In the Beginning...

This is our first picture of our baby girl, as a blastocyst, the day of our in-vitro transfer on March 30, 2007. Our intention that day was to bring our last two embryos home to my womb and give them a chance at life, and leave it up to God.

A Lesson in Patience and Perserverance...and Miracles

Three years ago, it was Dec. 10, 2004, and I was sitting awaiting friends for a birthday cocktail. I sat there and prayed for a special birthday gift...a baby. I asked God to bring me a baby for my birthday, as Al and I were trying to conceive at that time. I was so hopeful and sure that God intended me to be a mother again. You see, before conceiving Tyler, I was told the chances of me conceiving were very slim due to having a severely tilted uterus. So, to have Tyler was our first miracle. And my first biological link as an adoptee. So, even though my birthday came and passed, and the next birthday came and passed too, and no baby, I didn't lose hope. Then in March 2005, we conceived Gaby, only to lose him at 18 weeks. But despite the pain and lonely desparation, Al and I still believed that we were meant to have another child.

Fast forward through painful tests, procedures and protocols and God sent us our third miracle, our baby girl due on...you guessed it...MY BIRTHDAY, three years later!

So, the lesson learned for this girl was to never give up just because you don't get God's answer right away. It's all in God's time, not ours. We're just asked to have the faith of a mustard seed, that's all.

One Decade Down....and many more to come!

Today is Al and my 10th year wedding anniversary! It's been a decade of many emotions and experiences, none of which I would trade for anything. Our marriage started out with both of us very immature but definitely knowing no matter what we loved eachother. It was a bumpy road over the next few years, but wise choices and tough decisions were made and we stuck it out. Just when we thought we were cruising down easy street for a while, a major accident left us again with choices and decisions...this time was when we lost our beloved baby Gaby at 18 weeks. The saying, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" defintely rang true and although we were not glad that this happened to us, it definitely made us a stronger couple and family. Tyler was a surprising strength through the experience, as he was with me when we found out the baby had died. This then-6-year-old acted with the courage of a firefighter, calmly getting mommy through a waiting room of pregnant women and to the car, and then getting daddy on the phone. For the next few days he demonstrated his strength by telling me, "don't worry mommy, you don't have to tell anyone...I will handle it!" This strength and determination has continued to impress and amaze both his dad and me. We're convinced that he's an 80-year-old man in an almost-9-year-old body.

After dealing with our pain as a family we decided to seek the aid of science to help us achieve not only our dream of another child, but Tyler's deep desire for a sibling. Talk about testing your marriage...try having your husband poke you in the derriere with a HUGE painful needle every night for months on end! And then still love him!

I am still very much in love with my husband after a decade, even more than this day 10 years ago when two innocents vowed before God and our families to love eachother in thick and thin, in sickness and in health...

So....Happy Anniversary to my dear, beloved hubby!

In our 6th month and counting...

This was taken at my brother Jim and sister-in-law Julie's house in July. Doesn't Al look thrilled to be between two horses? LOL

Holy crow does time fly by! Even though it's been three years in the making, of procedures and pain, shots and tears, thus far we've made it through to our 22nd week of pregnancy! Now that her birth is closer, I'm starting to get nervous and my Type A personality is rearing it's ugly head. I am petrified of making sure Tyler (who turns 9 on 9/30!!) is taken care of while I am having my scheduled c-section (probably the week after Thanksgiving) and just worrying in general. It's been so long since we had a little baby in the house, both Al and I are a little nervous...we're hoping it's like riding a bike.

The nursery is almost ready. Daddy needs to assemble the crib but it's otherwise done. We went with pale yellow walls and a pink, green and lavender flowered rug.

Our little girl kicks all day and all night long, briefly napping in the afternoon. Tyler thinks she'll be a great soccer star someday. I'm sure he'll teach her everything she needs to know.

Tyler and his best friend, Bo Buddy