Hey BF's (Blog Friends)! Thanks for stopping by. Let me lead this post with grace for all of my pro-choice friends who are here to check it out. First of all, I see you. And although we may disagree on this issue, whether you've had an abortion or support a woman's right to an abortion, God loves you, as do I. One of my favorite spiritual mentors, Pastor Scott Otis, always had this to say from the pulpit: You'll never meet a person that God doesn't love. And also...this littl

According to this article from the weekly, after "public outcry and pressure from pro-life and family groups, Republicans in the House and Senate have agreed to restore the adoption tax credit in their pending tax reform legislation." Yay! Thanks to all who called your representative in Congress to voice your concerns about the adoption tax credit. This is a win for adoptive families - and those waiting to adopt - everywhere! However, please stay tuned as, according to this a

I received an email this week from The Weekly that the adoption tax credit, initially passed by Congress in 1997, is in jeopardy. This is a $13,500 tax credit that helps ease the financial burden of adoption on many infertile couples who have already faced exorbitant bills for infertility treatment. Under the new tax-reform plan introduced this week, the adoption tax credit would be eliminated. As this article from The Weekly points out: Adoption strengthens families, communi

"I'm a mom...I'm a mom!" While my 10-year-old son crunched popcorn and sipped coke next to me in the theater, I plucked tissues from my pocket to capture the mascara that trickled down my cheeks. How had a silly cartoon with ridiculous minions and bubblegum-blowing villains pricked tears? This line from Despicable Me 3's plucky and lovable Lucy Wilde had done me in. I'm a mom...I'm a mom! It had been nearly 15 years since a nurse handed me the round-faced baby with the strawb

I have a thing against nasty language. I'm no Mrs. Grundy, but ugly words make me cringe. I've been known to order my broody high school students to replace their favorite "That sucks!" with the more palatable "That Hoovers". If the euphemism goes over your head, you're welcome to drop by my house for dinner, where we own a Eureka (not a Hoover) that mostly hangs out in the closet with the dust bunnies during soccer/track/tennis season. So, the "A" word. What is it? you ask.

This little guy is almost 10 years old. I can't be sure which is my son, but one of these pulsing, dividing zygotes most certainly is. He would not have been born without the help of medically gifted hands, 21st century technology, and a volunteer womb. Mark Westfield was every bit alive at 48 hours gestation and miraculously moving toward a life outside the petri dish. I marvel every time I look at this snapshot, a peek into God's handiwork. Because my son's conception was c

And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. (Mark 11:25 NIV) “You can have my kids for a weekend. That’ll cure you!” my cousin snickered as we stood outside the cottage balancing plates of hot dogs and potato salad. Meanwhile, a gaggle of toddlers dug in the sand, dads at their sides, as two other cousins plopped in lawn chairs lakeside, legs splayed, cradling pregnant bellies. Reeling

We are smack dab in the middle of the most wonderful time of the year. Stores are decked in glossy red and green while speakers blare bright tunes of expectation. Homes once darkened now dance with twinkling lights, their windows aglow with warmth and promise. And, as believers, we cannot escape the image of a beatific, round-bellied virgin. Oh, the irony. As an infertile person, one can feel like a cardboard cutout amidst all the activity, a black-and-white character frozen