Telling the WORLD!!!!!

The day prior to the big test, John and I agreed that I would tell him the response at home....he is so busy at work and has so many afternoon meetings....and I always seem to call him when he can't talk long and he wanted to be able to have his full attention.

Good thought, right? Yeah, well things didn't quite happen that way. I called John immediately! When he didn't answer his cell, I called his work phone and he answered....in between tears I shouted, "John you're going to be a Dad....it was positive"! I could tell that I caught him at a busy time....and I could also tell that he was in shock as I was....and being at work in a tiny cube that he shares with another person, he cannot exactly scream and cry like I was doing....but I knew that he was excited!

John had a meeting that he couldn't get out of....and was at work late...so I swung by and picked him up (after I went to Target and bought a couple of things, naturally). I gave him a card and a burp cloth that said "I love my Daddy" (I know you're thinking....burp cloth?? But it was the only non-gender-based Daddy thing there...so I went with it!). We kissed and hugged and began talking about it all while driving down to my parents house.

On the way down, we called his parents.....Bill answered the phone and John said 'Dad, I'm going to be a Dad'! He said 'oh my gosh' and then proceeded to get Dorene on the phone as well. John told Dorene the same thing and she was so excited and....low and behold her pregnancy wheel just happened to be near her and she calculated our due date! Her chart says Nov. 7th...MY birthday!!!! Oh what a great birthday present! Although I then mentioned that the embryo was already 5 days old....so my new thoughts are that the date is within the first couple days of November. I will contact my doctor today to find out for sure.

After ignoring several calls from my mother, we showed up at her doorstep with a card and a onesie that says "Let's face it....it's time to call Grandma". She opened the door and I smiled a HUGE smile flung open the door and said 'I'M PREGNANT'!!!!!!!!!!!! I think we hugged about 20 times that night!!!! We scurried downstairs (to tell my Dad as he was in the garage) and he had just come in.....so more hugs and kisses!!!!!

THEN, we called my sister from my Mom's phone (she later said that she thought Mom was calling her to give her a heads up that it was negative...wrong!)....she immediately started crying as I fully expected. :) Then said, I'm on my way over!

We then called James & Melissa, Andy & Brittany, Dan & Kaye, Dave & Paula, Sandy & Troy and tons of other family. Everybody had similar reactions....a scream at first then words of joy!

Naturally with my Mom and sister...the cameras came out and pictures were taken!

We left around 9-ish and got some food as we were quite hungry. :) We talked much more on the way home and despite seeing so many family and friends have babies and being there for them....we have sooooo many questions!!!!!!!

We look forward to sharing out stories and questions with everybody and getting advice and tips on this or that on anything and everything. Right now, we are still just soaking it in.

GOD is amazing!

Other 'magical' factors that helped....

Outside of the most important factor of acheiving a positive pregnancy - prayer, prayer, prayer - here are some other odds and ends that led to a positive pregnancy:

- Embryos were conceived on Sweetest Day(....then frozen)
- The transfer was performed on Valentine's Day
- Dr. Jacobs (our doctor) performed the transfer
- A pregnant nurse assisted our doctor
- A friend suggested that I eat foods with cinammon the days just after the transfer to assist with implantation
- I stayed on bedrest for about 5 days instead of just 2
- I had the dream of the little girl with 2 faces
- I had light cramping (the uterus making room for the baby) the day after the dream

5 years and 3 months later....I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!

Yes, it is true....finally....after 5 years and 3 months of trying and waiting and praying, praying, praying.....I am finally pregnant!!!!

Here's how it went down:

Tuesday, Feb. 26th I had my blood test at 7:15am....I told Nurse Nicole to pick a good vein; one that had a winner. Then I sat at work all day....many people were out of the office at a conference, so it was pretty quiet...which doesn't bode well for a nervous person!

Around 2:15 I finished all my main projects and decided to head home...I didn't want to get the response over voicemail and I still didn't really know which way it would go...but I always brace myself for a negative as that is the only response I've received for the last 5 years...

About 2 minutes after I pulled out of work, Dawn (my sister) called me to tell me she loved me and couldn't wait and all that good juicy stuff as good sister's do. :) My other line beeped and I saw that it was my nurse. Knowing that if Dawn knew the nurse called and I'd have to call her right back....I lied (sorry Dawn, I won't lie to you again). I told her that work was calling me...made sense since I just left. So I hung up with Dawn and here it was.....

Nurse: Hello this is nurse (don't remember her name) from Dr. Jacobs office how are you today? (she sounded chipper....but she is naturally that way, so I tried not to read into it)

Me: Hi.....um, I'm really nervous.....

Nurse: Well you don't have to be any more because you tested POSITIVE!!!!!!!!

Me: (scream) (cry) (sob) (screech!) You're kidding...oh my this is so surreal!!!!

She proceeded to tell me all my numbers and how good they all were.....I have to call her back today so I can write them down as I don't have much of a clue what she said!!!! I do remember that I needed to stay on all my medications and come back Thursday the 28th for more bloodwork. All the numbers she had just read to me (that I don't remember) need to double on Thursday. I made my appt. and that was that!

Oh, our dream is finally coming true!!!

I had a dream...

So Saturday night I had a dream....and I'm not certain that I've had a dream where I've had a baby during a cycle or not....not saying it means anything, but it was neat....then weird.

So I had just delivered this beautiful baby girl. I looked over at her and started crying and said 'wow, she really is our baby'. The nurses were snipping the cord and doing their 'cleaning'....I kept waiting for her to cry and she didn't...perhaps I missed that part of my dream, because she was just making adorable noises. The dream almost felt like a test, because I was touching her tummy and her arm.....and I felt that the nurses should have done all the cleaning first before I touched her, so...I don't know.

Then I picked her up and checked out the back of her head....and it was her face...so I turned her around....and it was her face....she had 2 faces!!!!!! (Perhaps that's the possibility of twins talking)....I looked at John and said, does everybody else see this (cuz the room was filled with people). He said (with the camera around his neck like a tourist) not to worry about it, then he began taking our picture.

My sister then told everybody to get out of the room so I could start breast feeding....then the dream ended....

Weird.......who knows......

Transfer - Take 2

So after my visit on February 6th, my lining looked fantastic.....however a lining can look....

Yesterday, Valentine's Day, we had our frozen embryo transfer (FET). Things went smoothly....we hit some traffic on the way, but once there we were called right in....to the same room we were in before (we figured that if by chance it doesn't work out this time, we will ask for a different room going forward). :) We waited for about a half hour as they were finishing up with a retrieval in the other room. I don't mind waiting when we're in there....because John and I talk...and he tells corny jokes....we're just kinda goofy.

The ultrasound tech checked my water and I needed to drink a little bit more...so I chugged about 16 ounces right there....whoa...full bladder!!!

Our doctor, Dr. Jacobs came in along with the nurse...prepped me...the ultrasound tech got ready (pressing hard on my stomach)...then the embryologist came in and handed the doctor our children (embryos)....and in they went. The ultrasound tech snapped some pictures and then everybody left...we were done. Right before the nurse left she told me that she is the only pregnant nurse that day....and she got me as her patient...so there were extra baby vibes being sent our way! Hey, we'll take what we can get!

Here is our first ultrasound picture. If you look closely in the middle there is a white arrow...it is pointing to a little glowing line....The embryos are actually microscopic at this point. The 'glow' that you see is the fluid and air that the little embryos travel in for implantation....it helps so that the doctor can ensure that he put them in the right place.

So I was sent home on bedrest for 2 days....so John has been wonderful and has taken good care of me. :)

Now we wait 2 weeks.....and no inter-cycle blood test since it doesn't mean anything and the progesterone I am taking is not measured in the bloodstream.

In the meantime, I will continue to get a progesterone shot in the buttocks for 2 more weeks....ouch...

:)