I have two healthy and beautiful daughters. Isabelle Hope was born July 17, 2008 via in vitro fertilization (IVF). I became pregnant with Sienna Faith the "old fashioned way" in 2009. She was born August 22, 2010. The following story was written shortly after Isabelle was born to help her (and me) understand the complexities of IVF.
Hope and Faith
Once upon a time, there was a woman who dreamed of having a baby of her very own. She tried very hard, for a very long time to wish a baby into her life. After many many years the woman found herself at the door of a very wise medicine man. She told the medicine man how much she wanted a child.
He said, "I can help you, but you will have to come visit me everyday for thirty days and thirty nights. Everyday, you will drink a magic potion and stick yourself with magic porcupine needles."
The woman agreed saying, "I will do anything to have a baby of my very own!"
For thirty days and thirty nights the woman went to the medicine man to drink his magic potion, pray, and stick herself with the magic porcupine needles. On the thirtieth night the woman went to pray with the medicine man.
He put his hands on her belly, paused, and said, "You are blessed with twelve children in your womb. You cannot keep all twelve. You can only keep one. I am going to take the children spirits to my magic sandbox. There they will discuss amongst themselves which one will be best suited for this life."
The woman was saddened by the thought of only keeping one of the children, but she was very happy to know that she would have a baby of her very own!
The medicine man took the children spirits to the magic sandbox where they could decide which baby would stay. The children spirits were:
1. Strength
2. Knowledge
3. Friendship
4. Poetry
5. Wisdom
6. Joy
7. Clarity
8. Grace
9. Harmony
10.Hope
11.Faith
12. Peace
On the first day the boys decided to leave the sandbox. Strength, Knowledge, Wisdom, Friendship, and Poetry agreed that the woman should have a baby girl. The brothers left the girls knowing they could be called upon whenever they were needed.
They sang, "Just call for us and we will bring you strength, knowledge, wisdom, friendship, and poetry. We are your brothers and we will bring you comfort."
The girls nodded and thanked the boys for their generosity.
On the second day five of the girls decided to leave the sandbox. Joy, Clarity, Grace, Harmony, and Peace agreed that they too could be called upon by the chosen child. For they were her sisters and if she ever needed a bit of Joy, a moment of Clarity, a twist of Grace, the balance of harmony, or the stillness of peace all she had to do was call.
This left Faith and Hope in the sandbox.
Faith said, "I love the woman and I know she will love me. I want to be the chosen baby."
Hope spoke, "I too love the woman and I know she will love me! She never lost hope while wishing for a baby. I don't want her to lose hope now!"
Faith and Hope both wanted to be with the woman very badly. They could not decide between themselves.
On the third day, they both left the sandbox to visit the medicine man. The medicine man understood that the children were having difficulty. He allowed Faith and Hope to go to the woman, to be with her, and to decide which of them should stay with her.
After some time Faith said to Hope, "My sister, I see now how hope allowed the woman to finally be with child. I should leave you with her now. I have faith that I will return to the woman when it is my time. Until then sister, please call on me whenever you need me."
The sisters hugged. Hope was so happy to be the chosen baby! She knew how fortunate she was to have her brothers and sisters to call upon whenever she needed them. She was so excited to love the woman and let her love Hope!
Together they lived happily-ever-after!
