Husband and wife bloggers Spencer and Whitney Blake are getting a lot of attention lately over a series of spoofs of typical pregnancy announcements they’ve published on their blog, On an Adventure.
The couple were diagnosed with “unexplained fertility” in 2011 and their posts feature an infertile versions of the common pregnancy announcements.
Spencer said they got a lot of positive feedback from their first photo: a take on the “bun in the oven” announcement.
“Someone on Facebook messaged me and said, ‘Thank you so much for letting me know I’m not alone,’ ” Spencer told PEOPLE. “And that’s why we decided to do this in the first place.”
Indeed, infertility is often not spoken about in “polite company” and people generally shy away from discussing it, even after they discover a family member or friend is dealing with it. After their infertility diagnosis, the Blakes adopted a son in 2012 and another in 2014.
“In a way, we have a great appreciation for infertility,”Whitney added. “We’ll never love infertility, obviously, but we are grateful for the way it shaped our family story. If it weren’t for infertility, we wouldn’t have found our boys. We love them so dearly and our family turned out the way it was supposed to.”
They are hoping the viral popularity of the photos will spark more dialogue and lead to more openness about infertility.
“If someone opens up to you about their infertility issues, be there for them!” Spencer said. “Acknowledgement is key, when someone shows they care, it really means the world.”
Photos Courtesy Whitney and Spencer Blake, On an Adventure