5 Common Misconceptions About Women Who Can't Have Children [Me]

This month marks four years since my hysterectomy. I've been settling some thoughts in my heart and want to share them.

5 Common Misconceptions About Women Who Can't Have Children [Me]

1] When I hold your babies or play with your children, I wish they were mine. Your children are precious and I enjoy them, but it doesn’t cross my mind. The closest thought I have is I wonder what our child would have been like? Thank you to all of our friends and family who share your sweet kiddos with us!

2] I avoid Mother’s Day services because I cannot handle it. That might be the case for some but I steer clear for your sake. I don’t want others to have to worry about consoling me. Instead, we go to Silver Dollar City where no one knows and we just have fun.

3] I have a hole in my heart and feel my life is incomplete. While it takes time to heal from the disappointment [maybe forever], my heart is whole and my life is full. There’s not a day that I wake up and think something is missing. I’m grateful to God for that.
4] Fostering or adoption is the next step. Not always and that’s okay. We know these are huge, life-changing decisions built around following God’s plan for us. We still don’t know what is ahead of us but it can, and likely will, look different from anyone else we know.
5] I feel like less of a woman. This is another area where God has graciously protected me. My identity and self-worth are not tied to reproduction. I may not be able to share in the birthing or breastfeeding conversations, but I’m still a woman with a lot of other conversations yearning to be had.

I share these pieces of my heart to let you know I'm okay. Even though it still hurts, at times, I'm happy and look forward to the future. I look forward to seeing God's plans for us continually unfold, as we trust Him. I look forward to Him using our story to help others.

When God's plan A is my plan B [or plan Never]

Dave and I have been talking about where we are and how we envisioned life differently than what it actually is. At times, it is overwhelming and discouraging.

Please don't misunderstand me – we have so much to be thankful for, but there's still a level of disappointment to work through. It's in that disappointment that we have to accept this different route. We have been rerouted and we don’t even know what those directions look like nor the destination.

This got me thinking about what my response is when God's plan A is my plan B (or plan Never).

I know many people in situations they didn't plan for that have brought difficult challenges and heartache. Dear friends that have lost babies. Family members with special needs children. Loved ones with debilitating diseases. So much unplanned suffering.

As heavy as that weighs upon my heart, I cannot negate the fact that along with those times of suffering, comes a deeper experience of God’s love and a greater dependence on Him. 

How else can I know the warmth of God’s comfort unless I feel sorrow? How else can I know the power of God’s strength unless I am weak? How else can I know the firmness of God’s foundation unless mine is shaken?

In my darkest of times, I have found God to be closest to me. In my deepest despair, I have found God’s hand holding me. God uses these times to draw me into Him where I find true rest and peace.

So, what is my response when God’s plan A is not mine? Here’s my honest answer:

1.       Say it’s all going to work out.

2.       When I can’t see how it’s working out, have a pity party.

3.       Cry some more.

4.       Feel very lost.

5.       Begin to turn my heart and mind to God to gain His perspective.

6.       Feel trust and faith build as I sense He’s in control.

7.       Rest in knowing it’s already taken care of so I just keep walking where I can see He’s leading me.

8.       Probably repeat 1-7 a few times until it sinks DEEP into my core.

9.       When I’ve come through the other side – celebrate and share my experience to help someone else.

I realize this process is different for everyone, but I think the key is not getting stuck in the early steps for too long. I keep moving towards God, even if that means I have to go around the block a few extra times to get that He’s for me not against me.

Our plan A was to have biological children. Our plan A was for me to not have a hysterectomy. Against our very will and prayers, that has not happened. What does that mean? God has another, better plan A that will blow ours away and fulfill God’s purpose. And, that’s what we want – completely – God’s plan and purpose in EVERY area of our lives even if it hurts right now.

Finding ourselves in an unexpected place

Neither of us expected to find ourselves childless in our late 30s. Neither of us expected that I would endure several surgeries and procedures only to have it all culminate with a hysterectomy. So what do we do now that we are finding ourselves in an unexpected place?

With this completely unpaved road in front of us, it seems like we can and should do whatever we want! Maybe go on some crazy awesome vacations. Maybe move to Costa Rica and learn Spanish. Maybe move to Hawaii and surf the big waves.

All of that is exciting to think about and we will do some fun things, but we are not in this unexpected place by accident. If we truly believe God is sovereign, then we also believe He has plans for us even if it’s not what we thought.

We’ve been asking God what those plans are. We don’t have any concrete answers but we want to stay yielded to God. It would be easy to just do our own thing to satisfy our flesh but that’s such a fleeting satisfaction. We know that lasting satisfaction is only found in being a part of what’s eternal – God’s Kingdom.

So what do we think we know about our plans for the future? We’re going to keep hanging out with each other and having fun because we don’t want to miss out on now. Adoption is likely but we have no definite plans. We do see giving more of ourselves and serving in ways we never thought of before. Oh, yes, and some crazy awesome vacations. J

When I moved to Springfield, I had NO IDEA what my future held and I was definitely in an unexpected place – divorced, moving away from my family and friends, finishing my degree – starting a new life at 30. The driving force that helped me take the leap was God’s peace and direction. It was scary but exciting. It was painful to leave my family but I had God’s assurance He was leading me.

I am reminded of how much God has done in my life since that move. I met and married my best friend. Even when I met Dave at church on that Sunday night, I didn’t know God had just introduced me to my future husband. I could not have planned that or known the beautiful heart Dave has. Through knowing Dave, I have been blessed with an amazing group of friends that have loved me and accepted me from day one.

Those were not coincidences; they were love notes from my loving God. Just as God knew what was ahead of me then, He knows now. I can hold on to that hope and trust Him. If I continue to stay yielded to Him and His leading, I know I will look back on this time and see the miraculous.

Notes from my heart

The other day I was driving and started singing my deepest thoughts and feelings. What came out was completely unexpected. I actually felt bad for saying it out loud. I won't go into the details, but to sum it up:

I have been disappointed by those closest to me.

I have been hurt by those that I hold dear.

I have felt forgotten by those whom I should feel the most important to.

It was then that I realized I was wounded. My heart had been hurting and I had been moving right along in an effort to not stop long enough to think about it. A coping mechanism I learned long ago - something I have been trying to unlearn for a few years.

I didn’t talk to anyone about this epiphany for a few days. Finally, when I felt it was time to disclose this self-discovery, I chose the most sound, unbiased person I know - my husband. He is able to see all sides of a situation and he will tell me if I am way off. I appreciate that about him.

I sat there in the car, thinking about why I felt so bad for feeling the way I did. I came to the conclusion that it's because I've taught myself that you aren't supposed to be mad at those you love. I know this is not true, but it's what I've engrained in myself and it's a hard thought process to break. Also, I have great empathy for others so I give them a lot of room for mistakes and flaws. I am not saying this is a good/bad thing, but I think I need to find a better balance. Also, I hate conflict. I would rather live with hurt than cause someone to be upset at me or think I am upset at them. Yeah, I have issues. :-)

Later on that evening, I was reminded of how Jesus has never disappointed me, hurt me, lied to me, forgotten me, neglected me, shunned me, ignored me, made me feel unimportant, left me alone - He has never let me down. Somehow, this brought me great comfort. I know I can always count on Him to visit me at my house, to be ready to spend time with me whenever I want, to invite me to hang out with Him, to love on me when I feel alone, to know exactly where I am and how I am feeling.

What an unbelievable relationship that is. I don't know how He can love us the way He does, fill in the holes of our lives so perfectly, care for us in a way that makes us feel so special - but He does. I don't deserve this relationship, but He's always there for me.

Through this, I realized I have more to express. A lot is going on in this girl. I need to let the notes from my heart out more often - that's how I heal and move on. That's how I reflect and grow in my relationship with Jesus. I know this may sound really strange to people, but it's a big part of who I am. A part of me that I allow to lie dormant too often.