RITES OF PASSAGE FOR THE FERTILE, PART 2: THE CUTESY PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

So had an idea for a Part 2 after all.

I find out that new people are pregnant every day. Every. Single. Day. Of my life. I pass my neighbor on the sidewalk, and there's a bump. I receive apologetic emails from my tenderhearted friends who have no idea how to tell me (I don't know the best way either, I'm afraid). But mostly I see announcements on Facebook, often issued with some amount of cutesiness.

Had I turned out to be fertile, I probably would have done something like this. But now I just don't see it ever happening, even if we someday manage to force the miracle of conception. For one, it feels like doing so would put me in a club where I have never belonged, and second, I know the pain and displeasure these announcements have caused me as a psychopathic infertile woman.

However, the other day my friend shared the below pregnancy announcement with me, and even though I barely know the girl who wrote it, tears were streaming down my face -- it was so honest, beautiful and modest:

It's FB official: We Are Pregnant! Baby X is due March 21.

On a personal note, I want to share that our journey would not be possible without God's miracle of modern medicine. We went through IVF and the ups and downs that come with it. For the 3 ladies who have shared this fertility journey at the same time, thank you for your support. Without being able to share with you, I can't how I would have gotten through. For my family and friends that have listened to our fears, wiped our tears and celebrated our success, thank you. The depth of your support continues to amaze us. We are so blessed, God is so good.

I share the personal for a reason: if you are going through fertility issues, please feel free to call me anytime. A support system makes all the difference between feeling alone/crazy/frustrated and a finding a little bit of joy/peace.

Someday I can see myself making an announcement like that. Somehow, I continue to be very hopeful that I will.

P.S. I don't know the people in the above photo. I think the girl's shoes are really cute, and the guy's pants are strangely baggy.