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Show & Tell: Europe as a fertility consolation prize

We underwent IVF while living in Syria one spring many years ago. If I were to become pregnant, I was to spend Spring Break staying at our flat in northern Syria near the Turkish border.

I was not altogether pleased about this news from our fertility clinic. Our time in the Middle East was nearing its end, and I wanted to eke out all the gallivanting I could while living on that side of the globe.

So I set it up in my mind that if the transfer didn’t work, at least I could have a vacation.

Maybe I subconsciously sabotaged my chances. We ended up spending that week in Vienna, Prague and Budapest. Just the two of us. And I enjoyed myself to no end. In a fit of escapism, I took a full-stop break from IF hell.

I was reminded of my consolation prize during last week’s Show and Tell, when I saw a familiar-looking bridge at Baby Smiling. She, too, had a fertility-related memory at the Chain Bridge that connects Buda and Pest in Hungary. So I bring to you a photo I took that April, as a complement to hers.

(I am excited to report that she is sending me a lovely work of art, thanks to our shared bridge.)


Maybe Baby Smiling will bring her children to this bridge one day. Maybe I will, too.

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More Show & Tell at Mel‘s

12 Responses

  1. What a great photo and what a great prize you gave yourself! I love hearing about your travels….

  2. My mother has a great European consolation prize story that I need to write out one day (rather than take over your comment section).It’s a gorgeous photo.

  3. Congrats, Lori! Your photo from the castle above the bridge by day has such a different perspective than mine from almost under the bridge by night. I love it.Hope you enjoy your prize. 🙂

  4. I love that you were able to give this to yourself and really soak it in. What a beautiful picture.

  5. what a lovely photo and what a great consolation prize – the things we do to try and convince ourselves that it’s alright really!! 😉

  6. Wonderful picture of the bridge! Would love to see it in person one day…Thanks for sharing!

  7. I’d bet money you loved Prague as much as I did – one of my favorite cities in the world. As for booby prizes, I’ve had many of them and am planning more;-)

  8. It’s sometimes so unexpected that we can step away from IF for a moment and find rewards in life. This is beautiful. I look forward to being a new ‘lurker’. 🙂

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