i have chills all over my body and tears in my eyes as i write this blog post today. it still feels so surreal and like i’m living in a dream. after 3 years of trying and waiting and IVF and loss and grief and hope and prayers…i am so incredibly thankful to announce that we will be welcoming baby sims #2 into our family in august 2023!
i’m just over 13 weeks pregnant right now and it has been SO hard to keep this a secret from y’all. i can’t wait to share the FULL story with you guys soon but today just wanted to share our big news and get it out in the open!
a very high level, big picture view of our story thus far. we did one round of IVF last year and got 6 embryos out of it. we did 3 transfers (our doctor transferred two embryos at a time). I got pregnant every time, and then miscarried every time. after our third miscarriage, michael and i both thought “okay, we’re done. we tried, it didn’t work. let’s move on with life, just having one child.”
but there was this feeling in me that just didn’t feel ready to give up quite yet. i still longed for a baby and for shiloh to be a big sister so badly. the lord kind of gave me sign after sign, and opened up one door after another for me to meet with a different fertility doctor in dallas. we went to that consolation thinking “let’s just get a second opinion. does she think pregnancy is even possible for us?”
we left that appointment feeling so hopeful that IVF could still work for us and I truly felt called to give it another shot (literally lol) which was wild because IVF is no walk in the park and it really took a toll on me. but…i wanted to try again.
we did another round of IVF, and then did an embryo transfer early december…and now, here we are, announcing an absolute miracle pregnancy and i truly could not be more shocked or more thankful.
we waited to tell shiloh until i was almost done with my first trimester just because of our history with losses. shiloh has been praying for a baby sibling every single night for over a year now so to be able to share in this joy with her + rejoice in answered prayers has been the sweetest blessing.
i also wouldn’t be able to write this announcement without saying…if you are in a season of waiting or a season of loss / grief right now, please know…i have been there. our journey was not without tears and heartbreak or sleepless nights. my heart goes out to you and i pray that jesus also gives you your miracle baby one day and that today, you feel held by him and reminded that he is a GOOD father, and has beautiful plans for your life.
i can’t thank you guys enough for all of your love, support, encouragement, and prayers throughout our journey. i could truly feel every single one of them and i’m so excited to continue to share this journey with y’all!
“Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams]” – ephesians 3:20
follow along @laurenkaysims
xo Lauren
