Happy anniversary, blog!
Yes, it was one year ago today that I began this writing project that has become a complete archive of my journey. I was in the first week of my first two week wait (how sweet!).
I don’t have the energy for a full retrospective (my eyes have been at half mast all day), and plus I did one around New Year’s. I’m grateful to be where I am. This process has been my best teacher–it has put me through my paces. I am stronger. I fall down seven times and get up eight. I have a wider circle and more love in my life than I did before April 8, 2012. I have four local SMC friends who are so dear to me. And I have this blog, which was the most brilliant idea I’ve had maybe ever. It is how I make sense of this whole ride. It is my creative outlet, my work of art, my community, my lifeline, my storyline, my book in its nascent stages. My status report. Without you, it would be merely my journal.
In honor of the anniversary of the Solo Mama Project, I would love to hear from you! Either in a comment or an email (thesolomamaproject@gmail.com) or a text or a phone call–what does this blog mean to you? what do you most enjoy reading about? do you wish I’d go on more hilarious dates? do you pull your car over when you see a new post has come in? do you want clarification on any particular aspect of the process? are you thinking about having a baby on your own? do you share my blog with friends? do you wish there was more pregnancy and birth on my blog (me too)? would you buy the book? are you hanging in there with me, one year later?
We have no PayPal tip jar here (something I should maybe consider as I just calculated my medical bills for 2012), so please show your appreciation in the form of words! Let me know you’re out there–from northern Michigan to NYC to England to Australia to Mexico, friends and strangers.
I am so grateful for all of you. Thanks for reading.
the solo mama project 
Happy anniversary! I’ve never missed a post. What I enjoy reading most is the beautifully written, honest and vividly detailed accounts from someone I have known since I was 5! You’ve introduced me to a whole new world, a community, and made me more empathic and curious about a process that was largely unfamiliar to me. As a tired, working mom with a lot of kids, happily done with pregnancies, and now sterile by choice, I do find it a little weird that fertility journey blogs have become my daily (literally) reading, though. But its some of the most emotionally compelling and well-crafted writing out there!
Women’s experiences can be so different. Since I started reading your blog, and others, I now find it very striking that I first became pregnant at age 26, and had my fourth kid at age 36. Many of my 40ish year old friends are just staring their fertility journeys now, and it seems very logical, and I have a lot in common with them, yet my oldest daughter is going to be 13! How did I wind up on such a different path? It feels almost random, like it was the life I was given, since I could so easily see myself following a different fork in the road.
One clarification process about the blogs: How does the blog generate “topics?”
Lots of love at the year mark,
Wig
Hi Wiggy, thanks for being such a loyal reader and friend. I think the fertility journey is just a big metaphor, with an unknown outcome, so it can make a great story. I agree that it’s a compelling genre even to those who are not in the throes of it.
I suppose we could have all followed different forks in the road…but this way we can look with curiosity at each other’s roads. If you kept a blog, Wig, I would read it religiously too! Because I’ve known you since I was 5 and also because I would be fascinated to see into the daily life of a married mom of four.
Your question about topics: I created all those categories and just tag each post according to whatever topics I mentioned. It’s thanks to those tags that other bloggers on WordPress find me (I’m thinking largely due to tags like IVF, IUI, two week wait, etc.)
Wig, I hope I see you this summer, it’s been too long. Meanwhile, can you send me a family photo or two? I have lost track of how big the kids must be…
lots of love, Wig
Happy Anniversary!! I LOVE this blog. I become deeply disturbed when more than four days go by without a new post. And yes…I sit in my parked car outside my house reading it. I am totally inspired by your courage, your perseverance and your ability to find humor even in the darkest times. After you give birth to your baby (which I fully expect), I fully expect the birth of your best seller. Lots of love, admiration and respect.
Carey, you are so sweet! I will post every four days so that I don’t contribute to your bad mood. 🙂 Thanks for being such a loyal reader and a supportive friend. Hope to see you soon!
Change nothing! Even though I’m taking a mini-break from ttc, I’m still dipping into your blog for progress updates. For some reason, I read it back from the beginning a few weeks ago to remind me where it all started for you. I think this scene is about to open a whole new act for you 🙂
Ms Choice, wow, thanks for reading all the way through! I will look forward to your Ovarian HQ updates in the future. 🙂
Happy Anniversary! I also enjoy your writing, and find myself cheering on the solo mama. I wish you must success in your next year of bloggin and would absolutely buy the book.
I’m so grateful for you. ❤
Please don't stop writing, I'll be first in line to buy the book.
xoxo ❤
Happy Anniversary! I think I enjoy your blog both for the ways in which your life looks like mine, and the ways in which it is different. I am so sorry that the process has dragged on so long for you, but it has also been comforting to me to not be alone in the land of endless IUIs. You write very eloquently about both the hard parts of the TTC process and the ways that you take care of yourself when things are hard, which is inspring. As someone who is in a long-term relationship, it’s also really interesting to have a window into the ups and downs of the dating world.
Thanks for blogging! And I hope to hear lots from you about pregnancy and birth soon!