Baby on Board

   It's been a whirlwind of a month, but we've made some wonderful memories and more people in our family are vaccinated!  My sister and I spent many, many hours calling pharmacies to add a bunch of family members to a "no waste list" in case they had leftover vaccines they needed to use up at night.  We've successfully managed to get every single one of those seven people in for their first vaccine!  It's a huge relief knowing that we're protected, and we're looking forward to a little more normalcy in the near future.  Whatever that might look like?

Spency, Jack-O, and Chloe sledding

     We were able to sneak in some sledding and visiting with Spencer, Chloe and their Daddies before the snow melted.  It was a wonderful outdoor visit, and I'm looking forward to some hugs in the near future.  They were our last hugs before covid...gosh, I miss those hugs!!  They're excited to watch this journey from a different perspective this time.      

    On March 4th, I went in for and ultrasound to make sure my lining was thick enough and my blood-work was ready for the tentative transfer on March 11th.  I had a PA who did the ultrasound this time and she struggled finding my right ovary.  After about 15 to 20 minutes she had the ultrasound tech from two weeks earlier come in and find my missing ovary.  They want to see a lining measuring at minimum a of 7, and my lining came in at a 9.2!  I was directed to start my progesterone suppositories two days later and our transfer was confirmed for March 11th.     

Last snuggle before Jeff's surgery

    On the morning of March 11th, I dropped off our sweet bunny, Jeff, to get neutered on the same day I was getting pregnant.  I just think its kind of a funny coincidence that we both were having reproductive procedures on the same day!  He did great and is all healed up now.   

32oz of water

    Anyway, I was told go to the bathroom and empty my bladder at 10:30 am, and then I had to drink 24-32 ounces from 10:30-11:00 before the 11:30 transfer.  Of course I drank the 32 ounces because I needed to be the A+ patient.  I needed to have a ride home from the transfer and only one person was allowed in the clinic for the transfer, so my IF picked me up at 10:45 to take me to the transfer and watch the IVF proceedue.  After getting all changed and settled on the table, the ultrasound tech looked at my bladder and it was too full.  She asked me to empty two small cups full of of urine so my uterus was in a better position for the transfer.

Sweet Baby's First Photo

    I hopped back up on the table and my uterus was in a much better position.  The doctor walked in and introduced himself and gave my IF this sweet first photo of their baby prior to the transfer.  We had to review that they were transferring one girl embryo, who is genetically connected to the IF who brought me, and sign one last piece of paperwork.  After that, they did a little trial run with the catheter and were ready to do the transfer.  They opened the window to the lab and placed the tiny catheter through the cervix and right into the lining of the uterus.  The doctor was happy with the placement of the embryo, the lab confirmed the embryo was out of the catheter, and I had to lay on the table for five minutes.  IVF is so simple, painless, and fast.  My IF dropped me off at home and I took it easy for the rest of the day. 

Lydia's post

     In case you wonder what a teenage child of a surrogate feels about her mama becoming a surrogate for the third time...worry no longer.  Lydia has only posted a few times on her Instagram, and this is one of the few posts of her life!  It's pretty amazing the positive impact this has on our kids!

Can you see the line?

    The soonest and at home pregnancy test will show up is three days and twelve hours post transfer.  I took my first test at three days and seventeen hours after the transfer.  Only a seasoned eye would look that this test and feel the excitement I felt that day knowing that's a positive line!  I'm sure the people I sent this picture to were doubtful that it was truly a positive test.

    I took the next test at four days and 17 hours post transfer.  I didn't want to take the digital one until we were a full four days post transfer.  This one doesn't leave you guessing...

     The last home test I took was just about seven days post transfer.  It's fun to see the line getting darker!

     I had a beta test on Monday, March 22nd to "officially" confirm the pregnancy took.  My blood work came back positive with a number of 810.  They like to see that number double at the next check on the 24th, and it came back at 2,210!  I'll head in for a confirmation heartbeat ultrasound on April 9th. 

    I'm starting to feel the symptoms of a healthy pregnancy already.  I  always think that cramping after the transfer is my greatest sign that the embryo is snuggling in and implanting into the uterus.  I've had a lot of cramping!  I'm in full swing of pregnancy fatigue and have a heightened sense of smell.  All beautiful signs that it's a healthy pregnancy!   

Ohhh...BEAUTIFUL!

 

I celebrated George's 13th birthday and being a mother of three teenagers by getting my second covid vaccine on February 11th.  It literally brought tears of joy and relief to my eyes as the emotions of the last year flooded though me.  It feels as though somewhat of a normal life is within reach.  I'm so grateful that my whole office is now fully vaccinated.    

Just a quick update on where things are at in our journey...

I started my lupron injections on February 9th and discontinued taking the birth control pills on the 13th.  This morning I had my first of two monitoring ultrasounds and blood draws.  I had the best phlebotomist I've ever had in my life!  Seriously, I didn't even feel the needle poke into my arm.  Today they were looking for thin lining and to make sure my ovaries are "quiet" and not ovulating.  Julie, my ultrasound tech who has the most luscious white hair, inserted the ultrasound probe and said exactly what you want to hear when someone is looking at your insides, "Ohhhh...BEAUTIFUL!  Your uterus looks just perfect.  Here's your thin lining.  See your ovaries?   They are nice and quiet."

I'm to start estrogen and a low dose aspirin tomorrow and decrease my lurpon amount (only 10 more pokes!).  In two weeks they'll look for a nice and thick lining that will be ready to have a sweet embryo snuggle into.  As long as everything looks good on the 4th of March we'll have our transfer a week later!  It's really happening!!            

We Have a Tentaive Date

I have the strangest story to share about how I ended up getting scheduled for my covid vaccine that I'll share in another post.  I'm SO GRATEFUL that had my first one done on on January 21st.  I truly believed in the depth of my soul it would happen before the transfer.  And it did!

After the painless injection, I was instructed to wait for fifteen minutes after the vaccine to make sure I didn't have any kind of reaction and then I was free to leave.  About five minutes into my wait I received a call from Jill, our nurse coordinator at CRM.  All of my labs came back normal and we are ready to proceed!  I believe my response was, "Jill, I didn't know the day could get any better!  I'm literally sitting here waiting after getting my covid vaccine and now you're telling me we're ready to schedule the transfer!"  I was elated!  Jill shared with me that she had just gotten back from receiving her first covid vaccine, too!

Jill was aware of my days off of work and double checked with me that the monitoring appointments and transfer would work in my schedule.  Starting February 9th I'll begin prepping my body, and we have a tentative date of March 11th (my favorite brother-in-law's birthday) for the transfer!!!  This means, if all goes as planned, we could have a baby in T and J's arms around Thanksgiving!  Although, I always seem to go late.  So, by early December they should be Daddies!

 Just when I thought my day couldn't get any better - it did!  As I was gathering my things to leave after waiting my fifteen minutes, I saw my cousin's husband sitting down to get his vaccine.  I was fairly confident that it was Brian but I asked him to make sure.  He told me that my cousin, Amanda, was out in the hall waiting for her turn, too.  We did an air hug and then she was called back.  We snapped a selfie quickly before she went back.  It made me so happy!!!  It also makes me miss living close to all of my relatives.  I love just randomly bumping into them.  Hugs are coming to all of you soon!  I can't wait!!

So far I only have one odd reaction to the vaccine other than the typical sore arm.  I ate an apple with peanut butter on it and the peanut butter tasted so salty that I had to spit it out.  I had the kids try the apple and peanut butter combo to see if they though it tasted weird but it tasted normal to them.  It did bring back some feelings from when I had the tainted progesterone suppositories and became sensitive to sweets when I was pregnant with Spencer.  Hopefully this won't last nine months!   

Magical Uterus

 Happy 2021!  The list of reasons 2020 was the worst year ever is decently long; however, the list of reasons 2020 was a wonderful year is longer.  Us introverts aren't having as hard of a time with all of this.  I actually felt like it was a much needed slow-down for our family.  I gained so much time with our busy teenagers and have really enjoyed spending our nights in the hot-tub we purchased this fall.  We've had so many great conversations and laughter in that tub.  I think it's quite possibly the best purchase of our life.  I wish we would have had it higher on our list of goals so we could have gotten it years ago.        

We are so lucky that both of our surro-fams live close by.  Spencer and Chloe brought their dads for a quick outdoor visit just before Christmas.  The connection our kids have with these two is undeniably unique and greater than anyone could have dreamed.  Jack had Chloe laughing more than I've ever heard her laugh before.  It's in those moments that I have to pinch myself to realize it's not a dream.  A perfect dream!  I sure hope that this new wombmate will fit in with all of these sweet kids.  Can you imagine their reunions when they grow old?  Generations of people connected by the passion of surrogacy and a magical womb!  I just don't think there could be a better story written.        

Speaking of a story...Through the surrogacy community, I was able to connect with the author of the book Milo's Adventures: A Story About Love.  I purchased the book as a gift for Spencer and Chloe as one of their Christmas gifts.  It was signed by the authors and Milo himself.  The book traveled from the place where all of this began - Toronto, Canada.  It's a perfect book to add to your children's collection. 

https://www.gayswithkids.com/life-plus/books/milos-adventures-a-story-about-love

Our family added a new bunny earlier this week.  Jeff is a 10 week old Holland Lop who has stolen our hearts.  He is far different than our first bunny but seems to be warming up quickly.  He was much needed after our first bunny passed just a couple months after we got him.  I feel a little sad that their personalities are so different.  Our first bunny, Bill, was the best, sweetest, most cuddly little bunny ever.  I hope Jeff does well with our energy healing and calms down enough to enjoy the snuggles.  George instantly felt better when he held Jeff for the first time.  We needed him, and we hope he loves his new home.    

I've kept guarded feelings around this next surrogacy journey.  It's not that I wasn't excited about it, but trudging through the screening process I felt the need to guard my heart.  Deep down inside I know I'm meat to carry again.  Every part of my being loves the journey!  I think I understand all the hiccups that can come along with this process, and I just didn't want to get my hopes up that things would move so quickly in case they didn't.  It's going so much faster than I actually expected.  As fast as I had hoped.  I'm crossing my fingers that my IFs have their baby in their arms by Christmas.  I need to be on the beach by then anyway.

I had to get on birth control last month before heading to my medical screening this morning at CRM in Minneapolis.  I've heard rumors from many people that Dr. Casey is amazing.  She definitely lived up to my expectations.  I first met with Nurse Jill.  I've been communicating with Jill for a couple months now, and she obviously knows this process well.  She went through the medication protocol with me and we discussed the covid vaccine in depth.  The protocol isn't too different from my first two journeys, and they made a couple of minor changes to mimic what my body has already done and proven successful.  It's a win for suppositories over injections!  Woohoo!!  I'm also skipping the Valium for the transfer.  I've never had to use that before and I'm petrified of that stuff!  I'm ultra sensitive to medication.  I know, I'm an introvert, a highly sensitive person and empath all wrapped in one.

After chatting about the protocol I was off to get my blood drawn and a urine sample.  They check for communicable diseases and do a drug test prior to moving forward with the transfer.  The phlebotomist had to readjust the needle once it was in my arm.  It wasn't that big of a deal but worth mentioning.  Once the blood was sucked from my vein I was off to the the bathroom to collect my urine.  "Pee in the cup and use this pipette to fill this vial in-between the two black lines.  If it's under or over the line they won't test it.  It HAS to be in-between the lines.  Then put them in the separate bags and drop them off here when you're done."  Seems like easy enough instructions, right?  Here's the thing...as I squatted over the toilet to collect my pee in the cup, I accidentally dropped the cup in the toilet!  I've never done that before.  Thankfully, I was able to retrieve the cup that was floating on top without touching any of the toilet water!  I obviously can't use the toilet water contaminated cup to catch my urine, so I gathered my thing with my clean hand and headed back to fetch a new clean pee cup.  I was so humiliated telling the phlebotomist that I dropped the cup in the toilet.  She somewhat giggled and annoyingly said, "How did you do...never mind, I'll get you a new cup."  In addition, I ran seven miles (I'm still training for the Lake Wobegon Marathon because there are so many unknowns) before my appointment and my pee looked like I hadn't had a cup of water in days.  I'm not sure if it was a funny color because of all the beets I eat or that I just ran.  OMG!!!

After the pee experience I was ready for my saline ultrasound.  They look for polyps in my uterus and make sure it looks like it's ready to host a baby for nine months.  Any of you ladies out there have a uterus that's tipped?  I've known I am tipped for as long as I recall having exams.  I stopped counting after the fourth time the doctor tried to put the speculum in my vagina.  She apologized after the fifth or sixth time that she'll get it eventually.  It doesn't hurt but it's not the most comfortable experience ever.  Once she finally got it in the right place she inserted the saline (only about a tablespoon worth) and it took just a couple of minutes.  There was an area on my uterus that they double checked to make sure it wasn't a polyp.  She said it looks like the lining is waving but not a polyp.  Of course, It's like, "Hey girl, I'm ready for you to put that embryo in me!  I know they're here frozen somewhere.  I'm ready when you are."  We chatted about the protocol and the vaccine.  We were given the green light to proceed as soon as the lab results come back from the bloodwork and urine samples on the 25th.  

Ben heads in tomorrow morning for his bloodwork and then we just play the waiting game again.                                     

Contract Update

"And don't forget to take ibuprofen so you don't get the contract headache!" said every surrogate ever.

I'm quickly discovering that a returning surrogate can fly through the whole screening process as fast as she would like.  I'm amazed that it was only the end of August when I contacted my coordinator, Kim, to tell her I was ready to jump on board with one more surrogacy journey and asked her what I needed to do.

 I realize I've gone through this process twice already, but I actually needed help walking through the initial steps again.  It's the same but it's all so different.  Our first two journeys I would anxiously look in our mailbox everyday for paperwork, paperwork, and more paperwork.  Everything is online now!  It seriously expedited the process by having everything conveniently submitted through the interweb.  My monthly cycle began being tracked last month, and I've started prenatal vitamins already.  We're seriously flying through this process.   

A couple weeks ago Ben and I were able to go on a walk with J, T, J's Mom.  I'm grateful that we were matched while the weather was nice enough to meet them outdoors.  This was the second time we've met in person, and it definitely feels natural and easy to chat with all of them.  I'm really looking forward to getting to know them all better and meeting more of their family members.  They come from extremely small families.  I think there were more people at Chloe's birth than family member they have.  I hope our gigantic family doesn't frighten them.  I mean, doesn't everyone have 72 first cousins?!      

We've spent the last few weeks working through the contract phase.  The contract headache is no joke.  I have gotten one each time I've read through that intense document.  I even gave T and J a heads up that they might want to take an ibuprofen before they start reading.  It takes quite a bit of time for each of us to read through it.  Once that's complete, Ben and I had a two hour over-the-phone meeting with our attorney.  It's definitely a process to get through, and today WE SIGNED THE CONTRACT!   

This week has been full of exciting updates with this journey.  Not only did we sign the contract, the ovum donor made her donation on Sunday.  They have little embryos growing already!!!  They'll let those littles grow, freeze them, send them off for testing, and then the perfect little one will be ready to jump in and make itself nice and cozy in my magical uterus for nine months before going home.

We DO NOT KNOW when the transfer will be yet.  I still have medical screening to go through.  I bet you can't wait for those blood draw photos that will be coming.  I'll keep you posted as I learn more.  I don't have anything scheduled yet. 

Thank you all for your continued support, care, and love!  This whole process still fascinates me and brings me so much joy.   

Say Whaaaat?

 “The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot.”

 -Michael Altshuler

   The last four years have flown by. It’s hard to believe how old our children are getting, and I am in awe of the kind of people they are turning out to be. I’m proud of each one of them. We already have two kids in high school and all of our kids are competing in high school athletics. They keep us on our toes, and I have to admit that this great pause has been a welcomed slow down in our home to regroup so we’re ready to take on these last several years while we have kids at home.

   Trying to recap the last several years with our surrogacy journey seems like a huge undertaking, and this highly sensitive person feels overwhelmed by the task, so I’m going to recall some of the highlights of the years gone by. 

Our relationship with our surro-family continues to be better than I could have ever dreamed of. I’m so grateful for the joy these little people bring to everyone they encounter and for their incredible Daddies. This family will always hold a special place in my heart. Being an active part of their lives is absolutely magical!

   I was awestruck when my IPs asked me to be one of Chloe’s godmothers. I already had the surprise and honor of being one of Spencer’s godmothers, so I was completely shocked when they asked me to take that role along with two of her aunties.  It’s one of the greatest honors of my life.

   Spencer and Chloe’s birthday parties are always pure joy to attend. Watching the kids play with their cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents is like frosting on the cake. It feels so natural to hang out with their extended family and friends. Several years ago one of their grandpa’s told me, “You know, Josie, we consider you part of our family.”  It was so sweet to hear. It was a feeling I already had, but hearing him say that just confirm that feeling. We gained a whole extra extended family and it couldn’t be more wonderful!

   Sleepovers! We tested a sleepover with just Spencer one night. Spencer and I had so much fun while our kids were at their sporting events. We went biking and had a popcorn and movie night. He even joined me at one of Jack’s baseball games where I may have lost him. I needed to grab something from my car, so I brought Spencer with me back to the car, and he silently ran away from me. I screamed for strangers to help search for him with me. It was probably five-ish minutes of pure terror. It turns out he ran back to my sister and parents who were at the ballfield. They asked him confused, “Where’s JoJo?” and he said, “Oh, she’ll be right back!”  I wasn’t sure if my IPs would ever trust me to watch their kids again. It turns out they asked us to watch both of their kids when they went on a weekend trip. I didn’t lose any of their children that weekend! It was such a great time to connect with their kids, read stories, play, and snuggle.

   Spencer graduated from preschool and was off to kindergarten last year. His graduation ceremony was complete with caps and gowns and songs. It was fun to be a part of his celebration. He has as much energy as George and he’s going to do some great things in his life!

   Random dinner dates at each others houses or meeting at a restaurant are always a highlight. In fact, our surro-fam were the last people we had over BC (before Covid). They were here Sunday night, March 15, 2020. We weren’t even sure if we should hug, but we did, and I’m so grateful for those hugs! I can’t remember if that was the night I made my favorite chicken coconut curry with green beans and coconut rice for dinner or if that was a different night they were here. Spencer loved that meal! We now exchange photos when we make it for dinner or his daddy makes it for his dinner. Spencer even requested his daddy make that for his sixth birthday dinner. We always enjoy catching up on those dinner dates. 

  

Could you ever imagine that I would be asked to be in the bridal party at my IP‘s wedding?  Guess who was asked to walk their kids down the aisle and even read at their ceremony (I’ve included the reading below)?  Me, that’s right!  I mean seriously, never in my wildest dreams would I ever think I’d have babies for a random couple, build a relationship with them, and be in their wedding!  Could you write a better story?  We should probably have a movie made about us. 

   

   Covid throws a wrench in so many aspects of life. Visiting with our surro-fam is no different. It has been relatively easy to do with the nice weather. We were able to visit outdoors and Spencer and Chloe were very excited to show off their running, baseball, and swinging skills. Now that the crummy weather is upon us, I don’t exactly know what kind of visiting we’ll be doing with anyone until spring. Perhaps we will just need to get creative and have sledding dates or outdoor hot tub visits. At least we live close so just swinging by to say “Hi” in person is always a possibility.

   Surrogacy continues to be my life‘s passion. Ben had requested I stop having babies after I had Chloe. He’s been supportive of my unconventional dreams that I’ve fulfilled, so I’ve been respectful of his request. I always kind of probed to see if he would budge on supporting me through one last journey every now and again over the last four years; not pushing the subject. Much to my surprise, after talking with each of our children individually, he gave me the green light again in late August to carry one last time.

  Somehow I flew through the screening process and we’re already matched! Our psych eval is complete and we’re in the contract phase already. Due to Covid, I requested a couple that was working with a local clinic so I won’t have to travel for the transfer. I also requested transferring only one embryo this time. My preference was a gay couple from Minnesota again, and I think our agency scored a second time with a perfect match! They live across the river from us, maybe 10 minutes away, and I also think that my first IP’s are going to get along great with my second IP’s. I envision a photo of all of these wombmates one day!  

   There needs to be a fun connection with our IPs, of course. About a year ago I had a friend ask me about surrogacy because she has a coworker and his husband she wanted to carry for.  Unfortunately, she was unable to carry for her friend/coworker. Fast forward to the day we had our matching call. My new IF and I realized we have a mutual friend. It turns out that couple my friend wanted to carry for was the couple I just randomly matched with!  It’s such a small world. 

   Thank you for your continued support in my crazy dreams. I know it’s hard for some people to wrap their brains around the idea of me carrying again, but just remember that my grandma had 14 babies in 14 years. I’ve only had five so far. My body was made for having babies and it brings me more joy than you can imagine. Our kids are all very excited and on board with another journey. My nieces are already asking if they can attend the birth. May we bring another healthy baby onto this earth and make this world and even more beautiful place! 

“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embodies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice and family. In forming a marital union, two people become something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage.  Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves.  Their hope is not to be condemned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civilization’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The constitution grants them that right. The judgment of the court of appeals for the sixth circuit is revised. It is so ordered.”

-United States Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy - June 26, 2015
THE DAY LOVE WON

The Mom I Thought I'd Be vs The Mom I Am

Again, nothing about surrogacy; however, I feel the need to remind others that you have no idea what a person is going through, so just be KIND.  Be kind always!

I've been doing some soul searching after overhearing a mother who does an astronomical amount of volunteer work with one of our kids' activities discussing with another mom about someone just like me...as I was in full force doing my volunteer job for the morning.  "I just don't understand who these parents are who help out just a couple of times and leave the rest for all of us regulars." was something similar to what she actually said.  This got me thinking - thinking about who I imagined myself to be before I had children...

I thought I would be the mom who is just like you. 
I thought I would be the one who's a part of every single booster club for each of our kids' organizations. 
I thought I would be the mom who volunteered in each of their classrooms every single week. 
I thought I would play a significant role in the PTO. 
I thought I would be the cool mom that would know all of our kids' friends AND acquaintances by name. 
I thought our house would be the hang out place; the one where there was an endless amount of soda, pizza, and snacks. 
I thought we'd have campfires every single Friday and kids crashing in our living room for the night.  I thought I'd have hot homemade caramel rolls ready for all of those kids to wake up to just like my mom made for my friends and me. 
I thought I would have endless energy. 
I thought I was an extrovert at that time in my life. 
I thought I would have all of my shit together. 

It turns out I'm nothing like I imagined myself to be.  I'm ok with that though.  What I didn't know then that I know now is that I would come to honor my needs far above anyone outside of our household (obviously our kids' needs come first)...
 
I honor the fact that I'm a highly sensitive person and that I get overwhelmed easily. 
I honor the fact that I'm an introvert. 
I honor the fact that our 12 day old baby almost died at the same time my husband was supposed to leave for Iraq and I haven't slept a full night in nearly 15 years. 
I honor the fact that I've overcome PTSD.
I honor the fact that you see me at many of our kids' games, meets, shows, etc. because that brings me so much joy, but volunteering is way too much for me.
I honor the fact that when I do volunteer that I'm going way out of my comfort zone and it takes a toll on me. 
I honor the fact that I had NO IDEA how much work it would be to be a parent.
I honor the fact that every single child comes with some kind of challenge. 
I honor the fact that not all of our kids are neurotypical and I need to be present more than I ever imagined. 
I honor the fact that I've spent years of research and implementation on supplementation, diet, and alternative/holistic medicine.  I never imagine that I'd be researching CBD oils and fecal transplants!  I'm pretty sure that before I had kids that my thoughts on medical cannabis were very much in opposition to it. 
I honor the fact that I know the staff at our schools on a deeper level that I ever hoped to.
I honor the fact that I set boundaries.
I honor the fact that I don't need many friends in my life.  I pick quality over quantity.
I honor the fact that I learned how to say "no" and not feel bad about it.
I honor the fact that devoting as much time as I do to running allows me to escape my brain and find my soul.   
I honor the fact the I recognize what I need before giving to others, outside of our family, so I can be a good human, wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, and employee. 
I honor the fact that I'm maxed out and I recognize it. 
I honor the fact that I'm nothing like I thought I'd be and I'm ok with that.
I honor the fact that I'm not you and you're not me.  You have no idea what's going on inside our home and the stressors that life has brought; nor do I know yours.  I respect you and I'm deeply GRATEFUL for the fact that you spend an exorbitant amount of your time volunteering for our kids' activities.  Thank you, THANK YOU for all you do.    

Nevertheless, She Persisted

This has nothing to do with surrogacy; however, this has EVERYTHING to do with the power that surrogacy has brought to our family.  I'm so thankful that I grew up with a feminist as a mother!  She leads by great example.  She is strong, genuine, beautiful, kind, and inspiring.  She was on the forefront of gender equality, and I appreciate all she has done for my generation and beyond.  She is the reason we're seeing the next generation of feminism in our family.  Surrogacy has brought even more 'girl power' into my home.  It has made me feel a strength from deep within, and I think it's the best thing that I could have done to show our kids and the world what kind of woman I am.    

 

Sometime during the week of April 23, 2017, Lydia came downstairs dressed in this 'live in the sunshine' tank top and asked, "Mom, what's wrong with this tank top?  Why can't I wear it to school?"  My response was simple, but it empowered Lydia in a way I wasn't expecting.  I said, "You look stunning in that shirt, Lydia.  I can tell it makes you feel happy, confident, and beautiful.  There is no reason you shouldn't be allowed to wear it to school."  She asked, "What can I do to change the rules?"  I threw the question back to her, "What can you do to change the rules?"  She thought for only a moment and said with a sparkle in her eye, "I can have people sign a petition.  I signed one not that long ago when someone was trying to get recess for 7th and 8th grade students."  I nodded with a smile, "That's a great idea!  What else can you do?"  She put her fingers up to her face, looked down, and thought - "I can set up a meeting with my principal!"  I replied, "That's an excellent idea!  What do you plan on talking about?  What kind of presentation can you put together to convince her to change the rules?"  I believed, without hesitation, that this little girl is going to make a positive change in her school.  She's going to end this quest with a movement that will empower her in ways beyond her years.  This is a pivotal point in her life.  And so the work began... 

The next day she came home with a petition full of signatures.  She also explained, "Some kids were scared to sign it because they did't want to get in trouble."  I questioned, "Did you ask girls and boys from all grade levels to sign your petition?"  Lydia's nose drifted toward the celling while a smile whipped across her face as she said confidently, "Yes I did!"  I didn't even need to suggest this to her.  She's got this!  She started gathering her ideas about what she would like to present to her principal.  She was careful to take time and gather confidence in her statements.  She researched and saved pictures of her suggested acceptable and unacceptable tank tops to add into her PowerPoint presentation.  She worked diligently on making it a very positive persuasive presentation instead of causing an argument and making the 'it's not fair' claims.  She wanted to leave room for discussion and ask her principal how she could help.  She knew that her quest may need to take this issue farther than the principal. She knew she may need to go to the school board and is willing to do it.         

On Tuesday, May 16th, Lydia was sitting by the table playing a board game with her grandparents, who were in town for her band concert, when I noticed writing on her arm (I'm not a distraction, I'm a girl).  I asked, "Lydia, tell me about your arm..."  She looked down, wiped her hand across her forearm, and quietly gave a frustrated laugh, "All the girls are writing this on their arms.  Yesterday, Mr. (lets call him 'Mr. John Doe') came in and went over the dress code with us.  One girl asked, "why we can't wear tank tops?" and he sternly replied, "because they're disgusting and distracting to boys."  The three adults in the room silently looked at one another with jaws dropped.  I looked at Lydia and asked for clarification, "What did he say?"  Said repeated, "Girls can't wear tank tops, because they're disgusting and distracting to boys.  That's why we are writing this on our arms."  I took a deep breath.  We explained that tank tops are not disgusting or distracting, and that this is an adult matter that I will be talking to the principal about. 

As we headed to play tennis with the kids, I quickly sent the principal an email regarding Mr. John Doe's comment.  I didn't share the comment; however, I did tell her that there was a disturbing comment made by Mr. John Doe during his presentation yesterday regarding the dress code.  I was off of work the following day and would happily meet with her at her convenience.  She asked me to touch base with her at the band concert that night.  I did, and I scheduled a meeting the following morning at 8:30.  She was already scheduled to be at another meeting but she said said she would go late.  I think she sensed it was an urgent matter that needed her attention immediately.  I agree.  It was urgent and these girls need to know that they should NEVER be told that what they are wearing is disgusting or a distraction to boys.  She needed to know that these comments were very sexual in nature and totally unacceptable and inappropriate for anyone to talk to kids, or anyone for that matter, about.  In my frustration, I wanted to SCREAM...Mr. John Doe should talk to the boys about having appropriate thoughts!  This is not a girls issue but a man's issue!  The crazy conservative that thinks girls should cover their body to protect boys thoughts!  My daughter is NOT A DISTRACTION!  My daughter is beautiful and should never be shamed from wearing whatever makes her feel pretty, confidant, and happy!  I truly felt that this rivals telling the victim of rape that she was asking for it by what she was wearing or her body language.  Nope, none of this is ok!  He really shouldn't talk to any of the kids about any of this.  It's totally out of line.  And there you have it...I had enough time to calm down and write my thoughts for a positive meeting.  I did a lot of deep breathing while preparing.  I knew I needed to set the tone so Lydia, who was already in the middle of trying to change the dress code before any of this took place, would have a solid foundation.  I also knew that her principal was a very strong woman.  I knew we would have great support.

I asked Lydia several times throughout the night to repeat Mr. John Doe's comment.  I wanted to make sure the story was consistent.  Not that I didn't believe her, but I needed to make sure that the 'disgusting and distracting to boys' comment didn't waver one way or the other.  Did the story grow as she sensed more concern?  When I tucked her into bed that night, I sat next to her, smiled, and made sure to tell her that she is beautiful.  We often talk about how strong her body is and how it's important to take good care of it by exercising, eating nourishing foods, cleaning it, and loving it, etc.  She pointed to her knuckle and asked, "You see my knuckle?" then pointed to her shoulder and said, "My shoulder is just a larger joint than my knuckle.  What's wrong with showing a larger joint?  I have nice shoulders."  You see, the sexual comment isn't understood by 12 and 13 year olds.   She's concerned about making a point about her joints.  These girls are not sexually distracting boys.  Lets keep them innocent as long as possible.  I asked her more questions about the presentation by Mr. John Doe.  How did you feel by the comments?  What friends are in your class?  What is he normally like?  How did he speak?  What was his tone? Tell me again what exactly he said?  She told me that she feels that Mr. John Doe thinks that girls are lesser than boys.  Her story was consistent.  She told me that he's normally a really nice teacher, but he seemed out of character and very stern during the presentation.  She also questioned herself on what he said, "did he really just say that?!"  She asked several girls after class to make sure she heard it right.  Sure enough, they all heard the same thing.  This is when they decided to write, 'I'm not a distraction, I'm a girl' on their arms.  I love these girls!!  They clearly know when it's important to take a stance.  They clearly have great role models in their lives.  They're in 7th grade, and they know right from wrong.  I'm proud of all of them!

In the wee hours of the morning of my meeting with the principal, I sat wide awake thinking about how to carefully discuss the matter at hand, and somehow break the ice about Lydia's quest to change the dress code.  They go hand in hand.  We have an urgent matter and I was also lying the foundation for Lydia.  I felt that it was important for me to let her principal know that Lydia planned on setting up a meeting with her soon.  I didn't think it would be a good idea to just let Lydia take care of it on her own when the comment was so discouraging to her quest.  So, how does one do this...

I'm not a person that thinks Mr. John Doe should be ripped apart, fired, and spit on (metaphorically not literally).  I do think that he needs to be open to having a discussion, admitting his faults, changing his ideas, and apologizing to the girls in Lydia's class.  So I told her principal.  I opened the meeting with a thank you.  I truly appreciated that she rearranged her schedule to meet with me so quickly.  I know her time is valuable.  I also explained that we normally have our kids take care of any kind of matter of disagreement on their own.  We think it's an important life lesson to be able to talk to kids, adults, or teachers, because eventually it will be spouses, friends, siblings, co-workers and bosses.  Therefore, if they want to dispute a grade with a teacher or understand what was wrong, they need to do it on their own.  They need to build that confidence now before they leave the nest.  But this matter was an adult matter.  This was a sexual comment that Lydia doesn't fully understand.  She knows it was wrong, but she doesn't truly understand what Mr. John Doe was talking about.  I needed to step in and take care of this one.  I also told her that I had two discussion points to chat about. 

She politely listened as I basically just read aloud a letter that I wrote to her.  I wanted to make sure I hit all my points and made it a positive conversation instead of telling her what I wanted to scream the day before.  We talked at length about Mr. John Doe's comment.  She was obviously surprised and shocked that this was something Mr. John Doe said.  She explained why she thought the distracting part was linked to fidget spinners, water bottle flipping, and so on.  These are discussions that they had in preparing the dress code presentation.  She was truly more concerned about the disgusting comment.  I'm concerned about both comments.  I'm concerned that these girls heard that they are lesser than boys, I'm concerned about equality, and I'm concerned that this man talked about sexual thoughts that boys might have to a class full of boys and girls.  I'm concerned that my daughter was told that her tank top is disgusting.  The principal reassured me that she would take care of the situation and would follow up with me about it. 

I told her that this was an easy transition into my second point of discussion.  I explained to her that Lydia has been working diligently, before any of this took place, on changing the dress code policy at school.  I brought in Lydia's tank top and held it up and shared with her the questions Lydia had asked me about her tank top.  Her principal agreed.  There is nothing wrong with this tank top.  Lydia should be allowed to wear something like this to school.  She told me that the code is basically, "A tank, is a tank, is a tank."  Perhaps we can find a happy middle ground.  I explained everything Lydia had already been working on and how we hope the change can end with her, but Lydia is prepared to go to the school board if she needs to.  Her principal said, "I would go to the school board with Lydia to support her if we need to."  I felt a million pound lifted off my shoulders.  I knew that I needed her principal to be on board and support Lydia.  I knew that she could potentially be damaged for life if her quest was squashed.  I also knew she would empower Lydia for life if her quest was successful.  This is such a pivotal point for a young lady.

I felt really happy with our meeting.  I left feeling at peace with everything we talked about.  I'm deeply concerned about what was said to Lydia's class, but I felt as though it was almost more important to build a solid foundation for Lydia to be successful on her quest.  I can do the damage control at home regarding the comment, but I can't change the rules at school.  That's something that is totally out of my control.  I genuinely left feeling like her principal will have her back in the coming weeks.  I know Lydia will have to work hard, but I believe this little girl will move mountains. 

Lydia set up a meeting with her principal for May 22, 2017.  She was fully prepared with her PowerPoint presentation and seemed confident when she left that morning.  I anxiously awaited to receive an email all day long to hear how it went.  I waited, and waited, and waited.  Around 2:00 in the afternoon this is what I got..."It went great! :)"  So, I had to wait for all the details until I got home from work.  She was beaming from ear to ear when I got home.  She said that her principal supports her and she is planning on talking to two other staff members regarding the dress code and would get back to Lydia.  She also asked Lydia if she, and maybe some of her friends, would be willing to make an iMovie to introduce the new dress code next year?  Lydia said, "Of course, I would love to do that!".  Later that evening, I received a priceless email from Lydia's Principal:
    

Josie,

Lydia presented her powerpoint to me today; you should be so proud.  She entered my office after prearranging her lunch plans with me (all on her own), asked to display her presentation on my screen via airplay and off she went.  She had great posture, was well spoken/articulate and exuded great confidence.  I look forward to meeting with her later in the week after I view her work with Mr. X (name removed) and Mr. X(name removed).  She is truly an outstanding young lady who will make the change in the world.  I am very proud of her!  Have a great night.

(Signed by Her Principal)

And as the last few weeks of school have unfolded, Lydia was successful in her quest!  She, along with several of her friends, will be getting together with the principal throughout the summer to prepare an iMovie to present the new dress code to the students in the fall.  We are such proud parents who are in awe of our Lydia!  This young lady is going to do some AMAZING things in her life.  Who knows, she may be our first Madam President?!

 

                

              

Spencer's Golden Birthday

Can you believe it's been three years since I gave birth to sweet little Spencer?!  It feels like a lifetime ago.  It's a beautiful memory and such a proud moment of my life, but I still kind of feel like it was just a beautiful dream.  I realized after posting a video about Chloe's birth that a video seems to touch more people, so my birthday blog post is really just a movie from over the last few years.  It seems like the people are still interested in how a surrogate feels emotionally with the baby(ies) she has carried.  Here is a glimpse at what the last three years have been like...

6 Month Update

It's hard to believe that six months have passed since giving birth to Miss Chloe, but at the same time I feel like the last year was a figment of my imagination.  It's so surreal that surrogacy actually happened and that part of my life has come to an end.  Surrogacy defined me for half of a decade.  It is my passion, and it will continue to be a passion as I find a new role in it at some point in my life.  I knew that I needed to have huge goal set to accomplish before having Chloe so my mind could focus on 'what's next' instead of wanting to get pregnant with someone else's baby again.  It's a constant internal conversation convincing myself that I really need to move onto something different. It's something I could do over and over again - notice that I didn't say 'we'.  I'm so lucky I have the most supportive husband in the world!  As much as he respects and supports me, I do the same for him.  Therefore, I knew I needed something in the near future that was attainable, joyful, something we could do together, and something to get my body back into shape so I could really get over wanting to give birth again. 

Training for my next marathon (and Ben's half marathon) kept my mind on the straight and narrow.  I focused on making my body my own again and the transformation has been motivating.  And who wouldn't want to run a marathon along the California coast?!  For some sick reason, I love pushing my body to the limit to see what it can endure.  I'm sure the future will hold somemore unbelievable things.  I really tried to listen to the six week postpartum running restriction, but after five weeks and three days I felt like I needed to get back out on the road.  I couldn't wait any longer, and my uterus didn't feel like it was going to fall out, so I went for it and it felt AMAZING!

Our son, George (who turned 9 just a week ago), discovered he is a gifted runner last summer.  The kid is a machine!  It has been fun to watch his ability unfold over the last six months, and he's in his glory with a stellar physique that he loves to show off.  It's not every day you see a kid with an eight pack.  He took 1st place overall (including adults and high school cross-country runners) in 5k's a few times over the summer.  He also was in The Healthy Kids Running Series with his siblings and cousins this fall.  The series consisted of five consecutive Sunday afternoon races for kids in preschool-middle school.  The kids were broken up into their respective age groups and their distances were according to their age.  George's age group was supposed to run .5 miles.  I knew running half of a mile would be a joke to George and he would probably leave feeling like he was running with babies, so I bumped him in in age groups so he could run with the bigger kids.  Their distance was just 1 mile (the longest of all the races in this series).  George crushed every single race, but his brother and sister weren't too far behind.  It was at these races that George decided that he wanted to be the fastest kid under the age of 10 to run a half marathon.  The problem is, he's too fast for me to run with. 

"So help me God, I'm going to work my ass off so I can keep up with my 8 year old" became my mantra over the last five months (remember, I couldn't run for the first 5 weeks and 3 days after giving birth).  Easing back into running after giving birth wasn't really on my mine; though I did listen to my body.  I jumped in full force and I've never been a faster runner in my entire life!  Having George run beside me, and being my training buddy, has changed me.  He's pushed me to limits I didn't know I had.  My 8 year old inspires me!  He is incredible!  Over the course of the fall and into the winter he has trained so much for his half marathon that he ran a half marathon (training run) with my sister and me on Thanksgiving day.  Two weeks later he ran a 15 mile training run - finishing two miles ahead of us.  The kid is unstoppable!  

January 1, 2017, marked George's first half marathon race.  A few days prior to the race we looked at the weather and realized that it was going to be decent outside (22ish degrees), and George was begging to run in a race while he was still 8 years old, so we signed him up.  Even though my body was in shape to run the distance with him, I knew I still couldn't keep up with him yet.  Ben was really sick and couldn't run, my brother was in Florida, so I decided that I would bike the course and support George as he needed along the way.  I don't know who was more tired at the end of the race.  I would bike ahead of George as fast as I could, get his supplies out of my backpack, cheer at the top of my lungs while jumping up and down, take pictures when I could, text our family, jump back on my bike, and repeat this process over the course of 13.1 miles.  The moment he crossed the finish line I was overwhelmed with feelings that I can't put into words.  It was one of the most proud moments of my entire life!  Anyone who knows our family understands the magnitude of this accomplishment.  George, our George, deserves this.  We deserve this.  Looking back on all the years of struggles, this kid found his passion, his love for running, something he excels at, and he deserves it!  This Mama is bursting with pride!  Yes, I am concerned about his body and I do think about his future, but I also know he needs an out.  My role is finding a healthy balance between running and allowing him to escape life's challenges.  He's going to prove to this world that anything is possible!          

Here is a link to the video I made for him:
https://youtu.be/lzGoRzCSs8M

I love him!!  Morning walk along the beach.

Packet Pickup

We are ever so grateful that Ben's parents came to watch our kids for a long weekend while Ben and I flew out to Huntington Beach, California on February 3rd for our Marathon/Half Marathon weekend.  As soon as we got our rental car we bee lined it to the nearest In-N-Out Burger.  There are only a few things that I eat that are more satisfying than In-N-Out, so when I realized just four hours prior to consuming one of my favorite meals that's all I could think about the ENTIRE plane ride.  It was so delicious!
The following morning we had a peaceful walk along the beach, hand in hand with the sand between our toes, while the waves sang us a harmonious song as they crashed along the shore.  I decided at that moment that it would be the perfect way to start and end each day of my whole life!  There is something about the ocean that calms my whole being.  It's my happy place!  We were lucky to have sun that day, although it was cool, the sunshine felt wonderful.  I'm pretty sure I closed my eyes and held out my arms a dozen times throughout the day as I said, "Ahh, I'll take all the vitamin D I can get!" 
Three of my co-workers from Sacramento took a 14+ hour roundtrip road trip to come and see me/run with me for part of the marathon.  We spent several hours the second day with them.  It had been over five years since we'd seen each other, so catching up with them was a real treat.  They're all such great people and inspire me in so many different ways.  There have been many life changes for all of us over the last five years - relationship changes, moves, cancer, babies, etc., but one thing that hasn't changed is we all get along extremely well and love to laugh together.  It didn't feel like that much time had passed since the last time I saw them.  I have less than two handful of friends in my life that I can just pick up where we left off and it doesn't matter how long it's been - One from high school, a few from California, and a handful from the St. Cloud area.  These are true friendships that I cherish.
That same evening we had an early dinner with my brother, sister, brother-in-law, nieces, and my brother-in-law's parents and aunt.  It is always a delight to my sister's in-laws.  I love how we have a mutual desire to know one another because we are connected by a pretty amazing family - which makes us family.  They love my sister like their own daughter.  They're such incredible people!               
Marathon morning wasn't as smooth sailing as I wished.  The road we were going to drive on was closed for the race so we took a detour.  When we were just a mile from the race start, I thought I forgot to bring my prescription sunglasses with me from the hotel and felt super panicked until I realized that Ben carried them to the car for me.  Parking wasn't as easy as Ben had thought.  Megan and I jumped out of the car, as parking attendants yelled at us, so we could get to the bag drop, pee, and get to the start of the race in time.  We literally had three minutes to spare by the time we found our 4:15 pacer.  Anyway, it was a bit more stressful that I would have liked it to be, but all was well - for me anyway. 
Megan got sick a couple days before the marathon.  She was battling a fever and malaise.  We had a great cheering section around mile 8 with Andrew, my nieces, and Andrew's parents.  That kept up Megan's spirits for a while and was a nice boost of energy for me.  She felt pretty good until her Dayquil wore off around mile 12 or so.  We had more cheering around mile 12 and 14, and I even saw Ben a couple times as he was running his half marathon (which started 1 hour and 15 minutes after us).  She started to feel extremely terrible around mile 15ish.  She had told me several times to 'just go' because she wasn't able to run as fast as normal.  Thankfully, at mile 16 my friends were there to cheer for us and Christina joined us.  We were in need of fresh legs and her positive uplifting energy.  Christina joined us along the most beautiful portion of the marathon.  We were right along the coast and could watch the surfers as we ran.  We even ran across a group of people frying bacon and handing bacon and beer out to the runners.  Oh my God, the bacon was AMAZING!!!  They were along an out-and-back, so I hit up the bacon stop two times!  This was an extremely difficult portion for my sick sister.  She probably told me a dozen times to 'just go', but that's not what we're about.  I wanted to stay with her and finish together.  She later told me that if I wasn't with her she would have dropped out at mile 20 when we saw her family again, but she was happy she finished the race.  That's what best friends do for one another.  She did that for me during our first marathon. 
Our brother finished his marathon ahead of us, ran back to meet us, and finished the race with us.  He's training for a crazy seven day ultra in Hawaii this May, so he was able to get in 30 miles that day.  He's been an inspiration to so many people!
After the marathon, Ben, Megan, Shawn, and I went to In-N-Out.  Burgers and fries are the my favorite meal after a race.  After that, we went back to the hotel to shower up and rest for a little while, and then I met my friends at the coffee shop for a little bit before they went back to Sacramento.  It was also super bowl that day, so we finished up the day by having a party in the Shedlock's room with pizza.  It was an amazing whirlwind trip that I would do all over again (except my sick sister part).  I also hit my marathon PR by about 45 minutes.   

Mile 8

Lindsey, Me, Alexis, Christina

Siblings

I had no idea people run for the medal. 
I don't care much about it but apparently a lot of people do. 
It's a nice piece of bling that made me get my bag searched at the airport.

I have two more marathons booked.  Anyone want to join us for Wobegon or Twin Cities?  Ben has a half marathon that he's singed up for each month until October that you're welcome to run, too.  But if you want to run with him in October you better sing up for the Twin Cities Marathon, because Ben is running his first full!  I'm probably the proudest wife ever!!!!    

Other life events, other than running, that have happened in the last six month:

Three weeks after I had Chloe, I hung up my scrubs for a while, took a leap of faith, and gave a shot at marketing for a local orthodontist.  I figured I should try something completely different after 10 years of dental hygiene.  I wanted to see if there was something out there that I was drawn to outside of the dental office.  And different it was.  I realized quickly that I was taken out of my comfort zone, this introvert had to somehow engage with prospective patients out in the community.  I decided that I was going to give my all and work harder than I ever have and I would be very successful.  I was successful.  I worked hard.  I worked more in those five months than I have in a very long time.  It was a blast going to work, and I learned more than I ever would have imagined.  I found an office that I could have worked at forever if nights and weekends weren't involved.  I was drawn to the upbeat and contagious energy that was created, and I loved that they were willing to try any idea, at least once, to see if it might be effective.  Ultimately, I left on good terms.  I've been conditioned over the years that nights and weekend work isn't conducive to our family lifestyle, but I was grateful for the opportunity to try something different.  I jumped back into my scrubs and have been doing temporary dental hygiene for local dental offices.  I gained a new sense of appreciation for the dental world.  Who wants to work nights, weekends, holidays, or Fridays?!  NOT ME! 

We took the kids to Disney World and Universal Studios for a fun filled 10 day trip.  We went to Universal Studios parks for four days and Disney World for three days.  Harry Potter world was one of our highlights.  We have enjoyed that book series together and it was amazing to walk down the street and feel like you were actually in Diagon Alley.  We took the Hogwarts Express to Hogsmeade, where Lydia and Jack were able to try butterbeer.  Ben and George were in love with all of the rides, Lydia was into most of the rides, and Jack and I were happy watching the rides.  We had mixed reviews of people's favorite parks, but everyone had an amazing time.  My parents were able to join us one day at Epcot.  It was so fun to watch my mom find her inner child.  She loves all the rides as much as Ben and George.  I was able to catch 40 minutes of quality one on one time with my dad while everyone else went on a ride we didn't care for.  I treasure one on one time!  We had a bit of serendipity on our trip.  My aunt, Barbara, was actually in Orlando the same time we were.  We were able to spend time with her and my parents one afternoon at our hotel.  It sure was a magical adventure! 

I've spent a fair amount of time at the state capitol over the last several months.  There was a surrogacy commission that met at the capitol during the summer and into the fall.  I sat in on some of the meetings and recently attended the RESOLVE surrogacy advocacy day.  It's appalling to listen to the surrogacy opponents.  People seem to stick their noses into other people's business that has nothing to do with themselves.  After one of the meetings in the hallway, I offered four of the women in the commission to watch the birth video that 2277 people have viewed on the blog.  I literally invited them into my birth room to see the emotions of a real surrogate and THEY TURNED ME DOWN.  These are the people that are supposed to make suggestions on legislation for surrogacy.  SHAME ON YOU SURROGACY COMMISSION LADIES IN THE HALLWAY!!!  I don't think that there are 2277 people that will look at surrogacy as anything other than incredibly beautiful after watching that video.  It's pure joy they could have witnessed to help make an educated decision on behalf of our state.  If you're not into politics, you should find something your passionate about and start watching the few people that are making local decisions about things that matter.  Get involved!  Know your representatives.  You see them in public.  You see them at your kid's schools.  Make sure they know you by name. 

November 8, 2016 was a devastating day.  I stayed up the entire night watching, believing, encouraging strangers to keep up the hope that Hilary would win.  I cried.  I cried a lot.  I didn't know how I was going to break the news to our children the next morning.  I bought our daughter a very special shirt to wear the next day knowing we would have our first Madam President.  Our kids attend a school with a high population of immigrant families.  We love the diversity, and know that we actually have more in common than not.  I knew they would come home the next day with concerns about their friends.  They have every right to be concerned.  I'm concerned, too.  I watched teachers consoling children who are now living in fear.  Children that shouldn't have a care in the world.  It's a heavy time.  I'll never understand why people would think this was a good idea.  Party lines aside, he is a terrible choice!  I actually was never really interested in politics until Hilary was running.  I'll never forget sitting in my 10th grade history class and listening to the words, "Only rich white men will ever be president." (Please note: I really liked this teacher.  I was offended by this comment, but he was one of my favorite teachers in high school)  I was beyond proud when Obama was elected, and I believe in my lifetime I will see our first, of many, Madam President!  I will then touch base with my 10th grade teacher and tell him, "I didn't believe you.  You see, I'm a product of a feminist and I'm thankful she taught me better!"  #imstillwithher

The swimming life of a 7th grader is as much fun to watch as it was to partake.  It's much louder than I remember though.  Lydia enjoyed her swimming season this fall and plans on doing it again next year.  I LOVED being on deck and timing the home meets.  It made me feel like I was a part of the excitement while I was on deck with the kids.  She improved so much over the season, but had no interest in off season training.  She joined gymnastics and found her love for that, too.  She even made the largest purchase of her life when she bought a bar.  Her joyful spirit and bright smile are contagious.  She is the happiest young lady!  I hope this continues through the teenage years. 

Theater life has continued for our family.  Jack was in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever during the holiday season, and all three kids are currently in A Trip to Nerdville.  Theater is so much fun!  I think that theater gives kids the best lifelong lessons.  Auditioning is so much scarier than a job interview.  Being turned down from a show teaches how to cope with disappointment.  Being surrounded by theater people teaches openness and acceptance for everyone.  Singing, dancing, and speaking on stage boosts confidence.  Simply learning how to publicly speak is a skillset that everyone should have.  I just love that the kids love theater. 

"Do you still see the surrogate babies you had?"  This is one of the most common questions I receive post surrogacy.  Yes, we do and we love their family!  We are so lucky that we don't live too far from my IPs.  They had a busy fall and winter getting their house sold and buying a new one, so we didn't see them as much as I would have hoped during that time.  But the reality is, we are all so buys with our own lives.  I look at all the things we have done over the last six months and wonder when we had time to eat and sleep.  Life is busy, but we have made our best efforts to get together several times over the last six months.  And recently we've been getting the sweetest phone calls from Spencer.  He asks to call Lydia and JoJo, so we take the three seconds that his attention lasts and chat.  Lydia is the baby/little kid whisperer.  All the kids love Lydia!  Chloe is rolling and I saw a picture of her sitting up playing with Spencer.  We also just booked a double date with my IPs to go and see Wicked in April.  I'm super excited! 

Whenever you visit JoJo be ready for a photo  :) 5 Weeks

5 Weeks

4 Months

4 months

2.5 years and 4 months

5 months

2.75 years and 6 months

Life continues to be a joyous journey.  You're in the drivers seat for your own journey, so buckle up and decide how you're going to ride! 
   

      

                      I love the comparison photos...

Labor Day



Fully Trained for Marathon.  Last Training Run Finished
You can transform like this if you give up sugar and run 500 miles in less than 6 months!  DO IT!