Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there!

I’m always so thankful to celebrate with my family on this day, but I’m also sensitive to other women who might struggle with it. There was a time when I wasn’t sure if I would ever become a mother. In my 20s, I struggled with infertility. After being married for a few years, my husband and I decided it was time to try for kids.

To our surprise, I got pregnant right away. We were so excited, and I never dreamed something might go wrong. But early in the first trimester we discovered there wasn’t a heartbeat and I was going to have a miscarriage. That began a 2-year journey struggling through infertility.

Eventually, I found out that I had a condition known as Polycystic Ovaries that was caused by insulin resistance. I had to go on a strict diet and started taking fertility medication. It was the first time in my life that I wasn’t in control of the outcome, and as a result, I struggled with depression each month that we didn’t conceive. After several rounds of medication I couldn’t stand the hormonal highs and lows and decided to take a break.

It was that very same month that I found out I was pregnant! I went on to have three beautiful kids, but I will never forget that tough season of life. Ultimately I believe that God was able to use my struggles to help others. It can be a very lonely time without the proper support system, or people to talk to, and I’ve been able to share my experience and pray for many other women that have gone through the same issues I did. I’m so happy that there has been more of a push for women to share their journey with infertility and I share my story because I want others to know there is hope on the other side – that their pain is not in vain.

So to every mother out there, Happy Mother’s Day! Whether you’re a mom with young kids looking forward to some down time and rest, or a mom of older kids looking forward to soaking up more time with them, I hope your family showers you in appreciation for everything you do for them.