Just Waiting for AF

Well, it's going to be tough, but I'm going to make it work. I took my last BCP on Tuesday night, so now I'm just waiting on AF. Should be here tomorrow or Saturday and then I will fly to Houston for testing on Mon or Tues and then begin a mock cycle. C & W's attorney is working on the contract and should probably have all that done in the next few weeks. Wow, it's going to zoom by. They are excited and so am I!

Matched!!! Yea!

Ok, ok.  I know it's not the best etiquette to blog twice in one day, so I decided to hold this one until tonight.  I heard back from Gayle late yesterday and C & W have decided that they want to work with me.  I couldn't be happier.  Now we just need to get contracts started and get in touch with the clinic to go over their protocol and figure out when they want me to come in for screening.  I'm so excited for this journey and just know it's going to be great!

First "Date"

I've always said that matching in a surrogacy is so much like on line dating.  LOL.  First, you look at each others profiles and information, maybe exchange an email or have a phone call and then finally get to meet.  This time around we just went straight from looking at each others profiles to meeting.  The timing just all fell into place.  They are an adorably sweet couple and definitely seem ready for this step in their lives. 

DH and I had a meeting this morning with C&W.  They actually live in Houston, but were in town for C's grandfather's 90th birthday, so our "date" was planned pretty quickly.  They met in college and they've been married almost 3 years.  C's parents still live here and W's parents live in Houston.  They have two frozen embryo's at a clinic in Houston.  They are both in their early 30's and are needing to use a surrogate because C was diagnosed with breast cancer in November of last year.  She had been to her Dr. for a check up just a few months earlier.  In November, she felt a lump during a self exam and had it checked out and received her diagnosis.  As soon as she received her diagnosis, she and W met with a fertility clinic to see what their options were, since she would need to start chemo close to right away.  This was just before Thanksgiving.  They went in for a consult and they left with meds and instructions for a retrieval.  Due to her diagnosis, they had to be cautious about the level of meds they used, so they have 2 frozen embryos from the retrieval.  One of the things I am most excited about is that they are willing to do an SET (Single Embryo Transfer).  Given my experience and research, along with the quality of the embryos, I am extremely hesistant to transfer more than one.  The liklihood, based on my history, it is very likely that if we were going to transfer both, that they would both implant, resulting in twins.  Although I would be willing to carry twins (more so if a single split), there are so many more risks associated with twins for me and for the babies.  This has been a very important factor for me when matching.

We discussed so many things and it truly was a great visit.  Some things were surrogacy related and some were more about each of us and things that we have in common or like to do, as well as our families.  I did find it very interesting that C&W's anniversary is the same day as Baby "E"s birthday.  Really!  I do feel that everything happens for a reason and that this is the couple I am meant to help become parents and I hope they want to work with us too.  Guess we will have to wait and see.  A little after our meeting, I did text Gayle to let her know that we really liked them and would love to work with them if they are interested in moving forward.  She said that she would let me know when she hears something.

Surrogate Solutions Get Together

Me, Didi, Lindsey, (?), Gayle, Samantha, Kelly, Kristin, (?), Melissa, (?), Simi and her husband
My DD is in the front.  She's actually listening to music, not talking on the phone.  (My little photo bomber - hehe)

This GTG was at Ninfa's in Waco and put together through my agency, Surrogate Solutions.  Waco is only a couple of hours away and it was nice to see some new faces.  There were several ladies I had never met before.  It was a pretty quick trip, but well worth the drive.  My oldest DS was gracious enough to come along too and took the pictures for us.  We even stopped in West on the way home and picked up some kolaches.  Mmmmmm!

Austin Surro-sister Get Together

Beth (32 Wks-Singleton), Simi, Shannon (8 Wks-Singleton), Kate (?), Christi and Me

Well, due to the incentive trip for work to Mexico, hubby and I both needed passports.  We haven't been out of the country or on a beach vacation since our honeymoon, over 8 years ago.  Apparently, to get a passport these post 9-11 days, you have to have a "long form" birth certificate.  Luckily for me, my Mom had mine.  DH wasn't so lucky.  His parents only had a copy of his, which doesn't work for these purposes.  That meant that I would have to travel to Austin to get his long form directly from the Department of Vital Statistics.  Since we were born prior to 1983, they are not kept at the local level. 

It all worked out, as I was off work today anyway, but the Vital Stats office was open.  Woohoo!  Road trip!  My surro-sister and friend Beth volunteered to be my co-pilot since she wanted a bit of a break for the day too.  It was so nice to have a travel buddy.  (Thanks Beth!)  I had posted in our FB group that we would be in Austin for the day and we were blessed to have a few surrogates in that area that were able to meet us for lunch. 

We went to the Vital Stats office first and then met everyone at Chuy's in Round Rock on our way out.  It is always great to meet other surrogates that are part of such a wonderful community.  We had a good time (although I can't say the same for the service), but we all made the best of it.  Several of them brought their kids too and they were all so well behaved.  After lunch, Beth and I stopped at IKEA since they have some great glasses that DH likes and have unfortunately broken several of them.  It was a quick trip, but really was a great day.  Rain and all.