SONOGRAM DATE!

Hello Monday morning! I have had crazy dreams and this is the fourth night in a row of wild vivid dreams... can we say pregnant? haha! I had to get everyone up and dressed and fed by 8:15am this morning. I laid everyone's clothes out last night so I was ready for the chaos.

My MIL helped me out big time by dropping the twins off at pre-school. They have to be there every Monday & Wednesday by 8:30am. So on a normal Monday I am not so worried about anyone looking presentable but the twins but today I had to get them dropped off then to my appt by 9am. So she helped me out a ton and she even took Willow along for the ride. So I was blessed with some great QT with just Foster and Betsy. I always appreciate my moments of running around with just one or two it's special and so easy!

So we got to the appt with 10 minutes to spare and I was a little leery to tell them that I already knew I was pregnant, but as I was getting my blood drawn I said to the nurse... "I may have been bad this past weekend." Then I smiled...

She smiled back and whispered "that's ok!" The real kicker was my nurse coordinator who doesn't let me get away with anything! She is on me, like to a point that I feel like I am back in high school and I have accountable teachers! I just love her but my goodness she harps on me when I don't pay attention to my calendar or following directions! So I was a bit afraid to tell her but I just walked in her office and blurted out... "I already know I am pregnant... the lines showed up immediately!"

To my surprise, she laughed and said well that doesn't surprise me because your levels were so high last Thursday! But I still had to wait until the results got back in until I could schedule my sonogram date.

She called a few hours later and they went from 110 to 540... what does that mean? I am pregnant and they are increasing that is pretty much all that can be detected! We won't know how many embryo's implanted until we have that sonogram! So my date is Wednesday, November, 14th at 11am.

I am so excited AND I am still walking in this really wonderful content peace. I am thankful symptoms haven't set in too early. So to clarify I am officially 4 weeks pregnant which means I will seem pregnant for an eternity. So do me a favor and don't tell me... You have been pregnant for so long! That's one down fall to tracking a pregnancy journey so early on. I won't be due until somewhere in July but they will give me an actual due date when I have the next appt. Until then, just keep praying for us please. I am humbled by the joy I am walking in. It really is a gift. Something that is not in my nature, to be content and not worry... oh what a freedom it is to make it through my days without those bags to carry!

Be blessed today! I hope your week goes great! I would love to pray for you and your miracle so send me a message and I will add you to wall of fame... I am believing God with you! I already have some names that I pray for... I'd love to pray for you too!

Lines

It's Saturday morning and we are laying around for a few moments... Everyone in our home stirs between 7am - 7:30am... we get up & start our routine by going potty, putting our jammies either in the laundry or back in the jammie box, then we brush our teeth, get dressed and head down to the kitchen for breakfast. Its lovely but something in past pregnancies that made each day hard to start because of fatigue and sickness. So I hope that I will continue to enjoy our morning routine...

But I have to tell you about how I am doing, I have been asked so much, almost to a point of making me question my answer! I am doing great! I have not had any change in my actual body, no pain, swelling, tenderness nothing to point towards pregnancy, accept two different times I had some cramping. Yet I have had such peace that I have answered with... "I am doing great! I mean I would assume in 2/3 weeks when I am a bit farther along then maybe symptoms will develop, but I am hoping for this to be the norm, if I actually test positive on my blood test!"

Well, this week flew by which that in itself is such a blessing and a clear picture that I really do trust the Lord in this! I was curious what my mind and emotions would do to me once the transfer took place. In times past and specifically in our personal journey through IVF  I can vividly remember this week. The unknown... just waiting. I was consumed in worry and wonder and the desperate need to know. This time, I have thought about the reality of these precious lives in my belly because I have some silly restrictions... no exerting my heart, no lifting over 10lbs (that's not easy with a 21 lb 17 month old). But I have managed to get around just fine, other than that though I haven't been crazy in my emotions, just content. Looking forward to getting the positive blood test. I went for my first test on Thursday...   This is where they sit while I get stuck!

So since I should have started my cycle yesterday I spontaneously told JR "lets take a pregnancy test!" I mean they didn't technically tell us not to, although those words were clearly spoken in our IVF cycle almost 5 years ago.. "Do Not take a pregnancy test, please wait until the 2nd blood draw and our phone call with your levels"

Guess what... I DID IT!!!!

I literally peed and as soon as the indicator strip was wet two lines appeared! I was laughing hysterically! I mean this is what we have been planning, and pregnancy is so normal to us (now)... but adopting a child is still in the unknown realm to us personally. We are passionate about adoption because we ourselves were adopted by our Father. We have been open to the idea since we were first married. God has set the example of how to love unconditionally. Yet this way of adoption kind of blows your mind. We may not know what to expect when we have a baby placed in our arms with a head full of hair, yet He will overflow our hearts with love and protection for these little lives but wow, to get a positive pregnancy for adoption... hahaha! It's worth rejoicing over! He is working this out and we are his vessels. I felt the most overwhelming sense of trust from the Lord towards us. He trusts us to do this.

Some pretty pink lines.

It was pretty fun to tell the kids that they will be siblings again. At least one time over! They prayed for them... and so sweetly all said "hi!" to my tummy! I guess those little lives need to get used to a lot of chatter and voices!

We will still go in on Monday for the second blood test. They will call me later in the day with the results. According to their protocol my levels are to quadruple by Monday. I will then get to schedule my first sonogram and see how many lives are growing!!!

We are thrilled that at least one little life gets to come and contribute to this world. Making a great impact by their life alone! God desires to take our lives on an adventure and I mean if we fully believe He is in control and this isn't our home then why the heck not live the adventure? Why not risk it all for Him?

So this post is an official announcement. I am pregnant.


That night we watched October Baby. I wept. I don't think it was an accident that we watched that movie in such timely manner. I was so moved and thankful.

Transfer Day!

Well we did our day in typical fashion... making memories!!! This is something we are becoming professional at. Mr. Foster has been growing his hair out for over a year now to donate to children who don't have hair.  We have been planning on growing his hair 10 inches to donate to Locks of Love but he has been itching to cut it and asks us to measure it often. So last week I was told about an organization that takes 8 inches instead of 10. So I when I told him we could do it sooner than Christmas, (which is what I projected for the next 1 1/2 inches of hair to reach the requirements).

 He practically called my girlfriend to make an appt himself. He is officially tired of correcting people who just assume he is a girl because his hair long. He was so excited to donate his hair! So we of course were given a time the morning of our FET. I thought was a great idea... the morning can be normal and we can do something for others and it really did make the day perfect!

He is so handsome and more than anything Proud! He will remember this day on so many levels!

 We didn't have that much time before we had to arrive at the dr appt. So we had a celebratory lunch with Mexican food to celebrate these beauiful partly mexican babies that were PLACED in my womb!!

 

 My instructions consisted of me using the rest room at 12:15 exactly one hour before the transfer and then to drink a liter of water. The transfer can only take place with an uncomfortably full bladder.

 So we left lunch and headed to the dr office we arrived a bit early, but I thought I could drink my water and have fun in the waiting room. I seriously felt such sense of joy walking into that office! I walked in and I said... Whoa! The time has come!!! And then I showed everyone my qdoba cup and said we are celebrating these mexican babies that are alive and thriving and about to get implanted! All the office ladies thought I was crazy, but I did make them laugh... I signed in and then I was taken back immediately and I hadn't gotten all my water down yet... But we had EVEN more paper work to fill out for the crazy FDA junk so we signed all kinds of things, then I had to get under my sheet... Aka strip from the waist down.

 Here is my BELLY incredibly FILLED water! I was drinking so much so fast and I thought I was going to explode.

 Drinking more water because they checked me on the sono and it wasn't enough yet... Popped a Valume (muscle relaxer) to relax the uterus. Then had to wait for it to fill up.

 Here is the sonogram machine right before the transfer.

 Here is a sono with an arrow of where the embryos went in... you can't really tell on this photo but it's wild! They came in and said "We have two embryos for James and Alyson Dakin is that you? " we confirmed and then they were placed in me while the nurse forcefully pressed on my bladder to allow the sono wand to show exactly what was happening.

 Then we got our first Sono of these precious pumpkins! Here they are an hour before transfer! They said that they unthawed wonderfully and they look great! Frost & Snow are doing great!!

We have been BLOWN away with the encouragement we have received through out the day. I was So thankful to get text messages and comments sharing such sweet things to me/us about this incredibly special day! I am thrilled to laying in bed on bed rest from now until 2pm tomorrow. Then I can function like any other day, I just CAN'T lift anything over 10lbs, I CAN'T do any high aerobic activity and some other unmentionables until they clear me! So haha.. like any of that is normal activity.  We did it once before with our beautiful ginger IVF Twinks (WHO turn FOUR years OLD in 3 days!)

I have to share this beautiful vision the Lord gave me yesterday. I went to our church for a prenatal prayer time and it was so special and personal. Life was prayed for... and God's blessing was released over these precious babies. In the midst of the prayer time. The Lord showed me this vision that was clear as day and it truly was the first vision I have confidently known the Lord to give me. It was in regards to the Embryos as they were getting unthawed. I saw Angels in heaven standing up and gasping as they grabbed their chest... These angels were in awe that the embryos were unthawed and capable of living again.

This picture will never leave me. It was so clear at how important this decision is to the Lord. He sees this and honors it. He is beginning to knit us together. You know on your birthday when you turn a year older you know you are a year older but you don't actually feel any different than the day before? Well I fully feel that way. I am so incredibly content yet I know something so powerful just happened today. We celebrated it and now within the next two days these babies will hopefully find a great place on the lining of the uterus and grow with the most incredible health.

Thank you for following our journey and continuing to pray with us. We are blessed by support that really does encourage us. Many don't understand our decisions but we like living strange and peculiar for our Lord. This isn't home anyway:)

IM shots & great prayer

We got prayed over at church today... the words spoken were powerful... we are rescuers. God's will will be done through our obedience. Protection was spoke over our us, blessings & most wonderfully "Joy" was spoken.

God is doing a great thing through us & we fully have our eyes on Him. It is so great to walk through this & not carry burdens that don't belong to us. God led us here & we are honored to follow, & we have no idea what his outcome is gonna be. Even with these dreadful shots that my hubs breaks from his study time to come home to administer to me, God is worthy of all of it. I'm amazed at how collected I am about the transfer. It's only a few days away... & Strong thoughts of reality in the natural cross my mind like, "somebody else child is getting put inside my womb" & different variations of that but I don't listen to the attempt to cause me confusion or fear, I know God will reveal to my heart a new kind of love that I've not known. I'm filled with great peace. If you have been praying for us, please continue God is hearing you & preparing us with his strength. So thank you.


Conception is made by our creator. We start right here... Amazing!!!


Aly~

4 DAYS!

Yesterday morning was a defining appointment! I had to go in for another blood draw... Then a ultrasound to check the lining of my uterus... I was told to prepare to be at the office awhile because at the end of all of that I'd meet with my nurse coordinator (the person that determines my calendar of medicine based on how my body is responding).

My mother in law was out of town over the course of my other appts, so I experienced the blessing she is in my life (she normally helps with dr visits in general) but I took sucked it up & took the kiddos to various blood draws. This morning however, she was home & available to take some of the kids so that I could handle a longer appt without the masses!

I arrived with my twins about 5 minutes late with their breakfast in my bag. We sat down in the kid room & right as I peeled the first banana, I was called back into the sono room.

The excitement that is wrapped in all of this... Crazy! I mean my expectation is so different in this setting! I have no longing desires... Just a willing heart to obey the Lord as he's convicted our heart over life. But every time I walk into a room, or step behind a curtain, I continue to shake my head in amazement & shock that this is happening. Two healthy little human beings that could have so much to contribute to our world, are getting the opportunity to live, breathe & just be.

I was in & out of the appt in 25 minutes. The shortest time there yet.

The dr sono me & he said... "Wow, beautiful"... Then he said I bet you've never heard that said of your womb before huh? I then said what is so great? He said that the lining needs to be more than 8mm & mine measured 11mm. So as much as that information is foreign to me, I was told that I'm responding to everything well!

So we OFFICIALLY have a time 1:15PM on Wednesday October 17th, we will have our two sweet embryos implanted into my womb.

I'm not sure if I told you this or not but a dear friend of my officially gave them pet names... Jack Frost & Snow White! The only fairy tale characters related to cold. We are fully aware there could be two of the same gender OR that only one of them will implant. Either way its fun to personify these little lives... who are being thawed & will start existing again & both of them will be given a chance at life... Be that here on earth first or straight to heaven we are so honored to be a vehicle The Lord can use.

So here are some pics of the appt...


My "beautiful" lining on the bottom right in the pic above...haha!


The twinks with me at my appt. & thinking their funny!



My new calendar with the dosage of the scary shots.



My gracious husband who deals with my whimpers while he has to inflict pain & he does such a good job of comforting me through these nasty things.

So here we go the count down is on! Now once we get them implanted we will have a waiting period of 12 days or so (uncertain of those details) ill go in two different blood draws a few days apart & then after the 2nd appt they will call with pregnancy results... Either yes I am Preggo or not I'm not.

Then it'll be another 2-3 weeks before we have a sono & find out if one or both implanted. So that is what I know for now!

Be blessed today!
Aly
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The infertility waiting room

Well what a week it's been! I have had to get my blood drawn three times in the past week or so and I have joyfully taken all or some of the kiddos into the infertility clinic by 8:15 AM each time (sense my sarcasm.. I would rather NOT do that.) But let me tell you, the stares of seeing my troops as they march into that waiting area are something! Some with eyes that have still have the wonder and hope and others with the despair that it might never happen. Either way you could cut through the air of the emotions that is certain.

I have to camp on this for a moment... The day of my first blood draw with just Willow (about 10 days) ago, the waiting room was busting at the seams with women. I couldn't help but instantly remember the emotions that they were experiencing. Now I do know that everyone has their own story and that what I went through could be nothing compared to what these individual women are facing. I did however experience my own level of emotions back then... my hopes and lack there of, and my fears, my doubt and insecurity... my desire and longing... they were all there when I was sitting in this waiting area just 4 1/2 years ago. Here I sit in such a different season and with such a hope in what God has done that I wanted to walk around the room and hug each and every one of them and tell them, you are not alone. You will be blessed just hold on...

The day I took the whole crew into the office, I felt such a desire to keep the kids quiet while we walked in the door, I wanted to be sensitive to the other patients. So we went into this back portion of the waiting area and while they played I prayed. I lifted up each one of the women in there and other friends of mine that are in the midst of infertility... and I felt so moved. God is so near to us even when we don't understand what he is doing. He leads and guides far beyond what we can fathom. I can't say hold on and you will end up with 5 kids, but I can clearly say with all I am, that He will bless you in ways that you will not lack.

So to those of you who are struggling... be encouraged right now, God is walking with you and he hears your prayers. I want to encourage you don't be afraid of fighting for your family. I was so afraid of using medicine. Until the Lord literally kicked us into the door of the fertility clinic. We would have no understanding or conviction for an embryo like we do now, and I still don't even know how he is going to continue writing our story. Everything is pointing to Him in all we do.

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. matthew 11:28

Proverbs 13:12 A hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. - This is a scripture that JR prayed over me for months... I give it to you.

I pray for you that He who is able to open your womb and bless you with life will do so in this season as you cry out to him. I am believing with you.