This book is about our personal journey. It is in no way an endorsement of any particular method for conception, nor an attempt to give medical advice. Medical advances are made daily, so much of the advice given to us when we were trying to conceive may no longer be the current recommendation. Family-planning choices are both intimate and personal. Seek the advice of your own medical team, follow your heart, and listen to the answers to your prayers.


Scripture is a source of guidance and comfort for me, and I quote several of my favorite passages in this book. All Scripture references are from The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language, by Eugene H. Peterson.


I kept a journal during our journey, and many of the passages here are taken directly from that journal. They are the quick notes I jotted down-some in joy, some in grief, some in frustration. They are styled in italics, so you can see how I experienced events in the moment-without the benefit of hindsight. I have included my journal entries here in all their rawness because, in them, you may recognize some of your own reactions and be comforted by the fact that we got to "the other side" of whatever challenges we faced. I say "we" to assure you, you are not alone.