Publisher's Letter
As those of us who have had children know, pregnancy can be hard! So, can you imagine putting your body through that discomfort, the risks, and the hormonal see-saw required to carry a child for a couple you do not know? That is what it means, most times, to be a surrogate.
In recent years, it has become much more common to hear of people, including celebrities, who have become parents through surrogacy. I imagine people have many reasons for choosing this route to parenthood, and it amazes me that modern medicine has advanced to the point of offering hope to couples who would previously have not had surrogacy as an option. What shocks me even more is the selflessness required by surrogate mothers to help make parenthood a reality for those desperate couples.
I am so proud of my little sister, Brittany, who decided she would become the vessel, carrying out this selfless act for someone else. As I write this, she remains in the hospital recovering after having successfully delivered an almost ten-pound baby boy as a surrogate to a couple from Florida. This has been a long two years for all of them. I do not know how long they have been praying for this day to come, but I am so happy to report it has arrived!
Brittany did two rounds of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The first round did not work, but after it failed, she told this couple she would gladly try again to help them fulfill their dreams of becoming a mom and dad. Her heart is full of the good stuff.
This is the little sister I lived with my entire life. We argued with each other, had rooms next to one another, and shared a bathroom. Brittany is the one that was like my little doll. My friends and I would dress her up and make her our accessory. She was in pageants when she was small and was a Jon Benet Ramsey look alike (but even cuter). She had a big personality on stage that won her many crowns, has always had a great sense of style, and she made one heck of a cheerleader!
When Fred and I were first married, she lived with us. Brittany is the one who gave me my first taste of parenting teenagers. She taught me it is not for the faint of heart. We have definitely helped shape each other, but she is the better version. As they say, “The proof is in the pudding.” I am in awe of her. There is no doubt in my mind that surrogacy takes a special person to give so fully of themselves, reflecting God’s love through their actions.
It is crazy to think that surrogacy did not even become legal in the United States until 1976. The first successful gestational surrogacy took place in 1985! Even today, surrogacy is still prohibited in Louisiana, Michigan, and Nebraska. The advancements in laws and medicine are ever changing, and I struggle to even imagine the world thirty years from now. What might we see in our lifetime? The end of cancer? Breakthroughs for those struggling with mental health issues? With the help of God, it is all within the realm of possibility.
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. In this issue, we are introducing you to sweet Mallory, whose life can teach us so much about Down syndrome and those whose lives are affected by this condition. My hope this October is that we can all see the world through the eyes of people like Brittany and Mallory. Their focus seems to be clear, and their lives bring joy to those who know them. Happy Fall Y’all!
