Here they are!!!

Out of 6 eggs, 5 eggs fertilized into Embryos.

“A” was the best of embies. It was 6 celled. “B” and “C” were both 4 celled.

The other two below them had begun to “fragment,” as the doctor put it. This doesnt mean they wont develop. There is just a lower chance.

The doctor gave my IP’s a choice. Implant A, B & C and let the other 2 grow for 2 more days and see if they survive. If they look ok, they could freeze them for a sibling in the future.

OR

Implant all 5 and see what happens.

Some of you may gasp at the thought of all 5, but I have always been the type of girl that puts 100% faith in the doctor (if he’s good, and this guy is GOOD!)

After discussing it, my IP’s decided to just implant the 3 better looking embies and let the other two do their thing for a few days.

Apparently this is on of the best ultrasound pictures most of the nurses had ever seen. They were all commenting to us about how perfect it is.

On the screen you could see the three little dots a little clearer. It is AMAZING to see them sitting there, getting comfy.

I am feeling calm and collected. I am not nervous, or doubtful. I KNOW I’m pregnant. I KNOW these little guys are going to nestle right in and get to work. I just cant WAIT to see how many stick around.

I wonder what kind of food they like?? Maybe I should go have something they’ll like so they decide to hang around with me for another 9 and a half months! :)

Today I am on “bedrest.” Which this doctor takes VERY loosely. Basically he’d prefer if I didn’t go run a marathon. He assures me that “they arent going to just fall out.” So I’m holding on to that truth today.

I get 12 days off from doctors appts, That’s a BIG deal at this point and a VERY welcomed vacation.

My next appt is August 8th. They’ll take blood work and determine the level of HCG in my blood. At that point they’ll know that I’m offically pregnant. (But we already know that, right?) :)

Good thoughts and prayers appreciated for the next 2 weeks, for sticky, strong babies!! (Oh yes, I most certainly did says babIES!!) :)

It’s funny how the day I received that GIANT box of medication, it felt like Christmas.

Last night was my very last Lupron (Tummy Shot). I have officially ended the era of everyday shots.

Just as soon as it started, it was over.

*THIS medication may be over, but I still have once every 3 days Estrogen shots to my butt, 3x a day estro pills, 3x a day progest suppositories, 3x a day progest lozenges, and a bunch of other pills that I’m not sure what to do with yet…. This is just the FIRST to end..

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My IM had her egg retrieval this morning. I was on pins and needles all morning until I heard from her.
While it’s a fairly easy and uncomplicated procedure, there is always a chance of complication.

She was a champ. She feels better than she ever has after an egg retrieval and is resting comfortably.

The doctor hoped to get a BUNCH of eggs from her. Some for this time and some to freeze for a little baby brother or sister down the road.

He was able to retrieve 6. He was disappointed. I am THRILLED. 6 sounds like a fantastic number to me.

Tonight they fertilize, and we’ll have a fertilzation report in the morning.

I am wracked with nervousness. But my mind is so positive. I am hopeful we’ll hear that all or most fertilized and are doing well.

Maybe I’m not nervous. I haven’t been nervous during these last stages of the process. Maybe nervous isn’t the right word.

I am confident everything will be great, but I am filled with anticipation of the news.

Anticipation. Not nervousness.

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The first night back from Minnesota, I crawled in my bed and it felt foreign.

I woke up in the middle of the night still half in dream land and had some bizarre thoughts about how the blankets were squishing me and my legs didn’t have enough room between the mattress and blankets. (My body takes this preparing for pregnancy thing SERIOUSLY. (Says the girl who ate almost an entire box of HoHo’s before realizing what was going on.))

I have slept 3 nights in my bed.

Last night finally felt normal, and comfortable and like home.

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I’m packing tonight to leave for LA.

Am I allowed to say that I REALLY need this vacation?

Afterall, this will be my 3rd visit to LA in 8 weeks. Not to mention the week I just spent in the midwest.

But, I need this vacation.

We’re making the most out of it.

We rented a car, we bought tickets to Universal Studios and we packed extra comfy pjs for bedrest.

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IM’s eggs were retrieved and fertilized today.

Tomorrow we will have a fertilization report.

Monday morning I will receive a call to tell me if the transfer will happen then (a 3 day transfer)

or if we will do a 5 day transfer on Wednesday.

I am hopeful. I am excited. I am not the least bit scared or nervous.

I am so excited to see my IP’s again.

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I cant wait to get to this hotel, and to meet my surro sister who will either be transferring the day after or the day before me.

I cant wait to start this journey with her.

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Will you continue to keep (mostly) my IM in your thoughts and prayers. This will be a hard time for her and I need her to remain positive and hopeful. I pray a lot of peace and comfort to be with her.  I hope you’ll join me.

And of course, me and our sticky eggs.. We could use all the good thoughts and prayers you can spare..

“Congratulations on your successful match meeting”

The email subject was all I needed.

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We made the most of our short trip to LA and had a whole day to ourselves to explore.

We weighed our options (and the cab ride prices) and decided to hit Santa Monica pier. To spend the day on the beach, just the two of us. It was such a great day (even if we though we were soaked to our knees and had shoes full of sand)

After a few (sunblockless) hours we headed back to our home sweet home to wait for more news and our next step..

But first.. I had to survive the flight…

Sunburned.. Terrified and still on a high from our match meeting and day at the beach..

We knew this part of the journey can be where things REALLLLLY slow down. Patients is not a virtue I posses so I wasn’t looking forward to this phase.

I was thankful my IM (intended mother) had a short window to make this all happen, we both played “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” card and got things moving WAY faster than I think they would have.

Lawyers were contacted, Contracts were drafted, signed and cosigned.

Then… It arrived..

(Giant box of medication)                                                    (all of my medication organized)

Getting that box of medication was like Christmas. It was SO real at that point. I emailed my IM something like “HOLY CRAP!” (except not really, but I was thinking it..)  Some of my favorite Surro sisters helped me with some ideas on how organize everything and get it all ready.

I started my medication last Thursday. I also have an ultrasound and blood work EVERY WEEK! Basically I am one giant pin cushion right now. But oh my, it’s SOOO worth it.

(That is NOT a muffin top, nor is that a stretch mark. Just so we’re clear!)

Every shot, every pill, every (internal!) ultrasound gets me closer to helping this family I love so much. There is nothing I’d rather be doing..

July 25th.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers…

We took our seats in 24D and 24E. My nerves are through the roof. I (suddenly) hate flying. I am so terrified of everything about it. Aaron tries to make small talk with me to take my mind off of it. (Even though it doesnt work.) I nervously look down at my fingernails. He lowers his head too.

“You hate it, don’t you,” I asked him refering the grey fingernails I had just painted the night before to match my flyaway cardigan.

“Yea, kinda. But they match your sweater,” He replies honestly. At least he noticed…

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LA was just as beautiful as the last time we were there (EXACTLY A MONTH AGO!) (We were becoming quite the LA adventurers!)

I was N-E-R-V-O-U-S!!!

I smiled (inappropriately) at EVERY couple that looked like they could have been my IP’s. My BIGGEST fear was running into them before I “officially” met them. What if they saw me yelling at Aaron, or freaking out over my hair, or picking a wedgie or something??

I was TERRIFIED of running into them. So I was on my best behavior. (some of my surro friends have told me this is a VERY common fear, so I dont feel as weird about it now!)

We arrived at the office, and again.. I paniced.

I slowly cracked open the door of the HUGE building, peeked around to see if I could see anyone that “might be them.” I couldnt, so I RAN to the elevator. How embarrassing would it be to ride on the elevator with them before you knew you were there to meet each other? I pushed the button and quickly the close door button. My hands were sweating. I was just smiling at Aaron, hoping he could say something to make everything ok. He tried.

When the elevator arrived at the floor, I made him get out and go look for them. When he reported the coast was clear I ran to the door of the agency. Now my fear turned to sitting in the waiting room when they walked in. How would I know if it was REALLLY them, or just another co0uple that looked like them?

We waited… and waited and waited..

Before someone came out to tell us our appt wasn’t for another hour. ANOTHER HOUR OF THIS????

But we made the best of it and did the tourist thing around the area. And we had A LOT of fun!

When we returned we found our IP’s were in the room waiting for us and getting “briefed”

(Bring on the NERVES)

There were only two questions I really wanted to ask during this meeting..

1) if they were Christian. (Not that it mattered ONE BIT to me, but I was simple curious if they would be offended if I mentioned how much I pray from them (every.day) Really I guess the question should have been “Would you be offended if I mentioned that I pray for you?” That’s WAY more PC!)

2) If I could blog about my experience (In case you were wondering, the answer was YES, but with some anonymity. I will not mention their names, their occupation or where they live. This will be a chronicle of the pregnancy and the process. Not to many things will be told about their family.)

As we walked into the room, my nerves didn’t come with me. It was amazing. I saw her sitting there and just like a cheesy movie, it was like no one else was in the room.

I will admit, one of the first things I noticed was that she was wearing almost the same cardigan as me. :)

Our meeting went great, we both smiled an inappropriate amount of times! We both stared at each other and it was fantastic!!!!

I was SO glad they agreed to go to lunch with us, That’s when the conversation got real. It’s amazing how this situation really opens you up. We went from meeting less than an hour ago to already starting to get our periods synced up. The poor guys sitting at the lunch table that had to listen to us discuss when our last periods were!

She stopped me on our walk to lunch, the guys continued infront of us. She told me how grateful she and her family were for what I was doing. How her mom had asked her to tell me thank you.

All I wanted to do was tell her thank you back. It crazy to me how they feel like I am doing this HUGE thing for them, but I feel like they are doing a HUGE thing for me. Trusting someone to carry your child is not an easy feat. I am so thankful for them..

Protcol is that we had 24 hours to respond to the agency to tell them yay or nay. The SECOND we hugged goodbye and got in our  respective cars I sent the email, “YES,  I love her SO much and they are SO perfect for us.”

I secretly hoped she did the same.

We arrived back at the hotel and I laid on the bed replaying everything from the day, my phone chimed. It was her, sending me and email telling me how great it was to meet us. My heart fluttered and I knew THIS WAS IT!!!

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As we sat in silence all devouring our lunch Aaron looked down at her hands, I followed his eyes. We turned to each other and smiled. Her nails were painted a perfect shade of grey that matched her cardigan perfectly…