Beyond Thankful

It is only natural this time of year for us to reflect on the many blessings for which we are thankful. I know this year the celebration of Thanksgiving will take on even more meaning for us in light of what we have been through over the last year. The last two weeks have found me very emotional on this topic. I won't deny that my hormones are already on overload, which is a challenge for someone who has always been fairly emotional anyway. But its more than that. I think God is slowly giving me bigger glimpses of the miracle that is His hand in our lives on a daily basis, and I am in awe.

Glimpse #1:

Two years ago Justin and I participated in a small group with other young couples from the church we were attending. Like ourselves, most of the couples had been married only a few years. The study frequently asked each couple to describe certain bumps in their marriage and how they worked through them together. More often than not, Justin and I would read the questions and look at each other with puzzlement. How many bumps do you really hit in your first year of marriage? Sure, there is the notorious toothpaste bump: "you squeeze the BOTTOM of the tube, not the middle!" And for us, the Q-tip bump: "EVERY morning you throw your Q-tip toward the garbage and miss, but do you ever pick it up off the floor?!" But those sound so petty when one couple in your group is struggling to even stay together, and another is dealing with family wounds.

Then earlier this year we were faced with our very own mountain, and it seemed like more than we could handle. Why would God let this happen to us, especially when He knows how much we desire to be parents? We were in a blur...and yet, God slowly brought us through as only He can. He surrounded us with family and friends who lifted us up in prayer and encouraged us without fail. He directed us to amazing doctors who looked beyond the obstacles and saw the possibilities. He helped us cling to Him and to each other. And He is giving us our first miracle baby!

The path was tough, and it isn't over yet. After all, we've only been married three years and we both want at least four kids! But now we have a REAL marriage bump story, and I enjoy sharing how God brought us through. Even knowing what we know now, I'm not sure we would wish for it to be any different. Infertility is an incredibly challenging situation and I would not wish it on anyone. But through our struggle God has shown us the amazing power of prayer and that NOTHING is impossible for Him - not even a baby for the infertile! I'm not sure I would trade that glimpse for anything; rather, I pray to see more and more of it each day.