Summer Surprises and Fall Blessings

Well hello blogger world!! I know, I know you are all probably wondering(or haven't really given it much thought) where in the world I have been for the past 4 1/2 months! Well....I believe when we last spoke, chatted, blogged I had stated my mounting sense of discouragement and frustration upon not being able to get pregnant, and the toll that it had been taking on my spirit. Michael and I had decided to take a break, you know a break from all that crazy charting and opk's and pregnancy tests, and just enjoy each other and what the summer had to offer. Sooooo....I guess I took up the mindset that anything I would have to say may be a little boring or off the topic of my blog in general, so I choose radio silence, and maybe I was a little "blogger lazy" to start the summer.

With all of that being said it brings me to my reason for dragging myself out of hiding today and writing to all of you lovely followers. Summer surprises. I guess I should start by saying that I really hate all things that come across as cliche...which is why this summer surprise seems quite ironic to me. So as you know we had taken a break from the craziness that was trying to actively have a baby...well as everyone will tell you "when you stop trying that is when it will happen" yata yata...here comes the irony...it DID! Wha?! I know right? Crazy! Around the first of July, mind you I am not charting my cycle or anything so I have no idea of dates here not mention I am terrible with them, I was feeling a little odd no other way to describe it, and I knew that it was around time for ole aunt flo to rear her ugly, unwanted head and I had a pregnancy test lying around from my crazy test taking a couple months prior so I thought "what the hey? Why not?" So I took the thing and waited and waited(you know the 3 min always seems like hours) and ever so slowly I started to see very faint double pink lines. Now because my eyes like to fool me when it comes to these darling pregnancy tests, I took it in to Michael and had him see if he could see what I thought I could see...he could. I about nearly passed out! For real ya'll...what was happening?! Needless to say as soon as I could I called my doctor and went in for blood work to confirm what that little test had already stated...We were finally pregnant again!

This brings me to the second reason I stayed away from my blog...I know you are probably thinking why? Now you have this new pregnancy to write and share about. And that is exactly it. As much as my heart wanted to get on here and scream out about God's faithfulness and be an encouragement to all my sisters still in what feels like a battle of infertility, we were very hesitant to put our business out there so early(ironic right, the girl so open about her past loses to nervous to speak about her current pregnancy). So I didn't post...for 4 months!

Which brings me to today...I know you are all waiting and continuing to read this massive post to see what our outcome has been to date, and I will get there but first I want to give a moment to celebrate my God because no matter what any outcome he has and always will be a God who has been faithful to us, who has loved us and cared for our broken hearts, and without who we would be a sloppy, broken mess. I was at my grandmother's church a couple of weeks and ago and the message that her pastor was preaching was so near to our hearts and so true of our situation that it took everything I had to not break down and cry and praise God and hurt and just let out every emotion of the past 2 years...his message was about Naomi, you know mother-in-law of Ruth. Naomi lost everything. She lost her husband, her sons, and was left in a land separated from her people. One of her daughter-in-laws left her and all she had in this world was Ruth, Ruth who was faithful and refused to leave her side. So long story short, Ruth and Naomi travel back to be among Naomi's people. In the end Ruth ends up marrying Boaz, and they have children and who have children and Ruth, and Naomi through Ruth, end up in the lineage of Jesus. I mean talk about going through incredible suffering, but God being faithful and blessing you beyond measure! As I sat listening I felt such a connection with the story of Naomi, I too had lost my children, and felt incredible pain. But my God is faithful and as I sat feeling the pain of loss over my four babies that I never got to hold I felt joy over the life that was continuing to grow within me, and I know that God has such big things in store for the 3 of us! I remained faithful and I know that God has heard all of the cries of many, not just mine and my husbands, and he has proven faithful and answered.

So it is with great joy and excitement that I introduce you all to our son..yes son Emerson Michael Bradley! Here are some pictures and video of our gender reveal party!

I know that you all probably have lots of questions about shots, and medication, and hematomas(which I still have) and everything related to this pregnancy and I will address all of that in another post. For now I just want to celebrate my God and my son Emerson!