The 12 babies in the 2008 My Little Miracle Essay Contest confirm that the mothers in these stories made the successful journey from here to maternity, thanks to Ferring fertility drugs. One Grand Prize Winner, one Runner-Up Winner, and ten Honorable Mention Winners shared $17,500 toward their children’s education.

“Seeking Joy”
The Braunschweig family and their little miracle, Ella; Delano, MN

“The fall of 1991 was the best time of my life. I was off on my first real adventure…college. I was accepted into the College of Engineering at Iowa State University and couldn’t wait to spread my wings and fly. I was born and raised in a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota and decided that ISU was just the place for me to start my adult life.”

Read the Braunschweig’s story

“A Modern Day Miracle: My Daughter, Reece Elizabeth”
The Crider family and their little miracle, Reece; Jacksonville, FL

“Our journey to parenthood has been a life-changing experience and one we will never take for granted. With the support of our family, my amazing doctor, a very special nurse, our increasing faith and new pharmaceuticals, we have experienced, in all regards, a modern day miracle.”

Read the Crider’s story

Journey, Here and Now
The Bechtel family and their little miracles, Grace, Kate, and Emerson; Lake Mills, IA
“It all started in May of 2005, when we went off birth control in the hopes that it would just happen!! After a year of trying and many becoming pregnant all around me, we still were not pregnant. So, this is where our journey began. We did about six months of Clomid and testing to declare that we fell into a very small percentage of couples who have unexplained infertility. Neither one of us had anything that was a medical red flag. As the months passed and we were still not pregnant, I felt that we would never become parents.”

In the End
The Bennett family and their little miracle, Isaac; Palm Desert, CA
“I remember every detail of that first time my stomach turned, hearing the 'wonderful' news of another woman expecting. To this day, I still feel guilty about my visceral response, and am certain my sister-in-law has no clue how her swollen belly tortured me.”

Journey to Jillian
The Demille-Cynar family and their little miracle, Jillian; Massapequa, NY
“My journey with infertility began in the spring of 2005. When my OB/GYN referred me to East Coast Fertility and Dr. David Kreiner, I was devastated. I felt like there was something wrong with me because even though I had PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), I was diagnosed with 'unexplained infertility.' I wondered 'If they don’t know what’s wrong, how can they treat it?'”

Enjoy the Journey
The Domasin family and their little miracle, Noah; Trabuco Canyon, CA
“I remember vividly the three days after having in vitro fertilization that I was required to be at home on strict bed rest. My Mom and niece took such good care of me, making sure I didn’t get out of bed for anything. It was such a time of hope and joy, as I was one of the few members of a very large family who had yet to have a child.”

No Greater Blessing
The Eull family and their little miracle, Maxwell; St. Michael, MN
“I was a seemingly healthy, happy 24-year-old newlywed when my journey with infertility began. My husband and I, eager to fulfill our dream of building a family together, decided to try for children immediately after we said, 'I Do.'”

If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now
The Freeman family and their little miracle, Jacob; Bridgeport, WV
“If I had only known eight years ago when I first got married how difficult it was going to be to conceive, I would have begun our journey a little sooner. My hopes and dreams of becoming a mother began at a very young age.”

Creating a Mother: A Despairing Journey
The Payez family and their little miracles, Madyson and Savannah; Clarksburg, WV
“After marrying the love of my life and spending a year together, we were so excited to be at the point in our lives where we could start a family of our own. What should have been the most exciting time in my life quickly became the most difficult.”

Miracles Come True With Menopur
The Principe family and their little miracle, Cole; Brea, CA
“Have you ever wanted anything so bad that it hurt, only to find out that you might not ever be able to get it? The pain is excruciating.”

Saved By In Vitro Fertilization
The Schneider family and their little miracle, Hazel; Ramsey, MN
“My name is Anita, and I would like to share with you the story of my husband, James, and my journey into parenthood. I can only hope that by sharing my story, I can reach a couple out there beginning their struggle with conception to show you that there is always hope, no matter what the situation. There is always a way, and the journey there will bring you closer as a couple and make you grateful as parents.”

If I Knew Then What I Know Now
The Williamson family and their little miracles, Kiera and Kasey; Osceola, WI
“We are a happy family of four and I feel like the luckiest mom in the world. We don’t know why we were unable to conceive naturally, but my life has been enriched, blessed and turned around through our experience. Parenthood is a journey, and I’ve learned that every day we try to teach and nurture our kids, but somehow they too, teach and nurture us.”

Read the essays from past winners:
2007 Winners
2006 Winners
2005 Winners
2004 Grand Prize Winner