The Best Birthday Surprise Ever: Finding Out I Was Pregnant

I figured it was about time I get around to posting about finally finding out we're expecting, especially since I know so many of you have been following our infertility journey and praying and hoping right along with us. So here you go:

When you're trying to get pregnant as seriously as we were, you get super familiar with your monthly cycle. For months I'd been using an awesome app called Clue to track my cycle, and I'd been using it for long enough that it was pretty great at predicting when I was supposed to start my period. In fact, for the three months before, it had been spot on to the day. So, when it predicted that I was supposed to be starting my period on my birthday, I jokingly said it would be the best birthday present ever if that period just never came. I never expected that to actually happen.

In particular, I really didn't expect that to happen because we were still on our break from treatments. The only thing I was on was the Metformin, and that really wasn't expected to make a difference. I was actually supposed to be calling our fertility clinic to schedule a meeting with the doctor, but I'd been putting it off because we still weren't 100% sure we wanted to move on and try IVF. Because, dang, IVF treatments are expensive and really involved and a huge commitment. So, I told myself I'd worry about it after Thanksgiving.

But then, my birthday came, and my period didn't come with it. I knew that I'd had longer cycles in the past, so I tried really hard not to get my hopes up and just wait a couple of days. I didn't want to take a test and just have it turn out negative and break my heart. So, I waited 5 days and still didn't start my period, so I finally took a test.

I took it first thing in the morning. Jacob was still in the bedroom, but he could hear me when I started crying and thought that meant I had started my period. So I just walked into the bedroom, held the test up to him and said, nope, no period. Honestly, I don't think either of us could really believe it. So later that day, I took another test. It was positive too, so I started to believe it just a little bit more. And when the third test I took the next morning agreed, I got even more excited.

But it was such an unexpected miracle that Jacob and I both wanted to get a blood test to confirm the results before we really let ourselves be sure. It was the weekend, but even though I wasn't currently getting treatments, the fertility clinic made an appointment for me the next day as soon as I called them Monday morning. I went crazy all day Tuesday waiting for them to call with the results, but when they finally did call, it was all worth the wait. The blood test confirmed it; we were finally expecting a baby.

There are still days when it doesn't feel quite real, in spite of the ultrasounds I've had and the nausea and exhaustion and other fun symptoms. I still don't understand the Lord's plan and timing or why we had to wait this long. I really don't understand why we went through 3 months of treatments without any results, but I do trust that He loves us, and I am so grateful for our little miracle. It truly was the best birthday present I ever could have wished for, and we can't wait until August.

I'm also beyond grateful for all the love and support we've had on our infertility journey. For us, it's felt like forever, but I know there are so many who wait much longer than we did. I am grateful that my own experiences have helped me be more aware of what those who face infertility are going through. There is no way to truly understand what a couple facing infertility is feeling unless you've been there, but I hope sharing my own experiences has helped you understand it a little bit more. I know that most of all, they need the support of their loved ones. I have felt so blessed to have the thoughts and prayers of all of you during the past few months, and I know they have carried me and buoyed me up, so thank you all.

I know this post was fairly short and some of you are wanting more info about how I've been feeling and such, so I promise those are upcoming. Next up will be a post about how we told our families on Christmas. Expect some laughs.