Over the years that I’ve kept this blog, I’ve shared updates about our fertility journey. If you’re curious you can read them here:

Our story from April 2016

Our story part 2 from October 2017

Jesus said YES – baby announcement in 2017

Since some people ask me directly, some drop hints, and I’m sure others are wondering, I figured it was time for an update. If you’ve followed our story, you know that a year ago we were blessed with a miracle baby. After 7 years of unexplained infertility, on a cycle without intervention, God showed up and formed a tiny life in my womb, resulting in the birth of our daughter last spring. She came a week after her due date, seemingly late (to me!) but right on time to God.

A recap of the year since our baby girl was born: my husband and I began with a few weeks at home as a family of 3, then we both returned to work. I continued my nanny job for about 3 months after our baby was born, then at the beginning of the school year, I quit my job (which was so very bittersweet after I had loved those 4 children as my own, nannying them for 6 years!) We packed up our home and moved to another state, just an hour up the road, to be closer to my husband’s job. We are still roughly in the Washington, D.C. vicinity, and I am primarily a stay-at-home mom. I have done some part-time nannying, and am considering a nanny position later this year (taking care of another baby while still being home with my own). I still love writing and still have much to write about, but even though my blog posting and social media have slowed down, I haven’t quit. (You’ll find posts that aren’t so fertility-focused over on www.lovethatbetsy.com.) I’ve been feeling spread thin these past 12 months while adjusting to motherhood and a move.

So, what’s next? That’s why you’re reading this, right – you’re wondering if we’re going to have another baby? 😉 Well, we hope to have another baby, and we are asking God for one. At the moment we don’t have plans to pursue fertility treatments. Knowing that we conceived naturally once gives us hope that it can happen again.

From the time we were married until our baby was born 9 1/2 years later, I strongly desired to be a mom. In fact, I had always wanted to have children. The first several months of disappointment were tough, and then our infertility experience turned into years of waiting. Writing about it was certainly therapeutic, which is why I began this blog and why I wrote Embracing Hope During Infertility. I still hope and pray for another child. I want my baby to have a sibling. I want to be pregnant again, to hold our newborn baby again. Yet on the flip side, my husband and I are at peace – if this is the only child we have, we will be okay. Many people have a strong desire for a second or third child after primary infertility, which is completely understandable. I will turn 40 this year, and my husband is older than me, so we’ll just see what God does.

We learned with our first baby that God is able to open wombs in His timing and we learned a lot about trusting His timing. We learned that God determines the exact time for each person to be born, and there isn’t a lot I can do to rush Him. He has given us one miracle pregnancy and He can do it again. So here we are again, waiting, hoping, praying, and trusting the One who is the Giver of all life.

Hi, I’m Betsy, and I live in the Washington, D.C. area with my husband, Mike. We have been married since 2008, and welcomed our first baby in 2018!

My first book, Embracing Hope During Infertility is intended to infuse hope into your heart! Seasons is my second book, although written for children, will point you toward the goodness of God, even in the darkest times. Most recently I published a book for new authors or people who dream of writing a book. I hope that Write Your Story helps you finish your book as well!

You can learn more about me here. I would love for you to connect with me by following my Hope During Infertility Facebook page or my Betsy Herman, Writer Facebook page. I’m also on Instagram and Twitter as @lovethatbetsy.Thanks so much for reading this post!