My Story Part 3
In my incredible hormonal and emotional state, this is a letter that I wrote to the Intended Parents before the birth of their baby:
November 7, 2002
Dear H & C;
What a truly emotional time for all of us.
I just wanted to write to you, and let you know what was in my heart, these last few hours before your son enter this world and finally meets his parents.
I have truly loved and thoroughly enjoyed this pregnancy. This has been an absolute joy for me.
I have loved the flutterings of life inside me. When those flutterings have changed, and when he actually started growing and moving around.
I loved watching my belly grow, and know that the little guy was getting big
and healthy.
I loved watching him do his acrobatics from the outside.
I loved knowing his parents so desperately wanted him, and entrusted that job to me to help him to develop and grow.
I will Miss being pregnant.
I will Miss “the little guy” and chatting with him. Now when I start talking, people are gonna look at me funny.
I will Miss our doctor’s appointments and just touching base.
I will Miss the email updates to you and your family, as well as from you and
your family.
I will always Cherish our relationship and especially the friendship that we have made over the past few years. I will hold it dear to my heart, and there will always be a special place for “Baby K”.
I will Cherish that I have helped to complete someone’s family.
I will Cherish that another little soul has safely made it into this world.
I know that it is time for all of us to get on with our lives. I am looking forward to it, as I am sure that you are, although it will be very bittersweet. There are tears in my eyes knowing that 24 hours from now, you will be holding your son in your arms, and that special look that only new parents can give, will be there. The look of awe and wonder and joy and thankfulness.
Please always be full of the wonder and joy of children. They are a blessing, and I think that this has truly been a gift from God.
A letter I received from the New Parents:
Dearest Joanne;
About four years ago, C and I had the great fortune of being introduced to you. You changed our lives. And not only ours but those of our families and close friends. I would never have guessed that when we first met that things would turn out the way that they have. That I would be writing this as my two month old son “J” slept soundly upstairs. Our son that you carried and nurtured for nine months.
Meeting you has changed the way I see the world and my understanding of the human heart and spirit. Four years ago, we were scared and hopeless. An emergency hysterectomy at childbirth can do that to a young couple. We were fortunate to have a beautiful baby girl, but we had little hope of ever having a second child.
And then you came into our lives and we understood that there was a way. Your guidance and caring have been remarkable since the day we met you. You have been an endless source of information and with your help we were fortunate to be where we are today.
Thank you.
You were always there to take our calls and answer our questions. A visit to Toronto was never too much to ask from you. You guided us when choosing a clinic and seeking legal advice and most importantly in our search for a gestational carrier.
The day we got your call was one of the best of our lives. I will never forget what you said…”Are you sitting down? What about me?” You were offering us the best opportunity we could possibly imagine and of course it was a “YES!” You were going to carry our child. What more could we ask for?
We were blessed. What a privilege to have you not only guide and help us through the entire process, but to be the one to carry our child. Joanne, you were more than wonderful. It was always about us, and our feelings. You endured medication, endless visits to the clinic, and hives (!) like a star. I mean that. Never a complaint, never a bad word. This was about our little baby to be, and you never let that go.
Sharing nine months with you, while “J” was growing in your tummy was wonderful. The professional yet personal way in which you handled every aspect of the pregnancy made it not only bearable, but amazing. And your composure and sensitivity during the labour and delivery was remarkable. When I first saw little “J” and then looked at your face, I knew that I had just witnessed a miracle.
Joanne, thank you. We love you for what you have done for us, and we love you for what you continue to do for hundreds of other couples who like us saw no hope. I am so proud to tell people “my story” to tell people about this marvellous person, which helped bring “J.H.K” into the world.
All our fondest love.
C & H