Life After Loss
Category: Uncategorized
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November 30, 2025 For those who have been walking beside us, or quietly following our journey—thank you. Sharing pieces of our IVF story and our grief isn’t easy, but writing helps me make sense of it all. It helps me honor Jack, remember our why, and stay connected through the hardest chapters. If you’re here…
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October 3, 2025 It’s been six months since our sweet Jack met Jesus, and not a single day has passed without the ache of missing him. Life hasn’t been what it was supposed to be. Every day feels just a little off—a little emptier. Your big sister talks about you constantly, and your dad and…
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One week of IVF.One week of medications, injections, and carefully mixing vials of pharmaceuticals at my kitchen counter. One week of cautious optimism, anxiety, doubt, prayer, and quiet hope — all tangled together with a flicker of belief that maybe, just maybe, this could work. The world of IVF isn’t talked about enough. The financial…
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This morning at 6:00 AM marked the start of our IVF injections — a step that once felt so far away but came rushing in like a speeding train. Learning how to mix and inject medication was one of my biggest worries. Honestly, I don’t feel qualified to administer medication — especially $5,000 worth 😳.…
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September 7, 2025 Today marks the official start of our IVF journey. This morning, I took my first birth control pill — which, I know, sounds strange. But it’s a necessary part of the process. The pill helps prevent any dominant follicles from taking the lead so that all my follicles can grow in sync,…
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September 2, 2025 Yes, we’re pursuing IVF to hopefully overcome a serious genetic illness and conceive a healthy baby. That’s what most people see. What many don’t know is that we also don’t have a choice not to. A part of my story I’ve kept quieter is the decision I made during my C-section with…
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August 29, 2025 You don’t know what you don’t know—until you’re living it. Five months ago, I was deep in grief. Now, I’m entering the whirlwind of IVF, and it feels like getting hit with a double dose of emotional and mental overload. To be honest, I think an IVF cycle should officially count as…
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August 26, 2025 We are the Pettinatos—Kristen and Jared. I am a first-grade teacher in Mesa, Arizona, and Jared serves as Creative Director at our home church, Echoes Church. Our story began as high school sweethearts, and 17 years later—12 of them married—we continue to walk side by side through both the joys and heartaches…
Life After Loss 