Galatians 4:22-23: Long time no see... um, write I mean! =)

Common acronyms:

AF - "Aunt Flow" or that time of the month
ART - Assisted Reporductive Technologies
b/w - bloodwork
BFN - big fat negative/negative pregnancy test
BFP - big fat postive/positive pregnancy test
CD - cycle day
DH - dear husband
DPO - days past ovulation
dx - diagnosed
EDD - estimated due date
EWCM - egg white cervical mucous (i.e. fertile quality cervical mucous)
Follies - Follicles
IF - infertility
LO - little one (i.e. child)
LOL - lots of laughs or laugh out loud
LP - luteal phase
m/c - miscarriage
MA - medical assistance
NT/NP - not trying/not preventing
O - ovulate, ovulation
pg - pregnant, pregnancy
RE - Reproductive Endocrinologist or Fertility Specialist
SEs - side effects
TTC - trying to conceive
u/s - ultrasound

My Infertility Journey...

June 21, 2011: Granted legal gaurdianship of my precious babies, Abbie & Charlie! <3
May 22, 2011: We were approached about possibly fostering/adopting 2 children: a boy (2) & a girl (3)! <3 I can't believe these may be our children! =)
Apr 2011: TTC w/ MA over, NT/NP from now on while considering/pursuing adoption
Oct 2010 - Mar 2011: TTC naturally (w/o MA)
Jan 18-20, 2011: Feeling led toward adoption
Dec 10, 2010: Laparoscopy - detached ovary from abdominal wall
Oct 23, 2010: Fasted (for TTC struggles)
Sep/Oct 2010: 2nd injectible cycle (Follistim, 225 IUs) & trigger (9/21)
Aug/Sep 2010: TTC w/ MA break
Jul/Aug 2010: 1st injectible cycle (Follistim, 150 IUs) w/o trigger
Jul 11, 2010: Life group prayed over us for our TTC struggles!
Jul 1, 2010: 1st RE appt post-MA break
Jan - Jun 2010: Taking a MA break! =)
Apr 9, 2010: Answered prayer for meds =)
Mar 19, 2010: Fasted (for TTC struggles)
Nov/Dec 2009: Spontaneous O! Unmedicated cycle, progesterone - 16.4
Nov 2009: Referred to RE
Oct/Nov 2009: 5th Clomid cycle (150 mg), progesterone - 4.4
Sep/Oct 2009: 4th Clomid cycle (100 mg), progesterone - 8.4
Jul - Sep 2009: 3 cycle TTC break
Jul 1, 2009: m/c @ 11 wks 3 days =(
Jun 8, 2009: 1st u/s, HB 188
May 12, 2009: Progesterone - 26, HCG - 809
May 11, 2009: BFP!!! EDD Jan 16, 2010 =)
Apr 19, 2009: Church corporate prayers for our TTC struggles!
Apr/May 2009: 3rd Clomid cycle (100 mg), progesterone - 17
Mar 26, 2009: HSG, left tube open (only tube due to a previous surgery)
Feb/Mar 2009: 2nd Clomid cycle (50 mg), progesterone - 4.6
Jan/Feb 2009: 1st Clomid cycle (50 mg), progesterone - 13.5
Jan 2009: dx w/ progesterone defect (i.e. anovulatory), unmedicated cycle, progesterone - 6.5
Dec 2008: Actively TTC again
Sep 2007: dx w/ hypothyroidism
Feb 2007: Started charting
2006: Started TTC # 2

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Long time no see... um, write I mean! =)

Sorry I haven't updated my blog in so long but soooooooooo much has been going on.

God is good... all the time! They're ours!!!

After 5.5 years of infertility & many, many prayers for a baby God has blessed us with 2 beautiful toddlers (Charlie, 2, & Abbie, 3). It was May 22nd that we were first approached about possibly fostering/adopting these 2 children (News!!!) & on June 21st we became their legal guardians. We actually brought them home on Thurs, June 23rd, & I'm telling you I can't get ANYTHING done unless they are asleep.

It was like BAM & their ours... it all happened so fast & there was a definite period of adjustment in there. So we are their parents for as long as God allows... we are guardians which means their parents still have rights & could actually petition the court for them at any time unless we hire a lawyer to discuss possible adoption.

God is soooooooooooo good & sooooooooooo faithful & He has really taken a horrible situation & has done something really beautiful with it, not to mention that He brought 2 completely unrelated families together to become one family... I love this family so much; as if they were my own. But still please remember the family in your prayers & these children who just lost the only mother they have ever really known about 2 months ago. Their grandmother died Sat night, June 25th. The children are doing well... I honestly think they are too young to really comprehend what's going on.

I do have to add that the home visit went really well... I fully believe that the reason it went as well as it did was because God was/is in this. Though I don't want to sugar coat it, the home study was emotionally difficult on me... if I wasn't fully committed to the Lord & HIS will above my own, I would have quit right then & there - that's how difficult it was on me but I KNOW God knows better than me & I fully trust Him so I will follow Him no matter what. I have actually seen God literally move mountains over the past 2 months. And now that they are here, I LOVE these 2 precious babies so so much. I can't imagine my life without them & I hope I never have to.

Oh & remember my post about my fears & why I felt adoption wasn't a good option for us, 2nd injectables cycle RE follow-up appt update... well, Rex is a big baby with them. I was so scared & for no real reason at all. He is AMAZING with those children. Yeah, he did bark in the beginning but now they hug, kiss, pet, & play with him ALL THE TIME & he loves them just as much as they love him!!! Praise the Lord because it was Him & Him alone that moved sooooooooooooo many mountains to bring these wonderful, beautiful children into our lives.

And can I add that God is teaching me so much about Himself through these little children. I once heard Beth Moore talk about how love comes from God first & when we feel like telling Him we love Him we should really say, "I love you too" because it came from Him first. Anyway, I tell Abbie & Charlie, "I love you," like 100 times a day. Okay not really 100 times a day but I tell them A LOT. And then a week or 2 AFTER I started telling them soooooooo much that I love them, I caught Charlie telling everyone he loves them. Not exactly the same but it just reminds me of what Beth Moore said anyway.

And the other thing that I have heavily reflected on since God has blessed us with their care is just how beautiful & perfect these children are in my eyes (beautiful eyes, hair, noses, ears, toes, lips... you name it & I LOVE it). I can't imagine just how much God loves us if I love these children as much as I do. And I know God thinks the same way (only times 10!) about us... we are beautiful to Him, imperfections & all.