Monday, July 7, 2008

Meet the Stuarts........


Hello everyone!! We are Nick and Sherydon(Sheridan)Stuart!! We have been married for 2 1/2 years. We found out about 9 months after we were married that I have endomitriosis and that we may never have children of our own. I was devastated. I can remember playing with my dolls when i was little and wanting to be a mom!! I have always wanted to know how it felt to be pregnant, to feel your child grow and move inside you, to know that love that so many mothers talk about, to be able to share those precious moments with Nick! At first, I felt like i wasn't much of a woman if I coulnd't help make a family. Then what was I to do? I will NEVER adopt, was my attitude. My mom and dad tease and say that when my dad look at her, she got pregnant. Then she would say things like, "you can always adopt." That phrase would make me so livid. How insensitive! You've never had to wonder if you'll be a mother. I started out very bitter! I even told Nick that I would understand if he wanted a divorce. Who would want a woman that couldn't give them children? I know i wouldn't if i was a man. I felt like my self worth went right down the toilet. Meanwhile, friends around me are getting pregnant, teenagers are getting prenant. A cousin that didn't even want a child got pregnant and always complained about being fat and getting stretch marks. I was in a whirlwind of anger. I couldn't even stand to look at a pregnant woman. Bitter, party of 1!!
As time has gone on, Nick and I took the steps to go through the temple. With that came many prayers from me and family to have my heart softened. Who wants to be angry and bitter? I surely don't, but it fit me well!! Through prayers and faith I have come to understand why the Lord has given us adoption. What beautiful stories of love and sacrafice. I can't imagine how hard it would be on either end. All I know is that i want to be a mother. That's the profession that i long for. To wipe away tears, to kiss boo boo's, to laugh and play with, to cry and worry over, to brag about, to be apart of the mommy group and so on! Every single one of you know EXACTLY what im talking about. I know now with all of my heart that regardless of how I become a mother, I will take complete advantage and love a child with all of my heart.
Nick and I just had our 2nd IUI on June 29 and so the saying goes....its the waiting game now.
Im so excited to find a site where there is someone who is in the same place that Nick and I are. Its just so comforting to know that your not alone!! Thanks to all of you who have shared your stories!!
Here is a parable about being a able to have a baby yourself or choosing adoption! Hope you enjoy!! Sorry this is a long post!!
A trip to Australia
Deciding to have a baby is like planning a trip to Australia. You've heard it's a wonderful place, you've read many guide-books and feel certain you're ready to go. Everyone you know has traveled there by plane. They say it can be a turbulent flight with occasional rough landings, but you can look forward to being pampered on the trip. So you go to the airport and ask the ticket agent for a ticket to Australia. All around you, excited people are boarding planes for Australia. It seems there is no seat for you; you'll have to wait for the next flight. Impatient, but anticipating a wonderful trip, you wait --- and wait --- and wait. Flights to Australia continue to come and go. People say silly things like, "Relax. You'll get on a flight soon." Other people actually get on a plane and then cancel their trip, to which you cry, "It's no fair!" After a long time the ticket agent tells you, "I'm sorry, we're not going to be able to get you on a plane to Australia. Perhaps you should think about going by boat." "By BOAT!" you say. "Going by boat will take a very long time and it costs a great deal of money. I really had my heart set on going by plane." So you go home and think about not going to Australia at all. You wonder if Australia will be as beautiful if you approach it by sea rather than air. But you have long dreamed of this wonderful place, and finally you decide to travel by boat. It is a long trip, many months over many rough seas. No one pampers you. You wonder if you will ever see Australia. Meanwhile, your friends and family have flown back and forth to Australia two or three more times, marveling about each trip. Then one glorious day, the boat docks in Australia. It is more exquisite than you ever imagined, and the beauty is magnified by your long days at sea. You have made many wonderful friends during your voyage, and you find yourself comparing stories with others who also traveled by sea rather than by air. People continue to fly to Australia as often as they like, but you are able to travel only once, perhaps twice. Some say things like, "Oh, be glad you didn't fly. My flight was horrible; traveling by sea is so easy." You will always wonder what it would have been like to fly to Australia. Still, you know God blessed you with a special appreciation of Australia, and the beauty of Australia is not in the way you get there, but in the place itself.

10 comments:

Keri said...

Sherydon,

Yay! I've been waiting for your post. I love the Australia story that you shared with us - what a great analogy! I also understand how you feel when people tell you that your infertility is no big deal because you could potentially just adopt. Wow. Talk about lack of validation. I only hope that they never have to experience the emotional instability and perplexity that comes along with being unable to conceive. That being said, as an adoptive mother I feel fortunate to have taken the road less traveled in order to find my child, even though it was longer and had fewer street signs. The payoff is overwhelmingly wonderful. Good luck with your IUI.

p.s. Whether the infertility issues stem from you, him, or a combination, you are always in it together. I wouldn't trade my Husband our our circumstances for anything in the world, and I'm sure your Husband loves you more than anything. Remember no to take all of the blame - or guilt for that matter! As my husband once jokingly said while mimicking Samwise Gamgee (Sean Astin) from Lord of the Rings (in slow motion, of course) "Shhhhaaarrre the Loooooaaadd!!!!!"

Sherydon said...

Oh my heck!! My face and stomache hurt from your comment about sharring the load!! Just to clarify, when i said that I wouldn't blame him if he left because if i was in his situtaion i wouldn't either. What i was trying to say was that if i was the guy in the same situation that i probably wouldn't have been too open minded. Im not making sense so i'll leave it at that!! I am ok with it now, just the shock of it and learning how to deal with it and not feel guilty was hard!!

Jon & Kim said...

I too understand the comment "you could just adopt". "JUST' adopt what do they mean by that.....that it would be easieror something? Not many people wake up and think "lets adopt that would be fun"! It is a process and we all come to that decision at different times. Some after a few years, some after 10 years. You have to first mourn the lose of something you hoped for...being pregnant, feeling your baby move, being there when your baby is born, having a child that looks like you. All of this it hard to give up. But for me I would see children in the grocery store and think to myself "you don't look a thing like me and your not even mine but man I could take you home and love you for the rest of your life"! I knew then that I could adopt. My husband was more open to it than me in the begining which is unusual. It is harder for men. But when we came to the decision we knew without a doubt we were meant to adopt. We had so many fears and anxieties about the birth mother, correspondence, ect. But in the end it all worked out and we have been blessed with two little miracles and wonderful experiences. I am sure the 9 months is wonderful and I know most of us would have loved to carry our children and experience that with them. BUT it is nothing compared to the rest of their lives. Trust me raising them is the most important, difficult, joyous thing you will ever do. It does not matter how they get here what matters is your willingness to be there mother and love them like no one else can.

Also remember the opportunity you have to take those sweet babies to the temple and have them sealed to you for eternity. Sometimes you have to give up a little to gain a LOT! My heart breaks for you but I also know you and your husband will be blessed. Just hang in there and we will pray for you.
Love, Kim

Sherydon said...

Kim you made me cry!! There are so many things to think about and so many that you don't!! I bet taking your child to be sealed is such a neat experience!! I can't even imagine!! Thanks for you insight!! And thank you for thinking of those of us who needed a support system!! Sher

Dan and Stacy said...

Sherydon,

I know exactly were you are coming from. I too was so angry and had so many negative emotions toward people who could get pregnant so easily. I hated the comment "so what's wrong with you?" or "Who's fault is it that you can't get pregnant?" I would get so mad and just want to throw something. I finally started telling people to ask Heavenly Father because this was a trial that we BOTH received from Him.

On the flip side of my very intense anger has come so much happiness from our two little girls. We too have been blessed through adoption and I know without a doubt that our little girls are meant to be in our family 100%. We have a full hispanic little girl who is four years old and we have a blond hair blue eyed one year old little girl. Neither look like us, yet they fit so perfectly in our arms and in our hearts. I have never heard that story about Australia. I love that and I am saving that in my collection of different adoption stories. Thanks for sharing your story with all of us who understand every emotion you are feeling. Isn't that nice to find others who understand??

Good luck on your IUI and we will be praying for you.

Sherydon said...

Stacey, thank you for your kind words. Sometimes i feel like i handled it wrong at first but what is the right way? You don't get prepared in YW's, you talk about being a mother and wife! Im glad i wasn't the only angry woman. Im so glad that you have your little girls, thats so special!! I never had comments like you but i have gotten, "don't you thnk that you and nick should spend sometime alone and make a baby already?" Just to bite back i say, "oh we practice many times daily were just waiting til we can calm down in the bedroom so we can make time for a child!" Thanks for the luck and prayers i'll definatly need them!!:)

Dan and Stacy said...

You and I think a lot a like!!!!! It is hard not to get snippy with people that think it is their business. It is hard to know how to handle things and it is a good thing that I am married to my husband who is much calmer than I am and he keeps my mouth under control. I can see now looking back that really and truly my anger was more of a hinderance to my progression but I really did not know how else to handle things. I was lost and hurt and I knew nobody else in our situation. That is why I love this blog because EVERY SINGLE PERSON contributing understands every emotion that we are going through. Some one once told me (which was very validating) that it is OK to be angry as long as we don't dwell on it for long. After hearing that I made sure that if something made me angry or sad or frustrated that I let myself feel that and then did what I could to move forward with a better attitude.

Sherydon said...

My husband too is much calmer than I. Im the firecracker. But i like what you said about feeling the emotion and then moving forward with a better attitude!! Thank you!!!

gabeandstef said...

Sherydon I know exactly what you mean when i found out that gabe was just fine and it was me that was the reason we were having troubles getting pregnant i told him i wouldnt blame him if he wanted a divorce he would just give me a hug and said he didnt just wants kids he wanted kids with me no matter how it works out and that is what kept me going strong. Hang in there and thanks for sharing your story it helps to know other people are in the same place you are and good luck with your IUI i will keep you in my prays

Sherydon said...

Thanks Gabe and Steph, its so comforting to know that your husband really loves you unconditionally!! A test my sexy husband passed with flying colors!!! Thanks for the prayers, you and yours are in my prayers as well!!