Originally posted January 21 2020
I have always wanted to be a mom. I started working with kids as soon as I was old enough to do so. I babysat then nannied. I went to school to work in daycare then went back to school to work in group homes and with child welfare. I even trained as a doula and provided support though the birthing process and postnatally.
Finally we felt we were ready to try for a tiny human. We were excited and thought it would be a short journey. We were oh so very wrong.
The next 10 years consisted of continual tests, monitoring and surgical procedures. As I laid there in the hospital after yet another procedure, to try and clean up the mess of scar tissue and cysts in my abdomen, the nurse came in. She asked how I was feeling, where it hurt, and checked my blood pressure and oxygen level. ” The Dr will be in shortly to speak to you about your surgery” and she walked out.
It was not till over an hour later that Dr. Brown was able to come in and talk to me. When he did make it in he explained to me that what started as a surgery with 4 small incisions ended as a full c-section style incision and the inability to remove enough scar tissue to help my secondary infertility diagnosis.
“Monique there is so much scarring we can not even see your fallopian tube to try and clear it, I am so sorry. I think it best we refer you for IVF.”
My heart hit the floor along with my stomach. Tears streamed down my face as I tried to control my emotions. I swallowed them and became numb and determined. Four years, 3 abdominal egg retrievals, 7 rounds of IVF, an egg donor and a surrogate and we finally had our little miracle. Our little man is amazing. He is smart and sensitive like his daddy. Emotional and kind like his mama. He is 5 years old now and the the driving force in our lives. They say it takes a village to raise a child? It took a village to create ours and it was so worth all the joy he has brought us.
While working as a doula I had many parents looking for something more than just a memory or photo of a birth, a loss, a surrogacy or breastfeeding journey. I felt it also plausible for a first hair cut, a parent or pet who has passed on…this is how in 2012 A Mother’s Blessed Keepsakes was born (In the beginning it was Blessed Grove Keepsakes though).
Owning and operating my own business gives me the heartwarming experience of working individually with each customer to create one of a kind unique treasures. Currently I craft each and every one of these pieces in our home surrounded by my family. I love that I can transform a DNA inclusion into a tangible memory. My pieces help bring peace and solidity to personal bonds, experiences and feelings.
I spent years experimenting and figuring out how to create the breastmilk keepsakes. I wanted to ensure that my method would not deteriorate or discolour over time. What’s so thrilling is that every drop of breastmilk is singularly unique in it’s color. It can vary from a creamy yellow to pearly white, from opaque to translucent.Creating breastmilk and life element jewelry is a passion of mine and I am so excited to share it with you! What I do is create a lasting tangible memory of this unique journey.
So that’s how it all started!
A Mother's Blessed Keepsakes 