Bryar is TWO!

I can't believe that my favorite nephew is two already!  Eek, that means that Joseph will be two in two short months!  Where has the time gone?

I still remember the day I found out that my little sister was having a baby.  I knew it was coming.  She had recently changed jobs to one that didn't require her to be on the road weekly and we had recently discussed kids (She had once told me that they weren't going to try for kids until we were finished with fertility treatments.  We thought we were finished, but later decided to participate in a research study while simultaneously pursuing adoption.  I told her not to let us be the deciding factor in when they had kids.  She changed the subject.).  One afternoon, she called (as she does almost every day on her way home from work), but this day was different.  It was later in the day than usual.  I didn't think much about it until she gave me the news.  As anyone who has experienced infertility knows, finding out someone is pregnant (especially someone close to you) causes many overwhelming emotions.  As I sat there talking to her with tears pouring down my cheeks and a smile plastered on my face so I would sound happy since I truly was, Sam walked in the door.  He looked at me and immediately gave me a thumbs up and said, "it's a good thing."  I responded, "I know."  Turns out, Mindy had called him on his way home from work to ask him how to break the news to me.  Sam told her to do it over the phone so I could have a chance to process everything before I saw her in person again (thank you, Sam). 

A few months after finding out that my sister was pregnant, we were chosen to be the parents to a darling little boy.  This definitely helped ease some of the pain as Mindy's pregnancy continued.

I also remember the day Bryar was born.  Due to him being breech, my sister had a scheduled C-Section and requested that nobody come to the hospital until they had time to bond with him.  I am forever thankful to her for making this decision.  Bryar was born at the beginning of spring break for me and since Sam was having some back problems, he was home from work that day too.  We were sitting next to each other when I received the text from my brother-in-law letting us know Bryar was here.  As I sat there looking at that sweet little boy, I felt so many emotions the greatest of which were gratefulness and relief that he was here and healthy (remember, this was after Aubrey) followed by hopefulness that our adoption would go through and I would soon be a mom too.

As you know, it all worked out and my sister and I have sons who are only two months apart in age.  We seriously couldn't have planned it better had we tried.

Bry Bry, Aunt Courtney loves you more than you will ever know!  You are a sweet little boy who brings a smile to my face.  Let's facetime soon I can see you and you can see Jopheph and Baby Sarah.