Step 1.. Prenatal Vitamins!

I was at work today and I looked down at my phone and I had a text from Amanda with this picture...

and the text read... "You would think I am trying to get pregnant or something, LOL!" That had me laughing so hard, I just had to share! So glad we both have a fun sense of humor!

My first post to our Blog- My story

For those of you who have not heard, an amazing journey is about to begin!  In a few short months, hopefully through God’s amazing grace, I will become a surrogate mother for some dear friends of ours, Rudy & Kristen.  Kristen & I are co-authors of this blog and if you read one of the earlier posts, Kristen blogged about how we all met.  Basically, Randy, Rudy and Kristen have known each other for the past 20+ years.  I remember meeting Kristen for the first time when I went with Randy to his senior prom.  LOL!  (just thinking of my AWFUL updo!!!)  Kristen & I really started getting to know one another at playdates during the last 3 or 4 years.  She and Rudy are as sweet as can be! 

I have been called, summoned, lead, etc…for this is my mission in life.  One that is without a doubt the path that God has chosen for Randy and me.  It’s not very often in ones life that they are so absolutely positive and passionate about the plans that God has made. 

The Lord has been working in my heart for the last 4 years, preparing me for my surrogacy journey.  I remember vividly the morning He laid it on all my heart.  Brady was about 9 months old, sleeping just fine during the night. However, I was up at 4:30 in the morning with a strong urge to research and find out everything there was to know about Surrogacy. Why?   All I know is that now looking back, is that God’s hands were wrapped around my heart at that very moment!  He has been preparing my heart and Randy’s heart the last 3 ½ years for the opportunity to give the gift of life. 

I have to admit, Randy was not on board with this at first, but through prayer, understanding and guidance he is as enthusiastic as I am about the chance we may have to give Kristen and Rudy a little miracle.  Randy says that this whole journey will be worth it when we can lay that precious little baby in Kristen and Rudy’s arms. 

TOP 2 Questions people ask me

“I could never do that”- The number one comment friends and family say when I tell them about our news.  Well of course you can’t, its not what God has called you to do in life, but as for me, this is the path He has created for me at this time in my life. 

“How are going to be able to give the baby up?”- Peoples!  It’s not mine!  I am going to be what is called a gestational surrogate; meaning the egg and sperm are from the Intended Parents (Kristen & Rudy).  I am in no way genetically related to the baby.  The moment I look forward to the most is the moment when I get to hand the baby or babies over to Kristen and Rudy. 

I just want to say that I feel absolutely blessed to be able to become a surrogate for Kristen & Rudy.  Indeed this is a match made in Heaven!

In closing, I leave you with a quote by the famous Mark Twain…

“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do.”

“So throw off the bowlines sail away from the safe harbor catch the trade wind in your sails...

explore, dream, discover.” -Mark Twain

Cycle Prep Calendar for September!

Ok, I hate so much that Amanda has to go through a month of injections & meds.. this is definitely a part I wish she didn't have to go through (Amanda, I love you for going through this for us!!!) Fortunately, her amazing hubby is a pharmacist and gives Amanda & their adorable kiddos their flu shots every year, so he can help her with the shots if needed (I know I would!)

For any surrogates who may be reading our blog & are interested.. She is taking prenatal vitamins now & BCP and then 9/16 her calendar begins.. she'll start Dexamethasone 0.75 in AM & Lupron 5 units in AM until 10/10, (4 days within that time she'll also have E2V IM 4mg & stop taking BCP on 9/20) around 10/10 she should receive the next calendar for instructions for the next couple of weeks.. Transfer for our 2 little snow babies will be somewhere between 10/17 and 10/21!! Sooo, by Halloween we should know the news.. praying for a little miracle (or two)!!

Circus - date night with the boys!!

Wow, what an amazing night!! It started Chic-fil-a, Amanda & I met with the boys.. they were so excited to go to the circus! They played for a bit on the playground, then we headed over to the Circus!

We got there an hour early so we could sit in the Circus Ring during the pre-show. It was so neat how they involved the kids & let them dance, hula-hoop, jump rope, and see the animals up close..

After the pre-show Amanda surprised Braxton & Brady with light-up swords.. oh, they were in heaven!

We also got them snow cones in light-up elephant cups!

Once we were ready to sit, I led us down to the FRONT ROW so we could be up close & personal for the entire show.. I was so excited to surprise everyone with our seats!


At one point during the show the silly clown gave the boys high fives.. they loved that! It was one of the best nights and I really enjoyed our date night with our boys.. We'll definitely have to do that again sometime! Goodnight! =)

Double-date night with the boys at the circus!!

I'm super excited to take our kiddos to the circus tonight!!! Amanda & I are taking the boys and this will be Brax's first circus.. and mine too!! Will update later tonight from the circus!!

June 23, 2011 - First Appointment!

Our first appointment!!!!!! I was so excited about our first appointment, I could barely sleep the night before!

So the morning of our appt we all met at school & we kissed are little guys goodbye and off we went to our first appointment! When we arrived in DFW we decided to have lunch at the delicious Cheesecake Factory!

We had such a good time talking about the future & our journey together.. Next, we stopped in to visit Amanda's grandparents who live just 3 blocks away from our RE's office at the hospital. We were introduced to both her grandparents & her stepmom and they were all so sweet.. we enjoyed visiting with them and I look forward to seeing them again!

Next we headed over to the hospital. We sat in the waiting room for a while finishing paperwork & then waiting to go back.. here's a little snippet of us waiting in the waiting room..

...then moments later our RE (Reproductive Endocrinologist) opened the door and welcomed us all back. It was so good seeing him.. he's such a warm-hearted, caring physician whom I have so much respect for. He asked about Brax & wanted to see current pictures. I thanked him as I have many times before for helping create our little miracle! He expressed that he was excited to help us with another miracle.. Rudy & I walked out of his office to the waiting room & we just couldn't stop smiling from the excitement! Randy & Amanda talked with Dr. Saleh.. she had her lab work, u/s & mock embryo transfer.. then the nurse went over Amanda's med. calendar with her while Dr. Saleh updated us in the waiting room & let us know that Amanda's u/s went great and he didn't foresee any problems for the transfer!

So after our appointment we drove back to town & we all had a nice dinner and cheered to the beginning of our amazing journey ahead! Later that evening Rudy & I sat in bed pinching ourselves with tears in our eyes.. is this really happening?? We still can't believe it.. how did we get so lucky??

Let the journey begin...

I'm officially announcing that we are beginning our journey for baby #2!!!

We are so extremely blessed to  have our amazing surrogate mother, Amanda, in our lives. She is a wonderful friend whom I many years ago and has offered to help us complete our family by giving us the gift of life. Over the past several years Amanda and I have been spending a lot of time together... we enjoy getting together for play dates and watching our kiddos play together. Our sons go to the same school & even share a class together for half of the day each day! Amanda is a beautiful person, inside & out and I can't say enough wonderful things about her!

Her husband, Randy, went to school with Rudy & myself. We were actually in the same 2nd grade class together & Rudy played little league baseball with him! Randy graduated with me in my class of '97 and Rudy graduated at the same school as us in 1996. So, we've known each other practically our entire life and we are so blessed that he has given his blessings for Amanda to help us create our family & he has been so supportive and I'm ever so thankful for him.

We are so extremely thankful God has placed such a wonderful couple in our lives to experience this journey with and bless us with a little miracle.. They will forever be family to us and I can't even begin to express how thankful I am for them. Please pray for us all as this journey begins... thanks to all of our friends and family for your support for us through this time..

Stay tuned for updates on our journey...