Sadie and Jarvis Sampson tried for years to have a baby, using every method they could think of. They eventually accepted that they might only ever be an aunt and uncle. Then, one day, they got a text that changed their lives completely.
The couple had been trying to get pregnant since they got married in January 2018, but when it didn’t happen on its own, they tried everything else.
“We used ovulation tests, took prenatal vitamins, tracked cycles with apps, and used fertility monitors,” the Houston mom told Love What Matters.
“We even tried advice from friends, family, and strangers. For 14 months, we tried, prayed, and waited. Month after month, it was always a negative pregnancy test. It seemed like we might need help to conceive, so we even talked to doctors about it.”
Doctors didn’t offer much help to the couple. They mostly told Sadie to lose weight to improve her chances of getting pregnant. With no other advice, she had gastric surgery and lost 28 pounds.
Sadie’s OBGYN was excited about the weight loss and praised her for it.
“She told me that if I wasn’t pregnant within six months, she would refer me to a fertility specialist because she couldn’t prescribe fertility medication herself,” Sadie said. “I was thrilled! We finally got a positive step forward, even if it wasn’t immediate. We were excited about the progress.”
Unfortunately, the couple didn’t get pregnant after Sadie lost the weight, and they felt like they were back where they started.
“I always felt like I was meant to be a mother,” Sadie said. “Even though my surgeon warned me that I’d be very fertile after the surgery, I still wasn’t getting pregnant. So, we gave up and accepted that we might just be aunt and uncle to our nieces and godparents to our goddaughters.”
Just when the couple had decided to stop trying to have a baby, Sadie got a text from a friend asking if they would think about fostering a baby from a couple she knew.
At first, the couple was hesitant because they were told by a caseworker to take care of the baby while the birth mom was getting treatment. They worried they might get too attached. But then, the situation changed.
“The birth mom has decided she wants you to adopt the baby instead,” the caseworker said.
Sadie remembered saying, “‘Holy crap!!’ out loud when she found out she was going to be a mom.
“We went from having no kids to possibly fostering one, to suddenly being told, ‘You’re going to be parents!’ I was still in shock as I listened to the caseworker. I hung up and called my husband, shouting, ‘Babe!! They want us to adopt the baby! We’re going to be parents!’ He said, ‘Wait! REALLY?! I thought they just wanted us to foster him!’ I told him, ‘Nope! They want us to be his mom and dad.’”
The couple spent the weekend trying to take in the shocking news and getting ready, just in case the birth mom changed her mind.
By Monday, they were not only told that the birth mom still wanted them to adopt the baby, but she also wanted to do an independent adoption and was ready to sign the papers that day.
Their baby boy was born at just 33 weeks, which is seven weeks early. He weighed 4 lbs. 5 oz. “He was so tiny, he literally fit in one of my husband’s hands,” Sadie wrote.
“He was wrapped in a white blanket with pink and blue stripes,” Sadie said. “He had a small tube coming out of his nose because he couldn’t eat on his own since he was born early. But he was so cute!!!”
The couple shared their news on social media and were encouraged to create a registry. They listed 72 items, and within just three days, 55 of them were already bought for them.
Ezra Lee’s adoption was finalized in October 2020, and the couple had adorable family photos taken, all wearing t-shirts that said, “Families don’t have to match.”
In 2021, Sadie and Jarvis became parents to twin girls, Journee and Destinee, through embryo donation. True to their family motto, “Families don’t have to match,” the Black couple now has three white children – a boy and two girls.
For anyone who might judge their beautiful family, they have just one response: their family is built on the strongest foundation ever – love.
Helen Mirren debuts shocking new hairstyle at Cannes Film Festival at 77 years old
Oscar winning actress Helen Mirren attended Jeanne du Barry premiere during Cannes Film Festival opening night and stunned everyone with her new looks.
Once again, the 77-year-old actress, who has given the world of film so much over the years, showed her unique sense of style when she decided to dye her hair blue for the occassion.
The color of her hair, which is usually grey as she embraces her natural looks, matched her outfit, a gorgeous gown designed by Daniel Del Core.
Mirren swept her newly dyed locks high into a Marie Antoinette style Pouf. She did this to match the movie’s French historic theme. The Queen star accessorized her outfit with a silver choker and a fan that had “#WorthIt” written on it, a nod to her role as a L’Oreal ambassador.
Many agree that the actress managed to outdo herself once again with her splendid and glamorous looks that made her appear as though she came right out of a fairytale.
Mirren’s stylist, Lee Harris, who shared a photo of the actress’ new look, wrote, “She knows how to make an entrance,” and we can’t agree more.
Back in 2019, Mirren attracted attention when she appeared with her hair pinkish.
Last year, again for the Cannes Film Festival, she donned extra-long white hair extensions and heavy eyeliner for a screening of the movie Mother And Son (Un Petit Frere).
Back then, she opted for a beaded silver gown and danced alongside actor Andie MacDowell.
In 2021, the actress told Vogue that going gray wasn’t a difficult transition for her. “I have to say it was very easy for me because my hair was always blonde. I was a natural blonde and although it was quite dark at times, in the summertime when I’d spent time in the sun, it would basically go white,” she said. “So the process of me losing the color of my hair was very easy—it just looked more and more as if I had been in the sun, but year-round.”
One thing is certain, Mirren does follow the fashion trends and always looks spectacular.
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