Just over two years ago, I took a leap of faith and shared about my desire to become a mom and the difficult journey I was in at the time. It was a leap of faith because I was trusting in God's plan that He too was going to let me become a mommy. Deep in my heart I had confidence in God and His plan that this would come to fruition and now two years later, I'm going to celebrate my second Mother's Day as a mom with my beautiful 18 month old daughter. I will admit, I was quite anxious along the journey, my faith was tested because I wanted things to happen in my timing, and I often felt drained from all of the negative results that would come back, whether it was from tests related to pregnancy or not being matched with the baby that was to be ours. I can say with absolute certainty, that those "no" answers were "not yet" answers. I can't imagine my life without any other child but the one I have been blessed with through adoption.
Throughout my journey, I have had the privilege of talking with, praying with, praying for and giving advice to fellow females who were also on the journey to motherhood. Many of them are now mommies! And some are still on their journey. But as I have learned, it is just a "not yet" for them. And so, because of all these amazing stories of bravery from these women willing to share with me, this project idea came to life. I thought my initial blog would just be used in the moment while I was living it. But two years later, I still am able to help others along their journey. So, I write this new post, in hopes that it will encourage more women along their journeys. If you're a fellow female struggling with infertility, have had miscarriages, have had failed IUIs or IVFs, haven't been matched with your baby through adoption or whatever roadblock may be in the way of you becoming a mom, stay strong. Any time I talk with my female friends asking about my journey, I am sure to give this advice: The path that God has you on to become a mommy is between you and God. You have to pray earnestly, listen carefully, discern wisely, for only you and God know what He is truly telling you. Ask others to pray for sure, but know that your path is going to look different than my path, or any other's for that matter. Along your journey, you're going to hear many voices giving their opinions. Keep these tucked away and pray that God shows what He wants you to hear. Keep hope that God knows your desires and will open your eyes to what needs to happen. Be open to things you may not have thought were options before. This is probably my most important advice I share with those I talk with, and so I want to share it with those who may be reading.
When I think of all of the women who have shared their journey with me, I know I felt so encouraged to know there was someone else out there who could related to my experiences. That is where this Mother May I project comes in! It's a play of words on the game, Mother May I, plus the month of May includes Mother's Day. I asked other mommies to share their BRAVE stories in hopes that it could encourage other women on their journey to motherhood. I also hope it can encourage current mommies to remember the special moments of motherhood and for us to be thankful, aware and compassionate towards our fellow females who are hoping to be mommies one day!
With that, here are some BRAVE stories of women and their journey towards motherhood. May it encourage you! Feel free to share it with anyone you think needs to hear this!
With that, here are some BRAVE stories of women and their journey towards motherhood. May it encourage you! Feel free to share it with anyone you think needs to hear this!
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At the start of my journey to motherhood, I had accepted that my husband and I would probably resort to insemination, but I was deflated to find that IVF was essentially our only option. This option required me to face my crippling fear of needles and the anxiety of being physically uncomfortable in general. With two failed attempts, my emotions were disoriented and my faith was thoroughly tested. It wasn't until the third IVF attempt (backed by a thousand prayers) that we finally got pregnant. This Mother's Day marks EXACTLY two years to the day from the start of my IVF process and I get to celebrate with my two month old baby boy, alongside my extremely supportive husband.
~Simone S.
Last summer, I had a rough first pregnancy that resulted in a miscarriage/D&C at 12 weeks. I spent several months following that scared, upset and unsure of a future child. 4 months later, we found out we were pregnant again. This one proved to also be difficult in the first trimester resulting in a few ER trips. I am currently 25 weeks pregnant. She is healthy and due in July. Our three year old is very excited to meet her sister.
~Chelsea, mother with one on the way!
I ventured into motherhood rather quickly. When I met my husband, I learned he had a six-year-old daughter. I was apprehensive at first, never thinking I belonged in the role as a step-parent. But fast forward eleven years…we are married with three beautiful children. I could not imagine my life without my seventeen-year-old (bonus) daughter. She has taught me so much about myself as a mother and as a person. I was blessed again with another daughter nine years ago. She is the best surprise I have ever received. Then, when my husband and I decided to grow our family one more time, we were struck with heartbreak. The one time we planned to be pregnant, we experienced a miscarriage. But God is an awesome God and carried us through. He blessed us a year later with our son. Motherhood is one of the hardest journeys of my life, but it is one of the greatest and most rewarding. I am eternally grateful to my God for choosing me to parent the children he has given me.
“Psalm 127:3: "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
~Ann, raising my tribe on Jesus :: Mia, Addison, JJ
Mike and I were married seven years before I finally conceived - we were ALL so excited! Two months in, my body rejected this little soul and I had a miscarriage. I thought my world ended. The next year I conceived again and we had Andrew! Three years later, I had another miscarriage. Then another three years went by and we had James! Now our boys are grown with children of their own. So I know that this journey was God’s plan all along.
~Debbie, Mother of Andrew and James,
Gram of Autumn, Macy, Eli, Beau and Emma
I was twenty-five years old the first time I went to the doctor to find out why I wasn’t getting pregnant. The doctor dismissed me by saying that I was young and had many years to try to get pregnant. I’m now fifty-two years old and menopausal and have NEVER been pregnant. So it goes to show that you need to be your own advocate, no matter what your age is. It was nearly five years later when the same endocrinologist told me that I had a rare condition that had no research, no solution, that I would probably NEVER get pregnant and should consider a donor embryo or adoption. At that point, I had already been on several adoption lists for two years. And literally, nine months after that conversation, our first child was born. He is now twenty-three years old. We also adopted our daughter who is now twenty-one. Both are the joys of our lives.
~Kelli Davis
I always knew my purpose in life was to be a mother, but I also knew deep down that getting there would be a struggle. After five years of miscarriage, failed IUIs, and endless heartache, we finally brought home my little boy with the help of IVF. He’s my whole world, and I’m so glad I stayed determined and leaned on science when I needed it. Looking back, the wait had a purpose, as so many other aspects of our lives have fallen into place in that time. This year, I’ll spend my second Mother’s Day cherishing my son and celebrating our second child due in December (also thanks to IVF!).
~Megan, proud mom to Charlie and Baby#2
For three years of Mother’s Day church services, I, along with my husband and family, would stand up when our pastor asked if there were any women who were hoping to become mothers. After two miscarriages and three unsuccessful IUIs, I kept hope in God that He would allow me to become a Mommy, even though it was difficult at times to stay strong. This Mother’s Day will be the second year I celebrate it with my precious daughter. God brought us together through adoption, and looking back, I see how God was orchestrating every detail all along.
~Michelle, mother of Maddy and follower of Christ
Fourteen years into our marriage, after many infertility struggles, we chose adoption. Taking this journey of faith, trusting the Lord with all of the details, our baby girl came home with us in January 2021. The road was so bumpy at times! But God had every detail covered. We’re here - she’s here - and I’m a mom. This will be my first Mother’s Day as a mom, at 44 years old. It’s surreal and beautiful and all glory to God.
~Fellow Mommy
When I had Nahla, I was in college and unmarried. When she was six, she was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. We prayed. God healed. Years later, I married Stefen. We became a blended family. For seven months, we tried to get pregnant but couldn’t. When we did, it was right after my dad passed away. We did a home birth. When she was born, she took a breath, stopped breathing, and turned blue in my arms. My husband and I prayed over her together. Today, Nia is three. In September, we had our son. I was considered high risk, was iron deficient, switched doctors at 35 weeks, and birthed him in a pandemic...but we never stopped praying. We named him Seven because we believe that God will complete every work in us; all we need to do is remain in prayer and know that God will do all that He said He would do.
~Nadirah, God’s daughter, Stefen’s wife, and mother of Nahla, Nia, and Seven
Sometimes when you pray for a miracle, you get two! After battling with infertility for three and a half years that included countless doctor appointments, labs, medications, fertility procedures, surgeries, high hopes followed by huge disappointments, and a miscarriage, I was thrilled to find out I was pregnant with twins! The years leading up to that moment were filled with many lows and “why us?” moments. However, my husband and I remained true to our faith and kept praying and believing. With the support of our family and close friends, we believed somehow, someway, God had a plan, no matter how hopeless we felt. He sure did have a plan! We learned His timing may not be our timing, but God is faithful and will never leave you or forsake you.
~Cheryl, mother of twin daughters
At the start of my journey to motherhood, I had accepted that my husband and I would probably resort to insemination, but I was deflated to find that IVF was essentially our only option. This option required me to face my crippling fear of needles and the anxiety of being physically uncomfortable in general. With two failed attempts, my emotions were disoriented and my faith was thoroughly tested. It wasn't until the third IVF attempt (backed by a thousand prayers) that we finally got pregnant. This Mother's Day marks EXACTLY two years to the day from the start of my IVF process and I get to celebrate with my two month old baby boy, alongside my extremely supportive husband.
~Simone S.
Last summer, I had a rough first pregnancy that resulted in a miscarriage/D&C at 12 weeks. I spent several months following that scared, upset and unsure of a future child. 4 months later, we found out we were pregnant again. This one proved to also be difficult in the first trimester resulting in a few ER trips. I am currently 25 weeks pregnant. She is healthy and due in July. Our three year old is very excited to meet her sister.
~Chelsea, mother with one on the way!
I ventured into motherhood rather quickly. When I met my husband, I learned he had a six-year-old daughter. I was apprehensive at first, never thinking I belonged in the role as a step-parent. But fast forward eleven years…we are married with three beautiful children. I could not imagine my life without my seventeen-year-old (bonus) daughter. She has taught me so much about myself as a mother and as a person. I was blessed again with another daughter nine years ago. She is the best surprise I have ever received. Then, when my husband and I decided to grow our family one more time, we were struck with heartbreak. The one time we planned to be pregnant, we experienced a miscarriage. But God is an awesome God and carried us through. He blessed us a year later with our son. Motherhood is one of the hardest journeys of my life, but it is one of the greatest and most rewarding. I am eternally grateful to my God for choosing me to parent the children he has given me.
“Psalm 127:3: "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward.
~Ann, raising my tribe on Jesus :: Mia, Addison, JJ
Mike and I were married seven years before I finally conceived - we were ALL so excited! Two months in, my body rejected this little soul and I had a miscarriage. I thought my world ended. The next year I conceived again and we had Andrew! Three years later, I had another miscarriage. Then another three years went by and we had James! Now our boys are grown with children of their own. So I know that this journey was God’s plan all along.
~Debbie, Mother of Andrew and James,
Gram of Autumn, Macy, Eli, Beau and Emma
I was twenty-five years old the first time I went to the doctor to find out why I wasn’t getting pregnant. The doctor dismissed me by saying that I was young and had many years to try to get pregnant. I’m now fifty-two years old and menopausal and have NEVER been pregnant. So it goes to show that you need to be your own advocate, no matter what your age is. It was nearly five years later when the same endocrinologist told me that I had a rare condition that had no research, no solution, that I would probably NEVER get pregnant and should consider a donor embryo or adoption. At that point, I had already been on several adoption lists for two years. And literally, nine months after that conversation, our first child was born. He is now twenty-three years old. We also adopted our daughter who is now twenty-one. Both are the joys of our lives.
~Kelli Davis
I always knew my purpose in life was to be a mother, but I also knew deep down that getting there would be a struggle. After five years of miscarriage, failed IUIs, and endless heartache, we finally brought home my little boy with the help of IVF. He’s my whole world, and I’m so glad I stayed determined and leaned on science when I needed it. Looking back, the wait had a purpose, as so many other aspects of our lives have fallen into place in that time. This year, I’ll spend my second Mother’s Day cherishing my son and celebrating our second child due in December (also thanks to IVF!).
~Megan, proud mom to Charlie and Baby#2
For three years of Mother’s Day church services, I, along with my husband and family, would stand up when our pastor asked if there were any women who were hoping to become mothers. After two miscarriages and three unsuccessful IUIs, I kept hope in God that He would allow me to become a Mommy, even though it was difficult at times to stay strong. This Mother’s Day will be the second year I celebrate it with my precious daughter. God brought us together through adoption, and looking back, I see how God was orchestrating every detail all along.
~Michelle, mother of Maddy and follower of Christ
Fourteen years into our marriage, after many infertility struggles, we chose adoption. Taking this journey of faith, trusting the Lord with all of the details, our baby girl came home with us in January 2021. The road was so bumpy at times! But God had every detail covered. We’re here - she’s here - and I’m a mom. This will be my first Mother’s Day as a mom, at 44 years old. It’s surreal and beautiful and all glory to God.
~Fellow Mommy
When I had Nahla, I was in college and unmarried. When she was six, she was diagnosed with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. We prayed. God healed. Years later, I married Stefen. We became a blended family. For seven months, we tried to get pregnant but couldn’t. When we did, it was right after my dad passed away. We did a home birth. When she was born, she took a breath, stopped breathing, and turned blue in my arms. My husband and I prayed over her together. Today, Nia is three. In September, we had our son. I was considered high risk, was iron deficient, switched doctors at 35 weeks, and birthed him in a pandemic...but we never stopped praying. We named him Seven because we believe that God will complete every work in us; all we need to do is remain in prayer and know that God will do all that He said He would do.
~Nadirah, God’s daughter, Stefen’s wife, and mother of Nahla, Nia, and Seven
Sometimes when you pray for a miracle, you get two! After battling with infertility for three and a half years that included countless doctor appointments, labs, medications, fertility procedures, surgeries, high hopes followed by huge disappointments, and a miscarriage, I was thrilled to find out I was pregnant with twins! The years leading up to that moment were filled with many lows and “why us?” moments. However, my husband and I remained true to our faith and kept praying and believing. With the support of our family and close friends, we believed somehow, someway, God had a plan, no matter how hopeless we felt. He sure did have a plan! We learned His timing may not be our timing, but God is faithful and will never leave you or forsake you.
~Cheryl, mother of twin daughters
