am so happy to announce that things are going exactly as planned. We transferred on January 24, and again, I couldn’t have done it without my incredible surrogate family at Abundant life. They have been there for me any hour of the night. My girls Cortney and Kiki came and supported me through the entire transfer, making me laugh, bringing me snacks and goodies and treating me to lunch. Kiki even brought me and my husband ice cream late at night and crawled in next to me in bed while I was on bedrest! An absolute SAINT! These are just a few examples of the love and support these girls have to give. 3 very short days later, I received my first positive home pregnancy test! I’ve tested every day since and that little line just keeps getting darker and darker! I am so excited for what the future holds for everyone involved.
One of the best parts in all of this is that my children have learned that life is not black and white. There are people hurting and we have the ability to help! And they also see that you can live a simple ordinary life, and still make a huge impact to this world. I encourage my children to find their own purpose and find where they have the ability to help! Stay tuned because BIG miracles are happening, and I am so grateful to wake up with the strength and ability to carry life, and build a family. Because without family, what truly matters?
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