I can honestly say I never expected to write this post so soon...

My fertility journey has been anything but easy.

In July of 2009, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I wasn't ovulating. I basically understood that I wouldn't conceive without the help of fertility meds. I attempted medicated cycles from July-December, to no avail. I decided to pause with my fertility journey, due to deciding to pursue a long-term mission trip to Asia. I was also diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in July of 2010, and eventually received a diagnosis of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. All three diagnoses are obstacles for conceiving naturally.

After we came back to the states in January of 2011, I wanted to pursue trying to conceive again. However, we could never find financial stability through living in Florida (where we relocated after our mission trip) and I felt it wasn't the right time. I have been off of birth control since January of 2009, and have never gotten pregnant. 

After a year in Florida, I decided to see if my previous job (in Tennessee) had an opening. Miraculously, it did, in the same field I had left previously. It was as if God had literally provided a sun stands still moment for me to go on that mission trip and pursue His work in Florida, and now I was returning home. It was amazing.

From the Friday to Wednesday before we moved, I was sick with an upper respiratory infection. I was taking ibuprofen like crazy, and had a consistent fever for 5 days. I eventually was given antibiotics, and that helped clear it up just in time for me to move on Thursday.

After a week of living in Tennessee, I realized I hadn't gotten my period.
It didn't raise a red flag with me, knowing with PCOS that my cycle is ridiculously sensitive. I figured the stress of the move, combined with the sickness, probably threw me off. Then, from that Wednesday (March 28th) through Friday (30th), I spotted, mostly brown blood. I found this odd, since I hadn't spotted really ever before. On Sunday, April 1, I was unpacking some of my bathroom boxes, and found an old pregnancy test. I looked at the label, seeing it expired in April of 2012. I thought "what the heck" and nonchalantly decided to take the test the following morning.

To my complete shock, on April 2nd, I received a positive pregnancy test. I was almost certain it was giving me a false positive, because the test was expired. There was just no way I could be pregnant. I freaked out a little bit, trying not to get too hopeful in case it was a false positive. But the next morning, I received a clear second line on my First Response Early Result:

Excuse the blur. I need to get a camera--this was taken on my cell phone :p

By this point, I'm freaking out. I get a digital test and take it that evening, and it turns up positive. 

So lovely seeing those words :) 

Luckily, I manage to get an appointment that next morning (April 4th) and have a confirmed pregnancy test at the Dr.'s office. My HCG beta for that day was 4,475, which was good! I had to wait to receive those results until the following Monday though -_______- 

Besides the obvious, what I find truly miraculous is that my body was anything but primed for pregnancy. During conception week, I was running a constant fever of 101 or over, and I was taking ibuprofen and sick with an upper respiratory infection. By all accounts, this little fighter shouldn't have stuck. 

I will continue calling it my little fighter, because it has truly continued to defy the odds...