Finally got the Codes!

So I have told you that our surrogate has a blood issue that needs special testing before we can transfer these embryos into her uterus. If everything is not just right- she could attack the babies in utero causing major damage to her and the babies. So believe me, we have consulting with maternal/fetal medicine guys and countless doctors and labs trying to get the right test codes to get these tests ordered. Th e bio parents of the embryos are being wonderful!!! She and I talk daily and I am sooooo blessed to have a woman like this in my life who not only is donating her precious embryos to us to raise but is going out of her way to do this blood testing to help us be successful in this surrogacy!!! I am so thankful to you J!!! So the nurse from her clinic called me today and we discussed all the testing and FINALLY were able to get the correct codes in order to get her and her hubby tested!!!! This may not seem like a big deal to any of you reading this but let me tell you, it is HUGE HURDLE!!!! I am not even entertaining the idea that any of this blood work will come back any thing less than perfect. God is in control of all of this and has orchestrated it all, and He is not worried, so neither am I. And finally tonight is our monthly RESOLVE meeting- for infertile women. I am so excited to see them again- I truly miss them when we don't get together for awhile! Tonight we have a speaker, who is a woman's counselor on infertility and woman's issues. She is actually the same lady that did me and Sweetness' psych eval last week! So funny! Thanks for all the prayers and things are coming together!! PS- Tammy - I am praying for you sweetie- Friday is going to be the start of a wonderful pregnancy!!! Love you!

This is a lot of work!

Wow! I think we are doing things THE most complicated way possible to have a baby!!! We are using a surrogate (with a blood issue), using donor embryos from another state, and adopting them at the end. That folks is ALOT if legal paperwork!!! I feel like I have done most everything I can do at this point, but now we are waiting on these blood tests to beorered to be sure the embryos are compatible with my surrogate's blood issue. My nurse at my clinic is on vacation this week- and the clinic where the embryos are stored need to speak to her. Ugh nothing is easy when you are not there ans can not just do it yourself!!! I am trying to realx and trust that this will all come together. After all we have accomplished a LOT! -We got our homestudy done and approved, - we got the surrogacy contract written by our attorney and signed and notarized by all parties, - we got our psych eval done, - we got the embryos being shipped soon, - surrogate got her blood drawn for STD panel and Ive got the other contracts for termination of parental rights all ready. But I just wish this did not take sooooooo long! Patience......... just relax, god will work all this out! And to add to my stress- today is my first day back at work after 6 weeks off. Lets just say I am going to have to ease into this. It was so nice being home but Ive got to make some money to pay our surrogate! Thats about all the update for now- I can hardly wait until tomorrow night for our monthly Infertility support group meeting! I just love these girls and love to be around them! Talk soon:)

Offically approved to adopt and notarized contracts

So yesterday we had our psych eval for surrogacy. That was really not what I expected, but nonetheless a necessary step in all of this. It went great and she is going to write it up and send it to my clinic. Also yesterday evening our social worker came over for the home visit- and it went very good. She said everything was perfect and she has to do is write up the official home study and send us a final copy. We are so happy to have this done and finally behind us! So now after the surrogate gives birth to our children we can legally adopt them within a few weeks and we are good to go! And today the surrogate and her hubby are getting the contracts notarized! We are getting so close. Now the only hang up is our embryos. It was decided last evening that we will in fact be using the embryos from South Carolina. A wonderful couple is donating her 4 remaining embies to us. She has done SO much leg work today and getting all the coordinating documents done etc. to get them shipped here. So it really does look like we will be able to get this done in May and I am sooooo excited!! Thank you all for the fund raising ideas you have sent me, and most of all the amazing prayers of my true friends. I am so grateful and so hopeful today!!! Ill be in touch soon!

We officially have some contracts

Yesterday I went to our lawyer and my mom came along . I thought I was just going to pick up the completed contracts, but we ended up there for over 2 hours. We discussed certain scenarios, and she cautioned us about other things, all trying to protect us I guess. Our lawyer is so wonderful. She is like the grandmotherly type and I really feel so comfortable with her. So later that evening we met with our surrogate and her husband and delivered the contracts to her. She now has them and will look them over and hopefully sign them and we will at least have that part done.

I spoke to our nurse at the clinic and she is still trying to get the official embryo donation consent form turned in from the couple we are adopting these embryos from. I am trying very hard not to worry that this is not going to happen, its just so many things that have to happen. So we still sit and wait basically.

Also this Tuesday we will be having our psych evaluation for surrogacy with the doctor the clinic recommended. Then as soon as that is over- we then will come home to the social worker and she will tour our home for the home visit portion of our home study!! It fels like some things are actually happening!!

Home study- Take 2

As I said last post- we have to get our partially finished home study completed- because we are having to do a formal adoption at the end of the pregnancy with our surrogate. This morning I went and met with our social worker who is handling our home study. I had my individual meeting with her- Sweetness has already completed his. It was a very nice meeting today. I had to recall my whole childhood- but it was nice to tell my story and how much the Lord has brought me through ad how I have seen His hand at work in my life.

Now the last thing that will happen is she will come to our home to do a "home inspection" basically to be sure our home has room for a child(ren) and is safe and clean. So we scheduled that for next Tuesday. Mach 29. So we will go get our psych evaluation early afternoon and meet her in the late afternoon.

I am excited, I really feel as though we are moving forward and somethings are actually happening!! So after our case worker sees our home, she will write up the formal report and we will have a totally approved home study!!! We will officially be allowed by teh state to adopt a child. How nice!

In other news, my fave nurse Bethie called yesterday and they are well on their way to getting everything lined up for us. Remember that funky blood test the bio parents have to submit to? Well she talked to a maternal/fetal medicine doctor yesterday and he told her exactly what tests needed to be ordered for the bio parents of our embryos. But at least it is moving forward!!

And I spoke to my surrogate and we are meeting Friday night to review the contract from the attorney and get all the legalities signed. Woooooh. I am exhausted just thinking about all this stuff.

And to top it off, I'm not sure if I mentioned this last time, but every Wednesday night for the next 8 weeks we are taking a class to be certified to be foster parents in our city. We are doing this as a back up in case something falls through with the surrogacy. I just want to have a back up plan. Last week was week 1 and it was very informative. If nothing else you can learn good parenting skills there. So tonight is week 2 and we are pretty excited about. There are LOTS of families in there going through it with us. We met some last week and there are doctors and police officers etc. Very nice to know so many people want to help in our community.

Well that's all for now- will update again soon!
PS- to the person who donated anonymously to our surrogate fund.....Thank YOU!!!! That was so much appreciated!

Love to you all!

A Hard Post- but it was requested

This is a hard thing to do, but I know so many people love us and wish to help us.

I have had 3 requests for ways to give us money to help us in the undertaking of the surrogacy that is VERY expensive. So some of my very crafty friends suggested a PayPal button where they could donate some money to help us. I thought that was so sweet of them. But please I do not want anyone to feel obligated or pressured. It is there simply for those who are asking on how to help us. Believe me every little bit helps!!! I am getting a second job in the evening after my normal full-time job to try to help us make it- so believe me we are so grateful!

The button is directly to the left of this column- at the top where it says "Donate".

Thank you again for every one's willingness to help us- even if it is praying for us constantly- we feel those prayers and are so thankful for them ALL!!! God Bless you all for everything!

We are moving along!!

Well here is an update on our journey's progress.....

It seems like we have a million and 5 things that we have to do to have a dagg-on baby. I mean people get pregnant all the time and do not have to do any of this crap! I am really frustrated if you cant tell. So this is where we are:

The lawyer : she is wonderful!! But we are having to pay $5000 for the surrogacy paperwork and the subsequent adoption at the end. Because these children will not be biologically related to us, we have to go through a FULL ADOPTION after the baby is born. Which leads us to the adoption...... which means we have to now finish the home study we stopped 1/2 way through because the birth mom changed her mind (remember??).... So lets add another $1500 to that. I go in on Wednesday to have my last meeting with the social worker before the home visit and then she will write it up.

The clinic: Well they of course are not moving fast at all. But they did let me know all the hoops we have to jump through. So the surrogate and her husband has to have a full STD panel, she has to have a hydro sonogram as well as a psych evaluation.

Me and Sweetness also have to have a psych evaluation. Our appointment is next Thursday, but really? I mean the clinic KNOWS us- but no we have to pay $350 for them to "certify" we are not mental. Love it!

So I feel like I have a million things going on, and trying to get all these meeting done before I return to work on April 4th. At can I just say I am absolutely dreading going back to work there. It is so stressful and my immediate boss is so mean and basically hates me- so yeah not thrilled. But I do have an interview tomorrow, but honestly not thrilled about it or even thinking its going to be a real contender. But I will keep you updated.

But I also am going to have to take a part time evening job to make enough money to pay the surrogate. It should be an exciting rest of the year- but I just want to go ahead and transfer the embryos and get her pregnant and get on with it!!!

So I pick up the final surrogate contract at the lawyer on Friday afternoon, and then I will drop it off to my surrogate for her to review, so hopefully we will be on our way.

Thanks for all the prayers.....we are still have a long way to go!