I Prayed for Balls...

Several years ago I used to wake up early in the mornings and walk Bentley before I went to work. I loved those quiet, peaceful mornings. We lived in a different neighborhood at the time and one of my favorite parts of my morning walks was checking out the neighbors' houses. Have you ever noticed how much more you can take in when you're walking instead of driving? I took note of trees and shrubs that I liked and flowers that I thought we should plant. I became friendly with yapping dogs that were happy to see Bentley and I along the way. And every day, at the cute little house on the corner, I would slow down and count the balls in the yard. That family had two small children, and they always had tennis balls, soccer balls, baseballs, and footballs sprinkled tastefully throughout the yard. My highest count was seven...seven balls in the yard at one time.

The truth is, I was jealous of their balls, or rather, what they represented - a happy, growing family. At the time, I desperately wanted a few balls sprinkled around my yard, telling the story of the children who lived there. Unfortunately, there were no balls in my yard and no children in my home. I had just finished my second round of IVF and I had just had my third miscarriage. It was a sad time and I remember praying every morning as I passed that house, for God to bless us with this picture of happiness. Yes...I prayed for balls (and the children who would leave them all over my yard).

One year later my prayers were answered, and today I do not complain when my girls leave their balls all over the yard. I hope they tell the story of the happy, growing family who lives here...and a mom who no longer counts balls, but counts her blessings instead.

This week is Infertility Awareness Week. If you or someone you know is struggling to conceive, please know that you are not alone and that there is hope. No matter how you build your family, whether through adoption or IVF or a suprise pregnancy, there will come a day when this heartache is gone and you, too, will count your blessings (and the balls that fill your yard).