Writing this is still a bit surreal... If you haven't seen our anncouement yet :) Here it is:
We are expecting our 2nd child. I am humbled and in tears writing this. It has been a long journey this time around. When I say "long" I am in the context of almost 1 1/2 years. I don't want to compare to
anyone else's story. I don't want anyone reading this who may be currently struggling to loose hope. I want you to gain encouragement. I've been there. Josh and I were diagnoised with "Secondary Infertility"...
It hasn't been a "public" thing and it has been something close family & friends are aware of. We believe in the power of prayer, but it is also a private matter and something that God was working on in each of us.
Infertility has many faces. I don't know if you may currently be or in the midst of this struggle or maybe struggled in the past with this journey. It is such an emotional roller coaster from month to month and we've been there. Maybe you haven't struggled with infertility and Praise be to God... That's not part of your story. We all have a story. We all have unique struggles that God uses for HIS glory!
This is our story. This is our testimony of how our GOD IS ABLE. He who promised is faithful. He has been faithful to us time and time again in our marriage & parenthood. Currently, I am almost 12 weeks and it is maybe "easier" to type this post because I'm on the other side... but it is still a very real struggle that we dealt with.
Let me bring you back... Jude turned ONE! He is our pride & joy. We love him with everything! Jude took 8 months to conceive and as someone with a desire from childhood to be a Mama... that was F-O-R-E-V-E-R. We learned a lot of patience and God's timing in that, however that timeline is pretty "normal".
Back to his first birthday, we had already began starting to try for Baby #2. My sister and I are super close in age (only 15 months apart actually). Soooo... naturally, I thought this was what I wanted for our little family.
Months passed and we hit the 10 month "trying" mark. I felt uneasy in my spirit. I knew something was up and Josh agreed. We sought medical help through a fertility clinic and realized through a lot of appointment... consultations... questionnaires... etc. that we were struggling with Secondary Infertility. The diagnosis became something treatable which made the sting a little less intense. It was still a journey and still unknown - but we at least had some answers.
Through a small, non-invasive procedure Josh had in February we were really hopeful! And two SHORT months later, God blessed us with conceiving the very month Jude turned TWO. :) It was really humbling and hard to seek medical help.
We believed God would bless us in his timing with a child.
Yet, there was action on OUR part that needed to take place.
It was humbling & so good for us to realize we had options. What a gift!
In
December 2013, we were in Florida and God gave me some VERY clear promises. Including the word:
ABLE. He said I am
able, Ria. I am
able to do this. Able to do immeasurably more than you could ask, think or even imagine. WOW! Here is that post:
http://www.riathurston.com/2014/01/two-thousand-fourteen.html
I really felt strongly we were going to have a 2014 baby... and here we are ... THE VERY END OF December, 2014 we are due. Christmas Eve. Christmas Miracle.
Let's just stop and take that in for a minute. God who promised... is FAITHFUL. Time and Time again. I doubted, I cried my eyes out & I had bitterness. Yet, HE came through. He is Able. For me, and he's ABLE for you. Wherever you are at, whatever you are struggling with.
We so desire for our testimony to be an encouragement for others!!
Pleases be encouraged today.
There is so much more to our story... I didn't want to write for days and days ;) If you are in this season or need prayer please email me: ria.thurston@gmail.com - I would love to share more and encourage you if you are struggling to conceive - I am praying for you.
This struggle is so, so hard. It is not talked about a lot and it is something really "private". You are seen. God knows your heartbreak. He knows you are struggling and wants to be your everything. I can't say - it's easy or that "it will happen".... because I had heard that too many times. I can say, it's a trusting thing & part of your unique story. He's writing it right now, just hang tight friend...
The chapters will soon turn into pages & you will look back and see the beauty.
Hugs! Thank you for sharing in our joy!
