Surprise! (Part 4)

When my appendix ruptured eleven years ago, I spent a long seven days in the hospital and then another long week at home in bed.  I watched the longest movies I have ever seen and stared at the ceiling for more hours than I could count.

When I had my laparoscopy this summer, I immediately turned around and took a behavior management class required for my teaching certification.  True, this surgery was much less invasive than the first, but I felt surprised at how quickly I had to act alright.  My abdomen remained sore and uncomfortable, and I had to shuffle alongside Dustin from room to room.  Some days I would feel almost normal again.  Some days I just wanted to lie on the couch with my beagle Henry, who was very concerned.

By the time school started again in the fall, I finally felt consistently better, but I was frustrated to discover that the surgery had messed up my cycle.  I had hoped that it would return to normal as the rest of my body healed, but I kept expecting the next cycle to start, and it kept not showing up.  For peace of mind, I took a pregnancy test.  I have taken over two hundred pregnancy tests in the last three and a half years.  I have taken the kinds with the "no" or "yes," the kind with the minus or the plus, the kind with one line or two.  I have seen many "no"s.  Many minuses.  Many single lines.  This time, the test said "yes."

I showed Dustin, and we both laughed and laughed in the kitchen.  We went back to the store and got as many brands of tests as we could find.  I looked at my "yes" and my plus and my two pink lines.  God was sending the two babies -- one through adoption and one through birth -- that I had prayed for all those years.

I know it's early.  I know that ~A~ could change her mind about December Baby, and I know that I could miscarry May Baby.  I know for certain that I know nothing about my future, but I also know that God has a plan for Dustin and for me and for our family.

I wanted to share our story for a few reasons:

1. I know that some people will ask if we are still planning to adopt after discovering our most recent news, so I hope that our story will help everyone understand how much we want both of these babies.  Adoption was not a backup plan for us.  We have wanted to adopt for years.  We have wanted to give birth for years.  We have wanted twins for years.  We couldn't be happier.
2. Some people think it's wise to say "Just relax and it will happen" to women who struggle with infertility.  In reality, many women have to actively fight to get the treatment they need.  I am so glad that I persisted with my doctors until I got the surgery I needed.  Relaxation would have done nothing for my condition or for many other fertility-related diseases both women and men face.
3. Some may think it is appropriate to respond to a pregnancy with "I knew you would get pregnant once you adopted!"  Actually . . . no.  No, you didn't.  Adoption in no way unwrapped the scar tissue from my ovaries.  My doctor did that with surgical instruments.  Each adoptive parent has a specific and complicated story.  Let's not assume that we know why a specific couple has chosen to adopt or why they have become pregnant.  They can always share if they want others to know.  
4. Reading others' adoption stories and infertility stories has encouraged me beyond measure over the past three-and-a-half years.  Maybe someone will read this and know that they aren't alone.

I'm sure we will have more to share in the coming months.  Thank you for caring enough to read our story.