Part Two: Our Journey...continued

Upon our return from Europe I was in the hunt for our annual incentive trip for work. We decided to focus on work through the end of December to see if I could finish high enough to win. While I was working long days we set up a consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist, the best one we could find in Jacksonville.

We met with Dr. Winslow. We tried clomid oral pills. I went in for an ultrasound to see if the pills made me ovulate. I remember the doctor telling my that it failed. Failure is not in my vocabulary. I had a follow up with Dr. Winslow. He told me, in a very matter of fact way, that if I wanted to have children I'd need to do IVF (invitro fertilization). It was one of those moments where time stands still, a moment where your life changes and you can feel it changing. 

IVF was not a new concept to me. It was always in the back of my mind. 


In 2007, I was told I'd be promoted at my job, but they weren't sure when. I decided to start looking for a new job. I landed an interview with Eli Lilly for a pharmaceutical sales position in Orlando. It came down to me and one other candidate after several rounds of computer screens, phone screens, face-to-face interviews, field rides, etc. Grant and I researched the area in Orlando where we'd have to move. We talked about it and decided it wasn't the right job, place and time. I called the hiring manager to thank him for the opportunity and pull myself out of the mix. He asked that I keep in touch.

I was then officially promoted at my current job. I never kept in touch with the manager at Lilly...until I got a random call 5 months later. Lilly had a job for me in Jacksonville. I didn't have to move. It was a specialty job and a significantly better package than my current job. The timing, place and job were all perfect. I signed the papers, gave my notice tearfully at my old job and realized my life was evolving yet again.

Lilly training included 3 weeks of in house training at their home office in Indianapolis. We were assigned roommates. My roommate was Natalie from Utah. At first I thought we'd never be friends, that we were so different. During those three weeks we became great friends. We shared a lot of memories and helped each other make it through 3 weeks of intense training and 3 weeks away from home.

We continued our friendship over the phone once we were in the field. Natalie shared with me her fertility struggles and every step of her IVF journey. God put Natalie in my life. We flew to Utah twice and met Natalie and her husband Ryan in Las Vegas. We met their two IVF success babies. 

I supported her through the injections, tests, positive and negative results. Little did we know that she'd be doing the same for me a few years later. I thank God for putting Natalie and me in that apartment in Indianapolis.