April 21-27 is National Infertility Awareness Week, I know so many friends and family that have heartbreakingly struggled with infertility and loss. As a newborn photographer in Charlotte NC I have met so many young families who have stories of to share.  These stories, these memories deserve to be honored.  So with that I bring you baby Phoenix.

Below Phoenix's mom shares her account of how her little rainbow came to be, starting with a literal  whirlwind engagement. 

"Where to begin. Kyle an I have been best friends for about three years. Within the last year we have had a handful of changes. When he had become single again we realized wow we are perfect for each other. Friendship quickly changed to relationship. Then within months we were engaged. Everything was going so great. Then we found out his ex was pregnant. Wow! All I could think was were do you go from here. Do you continue or do you stop right now. Obviously I chose love. We went on vacation to Florida where he got on one knee after skydiving. I was in a whole new world now. I was going to be a wife and had to be supportive of this child coming into our life. Well that wasn’t the first surprise. A few weeks after getting back from Florida we discovered I had gotten pregnant. Everything I ever wanted was happening! That happiness soon followed with sadness. One morning I woke up an had discovered I had begun bleeding. We rushed to the hospital to find that we had miscarried. Our world was crashing. We had just picked a name the night. About five weeks later we discovered we had became pregnant again. We got our rainbow fairly quickly. November 17,2018 we introduced his sister to the world. March 8, 2019 our peace finally came. Come May 12,2019 we finally get to get married an I marry my best friend. Life happens. Its about how you handle it. Our Rainbow came out of the ashes."  

Trisha continued to share that during twenty hours or labor her rainbow baby got stuck in the birthing canal. He wasn't breathing for seven long minutes. Seven of the longest minutes of their lives but their little fighter pulled through.

And so they named him Phoenix.

1 in 8 struggle with infertility

1 in 4 have suffered a loss

You CAN be brave, strong, broken and the happiest you have ever felt, all at the same time. Life doesn't alway go as scripted, beauty can rise from the ashes. Keep hope.