Grateful

Early in the morning on August 31, I gave birth to a perfect baby boy.  He weighed 5 lbs., 13 oz. and had a full head of dark hair.  After my doctor cut the umbilical cord, I heard a healthy cry and Dylan was handed over to his sweet parents.

As many of you know, I was a gestational surrogate.  For me, being a parent was something I always wanted.  As a child, I dreamed about being pregnant and raising children who looked like me.  I never imagined not being able to have a child of my own and am so fortunate that I never had to.  Sadly, infertility is real and I have seen too many of my friends struggle to start a family.  I could help.  I had to help. 

I feel so grateful that my friends entrusted me to be their gestational surrogate.  Seeing them with baby Dylan for the first time was one of the greatest moments of my life.  The love they have for their baby boy is incredible; it made a rough nine-month pregnancy and scary delivery worth every second.  This family will always have a special place in our hearts and our family.  I love the connection we have and look forward to watching this sweet family grow.

I am grateful for my husband, Luke.  Not many men would support their wife’s crazy idea to go through a yearlong process to have another man (and woman’s) baby.  This past year was a huge test for our marriage and our family.  It brought the four of us closer together and taught us all about unconditional love and giving.  I am so proud that we made the journey together.

Finally, I am grateful for my family and friends, modern medicine and my incredible OB-GYN, his nurse and the wonderful nursing staff at Boone Hospital.  My mom, sister and friends really stepped up to help when Luke had to travel at the end of my pregnancy and during my C-section recovery.  The kids and I couldn’t have made it through the past month without all of them.  And my OB-GYN and the amazing nursing staff were so great dealing with this type A lady when I had a placental abruption and Dylan’s delivery turned into an emergency C-section.

When Dylan and his parents left the hospital to head home, I expected I would cry and I did.  I didn’t cry because I wanted Dylan to stay, I cried because this crazy, beautiful journey was over.  I cried because I was overjoyed to see this miracle with his mom and dad.  The biggest gift I could ever give someone was going to his new home to learn, grow and discover his blessed life.  That, my friends, is amazing.