Hi! I’m Risa Kerslake, a freelance writer, nurse, and Midwesterner. Former infertile. World’s okayest mom of three.
Many years ago (12, actually) I started a blog documenting my infertility, Who Shot Down My Stork?
5 IVFs later (along with three IUIs, countless rounds of medicated cycles, and two miscarriages, our first daughter was born. And then four years later, after another miscarriage and two more IVFs, our second came into the world.
And then life is weird sometimes, and three years after we said goodbye to fertility treatments, $50,000 in loans, and rough pregnancies, I found out I was pregnant again, successfully becoming one of “those people.” You know the ones. The ones who go through fertility treatments and then relax and get pregnant on their own. Yes, that was me.
I have three kids who I love with all my heart, but I also have anxiety, occasional depression, chronic health issues because of pregnancy complications, a small business, and did I say I have three kids? Besides a very good therapist, blogging is also how I manage the chaos in my life, though lately that’s been on the back burner as well.
When I took to freelance writing full time, I started feeling a little awkward about having my personal blog on my website where I housed my portfolio and client testimonials (because nothing screams professional like an editor clicking on your blog and reading all about your vagina).
So at the end of 2023, I bought a new website, split my business and play into separate sites, and Counting Stars was born. Read more about the title of this blog here.
Here, you’ll find posts about my kiddos (because a baby book’s got nothing on a blog you’ve kept for over a decade), life updates, occasional musings, and my freelance quarterly updates and business rundowns. I also have a newsletter that I suck at sending out consistently, but hey, I never said I was a writer who actually prioritized writing.
What this blog isn’t: An infertility blog. I know 90% of the people who followed my blog either were infertile themselves or wanted to follow along on my journey. But the truth is, I don’t feel like I belong in that world anymore. I haven’t done a treatment since 2018, I have three kids, and honestly? I don’t think I technically classify anymore as infertile. I mean, I got pregnant on my own. That has to somehow exclude me from the Infertility Club.
I’ve been married to the World’s Greatest Husband for almost 20 years, grieving the loss of the World’s Best Dog of 14 years, and love crocheting, reading, and eating chips and dip.
Welcome to my blog. Sorry about all the swearing.