One More Shot

I began reading infertility blogs when we were first diagnosed in 2011.  They served as a place for comfort and hope.  Depending on my mood I would seek tales of success or actively search for women like me who were still suffering through the throughs of the unknown.  As time went on I added adoption blogs to my repertoire.  In the beginning months of 2016 I looked for blogs written by women who used Donor Eggs and Donor Embryos as we were trying to determine our next steps. 

Maya was one of these women.

Maya and her husband Noah joined what Maya calls IF Island around the same time we did.  After attempting IUI's, IVF and IVF with donor eggs without success, they successfully began their family through the gift of donor embryos.  Their daughter, whom they refer to on the blog as Momo, was born in March of 2015.  Maya and Noah also have a gift for film making and created a documentary sharing their experience which was recently released: 

I have been looking forward to its release and was excited when I found out it was available on Netflix.  Despite my excitement, I have watched less than 20 minutes of it so far.  I could blame my hectic schedule or the fact that I have babies underfoot constantly and can't really focus, but do you want to know the truth?  I have only gotten 20 minutes in because it is so incredibly hard for me to watch

They did phenomenal work.  They are funny and the content is engaging, but the frustration, hopelessness, and pain we endured for 6 years is still so close to the surface.  Even on this other side with my beautiful daughter right in front of me, when Maya and Noah share their story my "battle scars" are reopened and the tears fill my eyes. 

All of the women I follow regularly on the other side with me--the last three through adoption and IVF in the fall.  Even with the joy we have for the children with whom we have been blessed, I believe there is still a vulnerable place in each of our hearts from the struggle we have endured.  I am sure as time goes by this vulnerability will fade or...actually, know what?   Maybe it won't.  Maybe it's there to make sure we don't take, even for once second, our time with these amazing gifts of life for granted.   Maybe this is a bonus gift the Lord has thrown in.  He can be sneaky like that.

So for now I will continue to follow Maya and Noah through the blog and watch snippets of the documentary as my heart allows.  From the blog I have learned Maya and Noah are gearing up to try for their second child. 

To read more about their story, beyond what they share in their documentary, you can visit:

Don't Count Your Eggs at http://dontcountyoureggs.typepad.com//blog/