How a fertile found the IF bloggers: The Sequel

(See Part One here.)

So, to continue....

I don't think I would have become a regular reader of the IF blogs if it weren't for one blogger in particular. Catching my attention like a neon sign at midnight was this dynamic woman calling herself "Sew Infertile"! Such a clever name, and so many, many, many, many exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!! I liked her immediately!

I also wondered if she sprinkled crack on her morning Corn Flakes.

But no, that was not possible, because we all know that crackheads are incredibly fertile... ba-dum-bump! (Did I get the IF humor right?)

Sew kept me hooked (My gosh what is this woman gonna say next??), and then I started to look around, clicking on her substantial blogroll. So many amazing ladies, so many pretty blogs.

I must confess that initially I had a hard time telling some of the bloggers apart. Lots of hope and prayers and trust in their blog names (a good thing!!) and every variation of flower imaginable, in various stages of bloom. A couple of bloggers had a similarly colored background, and I mixed them up for months. I have since gotten everyone straightened out. :)

I know this will sound strange, due to my advanced age (let's face it, I could technically be a mom to some of the IF girls), but I initially pictured many of the bloggers as older than myself, due to their profound wisdom and depth of faith. Their pictures and ages were often jarring in contrast to my mental image of them!

For the first few months I stayed quiet. I felt like an outsider, peeking into an exclusive and sacred space. I was a new kid on the block who definitely didn't fit in. I did not feel right intruding; however, I couldn't stay silent forever....

Now I will humiliate myself by recounting the first time I came out of lurkdom to comment on someone's blog. Keep in mind, I have grown since those days!

Okay, so someone had posted about the expense of home pregnancy tests, and many others responded in agreement. I thought, "Aha! I can be of help to these wonderful ladies! I'll make myself useful!" So I posted a comment informing the bloggers that -- wait for it -- the dollar store sold pregnancy tests! Yup, didn't ya know?! ("Um, yes, Leila, everyone knows...."). Hey, at least I didn't pop in during the early weeks spouting my brilliant knowledge that flax seed oil was the cure for infertility. (cringe!)

Moving right along....

I slowly, steadily, began to comment on different blogs, with riveting and memorable gems like, "I'm praying for you!" or "That's such a cute picture!" Profound stuff, no?

At some point, and for what reason I don't remember, I got up my courage and... I emailed Sew!

All right, I admit it! I was a groupie!! These were rock stars to me, and Sew was the lead singer! She was so kind when she responded, and I swear I felt like I had just been allowed backstage! Yee-haw, I was in with Sew!

I had infiltrated the IF bloggers.

It was a happy day. :)

Since those early days, I was peer-pressured into starting my own blog, and more IF Catholic bloggers have come on the scene. Wanna know how boldly confident I feel about my place in the IF blogger world now? Well, get a load of this: Check out who welcomed Hebrews when she first introduced herself! Ha! The gall of me, but I did it! You all have created a monster, ha ha ha!! (Sometimes I feel like the self-appointed house mother of this IF sorority!)

Now, I have often said that I wish I could somehow transfer my fertility to the IF bloggers. Of course that is impossible, and yet... there sure has been a tidal wave of pregnancies and adoptions 'round these parts. Some folks (who have right reason and sound judgement) might conclude that the awesome prayer buddy network at Advent and Lent have something to do with all that. Or, Jeremiah's pilgrimage to Lourdes. Or all the petitions, prayers, and offered sufferings.

But it seems to me that it all began after I arrived on the scene. Hmmmm.....

Just sayin'.

Tee hee.