SNOW-ShihTzus

hey ya'lll....NasH anD TEebO hear with a snow reeport....Dad tuk us outside to expeeriense what he kalls snow...it wus are firrrst tyme in that stuf...and we luved it; raced uround and chased eech other...and this wun time, Nash had so much of it on his fase that he look'd lyke Santa-Tzu!
We like tha way r pawprintz look in it and it is grate...'cause when we are tyred frum r runnin, we can just eet the stuff and it hidrates us....Dad told us not tu kunsoom the yello stuff, so we just maid some and ran. Don't no how much we will get over thu next cupple of days, but we have tu to threee inches of it rite now. We are having a blast in DC...and hopefully, we will leev
here with wun or too future tailgrabberz in tha werks. Welll...that is all for this reeport...wee uttached a foto to pruve we braived thu snow for the first tyme. Luv you and send treets if yu kan.

Nash and Teebo

Day 12: Aging "BABY Swiss"

It's a cloudy Thursday morning, and snow is looming on the horizon. Another early riser (0445 to transit the DC traffic and make it to our appts on time) to have our third sonogram since our arrival on Jan 6th. Our "BABY Swiss" is aging nicely, and we seem to be on the higher end of the 1-2 mm/day growth rate. Our "shades of grey" view of potential parenthood (via the sonogram) revealed an uptrend, with our Divine Dozen follicles turning into the Faithful Fourteen. They all can, but aren't guaranteed to, have an egg, so as we go along in the "numbers game", the next "big" indicator will be when they do retrieval...then we'll know how many eggs we actually have to work with. For now, here's how our numbers stand (with 18 mm being the normal target for the size they like to trigger retrieval at.):
8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 13, 14, 15, 15, 15, 15, 15, 16, 17 (for an average of 13.5mm)

Based on our progess, we'll be going back tomorrow morning (Fri, 18 Jan) for another sonogram and blood draw. We think we'll be a day or so ahead of the program plan from here on out, but we'll know more after tomorrow.

A "please and thank you in advance" for your prayers for our new friends, Sparky and Gina...we'll be hanging out with them tomorrow night...very nice couple and it's just a blessing to have a bond (and hopefully pregnancy stories) that we can continue to share with those who are walking this tough journey with us.

God truly is so good...and hope and faith are truly the railroad tracks that our fertility train is riding along...there are times when you hear stories that boost your faith..and others where you live it first-hand...peace is the feeling and humility is the reality...to know He is in control and that He has a plan is all the solace you need...for every day we share together is a blessing...to share it with one of his angels will be a true miracle.

His blessings be yours

Blog you tomorrow

Chad, Gena, Nash and Teebo

Day 10: "BABY" Swiss

Greetings on this middle marker of Jan '08; today, we are focused on artisanal cheeses having had our second sonogram (first since we started shots); this was the first chance for the IVF team and us to see how we...well Gena, that is....is responding to all those shots Chad has been giving. And the assessment was....well, like swiss cheese----of the baby swiss, we hope. The sonogram showed a clear picture of what the doctor called swiss cheese...a dandy dozen of follicles that hold our hopes and prayers of moving closer to pregnancy. 12 "follies" is a very good number, and their sizes at this point indicate very good growth (average size of the lot
was 10 mm). They say that 18 mm is the magic number for when they will change our shot regimine to induce ovulation so they can conduct the egg retrieval. All of that this and that mathematics means we'll have tomorrow (Wed) off and then go back for another sonogram on Thursday to see how the growth is moving along. The average is 1-2 mm per day, so that puts us in the 3-4 day range for the next major step in the process.
It goes without saying, though always worth repeating for the sake of keeping humble and faithful and giving it to where it lies...with God; for while all these and any further "numbers" are and will likely be good, there have been couples with "good" numbers that have not been successful and others with "poor" numbers that have ben blessed with a successful pregnancy and birth. The baby books we looked through in the waiting rooms were a visual and textual testament to that fact. God truly is in control, and we trust in His plans.

After our appt this morning, we spent the day in Silver Springs...lunch and a movie (PS, I Love You...great movie, by the way) with some shopping amidst a light flurry of snow showers. We picked up a bottle of Hope Merlot, as a reminder and marker of such an important part of our journey...HOPE.

So for now, it's continuing with our 4-shot-a-day regimine until we are told otherwise...our Thursday appt will give a good update for our timing and the progress of our aging "baby swiss."

Also, we have a prayer request...have met a great couple here who is going through the program with us....while there are many in the program, we've have great short chats with them and will be sharing some time together this weekend. So, by name, if you will keep Sparky and Gina (with an "I" :-) ) in your prayers for a successful program, we would greatly appreciate it. You build a unique bond with some couples here given the roads we have traveled in this journey... and prayers and His orchestration is everything about what we are doing and what they outcome will be. Thanks in advance.

That's about it for now...more to follow after our appt on Thurs (snow in the forecast)...until then, thank you for your continued love, prayers, and support.

Love and blessing from DC

Chad, Gena, Nash and Teebo

Day 5: SHOTS!

It's Day 5 of our stay here in DC, and all is well. Today (Thurs) was another chance for us to get out and see some of the sights...and that we did! Having already visited the Washington Monument, Union Station, Jefferson Memorial, WWII Memorial, and Vietnam Memorial on Tues, we did the museum gallavanting today...Air & Space Museum (Go Air Force) with a T-shirt to prove it, National Museum of Art (West Wing only due to sensory overload), and the Museum of Natural History. We are Metro veterans now, and can hop from Red to Blue to Orange lines as needed...what a way to travel!

Today was also the first full day of shots for Gena...4 a day from here on out (at least for a while)...so no whining about your daily pains...unless you too face four needles from a Red Head! Things are great and she's a champ with them....never thought Chad's Health Careers training or biology degree would be put to direct use.....thanks for the education, Northside Independent School District!

Our next appt is on Sat, for an initial blood workup...just a scan for progress though we are early in the game...appointments will increase in frequency starting next Tuesday.

Thank you for all of your love, support and prayers....we treasure (and need) every one!!

In case you are wondering, the boys are having an absolute blast up here....roaming the banks of The Potomac, with their bandanas flying in the breeze....so much fresh air up here and they are loving the change of scenery....they are requesting treats from anyone who will send them, so if you need the address to billeting please let us know...they would LOVE you for that!

Well, that's it for this one...until the next post, all the love and thanks....His blessing be yours

In Him

Chad, Gena, Nash and Teebo

Settled in DC

Well, yesterday concluded our 800+ mile journey from GA to DC....an easy go of it after driving
1600+ out to NM just a few weeks ago for Christmas. We're unpacked and in our Temporary Living Facility here on Bolling AFB...small quarters, but good enough for "Government work!":-)
Nash and Teebo came along, and they are doing great....went for a walk along the Patomoc River this evening and had a blast of that!

Today (Monday) was our baseline appointment...initial screening for this phase plus medications and an injections class...lots of needles and meds may equal discomfort, but Chad's Health Careers training has him quite proficient at injections and every bit of our process is way worth the chance at a positive! :-)

We have a few days off until our next appt, so we'll be doing some sight seeing...pictures will follow along the way and we'll continue to keep you posted. Thank you for all your love, thoughts, prayers, and support.....until next time.... Love from DC...Chad, Gena, Nash & Teebo

Happy New Year

2008 has officially kicked off...of course we enter this year w/ much anticipation. I really cant put into words how I feel right now (too many mixed emotions).

Chad and I had a wonderful Christmas in the snow w/ the Tuttle clan. It was complete w/ snow, sledding, snowmobiling, skiing, snowboarding, snow ball fights, snow angels and snowman building and of course many cherished family memories that we will hold close forever. We had a gorgeous white Christmas w/a beautiful snowfall Christmas afternoon and into the evening, I really could not have asked for more, it was awesome!!!! I skied for the 2ND time in my life and did OK, I suppose, and Chad learned to snowboard and did very well. The adventures were capped off w/ a snowmobile ride on Christmas Eve morning and Mass in the evening. The drive was long but went by fast and we were blessed with perfect weather both directions. It is definitely a trip we want to do again.

We leave here on Saturday and will be gone most of the month. I will be sure to post as we go through the process w/ status updates....until then please pray that I keep my sanity as we progress through our journey :-)

Hugs

Gena and Chad

Update #3 (..and the best News of ALL)

We are officially scheduled for our IVF cycle. Jan 7 is the first appointment. This will be a quick flight up on Sunday for a Monday morning appointment and an injections class in the afternoon then a quick flight home. We will then leave here that Friday just 4 days after we get back as my next appointment will be that Sunday Jan 13 and then a second one on the 15th. They said that at my appointment on the 15th we would be told if we need to come everyday, every other day or every third day (all depending on how my body is responding to the hormones). They estimate egg retrieval to be Jan 23rd w/ a 3 day embryo transfer on Jan 26 or 5 day transfer on the 28th. Of course we will keep everyone posted as we move through the cycle.

We are driving to DC for the second trip, this is why we will be leaving the Friday before my appointment on the 13th. We are too excited and feel very blessed because Chad was able to get us a TLF room on base that will allow us to bring the boys. They really are world travelers. The TLF is more like a little house that is fully furnished rather than a hotel room. It will just be way more comfortable and give us more space for the long 2 week trip we will be there and of course it is always nice to have the boys w/ us. They are good travelers and love being w/ their mom and dad :-). The cost is only $2 more per night for the TLF room vs. the regular hotel room. Can't beat that.

Through this whole process I think my challenge has been trying to find some perspective, anything that can help me understand or feel better or give me a reason for why we have had to endure the pain of infertility. Not that we are above hardship, I think it is normal to ask why. Maybe not right in some perspectives but normal by any standard. I would just like to share some of the thoughts and conclusions I have drawn. Let me just start by telling you that when I met Chad, I knew pretty much from the beginning he was "the one", as I got to know him better and better I was more and more confident that I had met my soul mate. However, I was very overwhelmed w/ the prospect that God could have chosen such a wonderful person for me to share my life w/ so much so that I questioned whether I deserved him or not. Instead of focusing on if I deserved him or not I took to prayer and asked God to mold me into the wife he created me to be for Chad, the wife that I knew Chad deserved (I am sure he is still molding :-) ). I say all of this because when Chad and I first made that decision that it was time to start our family of course I was terrified wondering what kind of mother I would be. Again I turned to prayer and prayed and prayed that God would mold me into the mother he created me to be. The mother that He would want me to be to the children he blessed me with. I can only think that this just may be part of the molding process as I can promise you that I will now and forever be a different mother than I would have been two years ago when we first began this journey...and how can that be anything but a blessing. I continue to pray for our little blessing or blessings and for the mother I will be to them. Thank you to each one of you for your support, love, and prayers as we have journeyed and continue to do so in hopes of fulfilling our dreams to become parents. I know that we would not have been able to do this w/ out each of you. If I could so selfishly ask that you continue to pray for us as we begin our first cycle in January. As much as we are excited it is very scary too.

Love to all you and if I don't post again before then, have a Happy Thanksgiving.

G&C