Waiting.........

Today I am feeling frustrated. I am this way because I feel like I am on hold waiting for someone to call me and tell me when they are shipping the embryos. I have done all the paperwork as has the bio parents. My clinic said something crazy on Thursday like "we have to talk to the embryologist at their clinic to see what STD testing was done when the embryos were created to be sure we can accept them here." Huh??? Don't we all have the same standardized STD testing done no matter where you have IVF done? UGH...... and no one will answer my calls or call me back to tell me what the deal is. SO here I sit and wait..... and wait..... Not to mention that the same old mess has started again at work. I really need a new job but for now this one pays the bills and hopefully our surrogate so I must stick it out. Just having a blah day! **Sigh**

Cuttin' through all the red TAPE!!!!

I feel like superwoman on the phone all day- arranging this, organizing that, filling out this form and faxing it here, and getting this contract signed and this test done!!! I mean I am so glad I am OCD organized or I would be in big trouble trying to get all this done!! I am cuttin' through all this red TAPE!!

So here is what got accomplished today: The bio parents both had their blood drawn at their clinic in SC to get the blood tests done, to be sure the embryos will not be attacked by our surrogate's blood supply. This is a huge hurdle that has taken a LONG time to get arranged! So this makes me so happy that it actually got done!

Also, there is a special company called Xytex that we are using to transfer and ship the embryos from SC to my clinic in VA. I got all those forms filled out today and paid them a large sum on mooooolah and got it faxed back. So as soon as the clinic in SC gets the tank from Xytex, then the snow babies will be shipped overnight to VA!!!! This all seems like it is happening, it's all REALLY coming together!

Tomorrow I will pop into my attorney's office, take her a final signed/notarized copy of our surrogacy contract, and also pick up a short addendum. And then we are done with that part!

I am so happy today that THREE of my personal friends had their FET today!!! Tammy had twins transferred, and she also adopted her embryos!!! Stick little ones stick!!!

And two of my friends from my infertility support group, Tina and Brandy, also had 3 snow babies transferred each this morning! It was really cool actually, they were right beside each other in the OR holding suites at our clinic! Nothing like the support of your infertile sister when you are right there!

I hope I don't sob into a puddle when all three get pregnant. But I really do want it so badly for all of them!!! I am praying for all of you!!!

Will update soon, when I know more!!!

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!