Conference call

Growing Generations has conference calls I think monthly and they are for surro's to get together on the phone and just talk about you know...Surrogacy stuff. I hadn't participated in one yet but figured it was about time to check it out, and plus I'm at a slow spot of the journey so thought it might help cheer me up!
So I get on this call and it's me and two other Surro's with the CEO of the company. It actually turned out to be a great call. We had about a 45min talk on about everything from the begin to the end. Some great question were answered and I loved hearing about the other Surro's IP's. I think it might be something I will do each time it is offered. But this next time I might write some questions down before the call, I think my nerves got me and I didn't ask all the questions I had planned.

Otherwise we had a great Christmas with the family and ready for a New Year!

Merry Christmas and Excited for a New Year!

So I had a friend over last night and she was asking me about the surrogacy and if I had any updates, I caught her up on really not much and then we started talking about my blog.
For the past month I've been debating on deleting my blog..I'm not really sure I like writing about my surrogacy and I know it probably has something to do with the fact the surrogacy is moving at a extreme slow pace.
But, do I really need to write about it?
Do I wanna share my experience?
I can say I enjoy reading other surro's blogs and being able to relate or know what to expect is nice.
So as I talked to my girlfriend last night she started quoting things I've written on here and told me how even her mom had noticed I haven't written on here for awhile. So I guess what I'm getting at is that I will keep posting on here and I hope that even just one person takes something from what I write. Even though I'm a shitty writer!

Winter wonderland

So no news here...Except we have snow! Winter has come and I thought I'd be preggo by now..I'm keeping myself busy with the normal mom of 4 life and trying not to worry about when i will hear the next step. So I've been really enjoying everyone's blogs and reading about the different parts they are at. I will chat with you all again once i have some news. Till then!

it's a negative

Have some sad news to share. I did my blood work on Monday and it was a negative so keeping our fingers and toes crossed, i went back on wednesday hoping for a better result. But sill a no:( Pretty bummed out this week. I felt guilty and started thinking what did i do wrong? I know i took it easy, i know i didn't carry around the kids or laundry or even the grocery. I ate healthy and got plenty of rest?? So what went wrong...
My heart was hurting the most for the IPs, feeling bad and getting my self down about it isn't helping anyone. So I'm done. It wasn't meant to happen and this next time it will work! I've been in contact with GG and the IPs and we all are going to move forward as soon as possible. I will have to wait and hear when that time will be after they get into contact with the egg donor. I guess complaining about starting the shots all over again isn't worth it. I don't mind, as long as I get pregnant!! I've read a ton of blogs and chatted with other surrogates this week, the support is amazing:)

The man behind the surrogate

Just wanted to say that I couldn't do any of this without my husband. He is amazing. He is my rock. The support i have from him is everything i need to do this. We have been a couple for 12 years and the love for him is as strong as it has ever been. Being a husband to a surrogate can't be the easiest..with the questions and people wonder why he's letting his wife get "knocked up" with someone else's child etc. He has done everything perfect for me with this decision to become a surrogate.

the night before the transfer

Transfer

Okay, so it's all been done. Everything went so fast! I got the news on a monday that the transfer was going to be done on thursday. Before I knew it, I was flying to NYC on Wednesday. I brought a friend along..not sure if most surrogates would agree, but I felt I needed someone with me to help me through my nerves.
And I'm still happy I did, it turned out to be really nice to have her along.
So we met up with the guys the first night for dinner and got the to relax with them a bit and the next day was spent sight seeing and meeting the guys again for coffee.
I had to be at the doctors office at 9:30 the next morning..not much sleep that night! So at the transfer it was very quick and painless, the IPs stayed next to me during the what seemed to be a whole 5 minute process. Something like a typical pap smear...

Then it was time for the bed, the next 24hrs were spent in the hotel room..
I'm pretty sure at that point the IPs and I were so happy and overwhelmed, bedrest wasn't going to be a bad thing! It was all done and now we could just relax a bit. I then was taken care of by room service and fun conversation. I was able to catch up on some sleep and actually woke up the next morning feeling great. The last day i had breakfast with the guys and then it was time to say our goodbyes, knowing next time we see each other, it will be for a ultrasound:)

Went back home, and told the kids, mommy has an egg in her and he have to be careful not to break it. Worked pretty well! lol
Now waiting the 10days for the hCG test..And crossing our fingers and toes xxxxxx

ready...set....GO!

So I just wanted to update a bit here...

So I received the BIG box of meds a few weeks ago. It was all a bit overwhelming, with all the needles and different bottles. But thank goodness for the wonderful doctors office in NY and the staff is so supportive. I started off right away, having my husband do the shots in my tummy was a must have at first! But believe it or not, I'm now currently doing my own shots in the a.m (and if you know me, thats pretty impressive)..They really aren't that bad at all. And then you have the butt shots.... Like every few days or so you gotta do this shot in the butt. Not fun...That's all I'm gonna say on that one.

And now I've been to the blood lab once a week for the past 3 weeks, getting to know the staff pretty well is kinda fun:)
So this part isn't so bad, just knowing its all starting is the best! I have a ultrasound on the 13th and I guess thats gonna tell the doctor if I'm ready. So I'm pretty sure the plan is to fly out on the 17th!! I'm really ready for this! The kids are also, they keep asking when it's all gonna happen. My daughter made a special gift for the baby already and I really think they are as ready as they can be.

Also getting to the know the IPs pretty well, they are awesome and I still know they are perfect for this baby:) Going to try and get out with my ladies this week, one last time before i'm pregnant and to sleepy for a social life~

Just saying...

I am NOT doing the Surrogacy for the money.That's just the icing on the cake.
And if you REALLY think thats why then you REALLY don't know me and it doesn't matter what you think.just understand what you say to people and those people say to other people might effect my children and that's when I do care. SO if you have questions/concerns and feel the need to talk about them, please feel free to do so with ME

Drugs!!

I'm back! Sorry I haven't written for awhile...Busy summer. So here we go...

Okay so the guys found a new egg donor about a month ago and we had to wait for her to go through all the testing and paper work. Then sometime after that I got the phone call that we were ready to move forward!
So I started the birth control and today I should be receiving all the meds..I have the schedule of when I have to take everything and how much and all that...I'm pretty nervous about the shots, not gonna lie. I've never been a big fan of needles:( Having my husband do the shots makes me feel a little better, don't think I could handle doing it myself.
Thinking of why I'm doing this helps also...knowing that its a few weeks of shots, but a life at the end of it makes me feel silly for even bitching about it.
So I start all that this weekend and have a few lab test and ultrasounds and then I guess on Oct 13th they will know if I'm ready..And would then fly out somewhere around the 18th!
I'm hoping my husband can come with on the trip,its hard not knowing the date for sure..But also knowing the guys will be there is nice.
I've had a few more people talk to me about surrogacy and how they feel about it. Some family and some friends. I think the most I hear is

"why do this? why put yourself at risk for some strangers? don't you worry about if something happened to you and your kids lost a mom?".


I really don't know how to answer it. I think what I'm doing is a gift and I think moms and dads take risks everyday. I am Amy, I'm not just a mom. I love my children more than anything else in the world. I am who I am today because of them. And if something bad happened, I would hope they could understand that is was meant to be.

I will post more as I start the meds and I'll try not to complain...


xoxoxo

Pretty in pink

B O R E D

Doing a update on being bored.....


The egg donor the guys wanted to work with dropped out of the program. So not the kinda of news you wanna hear..I feel pretty bummed out for the guys. But last I was told they already had picked a new donor. So now its waiting for that to go through. I'm not holding my breath for when I hear something next. Staying busy with my kids and school and hoping to hear something soon. And the relationship with the guys and my husband and I is awesome! They are such great guys and really like everything about them.

I will update soon!

check this out!

http://conceptionconnections.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/step-by-step-understanding-the-surrogacy-process/

Waiting for the next step

So now it's the waiting game...I will fly out to NY sometime in August to make the transfer! I chose to wait till then for a few reasons...

1) I'm turning 30 in July and who wants to be preggo for a big bday like that!?!

2) The kids will be back in school in Sept and that will be a huge help on me..

3) To get a good relationship with the intended parents.

So July is here and I know this month will fly by..

I've been reading and following blogs of other surrogates and that is a huge help! It's funny most of the blogs these women are on the 2nd surrogacy so thats a good sign for me. Must be that amazing:)

Can't wait

xoxoxo

New York

So coming back from LA Jason and I talked more and felt moving forward was what we both wanted.

Reading the first profile...

The first profile was about a 4 page paper on this couple. About the life they lead and what brought them to surrogacy and what they want for the future..We read it a few times and then some more. Looking for reasons on why we didn't like them or why we wanted to see another profile of another couple. But that wasn't the case. Everything they said, everything they believe in was what we wanted to hear or was what I pictured for this process.

So off to New York to meet them! Another mini 2 day vacation for Jason and I:)

The last day in New york was the day we had our meeting with the couple. I was a complete mess all morning, really nervous for it all. what would we talk about? What if they aren't what we expected? etc..

Okay..so this might sound a bit cheesy but totally true-

Walked into the room and shook hands and then I knew it was right. I had no question in mind. Meeting went well and then had only a short 20 minutes with them at a park before we had to jet back home..

The LA trip

In April 2010 Jason and I flew to LA to meet the company that we chose to move forward with. It was a nice 2 day stay in a beautiful hotel, kinda like a mini vacation expect for the part of the blood work and pap smear...:/

We met a few people within the company and did a lot of physical test and mental test (and i did pass the mental test..thank you;) Everything was great! they answered any questions or concerns the both of us had. Then they left us with our first profile of a couple that was looking to become parents..

The letter we sent out to share the news to our family and friends

Hello Family and Friends,
(if you've already have this msg my bad!)

We wanted to be the first to tell you all what we as a family are about to do...

About a year ago we, Jason and I, came across an article about surrogacy and we were moved by the stories and joy it brought to the families. We then researched companies and read blogs about the process and before we knew it, we wanted to be a part of it. We see it as us having four beautiful and healthy children and why shouldn't we help another couple have the same.

I WILL NOT be donating my eggs. I am only the "oven" for the process.

Jason and I have talked this over a billion times and we are 100% + sure this is what we want to do. To be a part of something so big will be amazing. We know there will be tough times along the way, but nothing we are not strong enough for. We are just as sure that we are done having our own children and that will be a comfort in its own.

As far as our own kids, we plan on spending a lot of time talking and teaching them about what this journey is and why we are taking it. We don't have any worries about them, we are a very close family and our kids always come first.

So please feel free to ask us any questions and also please let us know what you are all thinking.

We love all of you and hope for your support

Welcome!

Hello!

Well I want to start by saying thank you for stopping by my blog. This is a first for me so I am a bit nervous:/

I will start with about me and then I will move on to more of what this is really about.

I am 29 years old and have been married for 10yrs this in October 2010. My husband and I met when I was 17 and he was 21. We dated for 2 years before becoming pregnant with our first child in 2000. We had a beautiful healthy girl and then life brought us 3 more children (boys) after that.. We are a close family, I have been a stay at home mom since the day my daughter was born and love every minute of it!

In 2008 I decided it was time for me to start a new challenge in life so I enrolled into a night school. I have always loved photography and felt I have an eye for it. So I'm currently in school going for my bachelor degree in digital photography! part-time so I can still be at home during the day.

We are a happy healthy family and thankful everyday for that!

I am a type of girl that is willing to try almost anything (except for weird foods) I love to challenge myself. I am a caregiver. I am a leader. I am silly. I am unorganized.

And I'm ready to start this new journey in surrogacy.