News

This week's appointment showed that Bebe is still head down, and has a good heart rate of 130.  The exciting news is that the doctor is confident that she is close to ready to be born.  Since Lady L's strep B test was negative, he is ready to strip her membranes, on Monday!
We are excited, nervous, and very anxious.  Of course we know it's a possibility that she could be born at any time, but this news encourages us to be totally ready when we go to bed Sunday night.  I will be at school all day Saturday getting things in place, and on Sunday we'll be getting everything ready around the house.  Our bags are ready, the car seat is ready, and Bebe's bag is ready.  So now, we will just wait for the phone call that it's time to go.  And then, something magical will happen:)

37!!!

Lady L is officially "full-term" with our sweet daughter.  Anything after 37 is full term, so we are there!  We had an appointment today, and her heartbeat was very strong.  The best thing was that I got to feel her kick (and punch, possibly bunt, all sorts of flailing of the limbs.)  We met with the social worker to go over the birth plan, and I am truly so blessed beyond words to have such an amazing person as my cousin.  She is the epitome of selflessness, as generous as they come, and overwhelmingly good. 

Last weekend we were able to meet with a photographer and have some maternity/surrogacy pictures taken.  I will post the two that I have, and I have permission to link to the rest of the photos.

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/heidi.k.dube?ref=tn_tnmn#!/media/set/?set=a.433323243394850.97094.128117047248806&type=1

Link to her direct website:  You will need to enter password: baby
http://takentodaytreasuredtomorrow.shootproof.com/event/101971/view#a_all-grid


Also, two weeks ago, my amazing crew that I am lucky enough to call my friends threw a baby shower for us.  Again, I was reminded of just how fortunate I am to have crossed paths with some of the loveliest people in existence. 

 

This is one of my faves!

I know I should have fixed the scarf, but I love this one.

 

The pictures don't do this justice, I have never been prouder of any of our craft projects:)

 

As we were finishing up.

 

Thanks so much for following our journey, and caring enough about all of us to keep us in your prayers. 

34

We are trucking right along in this pregnancy!  I am so thankful that Lady L and her family are doing so well.  We were able to spend a fun afternoon with them on Sunday, and yesterday we had another appointment.  Baby is measuring right on track now, and which makes us happy.  She must have had a growth spurt right before our last appointment when she measured pretty big.  She has a good amount of fluid, a nice heart rate of 136, and she is still a girl:)  We love seeing her on the ultrasound machine, as that's our time to connect with her.  Lady L feels a lot of movement, punching and kicking, but bebe must sense when we are around, as she really starts to behave then;)  I told Aaron I hope we get to feel her kick sometime, and he replied "you'll regret that phrase when she's 2 or 3."  Lol, totally not what I meant.
We have a few pictures, close to the same facial shots as last time.  We got a really cool view of her rib cage and heart pumping away, but no picture of that.

Next appointment is at 37 weeks (November 19th), and then will increase to weekly check ups.

Thanks so much for your heartfelt good wishes, prayers, and kindness!  Xoxo.

Quick One

I have just a quick post to report today.  I shared our very happy news with my students yesterday.  I showed a picture of Lady L and I, and told them they would recognize one of the people in the picture.  They were very excited, and said that it was me.  They started guessing who the other person was, starting with my sister, and quickly figured it was my cousin.  I told them that she is really special, and a few girls said that she has a baby in her tummy, and one of the boys corrected them, noting that the medical term is actually "pregnant."  Then, I told them that one of the reasons she is so special is because she has a really good tummy for growing babies.  My cousin found out that I didn't have such a good tummy, so she said that the doctors could put my (and my husband's) baby into her tummy, and let it grow there until it's ready to be born.  So, in December I will be leaving, and returning after 12 weeks of being home with our baby.  Most of them looks a little suspicious, like that can't really happen, but decided to believe me anyway.  One girl asked how the baby got there, an I told them I don't know, since I am not a doctor:)  And, another said that I would technically be a grandma once the baby is born, ha ha.  Here are a couple of pictures:

30 Weeks 

32 weeks, 5 days. 

30

Today is the day we all leave the 20's behind, and are 30 weeks along!  Woo hoo! We had an appointment yesterday, and things were looking good.  Lady L is doing pretty well.  She is getting to the uncomfortable point in the pregnancy, and is having some trouble with her feet.  We wish that she didn't have to have any side effects of course, but she is handling everything well.  The doctor took a look at our girl, and she looks just beautiful.  We could see her face smiling at us, and even the lenses over her eyes moving around.  Aaron and I were both there, and there was a moment that Aaron was getting emotional:)  See, he's a big softie after all!  Lady L had her son with, so he got to check the baby out, too.
She is a big baby- measuring at 32 weeks, when yesterday she was not quite 30 weeks!  We thought it would be funny if she was born a few days late on 12-12-2012, but that's pretty much out of the question now:)  I will have to have my sub plans ready extra early, just in case. 
Here are a few of the facial pictures, along with us at the appointment:

Xoxo!

3rd Trimester

28 weeks, the most beautiful title I have ever heard. We have ventured into the 3rd trimester, which is so amazing and wonderful. Our baby girl is now at least 2.25 pounds, and 15 inches long. It is so much fun to read each week all of the changes that take place with her every week. Her eyes are now developed enough for her to intentionally blink, she can see, and if we had some high tech camera inside of Lady L's belly, we could even see her eye color, although that often changes before babies are 6 months old.

 
We are praying that this final stretch goes smoothly for sweet baby girl, and that she stays put until December. We are praying that Lady feels as comfortable as possible as her belly grows pretty quickly in these last 12 weeks. We are hoping that this time passes quickly, as both Aaron and I are getting anxious to finally meet our daughter.

 
We have a doctor appointment in about 2 weeks, just shy of 30 weeks. Lady L will have her glucose screening test at that time, and then the doctor will check on her and the baby later.

I have a couple of new Lady L belly pictures, enjoy!

Side view

View from the top:)

25 Weeks

We are now 25 weeks along in this amazing pregnancy.  We had an appointment two days ago, and our little girl is still very active, moving around and shaking her stuff all over the screen:)  They didn't do any measuring of her length, but hopefully next time they'll be able to tell us how she is measuring (there was a medical student performing the ultrasound, and she didn't do some of the checks that our doctor normally does.)  Anyway, I think she had a heart rate of 143, which our doctor said is perfect. She has lots of fluid to give her space to practice her acrobatics.  The next appointment is September 28th, and Lady L will have her glucose test then.  I'll be there cheering her on, and will bring some things to pass the time.

Lady L is doing well.  She has had some swelling in her ankles, and the heat/humidity hasn't helped that any.  But she has a great attitude, and is looking marvelous.  There is no question that she is pregnant, and she really looks amazing!  I'll post a few pictures.  She and her kids have such a great outlook on this journey, and we are so happy for that.

This week was my last week of summer.  I have been in my classroom a lot, but still have a long way to go.  Monday is our first official day of workshop week, and the kiddos start on September 4th.  I am of course a little sad to see summer go, but I am so incredibly anxious for December to get here, and I know we have to get through the fall in order for winter to arrive. 

We have most things ready for our daughter to arrive.  Her nursery is nearly complete, and a few of the bigger things that we have been waiting on getting we will wait until closer to her due date.  I have been sewing and making some fun things for her to have when she is ready.  I will be taking 12 weeks off of work to hang out with her at home, and we are hoping to find someone who will stay with her (one on one) until my summer break, which is about 3 months later.  Then, next fall, we will likely bring her to a child care center or an in home daycare. 

 

I told you she looks great:)

 

As always,  we appreciate sharing this very special experience with us.  We are truly blessed. Xoxo.

Birthdays

I can't let too much time pass without writing a post in honor of our sweet angels' birthday.  Yesterday was Savannah and Charlie's first birthday, and of course also the anniversary of the day they went to their final destination.  When I think about all of the people who have left before me, I am honored that both Savannah and Charlie are in such good company.  I think of both of my grandfathers, talking to the twins about farming, and agreeing with my Dad's wishes for more rain. (It's coming, Dad:)).  I imagine my Grandma K and my godmother-aunt Margaret smooching their little fingers and toes, playing house together before my granny has to go watch her "program."  I know Aaron's grandpa is teaching them about mechanics, airplanes, and how to fix things.  We have so many friends and family who left before us, who I know are having the best time with our children.  None more so than one of the greatest ladies I ever had the pleasure of knowing, Aaron's mother, Sue.  She exhibited kindness and compassion with every ounce of her being,  She had more patience than most, and could find the time to go the extra mile for everybody.  I know she is loving and taking the best care imaginable of Charlie and Savannah.

Yesterday wasn't all tears.  Savannah and Charlie were loved and treasured for every second of their existence, by many, many people.  We wanted to honor and celebrate as much as we mourned.  We had a busy, day, but just after dark, we had planned to go to the cemetery, and let go two floating lanterns.  Apparently, our kiddos do have a fantastic sense of humor.  At their site, we have two solar lights, one butterfly, and one dragonfly.  They are so beautiful, as is their stone.  It's been a very peaceful, tranquil place for us to visit.  The lights change colors, and they are so bright that we could see the lanterns perfectly to prepare them.  We lit them, let them fill up with heat, and when it was time to let them go, the one I started got stuck in a tree, and Aaron's floated gracefully into the night sky.  So we laughed a little, and watched until all of the embers in mine went out.  After a  good chat and a good cry, we left for home.  Aaron thought we should take the route in the direction that his lantern floated.  On the drive, we saw some fireworks.  When we got close to the farm letting them off, we pulled over, just as they were lighting off the grand finale,  A true gala for our twins.

In another interesting twist of fate, today is Lady L's birthday, which we also celebrated last night.  She turns 30 today, and we had a great time at her party at her folks' house.  In fact, it was very reminiscent of her birthday parties I remember attending when we were young kids.  Her children and their friends were having a great time, rounding up the night by searching for zombies with flashlights at dusk.  Happy birthday, Lady L.  We love you!

As our excitement for our daughter's arrival continues, we still mourn the loss of what might have been, but wasn't. Although I would change the course of fate if I could, there have been many, many blessings that we are so thankful for as a result of our loss. Many of our friendships have been strengthened, and some mere acquaintances have now become family. Aaron and I have witnessed true acts of friendship, and watched in admiration as people who we wouldn't have expected surround us with love and so much support. So many of you have reached out and shown us your compassion, your sorrow, and grace. Thank you.

Lady L and I at her birthday party

Lady L and her husband J, enjoying the night

The lantern Aaron let go, far away in the night sky

The Big Ultrasound

As you can imagine, my day began with so much excitement, and a bit of anxiety.  I have been very positive throughout this pregnancy, but at the 20 week ultrasound is where things went wrong with Charlie and Savannah last summer.  Besides being a little off kilter from a strange dream in which Aaron told me our cat had chlamydia, I woke up feeling good.  And it continued throughout the day.

After we arrived at the clinic, we went right back to start checking the baby out.  Right away, we saw our wiggly, active bebe showing off for the camera.

The ultrasound tech scanned everything, and found everything LOOKING GOOD!  That was exactly what I needed to hear.  The baby is in the 55th percentile for size, has a heartbeat in the 140ish range, and is just as beautiful as little girls can be.  That's right, it's a girl!  We are thrilled, and can't wait to meet her this winter.

Lady L's 20 week belly.  It's there!

Sorry for not posting earlier, we had some phone calls to make to family members first:)

Thanks so much for all of your prayers.  They are working!

Xoxo

Check Up

Today Lady L and I had a regular ob appointment.  We saw the cutest little baby wiggle around, open and close the mouth, and even waved to us.  The heartbeat measuered at 150 beats per minute, and our little bebe is just over 12 cm from crown to rump.  Here are a few pictures from our visit today:

Just us girls, her son the photog:)

Our sweet alien baby looking our way

Arms

High five everybody!

I don't really know what this is.  Any ideas? 

At 17 weeks (tomorrow) the baby has hair, eyebrows, and fingernails.

Lady L is feeling good, and looking great.  She has not felt any giant kicks or jabs yet, but feels the baby fluttering around.  We will be returning in 3 weeks to have the big anatomy ultrasound.  We are very excited to see more of our sweet babe.

Love,

Heidi

16 Weeks

I know I am 2 hours early in writing this, but I am so excited that we are almost 16 weeks along!  Lady L is doing well, looking marvelous, and is SHOWING!  I hadn't seen her in a couple of weeks, and was happy to see such a prominent "bump."  A few days ago, she sent me a text that one of the donors she was taking blood from asked her "So are you pregnant or just a little chubby?"  I was appalled, but she thought it was funny, and after seeing her, it's becoming more obvious by the second:)  She looks great, and is as energetic as ever.  Her husband, J, recently started a new job, and he seems to be enjoying it quite a bit.  However, he has no time off earned, so for the rest of the doctors appointments, it will be just us gals.  Of course Aaron will be at the big anatomy ultrasound, and I am a huge fan of girl time, anyway;)
Next Friday we will hopefully get another peek at our little sweet pea.  He or she should have developed taste buds at this point!  He or she is around 4.5 inches long, and weighs about 2.75 ounces.  There is still a lot of growing to do.  Here are a few pictures of the growth so far:

Side view

I don't know why this one is goofy, but her own kiddos wanted to make an appearance.

Profile view:)

As always, we thank you for your love, prayers, and support!

Xoxo.

Movement

I just read a message that Lady L sent me earlier today.  She felt the baby flutter today!  She won't be able to feel any big kicks or anything like that for a few more weeks, but flutters are wonderful!  Just a bubbly little reminder that somebody is growing in her belly:)

We are so excited about the baby flutters Lady L had today!

Woo Hoo!

We are very, very proud to announce that Lady L is 12 weeks and 3 days pregnant with our baby! Okay, I know you already knew this, but we got to see him or her today on the ultrasound, and there was no mistake, it really is a baby:) Until this point, if you tilted your head a certain way, tried to imagine longer limbs, etc., you could sort of visualize it, but now, we have proof! Lady L is doing an amazing job of taking care of herself, her family, and bebe. We are so lucky to have her in our lives and in this role. We thank God every day, and are loving this very non-traditonal route to become parents.

Our little alien baby waving at us (and all of you:))

Profile shot!  Pretty sure this little peanut has my overbite.

Top one is of his or her little hand by the face, and I think I accidentally scanned a double, the bottom two look the same.

Baby measured in size at exactly 12 weeks and 3 days.  He or she is 5.93cm, and has a heart rate of 158.  We saw a whole lot of moving and wiggling around in there today.  I asked Lady L if she had some red bull before the appointment, but she denied it;)  Life is good.

Xoxo,

Heidi

Celebrate

We know we are not out of the woods by any means, but we are very happy that Lady L is now 11 weeks and 2 days pregnant!  We will go back for another check up and ultrasound in one week from tomorrow, and hopefully at that point I will be able to talk to more people about what's going on in our lives:)  I still haven't told a lot of  co-workers, and even some friends that I don't talk with often. 
The best news is that at 10 weeks, Lady L was able to stop taking her estrogen (oral medication), and the progesterone (the giant intramuscular shot that she managed to endure for so long.)  That was so nice, because she no longer has to make plans around her "shot time." 
Today also happens to be the anniversary of the day I bumped into my Mr.-Perfect-For-Me. Aaron and I met 7 years ago, and neither one of us has any sign of that crazy 7 year itch people keep talking about:)

Our little monkey is now able to kick, stretch, and is nearly fully-human looking.  No more tail, and her (or his) bones are starting to harden.  Bebe is about the size of a fig, about 1.5 inches long:)  All of the fingers and toes are now developed, too.  Although we are never really quick to speculate, I am having girl vibes somehow.  We would be thrilled either way to have a full-term baby, so we won't be anything but excited when we find out gender.  Which is really only about 2 months away, and then I have a feeling I will be a shopping fool, lol.  This has been 5 years coming, so I may go the tiniest bit overboard I guess.
We are so grateful for Lady L, and how she and her family have come into our lives in such an unexpected way.  I will never take any of this for granted, and know that someone is watching over all of us.

Happy Mother's Day

Today is a very special day, as we honor all of the mothers in our lives.  It's a bit of a bittersweet day for me, as I had hoped to be celebrating in a very different way many years ago.  Anyway, it's a great day to honor my own mother, whose strength and wisdom in many areas inspires me each day.  I honor her mother, (my grandma) who helped her grow in to a lovely lady, and all of the mothers before them.  I honor my dad's mom, who is gone but not forgotten, and who I believe has a hand in how our journey with Lady L has transpired (she was also a grandma to her.)  I remember Aaron's delightful mom, who I imagine is taking good care of Savannah, Charlie, and the five other sweet angels we lost too early.  I honor all of the Mamas who don't take parenthood for granted, and love their children each day.

I read this poem, and cried, well, probably sobbed, as there are so many of us who sit in limbo waiting patiently for our turn.  Enjoy this glorious day, and celebrate for all of us.

Xoxo,
Heidi

A Mother's Day Wish From Heaven

By Jody Seilheimer

Dear Mr. Hallmark,

I am writing to you from heaven,
and though it must appear
A rather strange idea,
I see everything from here.
I just popped in to visit,
your stores to find a card
A card of love for my mother,
as this day for her is hard.

There must be some mistake I thought,
I saw every card you could imagine
Except I could not find a card,
from a child who lives in heaven.
She is still a mother too,
no matter where I reside
I had to leave, she understands,
but oh the tears she's cried.
I thought that if I wrote you,
that you would come to know
That though I live in heaven now,
I still love my mother so.
She talks with me, and dreams with me;
we still share laughter too,
Memories are our way of speaking now,
would you see what you could do?
My mother carries me in her heart,
her tears she hides from sight.
She writes poems to honor me,
sometimes far into the night
She plants flowers in my garden,
there my living memory dwells
She writes to other grieving parents,
trying to ease their pain as well.
So you see Mr. Hallmark,
though I no longer live on earth
I must find a way to remind her
of her wondrous worth.
She needs to be honored,
and remembered too
Just as the children of earth will do.
Thank you Mr. Hallmark,
I know you'll do your best
I have done all I can do;
to you I'll leave the rest.
Find a way to tell her,
how much she means to me
Until I can do it for myself,
when she joins me in eternity.

The News

Last week, Lady L and I went in for our second ultrasound, the first at the ob. department:)  The baby is doing well, and measured exactly where he or she should be.  The heart rate increased from 160 to 178, both which are considered to be good.  Baby measured 2.11 cm from crown to rump (I have always thought that is the most adorable term of all the ob terminology:)  We are now exactly 9 weeks and 3 days, and there are a lot of great things happening.  Baby is about the size of a grape, and now has all 4 chambers of it's heart. He or she even has little earlobes.

We will go back to check on things in 3 weeks, from today, when Lady L will be 12.5 weeks!  It's so hard to believe that in just 4 weeks after that, we will be headed in for the big anatomy ultrasound (and yes, we will find out gender.) 

Not much else to report.  We are praying hard every day and night that God watches over all of us- our friends and family, Lady L and her friends and family, and of course our sweet little grape.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers.

Xoxo.

The above pic is above baby, head is on the right side, and little legs and arms are sticking out.

Ehh, same thing, but showing the crown to rump:)

Those little dashes in the middle of the stuff on the bottom are the baby's heartbeats!  178 last week.

8 Weeks

Well, I think I'll probably quit with the weekly updates now.  Since I had been in the habit of updating on Tuesdays, with the weekly updates, I'll stick to it today.  Last Saturday, Lady L was considered to be 8 weeks pregnant.  I guess we were off by a few days;)  Here is the 8 week info, so exciting!:

“Webbed fingers and toes are poking out from your baby's hands and feet, his eyelids practically cover his eyes, breathing tubes extend from his throat to the branches of his developing lungs, and his "tail" is just about gone. In his brain, nerve cells are branching out to connect with one another, forming primitive neural pathways.”

We will go back to the ob this Friday, and are hoping things continue to look good, with our sweet, strong, and healthy babe and Lady L.  I know the above picture is a little blurry, but the white spark in the middle is the heart.  He or she is still pretty tiny, only about the size of a kidney bean:)

One

We are thrilled to announce that we have ONE healthy baby growing in Lady L's uterus.  He or she has a strong heartbeat at 160, and measured just a few days ahead of his or her gestational age.  They have changed her due date to December 10th, making her 7 weeks and 6 days pregnant.  We already love this baby so much, and will patiently wait for December.

A Big Knot

I have a knot in my stomach the size of Texas right now.  No, actually make that Alaska.  I can't believe that in 24 hours, we will be in the waiting room at the appointment that will undoubtedly change our lives.  We are excited, nervous, and scared as hell.  We have no idea whether one or two babies implanted last month, and we have no idea how things are progressing. 

We have been in constant prayer, begging God more than we ever knew possible, and hoping that He is taking good care of Lady L and our baby (ies) 

Please, pray for us.

That's all.

7 Weeks

Today Lady L is 7 weeks pregnant with our sweet embabe.  We are so anxious and excited for Friday to get here so that we can see how our little pal is doing.  This will be the very first ultrasound, and we are SO ready for it to be here.  Last Friday, Lady L, her sister in law, and a few of my friends got together and chatted for a couple of hours.  It was so nice to just hang out for a little bit.  Please continue to pray for the health of our baby, and Lady L.  Friday is a really big day for us- only 3 days away ! 

Here is what BabyCenter has to say about 7 Week, it's so AMAZING!!!

“Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs — although they look more like paddles at this point than the tiny, pudgy extremities you're daydreaming about holding and tickling. Technically, your baby is still considered an embryo and has something of a small tail, which is an extension of her tailbone. The tail will disappear within a few weeks, but that's the only thing getting smaller. Your baby has doubled in size since last week and now measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.
If you could see inside your womb, you'd spot eyelid folds partially covering her peepers, which already have some color, as well as the tip of her nose and tiny veins beneath parchment-thin skin. Both hemispheres of your baby's brain are growing, and her liver is churning out red blood cells until her bone marrow forms and takes over this role. She also has an appendix and a pancreas, which will eventually produce the hormone insulin to aid in digestion. A loop in your baby's growing intestines is bulging into her umbilical cord, which now has distinct blood vessels to carry oxygen and nutrients to and from her tiny body.”

I'll update again on Friday!
Xoxo,
Heidi

Tuesday

Today is a great day!  Not only is Lady L exactly 6 weeks pregnant, but her daughter turns 2!  I know they will have a super fun family celebration today. 
6 weeks is just an amazing time for the baby.  I am going to paste some info that a website for pregos called Babycenter.com.  They have the best pictures and info, I am so glad I bumped into this place!

"This week's major developments: The nose, mouth, and ears that you'll spend so much time kissing in eight months are beginning to take shape. If you could see into your uterus, you'd find an oversize head and dark spots where your baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form. His emerging ears are marked by small depressions on the sides of the head, and his arms and legs by protruding buds. His heart is beating about 100 to 160 times a minute — almost twice as fast as yours — and blood is beginning to course through his body. His intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will give rise to his lungs has appeared. His pituitary gland is forming, as are the rest of his brain, muscles, and bones. Right now, your baby is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil."

It's just amazing how fast they grow, and how early everything develops. 
10 days until the big ultrasound.  We couldn't be more thrilled! 
I have been keeping busy by making crafts and trying to get things ready for the garage sale in June.  It's nice to have something to focus on and keep my mind occupied.
Lady L continues to inspire us with her strength.  She is still feeling well, although she's exhausted.
Thanks for keeping all of us in your hearts, thoughts, and prayers.  We all appreciate the words of encouragement you give us!

Xoxo

5 Weeks

Today Lady L is officially 5 weeks pregnant with our little embaby:)  It is only about the size of a sesame seed, but is growing very quickly.  Lady L says she is still feeling well, with no side effects yet, other than being exhausted.  We hope that she continues to feel good, and that she can either get some energy back, or find the time to rest as much as she needs to.

Nothing new to report, we still have 2 weeks and 3 days until our ultrasound- and it has already been a LONG wait, lol.  Patience, be with us:)

YYYAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!

Today is a GREAT day! So, Tuesday Lady L had a beta of 263, a nice, strong number. To be considered a positive, viable pregnancy, those numbers need to at least double in 48 hours.

Today she went in, and: PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED! Beta number was 833! It more than tripled, and we are thrilled with that. In 3 weeks from tomorrow (April 27th), we will all go in for the first ultrasound, and admire the progress.

Thanks so much for your good wishes, prayers, and uplifting messages to carry us through this very nerve wracking time. Keep the prayers coming if you could, we have a long road ahead of us:) I think Lady L is considered to be 4 weeks and 2 days pregnant if I am not mistaken. I calculated due date to be 12-11-2012, but another one of her friends said 12-13-2012.

This journey we are on would be so impossible without the love, support, and prayers from each of you.  Aaron and I have always said that we did something right along the way, as we are truly blessed with the kindest, most amazing team of friends in the world.  And our family, we somehow "raised our hand" at the right moment, because you are the best.  Enough said. 

Xoxo,
Heidi

Officially Pregnant!

Lady L went to the clinic for her first official HCG beta at 7:30 this morning.  She called me at 10:30 with good news...  She is officially pregnant:)  Her beta number came back at 263, which is a good, strong number.  Now we will spend the next 48 hours in "extreme prayer mode."  Those numbers need to double in the next 48 hours.  On Thursday, I will update again. 

Lady L is very excited, feeling well (but exhausted, as she should be) and enjoying being "officially pregnant." 

Keep those prayers coming, friends- for healthy pregnancy and healthy baby(ies) in December.

XOXO
Thank you God!

Drum Roll

On Tuesday March 27th, Lady L was feeling anxious, broke down and took a home pregnancy test.  It was negative.  She didn't tell me this until later, but she was bummed about it, and decided that she wasn't going to take a test again.  The 4 of us had actually set a date for this morning (Saturday) to take one, so we could at least be prepared about how to emotionally go into next week.  We were hoping the week would fly by.  I was off task for the majority of the week, with a knot in my belly.  There a SO many questions and scenarios that played through my mind. I spent a lot of time praying, and a lot of time accomplishing nothing:) 

So, we were all set for today, Saturday, the big day.  Then on Thursday morning, Lady L text me asking if I was home.  For some reason, I got a huge knot in my belly, fearing that something bad had happened.  I told her I was at work, but could chat (I had no students for another hour or so.)  Then I got a text, with an attached picture...  it was of a pregnancy test with a very faint positive, and a message along the lines of "Congrats, the test shows I am going to have your baby."  WOOO HOOO!

I got a little emotional, talked to Aaron, then to Lady L, and then had to go about my day. I was actually shocked, as the transfer was only one week before!  I am still surprised that it showed up so soon.  Aaron brought some flowers over to her before work, and she sent the test with him.  So, of course she took another test after he took hers away from her, which was also positive.  The next day, she sent another picture with a darker line.

Today we still went over to her house, although we missed her husband.  It was nice to see her and her kiddos, and this time we made her pee on a digital test.  We brought the test, proudly displaying the word "pregnant" over to my parents' house to share the news. 

The 3 pictures above are of the tests in succession...  you can see they get a little darker with each one.  I don't have a good image of the digital, but my mom does, so I'll have to add that later on.

We are overjoyed beyond belief, but are anxious to have next week's blood test results back.  Lady L will go in on Tuesday and Thursday to compare HCG betas.  If things look good, there will be an ultrasound on or around April 27th to take the first look:)

We are off to a great start, but still need your prayers, as we have a long, and hopefully uncomplicated journey ahead of us.

We love you Lady L and family, you are amazing and have changed our lives forever with your kind hearts!

xoxo