Infertility

One of the hardest things I have had to experience in my life was that of infertility. After trying to have a baby for almost 4 years, the thought of never being a mom was gut wrenching. That was my purpose in life! I wanted to be a mom!   Well it was a struggle, and took a lot of faith to trust in the Lord and his plan. After 4 years, I was finally able to conceive, and was blessed with a beautiful baby boy. Two and a half years later came our little angel, a little girl. They were our miracles, and have blessed our lives so much.

Even though that particular struggle ended, the emotional side of it can still feel so raw. I can feel the pain and hurt of someone going through what I did. On Mother's days, I can always see into the eyes of a suffering woman, even behind the smile. It's not a feeling that I think I will ever forget.

I wanted to share an article from the Ensign Magazine. It is entitled Faith and Infertility. It shares stories from 4 couples that have struggled.

You can find the article HERE






A portion of one lady's experience: 

“I felt lost for a long time. I felt I had no purpose. That’s the ultimate goal, isn’t it, to get married and have a family? I still knew I was a daughter of God, but I hated that I couldn’t be a co-creator with Him. I felt broken, like I wasn’t a real woman.”

Brenda tried “swimming through” her grief for several months and even years. At one point, it became so severe that she felt prompted to seek professional counseling.

“I realized the grief was inhibiting my progression,” she says. She asked Heavenly Father to guide her in a search for the right counselor and began meeting with one who was able to offer the help Brenda needed.

“As I went to my appointments and continued to do my homework [usually assigned reading], my heart was being prepared for healing,” Brenda recalls. “Many of my fears and pains started to subside, and a new person was emerging.”

 If you are struggling with infertility, remember to trust in the Lord and in His plan and in His timing. He does have a plan for us, and sometimes (usually) we have to struggle before it is revealed to us. Hope is always there!

Fathers

 Fathers are so special, in a very special way!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tyson and daddy on baptism day! His daddy baptized him. What a special day!

4 Generation Picture

Lilia holding on to daddy for safety at the doc in Big Bear

Kids on a big rock with daddy in Big Bear!

Daddy dancing with Lilia in the yard!

Daddy and Lil swinging

Daddy don't go to work!

Daddy Daughter Dance

Lilia holding hands with her daddy as we walked around the Redlands temple.

Lilia and Dad

Tyson and Dad

Happy Marriages

Since these quotes all have to do with marriages, I thought it would be fun to add a bunch of pictures of my husband and I. Seems the only photos we get together are selfies! haha :)

In The Family: A Proclamation to the World, faith leads the list of 9 foundational principles upon which "successful marriages are established and maintained."

Second, is prayer. In the Bible Dictionary it says, "the process by which the will of the father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other." Prayer is a principle of action.

In Successful Marriages and Families, it says "persons in a healthy marriage are more likely to want to attend church together than a couple who are facing divorce."

A 7.6 year difference in longevity among persons who attended worship services more than once a week compared with non-attendees-a figure that nearly doubled to 13.7 among African Americans.

"When men attend church with their wives there are fewer disputes, not only over faith, but also over hosuework, money, how time is spent, and sex."

"Praying together as a family and reading the scriptures... together is probably the best [thing we do to pull us toward Heavenly Father and each other.]

A qualitive study found that religious practices such as prayer helped couples to manage their anger during conflict situations.

Fathers in Parenting

FATHERS ARE IMPORTANT!!

My wonderful parents!

This was the first time all of my family went through the
temples together. Such a special moment!

 "A father can be a tremendously positive force in his children’s lives when he sets appropriate limits, is emotionally present for his children, finds time for play, and respectfully negotiates the challenges of parenting with his co‐parent," the center stated. "But when he chooses to be intimidating or assaultive, undermines his co‐parent’s authority in the home, limits the family's access to resources and support, or treats family members as sexual objects and property, his involvement can becomes traumatic and terrifying." (Minnesota Center Against Violence and Abuse).

"Fathers who are involved in caring for and raising their children from an early age are less likely to pay for sex with a teenage girl and act violently toward their children and partners," Marcos Nascimento, a researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, told the Thomas Reuters Foundation

To read the full article, CLICK HERE

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I am so thankful for the dad that I have! He has always been a Christ-like example. When I was a kid, he would tuck me in at night and silly songs to me. He loved playing outside with us (my siblings and I). We played "pickle," volleyball, basketball, and he tried to be around as much as he could. He would go to my softball, basketball, and volleyball games. He sacrificed so that I could take piano lessons, a gift that I am so thankful for every day.  I know not everyone is fortunate enough to have the "ideal" dad, but I am a lucky girl. Our dads are all different and special in their own ways. Without my dad in my life, things wouldn't have been the same. I watched how he treated my mom, and always showed love to her. I knew what to expect from a man because of how great my dad was to my mom.

~Shalece