What a difference a year makes...

So this past Thursday we took Casey to his first concert. There is this venue here near Chicago on the North Shore called Ravinia and it's just spectacular - really. It's in Highland Park and near where I work but for years and years and years we never went there. I would hear everyone hype it up but I'm like really how great can it be? It's that great. Trust me.  Here is just a tiny snippet of what the lawn looks like:

So the weird thing about Ravinia is unless you are in the pavilion or walk up to it you never actually see the band - but who cares right - you can hear them! And you can bring babies, coolers, food, alcohol, candles - anything you want! It's a really cool place to take a picnic and just sit for hours listening to music and talking and you actually tend to talk to those around you - share food or drinks even, very cool.

Anyways - this isn't a PSA for Ravinia. 50 weeks ago Chris and I had our first Ravinia experience with some of his work colleagues - that night we saw Matchbox 20 and Goo Goo Dolls. That day was also the day we had sat in our offices and anxiously awaited a call from our RE telling us - after the cyst on my ovary - that it had died down and we were ready to start IVF #2. We got that call that afternoon and we were told to give my first Lupron injection that night to begin the suppression phase of the cycle. That was our first and only time to Ravinia until last Thursday.

I have to be honest - even walking in I got emotional because I knew it has been almost a full year since we started Ceej's cycle. We sat in almost the exact same spot we sat that day when Chris prepared our first injection for round 2. Little did we know 50 weeks ago that first needle would eventually bring us our little miracle.

So the concert Thursday was The Script with One Republic headlining. Well little did I know - American Authors was the first opener. Why does that sound familiar you might ask? They sing Ceej's birth song - "Best Day of My Life". Really? The universe really does work in very mysterious ways. Cue the tears almost the second we got our picnic set up. Here I was in the spot of my first injection for Ceej's cycle blowing rasper berries on my little miracle's belly - life does. not. get. better. 

So of course American Authors comes out and starts playing their set - of which halfway through Ceej wakes up. We play with him a little and just as he wants to nurse they close their set with none other than his birth song. There's a video my husband shot of me ugly crying which I promise you no one wants to see - but even as I sit here and think about it now I have tears in my eyes just thinking of it. It was a completely surreal moment that I will never forget and Ravinia will always hold a special place in our hearts. 

So for those of you waiting on your miracle - whether it be your miracle baby after losses or infertility, a miracle cure for an illness you are fighting, financial help after a rough go - anything - know that miracles do happen and things can turn around - my sweet hazel eyed little boy is living proof of that. My husband always tells me life is all about the yin and the yang. If times are rough there is no way to go but up - and if times are great - there will be bumps ahead - but know those bumps and that patch of rain will be followed with sunshine because life is a perfect balance. 

I will be forever grateful to so many for Ceej - to God for blessing us with him, for the doctors that made my protocol, for the scientists and embryologists that created him in a dish for us, for all of those that helped me through the crazy hormonal periods while injecting myself multiple times every day, for those of you that encouraged me to keep fighting, to all who just listened to me rant and rave when I needed it, to my husband for being my rock, and my parents for listening to endless hours of commuting phone calls talking about this level or that level - I am grateful for each and every moment we endured to get here. Do I know if baby #2 is in the cards for us one day? I sure hope so! And it's moments like Thursday that remind me - dreams come true, miracles happen, and there's always sunshine after the rain.

XOXO

K