Gimme 5!

I know I promised an update sooner on where we’re going, but the last few weeks have been more exciting and emotional than we expected, and for more than one reason.

ONE move to Boise, Idaho...

Ben starts his new job as a pharmacist in Boise, Idaho on May 20th!

...means TWO big life changes...

Changes for the better, we think!

...because there are THREE people in this picture...

Aren't we cute?!

...and Baby FOUR is beating the odds...

Our little peachato at 9 weeks 2 days (now almost 12 weeks), Due November 16th

...plus, next month makes FIVE years for this happy couple.

More and more in love every day!

It looks like 2013 is bound to be a big year!

Update on Life...

Hello, friends. We’re getting ready for some big changes in our life, and we’re getting quite a few questions about it, so I thought this would be a good time to update all of you. 

Update on Ben...

First and most importantly, nearly ten years of hard, HARD work and unfaltering sacrifice will soon begin to pay off for Ben. (As for the pay off of fifty grand in student debt, that’s going to take a little longer...) 

Ben will finish his last pharmacy rotation this month, and then he’ll graduate as a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) this May! He was the first in his graduating class to receive a job offer - an exciting full-time opportunity with a growing community chain, Albertson’s, based in Boise. And this is just his back-up plan! (Forgive me for bragging about him.) 

Over a year ago, Ben set his sights on securing a Pharmacy Residency to gain more specialized experience on drug treatments for cancer, diabetes, and other serious chronic health issues. This is an additional year of education and training in a hospital or medical center. He applied through the national residency application program, where applicants from all over the country are matched with residencies. It’s a long, time-consuming, and expensive process, and only about half of applicants are selected. 

Last month, Ben was invited to interview for three incredible residency opportunities, and it seems that he’s a top candidate for all three:

• Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, Idaho (smaller hospital, but more familiar, and very close to Ben’s family)
• The Veterans Clinic in Pocatello, Idaho (great work environment, although with limited learning experiences, and still close to Ben’s family)
• Memorial Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee (larger hospital with more diverse learning experiences, and somewhat close to Jenny’s family)

The national program will (hopefully) match him with one of these residencies, and then we’ll be notified on March 22nd. We’re excited and very hopeful about the prospect of a residency, but even if Ben’s not selected, we’re very happy with his job opportunity in Boise. We’ll let you know the results in a couple weeks! 

Update on Jenny...

In anticipation of Ben’s new career and a possible big move to the other side of the state or the country, I’ll be stepping back from my role as Director of Marketing at Home Care Pulse (officially, on May 3rd, although I may continue to do some part-time work).

If you aren’t already familiar with my company, we manage the largest quality assurance program in North America for in-home senior care. It’s a rewarding field to be in, and I’ve enjoyed this job more than any other I’ve ever had. I also have a great management team and Marketing Department to work with.

If you know someone who might be qualified to fill this position by May, please let me know! Or click here to see the job posting. We’re interviewing now.

As much as I’ve loved and appreciated my company, I’m really looking forward to a new chapter of life with different challenges and experiences. I plan to spend some time visiting far-away family and friends, who I haven’t been able to see much of since I moved to Idaho 8 years ago. We’ll be able to exchange some of the family history we’ve all been gathering on our own (some of us, for years or decades). We’ll visit old family sites and graveyards.

I’ll write more on the blog. I’ll take a class or two. I’ll work on projects that are meaningful to me. I won’t be home late every night. I’ll make dinner and make friends. I’ll keep working hard, just not in the same way. I’ll meet with doctors and adoption agencies and find out how we can start a family.

Update on Us...

We’re planning to move (wherever that will be to) early this summer. We’ll celebrate 5 years together this June! We don’t have any special plans for that yet. Meanwhile, we’re working long weeks and long hours (10-12 hours a day, 6-7 days a week, especially Ben). We’re a little burnt out and little discouraged that we’ve run out of options again for starting a family. It's been another year with no progress. Waiting is the only thing we can do for right now.

We don’t expect life to get any easier, but we do hope life will get better with these opportunities for Ben. That was the whole point of the last 5 years, anyway, right? All-nighters. Apartment-living. Hour-long commutes. Tuition payments. Long, lonely days and nights apart. They're supposed to come to an end, right? I mean, who wants to live like that forever? :) 

So we’re looking forward to these new changes in our lives! We know God has a plan for us and that we’ll be happy together whatever happens. Of course, we're happy together now, too. As always, we’ll keep you posted!

To Sum It Up

Hello, again! Have you missed me? It’s been a busy 6 months since I last wrote. I've been tied up quite a bit with my job (and with a new boss, who’s great), but 50-60 hours a week in front of a computer screen is more than enough for me. I'd rather spend time with real people or a good book than electronics, anyway. So, I haven’t been keeping up the blog.

In truth, I've also been at a loss for what to write. I've spent the last several months trying to step back from life and re-evaluate. What am I going to accept, and what am I going to try to change?

It's one of life's toughest questions. Some will tell you to accept everything - it’s God’s will, or "it's just life." Some will tell you that if you want something, you just have to put your mind to it. I don’t think either philosophy is completely true. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle - there are things in life we can’t change, and things we can.

Lately I've come to the conclusion that being happy isn't about overlooking the negative (tried that!), but learning to accept it along with the positive. They come together. That goes for life, although there are times when the negative seems to outweigh the positive. And that goes for me, and for how I see myself.

It’s been a “self-discovery” process that's been extremely rewarding. To be honest, there are times in the past when I've despised myself - for my body, for my failures, for my unhappiness with working full-time. But I've been re-learning to see myself as God sees me - as those who love me see me, and as I hope maybe one day my children will see me - not perfect, but good and faithful. I feel freer and happier because of it.

“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32)

So, while I'm sure it's nothing earth-shattering for you, that at least sums up my thoughts over the last 6 months (I literally have pages and pages). 

And I think these pictures will sum up the year fairly nicely, too. I've spent so much time with friends, family, neighbors, and even strangers, there's no way I could share every single experience. Some things are too personal, anyway.

Disclaimer: I'm not that great about taking pictures, so there are quite a few important events and people that aren't represented here, like the Steinmetz and Gneiting Family Reunions, visiting my friend Rachel in Boise, Thanksgiving with Ben's family, and Christmas with my family. (Sorry!)

 Ben and me at Christopher's and Melody's Wedding in May

 Ben with Mom and Dad Steinmetz

 Christopher (our nephew) married Melody in May (and they're having a baby this month, making us a GREAT-Aunt and Uncle...Wow!)

My mom came to visit last spring!

 

Ben and I went to a Diamond Rio concert at the beginning of the summer.

My niece, Emily, and nephew, Joshua at a family campout

Our nephews Jaron and Noah making silly faces for the camera

Our friend Roman threw a fancy graduation party!

 My littlest nephew Micah discovered he loved the taste of my satin scarf. (He licked it for 5 minutes straight!)

 Our nephew David married Hilary in September

Ben's sister Rachel with her sweet family...We love these guys!

 More fun with nieces and nephews!

And nephews!

Ben and I happened to meet "Lyle" from the movie Napoleon Dynamite.

One my best friends Tana and her little boy Cooper came to visit!

 Snuggling Cooper

 Disco dancers for Halloween

 Our friends Bobby and Kristen joined us for a sleigh ride.

 Ben and me with the famous Clydesdales

 Ben went hunting out somewhere in the middle of the Idaho mountain wilderness

 He makes a cute hunter!

 My little Genevieve was being snuggly...She's started patting my face every time I see her. I get to see our best friends Rebecca and Luke Ritchie and help watch their little Genevieve almost every week.

We spent a lovely Christmas with my family in Georgia...We got to ring in the New Year with loved ones there, too!

The Hidden Truth

Get ready for an emotional post. What can I say? That's my life. Sometimes.

Sometimes, I physically ache for all the women facing infertility, pregnancy loss, infant loss, or the overwhelming obstacles of adoption.

Sometimes, I ache for myself...My first, my one-year-old. And my second, my little baby, due this fall. I think of them this way, maybe because I've had a while to think about them. It probably seems strange to other people, but it's natural for me. It brings me peace.

Sometimes it seems like everything I do every day reminds me that I've lost them. I can't help but think how different life would be if they were here now.

A stranger, Katie, who shared her story on www.facesofloss.com, wrote, "Miscarriage is death, yet there are no funerals, no sympathy cards, no bereavement time. Instead couples grieve in silence. You’ve just got to pick up the pieces, hold your head high, and go on with life as usual."

Source: Pinterest

I've observed that some people believe that infertility or pregnancy loss is mostly longing for a baby, something like dreaming of a car or new furniture, only perhaps more intense. 

They believe that you just have to be patient, because eventually you'll have a baby (when it's somehow magically "the right time"), and everything will be alright. And that you shouldn't worry so much, and try to be happy with what you already have. It's a matter of faith and patience.

This is true, because happiness is a choice, but it's only half of the truth, which makes it half a lie. The whole truth is that it's much more than waiting. It's more than what it seems.

It's a part-time job that you don't get paid for.

It's weekly doctor's visits, daily phone calls, and constantly waiting on hold for the nurse.

It's getting the run-around over and over from your insurance company.

It's follow-up, follow-up, and more follow-up.

It's getting nowhere.

It's feeling like you have to keep trying, even when you want to give up.

It's freezing cold exam rooms with nothing on but a paper shield.

It's complicated explanations and half-smiles from the medical staff.

It's feeling completely out of place in a building with pictures of babies all over the wall and a waiting room full of pregnant women.

It's piles of paperwork and a whole drawer full of files at home labeled "Infertility/Miscarriages."

It's trying something new and hoping that it works.

It's trying again, then again, and again, and hoping that it works.

It's bad news.

It's rarely ever good news. 

It's a 4-hour drive to see the specialist.

It's a night stand covered in prescription bottles.

It's taking medication that turns you into a person that you hate.

It's paying $80 every month for a bunch of plastic sticks.

It's complex calendaring, counting, charting, and analyzing (and over-analyzing).

It's blood tests, and poking and prodding.

It's physical pain and emotional stress.

It's failure.

It's the loss of privacy.

It's the loss of someone so small, yet that you love so much.

It's birthdays that only you remember.
 
It's starting over.

It's "just life" to everyone else, but it's not their life.

It's money.

And more money.

It's running out of options.

It's tough decisions.

It's praying.

It's crying.

It's hope.

It's dreading church every Sunday, and hating that you feel that way.

It's waterproof mascara.

It's being misunderstood and judged.

It's trying to figure out the best answers to awkward questions and well-meaning "advice."

It's trying to pretend that life is normal, when it's not.

It's growing closer to your spouse.

It's growing apart from friends who avoid you.

It's being lifted up by encouraging words from people who care about you.

It's feeling the love of God.

It's seeing His hand in your life.

It's spending hours reading strangers' blogs to remind yourself that you're not alone.

It's a club you don't want to be a member of.

It's scouring the Internet for answers that aren't there.

It's constantly battling feelings of discouragement, despair, anger, bitterness, jealousy, and self-loathing.

It's being physically exhausted from that constant battle. 

It's trying to be the very best person you can be in some of the very worst situations.

It's "temporary." (...Right?)

It's (seemingly) never-ending.

It's so much more than even this, and it's different for everyone. There are so many stories, some with happy endings and some with very, very sad ones. I'd like to believe that everyone will have their happy ending eventually, even if it's not in this life. But until then, it's much, much more than waiting.

If you've been there, tell me, what is it for you?

 

A Quarter Century

It's been kind of quiet around the blog lately (not many comments, either...hmm), but I've been busier than ever. Our 17 adorable nieces and nephews were visiting during the month of July (= 4+ weeks of partying and babysitting), and I recently celebrated my 25th birthday.  That's right, I've been around for a whole quarter century. 

Me, circa '89 (Photo by Phil Jenkins)

It's a little hard to know where I stand now at age 25. Am I where I want to be in life? Well, no, not really. I look around and see plenty of women my age with kindergartners, their own beautiful homes, successful side businesses, PhD's, etc...Part of me wishes I was one of those women, and I know I could've been, but life took a different direction for me, and although it might not have been what I had in mind, it's a direction that I'm mostly very pleased with. 

I took some time to record some of my experiences over the past 25 years, and to put in writing a few of my aspirations for the next 25. 

In looking back, I feel blessed. And in looking forward, I feel hopeful. I'm grateful for the support, love, friendship, and encouragement from so many of you, and the constant love of God through both pain and joy.

25 things I've done in 25 years (not necessarily in this order):

1. Lived in 6 different states
2. Moved 12 times
3. Read the Holy Bible (multiple times)
4. Read the Book of Mormon (multiple times)
5. Came to know Jesus Christ as my Redeemer
6. Left home and moved to the other side of the country
7. Got a scholarship and paid my own way through college
8. Graduated from college at age 20

9. Made life-long friends
10. Fell in love (twice)
11. Married the love of my life (once)
12. Made it to the holy temple
13. Made my first million
14. Spent my first million (mostly on education, including mine and my husband's)
15. Held 9 different jobs in marketing and public relations

16. Started freelancing as a publicist and independent consultant
17. Bought a car
18. Drove across the country (ocean to ocean, and border to border)
19. Built my full family pedigree 6 generations back
20. Taught Sunday School for 7 years
21. Got pregnant (twice)
22. Had not-so-minor surgery (twice)
23. Saw 6 different doctors for infertility
24. Overcame(/coming) recurrent pregnancy loss

25. Started a blog

25 Things to Do in the Next 25 Years (not necessarily in this order):

1. Become home owners
2. Buy a family vehicle
3. Pay off pharmacy school loans
4. Give birth (multiple times?)
5. Move again (multiple times?)
6. Own a dog
7. Settle down
8. Become a full-time mom
9. Watch my kids grow up (teenagers...I can't wait!)
10. Start a business with Ben
11. Go back to school and get at least a master's degree (I could've had a PhD already if I'd kept going...)
12. Plant a garden
13. Store a year's supply of food
14. Put away a million in savings
15. Visit Ukraine with Ben
16. Tour Europe
17. Go on a cruise
18. Adopt or become a foster parent
19. Invest in a few acres of land
20. Build up an extensive personal library
21. Plan for retirement
22. Prepare to serve a mission with Ben
23. Get wrinkly
24. Become a grandma (maybe?)
25. Stay as active and healthy as possible

The Definition of Insanity

And now, back to our regularly scheduled silliness...

I've never seen a positive pregnancy test...you know, those two pink lines that women always dream about (note, Baby #1 was confirmed with a blood test, and Baby #2 with an in-office test). I'd like to know what it feels like to watch that second line appear...to grab that test and reach for Ben to show him that we're going to be a family - that we beat the odds - instead of chucking it in the garbage and reaching for the chocolate.

It plays like a movie reel in my mind - test after test hitting the rim of the garbage can, making a depressing "thunk." And I'm strapped to a porcelain throne, forced to watch the same agonizing replay over and over. And one day I'm probably going to go absolutely, completely, out-of-mind insane. But today I'm going to laugh about it, because, well, I'm already going a little crazy (insert maniacal laugh and eye twitch here), and I'm tired of getting depressed over a stupid little plastic stick and one tiny pink line.

Also, because I've been reading up on Einstein, who was one pretty interesting guy, and I think he was spot-on. So now, thanks to Einstein, we all know the reason I might be going clinically insane. Diagnosis: infertility.

Silly Surgery Stories

Source: Pinterest

First of all, bragging rights...My company made it to the next round to compete for a national grant! Sincere thanks to everyone who responded to my request for votes.

Also, I've been meaning to share these silly stories from my surgery in May. I've written several blog posts over the past couple of months that I've yet to share, and which I hope to "release from the vault" soon, but here's one of them:

***

People do ridiculous things when they're drugged (which is one reason it's stupid to do drugs...just say no, people!). Fortunately, being drugged under medical supervision means the craziness can only go so far - not far enough to hurt yourself, but enough to make a fool of yourself...Case in point: my recent surgery.

What are your silly surgery stories? I'm sure some of you have much better ones than these.

***

As the nurses were wheeling me into the operating room, everything started to get a little...um...I guess "warped" is the best way to describe it. It was like watching a movie through a convex lens. I looked around and saw at least a dozen people decked in scrubs, hurrying around the room to get everything ready for the operation. They seemed to be occupied with something very, very important and urgent. It occurred to me that I was interrupting something...that I must be in the wrong room. I asked one of my nurses, "Is all this for ME?" She said, "Yes, sweetie, this is all for you." In my drugged-induced state of irrationality, I was shocked and touched. The emotion mixed with the drugs must've been too much for me, because at that moment I conked out. 

***

After I'd regained semi-consciousness, everything was still pretty confusing, and all I could really remember was all those people in the operating room. I kept asking Ben every few minutes, "Did I do a good job?" I wanted to make sure I didn't let those people down, I guess. I also kept asking Ben to kiss me... ;)

***  

When I was a little more coherent, I realized I was very nauseated. I asked the nurse for something to throw up in, and then she added some anti-nausea drugs to my IV. However, the side effect was that I became EXTREMELY drousy...I started to do that nod-head-jerk thing that happens when you're fighting to stay awake, and so my face kept falling into the bucket I was holding to throw up in. Then I started to throw up, but I wasn't throwing anything up...I was just belching huge amounts of air!

The nurse told me it must be from all the air they pumped into my abdomen during the laproscopy. "You looked like you were 10 months pregnant!" she said. Hm. Ironic. Anyway, picture me, pale as death and holding on to a bucket for dear life, my eyes rolling uncontrollably into the back of my skull, my head jerking up and down while releasing a series of loud, disgusting belches, over and over. Absolutely ridiculous. Ben said it was "cute." He rubbed my back during the whole ordeal, and now I know first-hand why that method's so effective for babies with stomach bubbles.

***

Somewhere in the middle of all this, I asked Ben to tell me how the surgery went, and so he explained what our doctor had told him about removing several polyps and spots of endometriosis. I was conscious, but for some reason it just didn't make any sense to me, and so I kept having to ask him to re-explain it. Seriously, it was a good week before my brain could hold onto the details and actually comprehend them. Meanwhile, Ben was very, very patient with me.

***

By the end of the week, we joked about how Ben was going to make such a great dad because he'd burped me, fed me, "changed" me (I hate that hospital underwear...women who've been through childbirth, I think you know what I mean), and rocked me to sleep. What a great dad--er--husband!

***

A couple of weeks later I saw an actual photograph that the doctor had taken of all the polyps he'd found in my uterus. They really did look those seaweed creatures from The Little Mermaid (as Ben originally thought).

***

Oh, and if I told you what the final hospital bill was, you'd think it was a hilarious joke, too. (Ben: "Honey, look, here's the bill!"... opens the bill..."$13,000!...Hahaha!" Me: "Hahaha, no, really what is it?"...I grab the bill...Wait, what, it's really $13,000? What the...?"...Well, thank goodness we already met our deductible due to Baby #2 in February.)

***

I know it's been a while, but I still need to thank all of the people who helped take care of me. My doctor and his nurse Mala were extremely helpful with preparing and explaining everything to me before, during, and after surgery - an experience that, sadly, is rare in our healthcare system. The nurses at Madison Memorial Hospital were amazingly compassionate and attentive. Believe it or not, they made staying in the hospital the best part of the whole ordeal (hence the enormous bill...?). 

Also, my mother-and-father-in-law made two trips - 20 miles each way - to pick me up after surgery (the first time they came I think I was still doing the drowsy head-bobbing thing), and then fed me and made me comfortable in their home until Ben was through with work. The day after my surgery, my best friend Jen let me stay at her house all day while Ben was at work, and took care of me even though she had just had major surgery the week before. Her husband Rich helped, too. And last, I was very grateful to my boss for understanding and giving me the time I needed to heal and get back to being 100%.

And I must say, it feels great to feel healthy again! I'm enjoying every moment without the pain, nausea, and hormonal highs and lows (mostly lows) that plagued me over the past couple of years. I don't think I realized how much it affected me until now, but I'm so grateful for everyone who helped me through it.

With family in town right now - nieces, nephews, sisters and brothers-in-law - I've realized what a miracle my life is. It's wonderful to be able to run and jump and play with all of the kids, and to be a part of a family (in-law) with so much love in it. I feel so blessed.

Anyway, do you have any surgery experiences to share? Good, bad, or funny?

Asking for Bragging Rights

Hello, everyone! Allow me to brag about my company a little. We're a small team, but we do big things, and I'm proud to be a part of it as my company's marketing director. My company, Home Care Pulse, is the first to set standards for home care. More and more, seniors are choosing to age in their own homes rather than in a nursing home or assisting living complex. Home care makes this choice possible, and, honestly, I hope I have that same choice in 50+ years (although, after hearing about SCOTUS today, I'm not sure what I can expect...).

But, how do you control the quality of care when the caregivers are in the home "unsupervised?" And how do you make sure that those caregivers are confident and competent in their jobs? How do you hold everyone accountable, not for regulation, but for the right reasons?

Well, that's where my company comes in. We monitor the quality of care for hundreds of home care providers all over North America. At our research center, we call individuals receiving care (clients), their families, and caregivers on a monthly basis, then report their feedback to supervisors. We report on trends, progress, and problem areas to help every provider improve and grow. Most importantly, we enhance the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of seniors who want to stay in their own homes, even after losing the ability to live independently. We're constantly humbled by the gratitude and compassion directed our way by those we've impacted.

Home Care Pulse also gathers national research on home care to identify "benchmarks" for home care businesses, like wages, costs, new specialty areas, and growth. We're leading the way for entrepreneurs to build successful home care businesses, which enhances their prosperity and quality of life not only for themselves, but also for their families and their employees. That's the vision of America!

Why am I telling you all of this? Because I really believe in my company, and I want you to know what I spend 80% of my time doing these days.

Also, I want you to believe in my company for at least 10 seconds (after the 180 seconds you took to read this), and vote for us RIGHT NOW! We're competing for a $250K grant, which we'll use to reach more providers in need of quality assurance. We need just a few more votes to get to the next round.

Go to www.missionsmallbusiness.com right now, click "Login & Support," use Facebook to login, then search "Home Care Pulse," and click "Vote." It takes 10 seconds, and, who knows, you could be helping your own grandma or elderly neighbor down the street!

If you're still reading, thank you for humoring me! I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to support me and my company.

Celebrating Four Functional Years

The other day a coworker of Ben's said she'd like to ask me what it's like to be a woman in a functional marriage, since she'd just been through a rough divorce. My heart went out to her, and immediately I was grateful for Ben. He's a big part of making our marriage "functional."

Then, a few days later, my cousin mentioned to me how it's interesting to see how different things work in different marriages. Some couples plan their week together. Some schedule time to talk. Some share a hobby they both enjoy. She wondered how to know what works for you, when you get so many different suggestions and ideas from other couples. A thought came to me that I shared with her: It's not so much what works for them or for you, it's the process of figuring it out. Sure, you might figure out "what works," and it might make your marriage easier, but it's never going to be a perfect solution. The important thing is that both of you are committed to figuring it out, and I think it's that process, not the end-solution, that brings you closer together.

I know this has been true in my own marriage. I feel closest to Ben when I see him making an effort to understand my needs, and when I try to understand his. Eventually, we'll come up with a solution, but again, it's the process that brings us together.

So here's my "four year" theory on maintaining a functional marriage, not because it's brilliant or earth-shattering, but because the question deserves an answer: A functional marriage requires both a husband and a wife to make each other's happiness their first priority. It's easy to let yourself come first, but that's just not what marriage is about. 

When you fall in love, your feelings are strong, but they're mostly about you: " I feel so happy," "I feel so good about myself," "I've never felt this way before," "I want to be with him/her all of the time!" It's good to have these feelings in marriage, too, but the longer you're together, the more you think about the other person, "I want to make you happy," "I want to take care of your needs," "I want you to feel loved," or "You don't listen," "You never take out the trash," "You make everything difficult."
 
I think the more you direct a positive, loving attitude toward each other and try to meet each other's needs - physically, emotionally, financially, etc. - the more functional your marriage will be, and you'll actually be happier and more content than if you put your own needs first. As they always say, it's not easy - especially when kids come along - and it takes an effort on both parts, but if you're both committed to the life-long process of "figuring out what works," your marriage will grow stronger and stronger, even when life gets harder and harder.

Well, I'm sure this perspective will never make it into a magazine or anything, but I hope it will make a difference to someone, somewhere today, especially if that someone is my husband, Ben, on our four year anniversary today! I hope he knows how much I appreciate him. In his own words (from a text I received last night):

"4 years down, 4 ever to go. I am so excited to spend it with you."

 

The Upside of Infertility

"Mom, where do babies come from?" 

It's a question most parents dread. Fortunately, for couples like us, the answer is much simpler:

"Well, the doctor, of course!"  

Or for adopting couples, the answer might be:

"That big office building across town" 

"Arkansas"

"China"

"The Internet"

Where else would babies come from...for couples like us? Really, it's not much different than the "stork" story. If only it actually happened that easily. At least it's easier to explain to a child how babies come from the doctor than to explain "the birds and the bees." No need for any awkward hesitation or beating around the bush...Oh, don't you envy us now? :)

Well, in case you're wondering exactly where babies do come from for people like us, here's one mom's explanation from Still Standing Magazine at http://stillstandingmag.com/2012/06/the-talk/. I'd have to say, this is the condensed version (the real story takes months and years, and more than a couple of awkward doctors visits, shots in the rear, and hormonal freak-outs)...But, it's so true, I can't help laughing!

"...When two people really love each other, they get in the care, drive down to the clinic, and meet with a nice doctor to discuss their options. The doctor will then take the woman into a room with several students awkwardly watching, and use a large magic wand to look inside her belly, while the man tries not to pass out from embarrassment. Later, the man will be given a large plastic cup and told to go to a room at the end of the hall...While she is waiting for [the man] to finish, the woman gets the joy of reading as many out of date magazines as she wants in the waiting room. After that, every day at the same time, the man will show the woman how much he loves her by shooting her in the rear with a large needle...and the woman will try not to [go absolutely crazy and bite his head off for every little thing]...A few months later, when her rear end is black and blue, her ovaries are the size of grapefruits, and her arms are covered in enough track marks from the daily blood draws to warrant an intervention, the man and women will get back in the car, drive to the clinic, and see the nice doctor with a magic wand who will put a baby into her belly, making her a mommy...

"And that is where babies come from."