When Doors Close

"Did it turn blue or pink?" Edward tried to peer over the shoulder of his wife... "The pregnancy test shows nothing. Not this month, dear. We'll keep trying." Michelle hid her disappointment from her voice. "Did it turn?" Edward asked again. "No dear, maybe next month." Michelle knew Edward was disappointed too. "Did it turn?" "Not this time." "Did it turn?" "No!" Edward and Michelle wanted a baby. He, a professional golfer and she, a bank vice president had anything money could buy... but wanted nothing more than to have a baby, and start a family! They had the money to do it all... and they tried everything modern science in the infertility field has to offer. For six years. Through weeks of painful tests, and shots... everything failed... including six in vitro fertilization procedures. And then they gave up. In an interview Michelle says "It was an extremely painful experience and it only seemed to get worse… The desperation couples feel you can't put it in to words." Michelle and Edward tried to live a normal life... even when depression settled in and despair and anguish would rise up. TV commercials about a baby created waves of sadness. As a two-time runner up in the beauty pageants of her native state of Oklahoma, Michelle knew how to present herself and her platform in the Mrs. International contest... something not all pageants have. A platform is the contestant’s stand on a particular topic. Her topic? Infertility and adoption. Her inspiration? Her adopted daughter, Faith. Although they gave up trying to have a child naturally they didn't lose the desire to have a family. And their answer came. Through a friend they learned of a teen girl who needed parents for her baby. Through this brave and courageous young woman, Michelle and Edward received the greatest gift of their lives: a beautiful daughter. And they couldn't be happier. Now this Mrs. International speaks to crowds around the U.S. about the numbing pain of infertility. The deep agony of not conceiving. The unspeakable joy of adopting. And the wild thrill of having your child say "I love you." Michelle and Edward speak with hope and kindness to hurting parents. "There's a baby out there for you," Michelle says. "Just like you desire a child, there's a child out there with your name on it." They could have given up and retreated behind his golf game and her banker’s desk. But they didn't. They didn't quit on life. They allowed one door to close so another one could open. Sometimes, in life we have to do that... give up one thing so we are free to embrace another. It is not always easy, that's for sure. I hope that if today you are facing tough decisions, you will remember Michelle and Edward Fryatt... and their determination to hold onto each other and hold onto their dream. Hang on to your dreams and don't give up! You can do it!