Hope for those going through infertility & infant loss, faith HopeInTheWaiting: Show us where you live

Show Us Your Life-Proposal Stories

It's Friday and that means it's Show Us Your Life day. Thank you Kelly for hosting. I love my proposal story because I was completely caught off guard and surprised. I knew that we were going to get engaged, but I just didn't know when.

My poor hubby had everything planned out until one of his brothers ruined it. Here's what happened. I was at Brian's apartment and his brother Frank lived with him at the time. We were all sitting on the couch together watching a movie when all of a sudden, Frank blurts out, "Dad got film in his camera to make sure he can take pictures of you all this weekend when you propose". What? I pretended like I didn't hear, but that was a long shot because he was less than a foot away from me.

I felt so bad for Brian. I learned later that he had to come up with a different plan. It was Thanksgiving week and we were going to be heading up to Indiana on Thanksgiving day. Originally Brian had this elaborate set up in his grandparents backyard that is like a garden, but after Frank ruined it, he thought it was more important to surprise me than go on as planned.

Wednesday night we were having Thanksgiving with my family since we were going to be gone. As tradition in the Darin family, we all go around and say what we are thankful for and pray. We all stood around and were holding hands and Brian asked my dad earlier if he could pray. My dad said yes. At the end of his pray Brian said, "And Lord give me the strength to do what I am about to do". He dropped to one knee in front of my family and asked me to be my wife. Of course I said yes.

Before the proposal he asked my brother-in-law Bill to have his camera ready. I am so glad he asked Bill and not any of my sisters or my mom. He already knew my family. You see when he dropped down on one knee, my sisters all went running to find their cameras. A few of them were saying wait, wait. Like he was going to hold off on the proposal until they found their cameras. Yeah right.

I would like to note that I obviously was not expecting this or I would have dressed up a little more for the occasion. He had come from work so he looked really nice. I can still remember that moment almost ten years ago. It all worked out perfectly.

Show Us Your Ministry Friday-Overcoming Infertility

Kelly over at Kelly's Korner Blog is hosting "Show us your ministry Friday". I am really excited to join in today. I have a heart and a passion to help women who are struggling with infertility. It all started back in early 2004 when I was struggling through infertility myself. I started my first round of IVF and I had no one to talk to. I found a community of women online to talk to that could help me through the process, but I desperately wanted to talk with a local person who understood what I was going through. At that time I decided to start a local support group at my church. I figured if there wasn't a group in my area than I should start one. So that's what I did. In May 2004 I held my first meeting.

Just 2 months later in July, I found out I was pregnant. The doctors told us we couldn't get pregnant on our own, but the Lord had another plan. This was our miracle baby that we had prayed for for so many years. We were thrilled. Unfortunately, our happiness turned to sorrow when at 21 weeks, we lost our baby. My daughter Zoe Renae was born still on October 8, 2004. She died due to cord accident in the womb. That was the hardest day of my life. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about my baby girl. As I write this I just realized that yesterday was my due date. Feb 17, 2005. Wow. OK, start the water works. It's been 5 years and while the pain is not as intense as that day, it's still there.

After attending a healing service just 8 weeks after I delivered Zoe, we conceived once again on our own. We were excited, yet cautious to put it mildly. I was freaked out. I started to bleed at 6 weeks and continued to do so until week 16. I just knew at anytime I was going to miscarry. Thankfully, I didn't. My second miracle was born on August 25, 2005 and her name is Brooklyn. She lights up the room with her dimply smile and charm.

When Brooklyn was 11 months old we decided to try again for another baby. I am the oldest of 4 girls (my mom had 4 girls in 5 years) and I loved being close in age to my sisters. I wanted that same thing for Brooklyn. We had 5 frozen embryos from our failed IVF and we wanted to give them a chance at life. God had other plans once again when I decided to take a HPT on a whim before starting my Lupron injections. Yep you guessed it, I was already pregnant. My daughter Sydney was born on March 23, 2007. My baby will be 3 next month and she and her older sissy are best friends. They are 19 months apart and I wouldn't have it any other way.

The Lord has richly blessed me more than I could ever comprehend. I would have never picked this journey to go down, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I know the Lord in a way that I would have never experienced had I not gone through infertility. I'm able to help other women through something that can be so incredibly painful and for that I am grateful.

I want to encourage you if you are struggling with infertility that there is hope. I believe the Lord does give us the desires of our hearts. Most of the time it's not on our time, which is the hardest part. Romans 8:25 says, "But if we hope for what we do no yet have, we wait patiently for it". I got to the point in my journey where I just had to believe God for my miracle. Some days that was easier than others. On the days that were hard I would pray out loud and thank God that my miracle was coming. I couldn't see it with my eyes, but I believed God would do it. One of my favorite verses that helped me through my journey and continues to encourage me is found in Hebrews 11:1, "Faith is being sure of what is hoped for and certain of what we do not see." Stand on that today. Know that He does hear your prayers and that He will bring it to fruition. Psalm 27:14 "Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord".

Hope.Wait.Expect

note: This is the abridged version of my story. I'm finishing the manuscript of my book, "Hope in the Waiting" which tells my journey through infertility, as well as other women's journey's, including Kelly's, that will be out later this year. If you would like to talk with me I would be happy to do so. You can email me at hopeinthewaiting@att.net Blessings.

Show us where you live Friday-Dining Room

I have been having so much fun touring rooms every Friday. You can see some great dining rooms by going to Kelly's Korner Blog http://www.kellyskornerblog.com/ Every Friday is a different room. I've done our kitchen and Great Room and today it's our dining room. I hope you enjoy our home tour. I was excited about this one because I didn't have to clean. Ha. Our formal dining room is always clean because we never use it. I shouldn't say never, but only when we entertain big groups. It seats 8 to 10. We eat at our banquette in the kitchen. Scroll down to see our kitchen tour. I was looking for a farmhouse table and found this one for $300 at American Signature Furniture. It was in their clearance room because it was missing a piece that runs along the bottom of the table, which you would never notice if it was there or not. I love when I find a good deal. This is one room that hasn't been painted yet. We built our house so all the rooms were painted a neutral color. My plan is to paint the top and put some funky wallpaper below the chair rail. I want to get a new chandelier, curtains and some fancy stuff for the table.

The view when you walk in the front door.

My deal farmhouse table for only $300. The leaves are on the end which make it really easy to remove. I haven't done that yet because it's a big room so it can handle a big table.

The view from the outside exterior wall looking into the foyer. Our office is behind the french doors.

This is my galley way. I love this and one day will build a custom buffet to sit inside.

This is between the kitchen and the dining room. Great place to hang pictures of my girls.

Show us where you live Friday-Living Rooms

Friday's are fast becoming my favorite blog day. One of my favorite blogs to follow, Kelly's Korner Blog, sponsors a "Show us where you live Friday". Each Friday you show a different room of your house. This week it's living rooms. We call ours the great room and it's right off the kitchen. This layout pretty much sold us on our house when we looked at one of the models to build our own. That and the fact we could get a basement. Something I've always wanted since moving to Tennessee. This Cali girl was used to earthquakes, but not tornadoes. I feel much safer with my basement and it's a great place to hang out. Anyway, on to our great room. There are still some things I need to get, i.e. curtains, throw pillows and an ottoman, but you can get the general idea. The one things I've liked about these postings on Friday's is that I'm taking pictures of my house. It's great for insurance purposes :) and it's a great way to see how I need to decorate from different views. Thanks Kelly.