I am truly inspired by my guest this week who has struggled through infertility, has raised her special-needs child alone, and whose enthusiasm for life is contagious!

Shelly Sykes is an Australian mum as well as the author of six books, tv host, and inspirational speaker. She shares her frustrating journey to conceive, her torment when she was on bedrest near the end of her pregnancy, and why she wouldn’t change one event of her life story.

Join me as we laugh and give thanks for the life that we are blessed with!

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This week is the continuation of my interview with Kari, the foster mom we met on our last show who adopted twins. She discusses the most common reasons children are put into foster care and how to apply to become a foster parent.

Did you know that if you want to just cuddle newborn babies with the understanding that they will be placed elsewhere that you can become an emergency shelter home for newborn babies? There are many options available for those who want to love the many, many children in our foster care system.

Kari and I also laughed and compared stories about how much our adopted children look like us, even though we didn’t give birth to them! They even have some of our character traits, which is truly a sign that God placed them in the right family, where they belong.

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We each have different journeys to find our way to our babies but the joy at the end is always the same. Long before my guest knew of her infertility challenges, Kari and her husband became foster parents at a young age, knowing that they were called by God to help children in need.

Being a foster parent is a special calling because the children are sometimes only with you a short amount of time or they come to you with emotional or developmental problems. But Kari feels blessed because it was through the foster parent program that she and her husband were able to adopt their twin boys.

Listen in as Kari describes her journey to motherhood and her love for all of the foster children that have come through her home.

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Facing infertility issues is very taxing for both people in the relationship. Women often go through the stages of grieving each time the pregnancy test comes out negative and men will react differently than women. In fact, some men still believe that infertility is a “woman’s issue,” which is untrue.

My guest this week is Elizabeth Cessna, a private counselor who treats patients who are struggling with infertility. This struggle can often become all-consuming and sometimes an outside therapist can help you find ways to cope with your grief or an unsupportive spouse.

Elizabeth shares ways to keep your psyche and self-esteem intact during your infertility journey rather than trying to please others. She also shares tips for men who want to comfort their spouse but don’t know how to do so.

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Welcome, my friends, as we enter May and celebrate Mother’s Month! We are all sisters and whether you are a mommy, a mommy-to-be, or a mommy-in-waiting, I hope you all realize how special and unique you are. I am very lucky to have you all in my life!

My guest this week is Holly, who works at A Labor of Love Adoptions and is also an adoptee. She shares the story of how she found her birth mother and a new extended family but also shares how nervous she was at first and what she hopes will happen in the future.

So rarely do we hear the happy stories of adoption! Not every adoption story is like a television movie with sad endings. Holly’s story is one of hope and encouragement, especially for those of you who are considering adopting but are fearful of the process.

During Mother’s Month, I hope you find it in yourself to remember the birth moms and surrogates who gave the ultimate gift to you…your child. Heart Mark Designs offers cards and other gifts specifically to remember birth mothers. Even a simple gift from you will be a treasured keepsake for a birth mother.

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If you are struggling with infertility issues and need some reassurances, join me this week as I address some concerns from my listeners’ email. Sometimes knowing that others have also travelled your same path and have had similar experiences can help you deal with the emotional pain.

Two big concerns for some listeners are the fear of having a home study for adoption and how to get over the pain of infertility, even after some time has passed. I had these same fears and pain and I hope you can find some comfort in my own stories.

To find reputable case workers and adoption experts who can lessen your anxiety, you MUST do research and you MUST get references so you are not scammed. Finding the right people to work with you will take away a lot of the fear that couples often experience during the adoption process.

Mother’s Day is coming up on May 11th and if you have adopted your baby, please don’t forget to honor your child’s birth mother. They have truly given you the greatest gift of all. If you would like to send a unique birth mother cards, please visit Heart Mark Designs.

As always, if you have any questions or would like to be part of our prayer chain, please send an email to barbara@journeystomotherhood.com Please know that I have total faith that your baby is on its way to your arms.

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I am very pleased to be joined by my first male guest this week!

John Van Regenmorter from Stepping Stones Ministry shares his story of infertility and how it affected him and his wife, Sylvia, differently. He describes his confusion at why his wife would feel the need to see an infertility doctor and he talks about how his male ego was bruised when they found out his low sperm count was part of their infertility problem.

It was only after Sylvia wrote an article about infertility that John fully understood just how hurt she was during this ordeal and he describes his guilt about not being more supportive of her.

You will realize while listening to John that infertility is not just a woman’s problem. Nearly 40% of infertility problems involve male infertility. It’s very important for men to get checked as well so the doctors can have a full picture of what obstacles a couple needs to overcome to get pregnant.

Thank you, John, for sharing the male perspective of infertility!

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Welcome to Show #36!

This week I am pleased to continue my conversation with Jodi Panayotov, the author of Invitro Fertility Goddess and a sister from Australia. I am still amazed at her ability to find humor while longing for a child and we share some very special passages from her book. Each passage touched my heart and I could relate to everything she has described.

Jodi shares her invitro (IVF) experiences, some of which might surprise you. She even managed to overcome her fear of needles and found a way to laugh when faced with taking so many different drugs. No matter what stage you are at in your journey to your child, Jodi can help lighten your mood and your heart!

Also, if you live in the Pittsburgh, PA area and are contemplating adoption, our founding sponsor, Tina Tyra from A Labor of Love Adoptions, is hosting two workshops at the end of March.

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When a couple is faced with infertility problems, the common reaction is to be angry, upset, and confused. Very often women will ask, “Why me?” and question why it seems so easy for other women to bear children when it’s not easy for them.

Getting pregnant and giving birth are supposed to be “natural” and easy, so the idea of months or years of treatments can be overwhelming or depressing. Many women wallow in despair if the infertility lasts a considerable length of time.

My guest this week is Jodi Panayotov who is the author of Invitro Fertility Goddess. She is a fellow sister in the world of infertility and she reminds us that it’s alright to laugh in the midst of our problems.

Jodi managed to take the difficult subject of infertility and turn it into a comedic book. She tells about her adventures as a flight attendant, some good scoops about celebrity pregnancies, and her very own “Alien Theory.”

Rather than travel the path to depression, Jodi courageously transformed her own experiences into funny stories that will hopefully boost the spirits of other women faced with their own fertility problems.

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After seven years of infertility treatments and multiple failed adoptions, Colleen Geyer tells us how her strong faith carried her and her husband through those disappointing years. With the support of familiy, friends and church, they were able to stay positive and know in their hearts that their baby would come to them.

Colleen’s story does have a happy ending with the adoption of her son, Noah, and she shares how they were blessed with a second child, daughter Addison. But she also tells us about the emotional journal she kept during those discouraging years, her feelings of anguish while attending Mother’s Day services at church, and how important it is to voice your feelings of despair if you are experiencing infertility.

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