The Art of Baby Making

Last night while flipping through the TV channels I caught some show that was comically referring to sex as baby making.  This got me thinking about our process to (hopefully) make a baby and how laughable it is that some people actually consider sex "baby making".  For the last six months my whole life has been dedicated to making a baby.  From undergoing numerous tests, blood work. and procedures to taking medications, giving up caffeine and alcohol, sticking myself with an absurd amount of needles and trying to keep my sanity in the mix of it all.  Undeniably we have put more effort, energy, time, money, and yes love, into attempting to create a baby.  While I wouldn't wish infertility on anyone, I do think that there SHOULD be some effort and thought into the decision and process to have a child.

Yesterday D, who's an elementary school principal, came home from work so upset and defeated.  He had just finished a home visit for a first grader that got sent home with head lice.  He got to the house with the school nurse to find 6 kids 7 and under.  It was a 2 bedroom house with all of the kids sharing 1 room with 2 beds.  The mother basically told them that she didn't have the time or energy to wash clothes and bedding and she would just cut all of the kids hair.  The home was filthy, as were the children, and the mom was just angry and refused any help that they offered.  It's situations like this that just completely blow my mind.  There's so many good, caring people struggling so desperately to have just 1 child and then there's "families" (I use that word loosely) like this that exist.  It just all seems so unfair.  Having a child is the biggest, most important thing you will ever do in your life.  And there's just so many people taking it for granted.  

Although there's so many days when the unfairness of our situation threatens to overtake me, I'm reminded daily by it just how precious the creation of life is.  And I know I will never take what we went through for granted.  My baby making might not be traditional but it may just make me a better person and parent.