Officially MATCHED!

That's right, I officially have me some people to have a baby for! Whoot whoot! They don't know about this blog yet, so I won't get into it too much, but THEY ARE AWESOME! Things have been a little more slow moving than "normal", because they just had a baby a couple weeks ago. When we exchanged profiles in my last post, their surrogate was having some preterm labor issues and they weren't sure when the baby was going to come. So we scheduled a Skype Match Meeting, but then had to reschedule because their surrogate went into labor! One week later, their baby was finally born :) So, last Friday we had our meeting and it was wonderful.


The feeling is hard to explain, and I feel like this is especially true because I have nothing to compare it to. I had some uncertain feelings at first, largely due to a miscommunication between my IP's, my agency, and myself. Lost emails are a huge downer!! (Thanks technology!) Good thing my agency is so great, and they called to discuss my feelings before letting me move on to a different couple! I feel like the Match Meeting is like a super awkward blind date.... you kind of have a little inkling of what to expect, but not really. You wonder if it is going to be weird and awkward, or if you are going to have personalities that mesh, if you are going to see eye to eye on potentially HUGE deal breaking issues, etc. Luckily, our call went great and we seem to click well! The next step is getting contracts started, and setting up an in person meeting. I think we are hoping for a December transfer, which sounds wonderful to me! I would love it if we could to it tomorrow!


I am so ready to be pregnant and spend more time getting to know my IP's. It's a strange mix of feelings- wanting to get the show on the road and see some action, but at the same time, the more we get done, the closer we are to the end. I just got this great couple and I don't want to have to say goodbye to them when this is all over. I wish I could video record the next year of my life so I could keep it forever and play it back. I have spurts where I remember a bunch of things I want to talk to them about, but I also don't want to overwhelm them. I know they are both busy with life, careers, and a newborn at home! So I try to exercise the patience I have VERY little of, and not get ahead of myself!


I will post more after contracts are complete and I have a transfer update and after our in person meeting.


Until then.....
Thanks for reading
xoxo

Hello Hollywood!

Sorry this post is slightly delayed... life has been beyond busy lately!


Let me preface this with the schedule of events for the week of my trip to California:


Saturday 9/3- best friend's bachelorette party
Sunday 9/4- Pig out in the Park with my daughter and her dad and his wife
Monday 9/5- get up and get to the airport for flight at 12:30pm
Tuesday 9/6- Med screen, psych screen, flight home arriving at 12am
Wednesday 9/7- my daughter's first day of kindergarten followed by 12hrs of work
Thursday 9/8- work and then nails with the girls before the wedding
Friday 9/9- work and then wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner
Saturday 9/10- best friends wedding, awake and arriving at the church at 9:30am


I wanted to sleep for 48hrs straight by the time the week was over!


So ANYWAY! On September 5th I flew down to LA for my Medical and Psych screening. My flight arrived at 5:30pm and I found my car and driver and off to the hotel in Pasadena we went. Got checked in and read by the pool until it got dark, ordered room service ($16 cheeseburger, not impressed!) and went to bed. Nervous/excited/anxious for the busy day that lay ahead!


Took the shuttle from the hotel to HRC Fertility and met Dr. Kolb and his nurse Maria. Got my IUD yanked (interesting and funny story for another time!) and my uterus inspected ("it's beautiful!"). Blood drawn, peed in a cup, and off I went.


An exciting 45 minute taxi ride to LA resulted in arrival at Growing Generations psych headquarters for my thorough mental evaluation. After a 567 question personality assessment test and a 2 hour "conversation" about my childhood, past, present, parents, ex-husband, baby daddy, daughter, job, school, neighbors, you name it, I was tentatively deemed acceptable to move on in the process. Off to LAX I went, to catch my flight home and wait (im)patiently for my final results. Have I mentioned I am NOT a patient person??


After a couple small snafus and a whole lot of deep breaths, I have officially been medically cleared to continue! My agency sent me a profile of intended parents (IP's) last week, and I accepted them. GG (Growing Generations, my agency) sent my profile to the IP's today, and I should hopefully hear back tomorrow with their response. *In a nervous voice* "I hope they like me....." If they like my profile, the next step is setting up an in person meeting in LA within the next few weeks.


*Fingers Crossed*


I will leave you with a few pictures from my whirlwind trip, and the week surrounding it!


Thanks for reading
xoxo

Bachelorette Party!

Beautiful view of the hills from the roof of the hotel

Pool

Relaxing!

My daughter requested a picture of where I was staying. She told my mom "That looks like a good bed" LOL!

                                  

$16 cheeseburger

First day of school!!

Snuggling Caleb (son of the bride and groom)

Checking out the goods at the rehearsal ;)

Wedding Day!

"Wow.... really? Why??"

That is a very common response I get when I tell people I'm going to be a surrogate. Usually it comes from the people who don't really understand, the people who don't get it. But it leads to a very interesting topic and very legitimate question: Why am I doing this? Why do I want to be a surrogate? Why, why, why?


As I mentioned in my first post, being a surrogate is something I have thought about for a few years. Something I wanted to do for a long time. But why? I don't know... why not?


The short answer that I started with was this: I loved being pregnant, I had no morning sickness, no complications, (almost) no complaints. I loved feeling my baby move inside me, I would love to do it again. But I don't want another baby to keep at this point in my life. My uterus young and healthy, but it is empty and not going to be occupied for personal use any time in the near future. So why not help someone out and let their baby use it for a year? Something that is so easy for me, is so difficult or impossible for someone else... so why wouldn't I help them?

Then I thought harder, and considered the bigger picture. Ever since I can remember, I have loved children, and especially babies. They are so cute and soft and snuggly and amazing!! When I got pregnant with my daughter at 18, I was less than excited. I was TERRIFIED. But then the excitement came, and becoming a mother is the most amazing, life changing experience I've ever had. My daughter is the best thing that has ever happened to me, the best "accident" I could have ever asked for :) She teaches me daily, more than I could have ever imagined. She brings me endless love and joy, I am amazed by her more and more every day. The funny things she says, the new things she learns, the things she observes and retains, her empathy, her sensitivity, her compassion for others at the ripe age of 5 and three quarters :) How much she needs me, counts on me, learns from me. The amount of love you feel for your own child is indescribable, something you cannot comprehend until you have a child of your own.


I can't imagine someone wanting to have a baby so badly and not being able to do so. My short answer combined with my longer answer brings me to the simple conclusion that I just want to help someone fulfill their dreams of being parents and having a family.


Thanks for reading
xoxo

First post, let's see how this goes....

Okay, so the title of my blog is a little deceiving... I'm not pregnant yet, but I hope to be soon! And when I am, it won't be mine! I have recently begun my first surrogacy journey and I am going to blog about the adventure. I love reading blogs about surrogacy, but was wrestling with the idea of actually writing one, as I somewhat feel like I am talking to myself or rambling on and on....


Okay, let's start from the beginning. Surrogacy is something I have thought about for a few years, more as an abstract idea than a realistic one. Sure, I have always wanted to do it, but did I ever think it was something that would actually happen? NO WAY!! I live in Washington state, and I came to find out that surrogacy is "illegal" here. Upon further research I discovered that the surrogacy itself isn't illegal, but contracts with the intention of the surrogate being paid above and beyond medical and legal expenses are unenforceable. So this means that no agencies want to work with people in Washington because it's a pain. My newfound surrogacy excitement bubble was quickly popped. Possible solutions were quickly running through my head. Move to Idaho? Keep looking for an agency? Give up? 


Late one evening I was exploring blogs online and read a HILARIOUS one. (Kelly Rummelhart, http://justthestork.blogspot.com/) I had emailed 2 or 3 agencies and they unfortunately didn't work with WA surrogates. I'm pretty stubborn and don't give up easily when I want something, so I filled out the online application and emailed Kelly's agency too, on the off chance that this would be an agency who would work with me. The next morning I woke up and checked my email... holy hallelujah Batman, they approved my first stage application to move on to the next step, and I received an email reply that they COULD work with me- they have had many successful contracts out of Washington!!! I am a person who hates disappointment so I tried (and am still trying) not to get too excited until I am actually pregnant. But OMG I AM SO EXCITED!! 


The last couple weeks in a nutshell: LOTS OF PAPERWORK! I have filled out questionnaires, I have signed a million things, I have faxed, I have requested documents, medical records, insurance policies, pay stubs, I have considered options... the surrogacy train in my brain is constantly moving! After completing an application for life insurance and an individual surrogacy maternity policy (in case, for some terrible reason, we aren't able to use my personal insurance), submitting past medical records, and waiting impatiently for a week, I was approved and given the green light to move forward to medical and psychological evaluation!! I am flying to LA (where my agency is) on September 5th, for my med and psych evaluations on September 6th. Have I mentioned how excited I am?!?! 


This will have to suffice as my first ever blog post, as I need to snuggle my daughter and put her to bed soon. I will post an update after my trip to LA, unless something super exciting happens before then! 


Thanks for reading
xoxo