Miracle on 96th St

Nine years, eight months, four days and a few hours is how long we waited. It didn't happen because we relaxed. Nor did it happen because we weren't thinking about it. It definitely didn't happen on day 14, or when I stood on my head. It didn't happen from lack of trying. And it most definitely didn't happen because we learned a life lesson. It happened because of Hope. Our journey began with much anticipation and excitement. Then it slowly become an obsession. Reading every article possible and understanding the science behind it all. It then twisted into hurt and at times, anger. It was frustrating to say the least. Difficult to watch others have no trouble. Difficult to hear advice, no matter how sweet the intention may have been. It stared us obnoxiously in the face, and reared its ugly head through the gestures and words of others. Slowly it became the everyday, and eventually it was accepted. We made it through the long haul of pain, misery, and swallowing pits of despair until one day, peace crawled in and burrowed deep to make wounds so deep and obvious melt away. The bitterness receded. It took strong hearts and minds on this journey we made, and as always, in the end, it was all worth it. A miracle occurred. And not only a small miracle...one that was double in size.

It was shocking to read a positive on a test I had taken too many times. It was downright unbelievable. So much so, that we took another just to make sure our eyes weren't playing tricks, and that test #1 wasn't a dud. Thinking back now, it's special that we took two tests...each baby was able to tell us, "Yes, I'm truly here!"

6 weeks with heartbeats of 114 and 108

7 1/2 weeks with heartbeat of 160

7 1/2 weeks with heartbeat of 153
(I'm hard to see because I'm in my sibling's shadow)