Another good day!!

Man, I thought this day was never going to get here!  In the binder, the page about pregnancy tests says proceed with cautious optimism until an ultrasound with a heartbeat....today was the big day.  Since I have a tendency to bury the lead...we have one embryo with a heartbeat!
Now, back to the events of the day!  :)Dr. Bopp and Alison were both on vacation, so we saw Dr. Colver today.  (I've now had interactions with all doctors at Midwest and have nothing but positive to say about all of them.)  We left a little before nine, not knowing for sure how the roads were going to be.  
Thanks to my wonderful sister Joy for giving me Sea Bands years ago!  Since we rode the Metro in DC I have bouts of car sickness, and not so much is Dramamine an option these days.  These little wrist bands really work!  (Saltines, Sprite, and gum also helps)
We rolled into Carmel around 10:20...our appointment wasn't until 11:45.  When I called to see how the schedule looked, Kim said it was pretty packed so go have breakfast.  Someone was starving so we ate McDonald's before we left Muncie.  Rather than drive around pointlessly, we headed to Midwest.  The couch is pretty comfy and we have plenty of entertainment on our phones.  
Dr. Colver said I'm measuring a little smaller than expected.  By the calculations, I am 6 weeks and 6 days today.  However, our little runt (new name for the Tic Tac) is measuring at 6 weeks and 1 day.  The heartbeat is appropriate for his size.  We go back next Wednesday for another ultrasound with Dr. Bopp.  No more couch potato living for me!

Working on this one!

It never ceases to amaze me and make me feel blessed when we get outpourings of support, prayers, and well wishes on Facebook.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, I can't imagine going through all this without an amazing support system.  It makes sense why people don't share their infertility struggles or early pregnancy stuff...it's emotional, it's scary...it's just draining.  While today was super exciting, I can't lie.  I was still scared after we left the doctor.  After seven years of trying to get pregnant, we finally did it...and it's scary.  Each trip to the doctor involves anxiety, which is another reason why I am so thankful for everyone that prays us through it.  Thankfully Joe is always the calm, voice of reason that keeps under control.  I've got my mustard seed and am really working on letting my faith be bigger than my fears.  God has brought us down this road for a reason, so I just need to remember that!
So, thanks for all the prayers!  Please continue to pray that our little runt grows and the heart beat is even stronger next week.  Pray for me to work on the faith over fear thing.  Pray for Joe as he deals with me, my hormone changes, and the interesting joys of pregnancy!  (Who knew a girl could be even gassier!)
We hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!  Have a safe and blessed New Year!
Love,
Sarah & Joe

Adventures in couch arrest

Let's start with me dropping some knowledge...my issue is a subchorionic bleed!  The only reason I know that is Alison wrote it in one of my many e-mails checking in with her, but figure I would take a second to use a medical term.  One thing I can say without hesitation is the staff at Midwest is amazing!  Alison has been key to my mental health, answering every question and reassuring me.  (She's on vacation this week, so we shall see what nurse gets the joy of my calls!)
While under couch arrest, I missed Polar Express day and the programs.  Wearing my cute pajamas at home with the cats wasn't as fun as pajama day at preschool.  What am I doing...a whole lot of nothing!  I have watched numerous episodes of FRIENDS, Big Bang Theory, and Sex and the City.  I've also fallen in love with the show Girls!  Thankfully Pinterest can also provide hours of mindless entertainment and some good ideas for when I return to Munchkin Land.  I have done a lot of searching in the Bible for verses on faith.  Every time I use my phone as a Bible, I think about how Grandma Tinkle would be so fascinated.  It's so easy to be scared about what's going on and think about all the "what if" scenarios.  That's the time I start searching for a verse or turn on Pandora.  The traditional hymn station always brings me some peace and makes me think of hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa when I was little.
I consider myself a fairly social being, so being home alone without anyone to talk to can be a little rough.  The cats aren't great conversationalists, but they do like to snuggle and take shifts on the couch.  As with everything along this journey, I'm so thankful and blessed when I hear from someone.  Just a little message checking in, a random text, a phone call,  and/ or saying "I'm praying for you guys," really means a lot.  I've come to appreciate the little things!
At the Race for the Family, Tinina told me to remember to have a mustard seed of faith!  Steph got me a mustard seed bracelet that I've carried with me since.  It really helps to have a concrete reminder to have the faith!  (The Cade Foundation is named after Tinina, who carried her daughter Camille's triplets for her...amazing story if you haven't heard)
More updates will be coming on Thursday!  Please continue to pray for our little tic tac to continue to grow and stay put.  Pray that the bleeding stays away and that eventually I will get to move off the couch.  Please pray that our ultrasound on Thursday shows a healthy heartbeat!
Have a wonderful Christmas with your families!  Thanks for the love and prayers!
Sarah & Joe

Back to bed rest

Hello again bed rest!  I haven't missed you too much.  It's been a few crazy days.  Saturday I had a meltdown because I was spotting a little.  I called the on call number, and Dr. Reuter called back quickly.  She said to take it easy, push lots of fluids, and relax.  If there was still concern, I was to  call Bopp on Monday.  Of course, I called Monday morning.  Nurse Alison said they could do another HCG for my sanity.  Thankfully I work with amazing women who said to go and they would hold down the fort.  (My preschool peeps are awesome and help keep me from being stressed about school work). Alison may have put a rush on my order because I had results before the afternoon kiddos arrived.  HCG was 1792!  Increasing just the way it should.  Whew.  Some peace of mind until about 8 last night.  I started cramping and had more than just a little spotting.  Insert full blown Sarah meltdown.  I was scared to death something bad was happening!  That fear lingered this morning until I talked to Alison and she said to come down for an ultrasound and they would work me in.  Thankfully, I am married to a man who can tolerate me as I am and reassure and encourage me!  Alison greeted us and took my blood pressure...140/90.  Seriously why do doctors check that when you're a hot mess?!  Alison and another girl came in for the ultrasound.  I was in tears when they walked in, can't lie!  We were able to see one sac, right where it is supposed to bed!  Praise The Lord! There's another spot, of course I can't remember the medical term, that is causing the bleeding. The pregnancy is safe, but this could put it at risk...enter bed rest again!  I am one with the couch until further notice.  We want the bleeding and cramping to stop, and from the ultrasound it looks hopeful.  From Saturday to now, I had just shared my drama with just a few people that I knew would keep us in their prayers.  Today, I decided I needed to update everyone since so many people have prayed us this far!  It's scary because a lot happens I the first trimester, and most folks opt to keep their pregnancy on the down low until the first 12 weeks are done.  However, when you are publicly sharing your infertility and IVF journey, you gotta shoot it straight!  Please continue to pray for us as we take it easy and wait until the 27th when we will be able to hear the heartbeat.  Pray that my hormones simmer a tad so we won't have major meltdowns.... They are tiring!  I'm really working on my mustard seed of faith to move these mountains.  It makes me sad to miss Polar Express day and the Christmas program, but right now I have to come first and be thankful that I work with amazing women who steer the ship and send me pictures!  I am so thankful that we have a support system ready to have our backs at a moment's notice!
Until the next time, thanks for the love and prayers!  Please keep them coming.  Being still is hard for my ADD self, but right now it's what I have to do!
Love,
Sarah

A little anniversary rambling

Our wonderful wedding party

Happy anniversary to my dearest husband!  Today we celebrate eleven years of marriage.  Every year, I break out my tiara and the wedding DVD.  Yup, it's my princess day!  Our wedding was the princess day I wanted, and am so thankful that things only got better from there.  We started our life together surrounded by friends and family that always encouraged and supported us.  Today, we still are so blessed to have the amazing support system we started with.  The support has changed courses as we've grown older, but we know we've always got each other and that a lot of people are in our corner.  You may think I'm crazy, but infertility is one thing that made our marriage stronger.  I can see where it will make or break your marriage.  It's physically, emotionally, and financially draining.  Here we are, seven years after hoping to expand our family...we made it.  While the love, prayers, and words of encouragement get me through each day, shot, test, procedure...the one person that I couldn't function without is Joe.  From the Clomid crazy, procedures, surgeries, negative tests, other friends and family getting pregnant, to IVF....Joe has always been the voice of calm and reason.  When I panic and freak, he can talk me off the edge.  If I cry, he holds me and reminds me it will be okay.  When I need a little common sense or get to off task, he's there.  I just could go on and on.  Figured it was a good day to give Joe Jones the shout out he deserves for being such an awesome guy!

Young love ;)

God Gave Me You
Last Thursday, I went for another HCG test.  Nurse Allison said he would keep checking until there was more than just that 2/3 increase I'd had.  Going to school with my girls and my munchkins made waiting for test results much more tolerable!  My level was 430, up from the 221, and the increase that meant we could finally schedule the ultrasound.  Praise the Lord!  We will go for our ultrasound on the 27th @ 11:45.  This is the big moment where we will be able to move past our guarded optimism phase after seeing a heartbeat.  (This may be the most memorable Christmas ever!)  They did check my thyroid level, which was a little high.  My medicine has been adjusted, so now we just need to pray it goes back to between 1-2.  (It's 6 now)  Please continue to pray that our little tic tac keeps growing!
I can't ask for prayers for us without feeling a little selfish.  The heartbreaking shooting yesterday is just horrific.  As a teacher, I can't imagine.  Please pray for the kids, the families of the victims, the school, and the community.  It just makes me sick to think about.  It really puts things into perspective.  I know I will be loving on my munchkins at school on Monday a little more than usual!
As always, thanks for the love and prayers!
Sarah

Test anxiety and guarded optimism

Tests stress me out...giving them, taking them, just the word!  One of the many joys of preschool includes no more ISTEP and that anxiety.  However, waiting for the results from your first blood pregnancy test brings a whole new meaning to test anxiety.
We were able to change our testing days to Friday & Sunday, that way Joe could be with  me when we got "the call."  I'd been relatively sane while staying home and modeling the life of the kitties....until Thursday.  I'm not sure if it was hormones, general anxiety, or just a moment of total crazy...it was a total meltdown.  The reality of our pregnancy test set in and exactly what it meant hit.  There was some ugly crying, but Kitty, Baby, and Dude don't mind.  After about a half hour of crying like a wild woman and telling God how scared I was, I finally returned to normal.  Nothing beats a good cry and a nap!
Friday morning was the day!  I woke up at 3, and slept on and off until 6 when I did my progesterone.  Thankfully, I woke up at 7 in time for us to throw on clothes and hit the road.  Bless Joe for driving, because I'm pretty sure I slept most of the way to Bopp's.  We were at Midwest for maybe 10 minutes tops.  Just enough time to check in and get blood drawn.  Then, we had to wait....
The plan was to keep busy in Indy rather than just come home and stare at the phone.  We ventured to Target (for a potty stop) and Trader Joe's parking lot.  (Plan was to stock up on wine at Trader Joe's if results were negative)  After sitting in the parking lot (nope, we didn't go in), Joe decided we might as well head home because sitting in the car wasn't doing us any good.
Grandma always said a watched pot never boils, and I can add that a watched phone never rings!  We were about two blocks from home when the phone rang.  I think I could have thrown up!  Dr. Bopp called and said, "Congratulations, you're pregnant."  The rest of the conversation is a bit of a blur, but I remember asking him if he was serious and he said we could have some sparkling cider.  My HCG level was 75, which was above the 50 we needed for a positive!  I knew we would test two days later and that the number needed to go up.  He said it needed to go up 66%, and I was quite proud that I did the math on my own to figure out we needed a 125.
Needless to say, we were pretty emotional after that phone call.  For seven years, we have been waiting and hoping to hear, "You're pregnant," and the moment finally came.  The afternoon was filled with tears of joy (not ugly ones!) and a lot of thankfulness.

"These are the Special Times"

Last night at church, I made sure to thank God for the miracle of Christmas and our little miracle in the making.  
Today was less anxiety and stress than Friday, but still a little because they say to proceed with guarded optimism until we have the ultrasound and see the heartbeat.
The nurse called today with our results, the level was 126.  Just the increase Bopp said we needed.  It freaked me out for a bit because Bopp wants to a 3rd beta on Tuesday to make sure the HCG is still rising.  Bless Joe's heart for always being the calm and sane one reminding me that the increase was exactly what we needed...time to be happy and not freak out!  
My plan was to go back to my munchkins and my peeps at preschool on Tuesday, but why I keep thinking I should make my own plans...I dunno!  I am so blessed that the girls I work with are so encouraging and supportive.  "Take the day, don't worry, we got this!"  I really miss my girls and my kiddos, but figure another day home taking it easy can't hurt.  I'm also really thankful that not only do they tell me not to worry about school, they encourage me and pray for us!
We have amazing family and friends that have been with us for the journey and continue to have our back Jack.  Please continue to pray that our little embryo(s) stay implanted and keep growing.  My hormone levels need to keep rising and I need to continue to remain sane and calm until returning to my munchkins on Wednesday...I hope!
As always, thanks for the love and prayers!  They've helped us get this far!
Love,
Sarah & Joe  

Taking it easy

I just love the quotes section, too!

In the lovely world of infertility, the 2WW is a dreaded time. What's 2WW? The two week wait, that lovely time from ovulation to when you can take a pregnancy test. Now, if I wasn't using sick days and spent my two weeks at preschool....there wouldn't be a lot of time to think about waiting. However, I opted to stay home, take it easy, and steer clear of my munchkins' germs. That leaves me at home keeping busy and trying to not fret about what is coming.  Keeping busy has involved a lot of Angry Birds Star Wars and Pinterest, specifically the humor section!  I managed to get caught up on Glee (not sure about this season) and Sons of Anarchy (LOVE).  Big Bang Theory and FRIENDS are always good when I need a laugh.  It helps my sanity to have lots of texts, e-mails, and messages from everyone checking in on me.  I keep reminding myself that somebody's praying us through!
Today marks a joyous event in a non-IVF sense...I've taken over first place in our Fantasy Football League!  Our league is on year 7, I won last year and I am a woman on a mission to retain my title!
When thinking about test day, it's a little intimidating because we've been so open and honest about everything that's gone on. Most people keep things under the radar, but I've always been a jabber jaw. Between Friday and Monday, I may be away from technology...at least as much as I can. I do have an appointment with my wonderful therapist on Monday afternoon, so maybe after processing everything with her I'll be ready to share...whatever the outcome. In my heart, I really feel that we are going to have a positive outcome but at the same time we've been at this for seven years and have had our hearts broken more times than I remember. This round of treatments just feels different. Looking back on the past year since we attended the banquet, the quote faith in God includes faith in His timing sums it up. Now, it's just important to keep having the faith in the light at the end of our tunnel!
Please pray that our embryos have implanted and are settling in for their stay, or at least one has settled in for its stay!  Pray for our some peace as we deal with nerves and anticipation of what pregnancy test will bring.  Dr. Bopp is on call this week, so Nurse Allison said he will be the one that makes "the call."  Pray that he calls us with positive news and we test again two days later to see the numbers rising!
As always, thanks to everyone for the love, encouragement, and support!  I think this waiting is worse than the shots and procedures!
Love,
Sarah & Joe

From retrieval to transfer

Things have been moving and shaking at the Jones' house! After getting the fertilization report on Saturday morning, I set out to be on task and get things ready for my munchkins while I'm out. Sunday morning I started estrogen and progesterone, which will continue to pregnancy tests and hopefully after that day to help maintain the pregnancy! We always get our detailed instructions and they go directly into THE binder. It holds everything relevant as well as a 4 leaf clover postcard from Joy and a note from Pastor Glenn saying he would be praying for us. The paper said they would call between 3-4 on Monday to give us our transfer time on Wednesday. Perfect timing because my munchkins leave at 3, but I had District Discussion at 3:45. By 3:50 our meeting hadn't started and I hadn't received a phone call, so I called good ol' Nurse Allison and left a message. Nothing like leaving a meeting with the administration to take calls about your embryos! Call #1 gave us a time to register and transfer time, but then I had to excuse myself from the meeting again for another call. They had to schedule an egg retrieval for Wednesday morning, so they bumped us to 9:45 arrival, 10:15 transfer. After discussion, I ventured back to school and am proud to say that I was pretty productive in spite of being so tired and bloated! (Three side effects of IVF- hot, tired, bloated) Tuesday was my last day with my kiddos until December 11. While I'm so excited about IVF and having time off to just relax and be a bum, I'm really going to miss my kiddos and my girls at school. So thankful to say I really love what I do!

Yesterday morning, we started the day out by having breakfast with Joe's dad. Perk of transfer...no anesthetic which means I can eat and not be a grumpy butt. With full bellies, we were off to Midwest. 

Dr. Bopp came in to give a hug and a handshake before going back to check on our embryos. Now, I'd been pretty calm and not anxious about the process until Bopp walked out of our room. I swear it took an eternity for him to come back! Although, while waiting my medicine had kicked in so I was a little more relaxed and giggly. 

Bopp came back with what he hopes will be our baby's first picture! We had planned all along to transfer back two embryos. We had ten eggs that had fertilized but our two were the only ones that continued dividing and made it to the stage they need for transfer. So, to borrow from FRIENDS...all our eggs went into my basket.

Unlike retrieval day, Joe got to go back to the room with me to be there for transfer. He got to rock a jumpsuit H2T. (That's head to toe if you're not familiar with America's Next Top Model) He is also rocking his Bert Kreischer "Machine" t-shirt, Bert is a very hilarious comedian that didn't retweet Joe's picture. Oh well.

We walked back into the sterile environment to the procedure room. The room we were in was adjacent to the lab, and Dr. Adaniya was right there to confirm my name and birthday. Dr. Bopp did a practice transfer to make sure the catheter was positioned, and then Dr. Adaniya put the two embryos in the catheter, handing it to Bopp. After the transfer, which we could see on screen thanks to ultrasound, Dr. Adaniya confirmed that both embryos were out of the catheter. Back to our holding room to kick my feet up and relax for a few. Joe got the car and I got to ride in the wheelchair down. We were headed home and into bed. Shockingly, laying perfectly still was a bit of a challenge! Kitty and Baby hung out with me which was safe because they both are too fat for me to move out of the way. (20 pound weight limit)

Today, I've got a hot date with the couch, the DVR, and file folder games to color! Just keep praying that our little embryos have latched on and will continue to grow. Nothing really going on between now and pregnancy test day on December 8. Please pray for me not to be anxious about anything in these two weeks while we wait!

Love,

Sarah & Joe

Retrieval and fertilization

What do the Manning brothers have to do with our IVF cycle?  Nothing really, except their numbers.  Yesterday, Dr. Will retrieved 18 eggs!  At my first monitoring appointment, they counted 18 follicles and I took that as a good sign.  Retrieving 18...even better!  I'm a little sore and bloated, but the egg retrieval wasn't too bad.  I slept most of yesterday.  Before I move on and explain why Eli is also included, I must go ADD and share a story.  I wore my lucky Colts socks under the not so cute slipper ones they give.  Somehow in my post-anesthetic state, I showed them to my nurse.  It turns out, the nurse that was taking care of me is Marcus Pollard's sister in law.  Marcus Pollard was a tight end for the Colts before my boyfriend Dallas Clark came along.  Marcus Pollard's number when he played for the Colts was 81...yup that's 18 backwards.  (http://www.nfl.com/player/marcuspollard/2502504/profile)  Sorry, I am just a big nerd when it comes to football!  Joe got me home and in bed, the rest of the day involved napping, DVR, and the iPad.  
I was awake early this morning since Ingrid, the biologist from Midwest, had said she would call with the fertilization report after 8:00.  I was really hoping they would call before Joe headed off to work so that we could get the report together.  At 9:20, my phone finally rang.  They attempted to fertilize 16 eggs, 10 of which fertilized!  (Woohoo!)  They did ICSI on 13, and 8 of those fertilized.  The other 3 they let fertilize naturally in the dish, and 2 of those fertilized.  Prayers were answered!  Tomorrow I start progesterone and estrogen.  On Monday they will call me with the time of our transfer on Wednesday!
It's really been an exciting and emotional few days.  We've waited so long to get to this point!  Thanks to everyone who continues to support and encourage us.  I've said it before and I will say it again, we are truly blessed to have such an amazing support system.
Pray that our little embryos grow strong and make it to day 5.  (They will put two back in, and any remaining will be stored on ice for future baby Jones' attempts.)  After Wednesday, I will be propping my feet up and taking it easy!  
Thanks again for all the love and prayers!
Sarah & Joe

Busy week ahead!

Happy Thanksgiving!  We started off the holiday at Midwest, but I'm going to rewind back to yesterday.  Tuesday, Allison called and said I should order one of the medicines and they could loan the other in case I needed it.  Because I'm paranoid, I made my momma come over and spend the day Wednesday waiting for Fed Ex.  Wednesday morning I navigated through some nasty fog for another monitoring appointment.  Overnight, my ovaries were busy getting follicles mature.  Dr. Bopp came in and gave me a hug, excited that we were finally rolling.  He wanted to wait until my labs came back to confirm that we would do the trigger and then retrieval on Friday.  Allison reviewed two possible triggers that could be used, depending on my blood work.  One was a Lupron & HCG, which she sent me home with.  The other was a full 10,000 units of HCG.  Allison called me later to let me know we were ready to trigger, which is exciting but we ended up not needing the medicine I'd ordered the day before. (the medicine incident that included the minor meltdown)  Although, if we hadn't ordered it we would have been in a pickle.  I think after Allison called me with the retrieval instructions, I may have called her 4 times with various questions.  Bless her for answering all of them and talking me off the ledge!  Also, bless my dear girls at work for keeping me off the ledge, too.  
The HCG shot was to be given at 8:30 since my retrieval was scheduled for Friday morning at 8:30.  
I really wish I would have taken a picture of these needles!  The ones I did in my belly weren't too traumatic, they were pretty small.  Not so much for this one!  The first needle was huge because it was used to mix the HCG powder with the liquid....still pretty intimidating.  We worked together to follow the directions step by step to get it ready, and then came the slightly smaller but still large and scary needle.  Fast forward a few minutes and then trauma was over, and not too bad.  Joe Jones gets 4 stars for his shot giving techniques.
The reason we had to go to Midwest today was Dr. Bopp wants to make sure the HCG is being absorbed to get us ready for retrieval.  The downside to cycling around the holiday is not seeing Bopp and Allison as much because they're off enjoying the day with their families.  Thankfully, everyone I've seen at Midwest has been caring, encouraging, and supportive so I'm not too worried.  
Today, we went over all of our instructions for the next week...it's a little busy!
No food or drink after midnight tonight, thankfully we have to be down there early so I won't be too whiny about being hungry and thirsty!  No artificial sweeteners or heavy lifting after tonight either.  I'm going wild on caffeine free diet coke today!
Tomorrow, Dr. Will (makes me think of the guy from Big Brother) will go in and retrieve my eggs.  We will speak with the nurse, the doctor, and the biologist.   We will leave our goods to fertilize in the lab while Joe drives home and I become one with the couch.
Saturday, they will call in the morning and let us know how many fertilized.  
Sunday, I start progesterone and estrogen support.  
Monday, they will call between 3-4 and let me know what time are embryo transfer will take place on Wednesday.
Wednesday is the big day!  Our hope is for two healthy embryos to make it to day five to get put back in.  Transfer doesn't require anesthetic, so I won't be whiny and hungry.  They do give me some medicine to help me relax though.  She said we'll stay there a little bit and then it's home to bed rest.  I can get up for potty, showers, and eating.  Just to be safe, I'm taking off from transfer day to pregnancy test day.  I love my job and my kids, but want to make sure I stay as germ and stress free as possible while our embryos are sticking!
We will go to Midwest for the first pregnancy blood test on December 8.  This is called a "beta" test where they look at HCG.  If it's below 5, they won't have you come back for a second test and you schedule a post cycle appointment.  Between 5-50, it's not clear either way so you have to come back two days later for another blood test.  If it's over 50, they say it's positive but encourage cautious optimism and bring you back two days later.  They gave us a paper that says to be cautious until we have an ultrasound where we see the fetus and a heartbeat.
So, there you have it.  Please pray specifically for us and all we have going each day for the next week.  I may be a little loopy after anesthetic tomorrow, so it may be Saturday before I do another update.  
Enjoy a blessed day with your families!  We are very thankful for our family and friends and for the Cade Foundation that helped us get to this point in our journey.

Love,
Sarah & Joe

Adventures in shots and monitoring

The show is on the road!  This morning I went back for another monitoring appointment.  I've responded well to the medicines....18 follicles on the first day, 21 on Sunday, and 22 today  The follicles are slowly getting bigger, which is a good thing.  I'm headed back in the morning for more blood work and another ultrasound.  We just need the follicles to get a little bigger and be more the same size.  (please pray for that) My uterine lining is also thickening, the first ultrasound she said they wanted it be thicker than 8cm, and Sunday it was almost 9.  Woohoo.

Things are moving right along, so we are on target.  Today I had a minor meltdown when leaving Midwest because I may need more medicine.  Yup, that's all it took....I think I may need a hormone alert that goes off to give everyone a heads up.  At least this meltdown was just in the car!  ;)  After a good cry, I was on the road back to munchkin land.  I'm ordering more of one medicine that I will need tomorrow, and if I need the other for Thursday they are going to loan us the two vials.  We're trying to work around the holiday delivery. Bless Nurse Allison for answering my e-mails and Joe Jones for his ability to remain calm when I'm in crisis mode!  

"Shooting up" has become less traumatic!  I've expanded my horizons and done injections at home, at church, at school, and at the eye doctor.  This is all in an effort to ensure shots are done between 5:30-5:45 am and pm.  (Yes, 5:30am is when I get up.  It's a lot easier to get things done before the munchkins come.)

Thankfully, I work with fabulous ladies who remind me to take care of myself and not stress about missing time in class!  (While I do miss my Allen friends, the move to preschool has been such a blessing in many ways!!!)

Please continue to pray for my follicles to grow, my estrogen level to increase, and for my hormones not to be too crazy!  More to come when we know when the egg retrieval is! 

Thanks for the love, support, prayers, and encouragement!  We are truly blessed with amazing family and friends!

Sarah & Joe

One week down!

First off, I need to thank everyone who has prayed for us, given encouragement, and just been an awesome support as we have started on our cycle.  I keep thinking about some of the couples at the Cade Banquet last year that didn't have any family support...I just can't imagine.  We are so blessed to have amazing family and friends!
Monday morning my darling husband got up with me at 5:40 to help cheer me on as I started the Menopur.  That's another blessing...Joe Jones is always the calm, level headed one when I'm in a panic.  Shot was done, Joe went off to bed, and I went off to my munchkins.  That morning we were "blessed" with enough snow to set the kiddos into full excitement...oy vey.  I got home to do my Follistim shot at 5:40 since they are due every 12 hours.  This one didn't stress me out since it's a dial up  pen and I've used it before.  Joe said I could wake him up Tuesday if I needed him to do the shot.  However, my co-dependent self was on a mission to do it on my own!  While the hands were a little shaky, I got it done on my own.  It helps to have the instructions taped up so you can follow, follow, follow directions!  (Gotta love Dr. Jean's Rules Rap)

Everything need for the morning Menopur

One thing that helps with the morning shot is a little Pandora!  Mercy Me and Michael W. Smith are my two most used stations.  Wednesday morning, I discovered this song..."Tunnel".  It was just what I needed to hear.  As far as side effects, they've not been too bad.  I feel a little bloated, but it's tolerable when your friends don't mind the fact you unbutton your pants at lunch.  LOVE my preschool peeps!
Yesterday was my first monitoring appointment.  I wasn't too sure about letting someone wearing a Tom Brady jersey take my blood, but not really my choice.  She commented on my ChuckStrong bracelet, to which I said something to the effect of it won't go with your jersey.  It turns out she does go to Colts games because her husband is a fan, but she loves the Patriots.  (a little nausea just saying that!)  Thank goodness we don't have that problem at our house!  Fantasy Football is enough trash talking for the Jones'.  (Forgive my ADD, back to appointment)  My ultrasound showed my uterine lining is already thickening, they want it to be higher than 8 and it's already at 7.  I have 10 follicles on the left and 8 on the right.  Woohoo.  Granted, some more may develop and some will drop off but I think the fact I had 18 on my first day was a good sign.  As much as Andrew Luck is growing on me, Peyton is still #1 in my heart.  Corny and cheesy, but it's the little things and I took the number 18 as a good sign! Nurse Allison went over everything with me and said she'd call me later.  Bloodwork looked good, Menopur and Follistim doses are the same, and we go back Sunday morning.
I started Ganirelix last night...yeah for another needle!  This one keeps me from ovulating before they want me to.  It was a pre-filled syringe, so that wasn't bad.  Joe was off yesterday so he helped with evening shots.  I had to tape some new instructions to the wall for this one.  We decided on a date night last night, so we went and had dinner at Chili's.  Romance is having a guy understand that even though it's only seven, you're putting jammies on.  We watched Big Bang and the League, and I'm guessing I was out on the couch around 8:30.  Preschool and hormones make for one tired Jonesy!
I set my alarm for 5:30 today so my timing will be on track.  At least after this shot, I got to go back to bed.  Monitoring in the morning and then home for a nap before the Colts/Pats game.  Hopefully tomorrow or Monday we will know our time line a little better.

This song  is my ring tone! :D

The prayers and encouragement are amazing!  Keep praying for us as the shots continue.  Pray that I continue to respond well to the medication and my follicles get to 18-20 mm.  Pray for Joe as he deals with hormonal me.  We are so excited to finally be moving on, but it's a little scary at times.  Pray that we stay relaxed and positive at our outcome.
Love,
Sarah & Joe

This is really happening!

The big box of medicine and needles

It looks like I haven't blogged since the big box of meds came, so we shall start there!  Joe's day off is Friday, so that left momma off the hook for Med Watch.  Walgreen's hadn't given us a tracking number or estimated time, so Joe was sticking close to home.  Good ol' Sue Lynn brought him Pizza King for lunch and hung out so he could go get a part for the Impala.  While they are hanging out, I'm off in munchkin land with my babies anxiously awaiting news of delivery!  The pharmacy left me a voice mail because Fed Ex had said nobody was home.  Oy vey, there is never a dull moment.  Before calling Joe, I activate Sue Lynn to Med Watch duty!  Turns out my dearest husband had been on watch while fixing my car in the driveway.  Fed Ex was supposed to attempt another delivery or we could pick it up after 6.  I zoom on home and there's still no box.  Joe ventured out to the Fed Ex place to pick up our valuable package.  Opening the box of medicine was step one in the holy cow, things are getting real phase of IVF!

You would think it would have set in after over a year of planning, but nope!  There's always been a curve ball along the way, and so the fact things are finally on track is a little exciting and scary at the same time.  Yesterday things finally got moving so we knew we would be ready for our start cycle appointment!  Like a kid on Christmas, I was up at 5:30 and wide awake.  In my defense, 5:23 is my daily wake up time for school.  Thankfully, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter were able to keep me quiet and entertained until Midwest opened at 7:30.  Allison had said on the weekends to be ready to head down after I called to set up the appointment.  Sure enough, we tossed on some clothes and were on our way for a 9:00 appointment.  In the waiting room, I was introduced to a new game...Angry Birds Star Wars!  Woohoo.

The ultrasound looked good other than my left ovary is placed a little funky, so can be hard to find.  We met with the nurse and signed our life away AKA signed our consent forms.  Monitoring appointments are set for every day starting Friday the 16th-Wednesday the 21st.  We may not go every day, but they set an appointment just in case.  My school day appointments are at 8, which allows me to go straight to school after!  I'm not worried about the fort being held down while I'm gone because I work with FABULOUS ladies, but I will miss my girls and my munchkins.  Hopefully I won't miss seeing my morning crew every day!  

Drum roll please, shots start in the morning!  I will be waking Joe up for moral support at 6 am for my first dose of Menopur.  12 hours later I will do my first shot of Follistim, which isn't too traumatic because it's what I did for our cycles of IUI.  

Please keep the prayers coming!  We are so thankful for our supportive family and friends that have gotten us this far.  Pray for me as I start injections, pray that my body responds well, pray for Joe and everyone that has to deal with me as my hormones start shifting!

Have a fabulous week!

Love, 

Sarah & Joe

First appointment down, many more to come!!

Sarah's Laughter Devotional 11/1/12

I just read today's Daily Double Portion and had to share it because it is awesome!  If you or someone you know is overcoming infertility, please share this with them.  I really appreciate a daily read to keep me on track!
Sarah


The Best Laid Plans

The mind of man plans his way,
But the LORD directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

Many plans are in a man’s heart,
But the counsel of the LORD will stand.
Proverbs 19:21

When you stood at an altar as an excited bride and gazed lovingly at the handsome groom at your side, what plans had you laid for your future? You had probably spent hours coordinating every minute detail of your wedding plans, down to the specific color of the napkins at the reception. The honeymoon was planned and was the perfect get-away for the perfect newlyweds. Your future couldn’t look brighter! You had the jobs you had always dreamed of, and you were moving up the career ladders just as you had planned. Everything was going just as you always knew it would. Life was unfolding beautifully, until you tried to get pregnant.

Just as you had done with everything else, you planned just when you wanted to have a baby. You knew just when you want to conceive and had no reason to believe it would happen outside of your timing. Small delays at the onset were no reason for concern, but months turned to years and your plans fell apart. What was happening? Why wouldn’t God allow you to have a baby when so many others conceive so easily? Didn’t He know you wanted a baby more than you desired your next breath? Why is it that the dream most precious to you is the one that seems most out of reach?

Infertility can cause such a crisis in your faith! It can make you feel that God has abandoned you and has nothing to do with you anymore. You may have sensed His presence in such a real way in your life, but now it seems that He is nowhere to be found. How ironic it is that just when we believe God is so far away, He is really so close and is directing our steps!

You may think the casual meeting of a new friend at church is happenstance, until you find that she too has experienced infertility. The Lord has ordered your steps toward someone who understands your struggle. Your Bible falls open to a Scripture that speaks to the hurt your heart feels when your period starts again. Happenstance? No. God’s counsel knows just the word you need to heal your wounded heart. In an unusual move, you turn on the television just in time to see an interview with a local doctor who specializes in the disease you’ve been diagnosed with. The Lord has ordered your steps toward a physician who has the expertise you need. You pray about being able to conceive, yet you feel the Lord whispering to your heart about adoption. His counsel to your heart is wise. If He had allowed you to follow the plan you had designed for your life, you would miss out on the blessings He has designed for you. He loves you enough to allow you to escape your own plans an
d lead you in the way He lovingly designed for you--even if that plan involves infertility.

God has a mighty plan for your life. Plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) When you come to the manifestation of the plan He has for you, I believe you’ll look with gratitude at the journey He has brought you through and you’ll feel blessed.



(c) 2012 Sarah’s Laughter-Christian Support for Infertility & Child Loss

Adventures in ultrasound-ing

We are moving onward kids, finally!  Today when I told Dr. Bopp it's been a long time coming, he said good things come to those who wait.  The day didn't start off to badly, got to sleep in and run a couple errands before heading to Midwest for my appointment.  I was just north of the Daleville exit when my tire pressure warning came on, and the number went down...fast.  Rather than panic, I just kept saying, "God, just get me off the interstate safely!"  I'm very proud to say that no tears were shed!  Granted, I did call mom and tell her to leave ASAP because Nurse Allison had said the schedule was packed so go ahead and come as soon as we could.  After Allison talked to Bopp, she called me back and said they would work me in and get there safely.  Super Mom to the rescue, so we headed to Indy.  The car was safely parked in the gas station lot, and getting my ultrasound done was more important at the moment.  
I greatly appreciate the staff at Midwest Fertility!  From the friendly face at the sign desk (America who was the sweetheart that answered my panicked phone calls mid-flat!) to the nurses and Dr. Bopp, everyone was so sweet, encouraging, and feeling the pain of a flat tire.  Mom hung out in the waiting room because a saline ultrasound is not something you need an audience for!  Dr. Bopp and Nurse April were with me for the ultrasound.  There was a 2 millimeter spot that was not in an area of concern, but then after looking around he said it was the catheter.  WOOHOO!  That means the uterus is still clear and ready for some embryos to transfer.  With a high five, Dr. Bopp went out to help other patients and I sat thankful for another answered prayer.  Allison went over injections with me, mixing meds, when I give what, and showed me the different needles.  Good times in store!  
Throughout the day, I'd been updating Facebook with my drama.  I was so thankful and felt the love as my friends and family sent prayers and words of encouragement.  After posting we are moving ahead with IVF in November, we were once again greeted with an outpouring of love, prayers, and kind words.  That's one of the reasons I'm so thankful we have been open with our journey...the support we receive really gets us through!
For now, it's back to my munchkins and trying to get plans done and ready for being out for all my appointments.  While I miss my Allen friends, I am so thankful for my move to preschool.  I work with awesome ladies and love my little kiddos.  While I am exhausted by  the end of each day, I still can say I really LOVE what I do.  (It helps that Allison said one caffeinated beverage daily is safe, so my two baby diet cokes are approved! This may help the yawning daily at 3:00!)
The tire saga isn't quite complete yet, we went back to the car when Joe got home.  I observed the process of changing a tire, just in case I ever have to do it myself.  (What are the odds of me actually doing that?!)  Joe finally got the flat one off, and the donut got us home.  He's taking it to fixed in the morning and I'm a truck driving girl for a day or two.  
That's the adventure in baby-making for today!   Dumb flat tire didn't ruin my day or our great news!
For my friends that pray for us and are specific...now we just are thankful for good news, pray for productivity between now and the start of our cycle, pray for me as I brave the needles!  Long term, we pray for healthy embryos so we have two to transfer, and that at least one of those little ones sticks and stays!  
The Cade Foundation awarded 6 grants for 2013, we are excited for these families as they start their journey.  We won't be able to attend the banquet this year because of our cycle timing, but will be with them in spirit!
Love to all and thanks for the prayers & support~
Sarah & Joe

One step at a time

Things are getting real with this IVF!  It's exciting and scary as we prepare for our cycle.  We've waited so long, and now it's really happening...so thankful!
I go this Thursday for another saline ultrasound to make sure everything is still clear from the surgery in May.  Please pray that there are no new polyps and Dr. Bopp will say we are ready to rock and roll come November!  After the fun of the ultrasound, I get to learn about giving myself the different injections....not so much am I looking forward to that part!  I'm trying to remember that whole "Don't be anxious about anything," but it can be scary when it comes to needles.  As we move forward I will need extra prayers for calm hands as I poke myself!  
Our infectious blood work came back, so that was another thing to check off the to do list.  For some reason they didn't receive a copy of Joe's paperwork, so I'm hand delivering his on Thursday.  
Based on my calculations, we have about four weeks until the real fun begins.  It's so exciting to finally be ready to move ahead!  It is easy to get caught up in the "what if's" relating to our cycle, but that would drive me crazy and we know that wouldn't be a far trip.  We are going on seven years with infertility and I truly believe we were given this journey for a reason.  I have never been one to be quiet about anything, so maybe God is using that gift so I can help others know infertility is a real medical condition and that it can be dealt with.  I am so thankful for a husband who has been behind 110% through all of this fertility stuff.  It's not easy dealing with me in general, but throw some hormones on that and Joe Jones deserves a medal of honor.  I am thankful he's always the voice of reason, encouragement, or is just there to get me through a melt down!  We hope that by sharing our story and being open, we will be able to help other couples travelling this bumpy road.
Joe has exciting news, he is now just working at Walls Furniture!  Saturday was his last day at Great Sounds!
Enough rambling but if you are reading this blog, odds are good you can follow my ADD!  Thanks to everyone for the continued love, support, and prayers as we move closer to our IVF cycle.  Please pray for no polyps this Thursday!  (Also, say a prayer for my preschool friends.  The Head Start review is this week!  I am blessed to work with some fabulous people!)
Have a wonderful week~
Sarah & Joe

Rambles from Sarah

We are finally moving ahead with the IVF.  It seems as though we've been waiting forever, but Tuesday marked the one year anniversary of us receiving the phone call that we received the Cade grant.  God blessed us with the Cade Foundation and this past week, He answered another prayer that helped us be able to move ahead! We have an amazing support system in our family and friends, it has helped keep us going along the way.  Being part of the Cade Foundation also provides us with a built in support system!  When I e-mailed Camille and Heidi, they both sent me a sweet, supportive note of encouragement as we move ahead.  While we haven't been in treatment, we have been part of the Cade Foundation family for the past year!    

Joe and I have to get some infectious disease bloodwork done, Joe beat me to the punch by getting it done today.  Dr. Bopp was in Africa on a mission trip (how awesome is that?!), so I just found out today that we will do another saline ultrasound to ensure my uterus is still prime real estate for our embryos.  One day in October, I will head down to Bopp for the ultrasound and to learn how to do the different injections.  The needles scare me a little more than the ultrasound! Come November, we will be rocking and rolling IVF style!   
On a side note, Joe and I were able to go the Colts game last Sunday with his dad.  It was a beautiful day for football with the roof open.  Football is always a fun event together, unless it's fantasy football...that's a whole different story!  
Please continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we move forward!  We are so thankful for our friends and family!
Love,
Sarah & Joe

Back to life, back to reality

Wow, it's been almost a month since I've written!  What's been going on....just back to school crazy!  It's an adjustment getting back into the routine, but while I miss naps I do enjoy having a regular schedule.  Life in preschool is awesome, it's tiring but totally rocks!  I miss seeing my Allen family every day, but am so blessed to have the opportunity to work with the little munchkins all the time.  Teaching is a crazy, stressful, and rewarding profession...preschool has released a lot of stress from my shoulders.  The first day of school when I left, I was overcome with a sense of relief and peace.  While I loved teaching at Allen, God knew a little less stress would be more friendly for making a baby!  What's new on the baby front?  Not a lot, we still haven't started our cycle and to be honest there are days when that may bum me out a bit.  I'm a little emotionally high maintenance, but Joe maintains me pretty well!  :)  He's always the voice of reason when I get a little emotional...we are going to do our IVF, we have the year to use the grant, I needed to have the surgery to have a prime spot for our embryos, etc.  To keep balanced in all ways, I've started going to church regularly with mom and started doing a Zumba class twice/week.  
Last night at church, this was the verse that smacked me in the head...
Proverbs 16:9 The Message (MSG)
We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.

Yup, God said, "Sarah Elizabeth, chill out!  I've got the plan!"  Granted, that was just the gist I took away from the verse and sermon about God guiding us!  Another bullet point, Don't Hurry!  Jeremiah 29:11 was also quoted.  It was one of the moments where I was reminded that there is a greater plan for us, and my time frame isn't the one that matters.  We've been dealt infertility for a purpose.  It's brought us together through the ups and downs.  We've been able to reach out to other couples facing the same battles.  It's also blessed us with the Cade Foundation, which brought us the opportunity to do the IVF cycle this year and gave us another family of support.

Everyone will know when things are rolling, it's not like I'm ever quiet about anything!  In the mean time, just continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we prepare to take that next step.  I'll close with this song from Kutless, What Faith Can Do.  Pandora whacked me in the head with that song one day when I was kind of down.

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sarah (and Joe)

Reflecting on Job and Job’s

Job's Daughters logo from my day

Today was my first Job’s Daughters meeting in quite some time!  While it makes me feel old to think I saw my friend’s daughter get initiated, it was still a great afternoon.  As I sat there listening to the story of Job, I made some new connections.  Looking back, Job’s Daughters taught me the importance of faith and patience, especially when overcoming adversity.  While our adversity is not really the same as Job’s, listening to his story today I could relate it a lot to our journey.  When you start trying to get pregnant, all seems right with the world and you are full hope.  I’d be lying if I said I never lost faith or got angry with God, but through the time we’ve spent on the infertility road I’ve been able to move past that.  Granted, some days I still get a little frustrated and go “REALLY?!”  but just like Job we are going to overcome and in the end we will have our own reward.  I could not begin to count how many times I have heard the story of Job, and find it pretty awesome that after 21 years of hearing it I’m still growing and learning! 

DeMolay

DeMolay Sweetheart

For those of you who haven’t been around us since our start, Job’s Daughters is the Masonic Organization for girls.  It dawned on me that I could use a flow map to write my blog this week, but I won’t!  One night Moe came home from Lodge and shared he put my name down for something.  Poor Moe had no clue what I was about to dive into!  J  Job’s Daughters was my primary activity out of school.  In 1996, I branched out to DeMolay Sweetheart on top of Job’s.  Chapter Sweetheart led to State Sweetheart which led to Joe Jones! J  (There’s where I could have used the flow map!)  Between DeMolay and Job’s Daughters, there was always something going to do.  In 1999, I went to the Miss Indiana Job’s Daughter pageant and became Miss Congeniality.  That started another year of travels and friendships thanks to Job’s Daughters.  When looking at pictures from the wedding, it’s clear the impact Job’s and DeMolay had on us!  We have been blessed with so many good friends and really appreciate our memories from our Masonic Youth days.    

          There are so many good memories of our travels, friends, and occasional mischief from our Job’s and DeMolay days!  Today, I was just blessed to be reminded of them and how I can use those lessons learned and apply them to our infertility journey!  Patience is the main virtue I will continue to work on until we start our IVF cycle.  Faith is another big one!  

Have a wonderful week!

Love, Sarah & Joe

Top Ten List

I've been struggling with writer's block, so am following in the foot steps of fellow Ball State alum and rolling out a top ten list of things we're thankful for!  We are always thankful for our family, friends, and love and support we have, so here are some random ones!  

10. Friends, Big Bang Theory, and Sex and the City for always being able to entertain me and crack me up even thought I have seen them all...a lot!
9. Plants vs. Zombies- this one I'm adding for Joe because he plays a lot
8. Podcasts- we both listen to a variety and a lot!
7. Diet Cherry Coke & Mountain Dew...need I say more?! We are cutting back on caffeine though, but these are the fav loaded beverages!
6.  Naps...highlight of summer for Mrs. Jones and the kitties. Sometimes when you're having a bad infertile day you have to remember the little things you CAN do- naps are up there with wine! :)
5.  Buffets...Teppanyaki for Joe, Pizza Hut with Mom for me

4.  I'm a full time special needs preschool teacher!!!  WOOHOO!  I will miss my Allen friends and munchkins, but really feel blessed to make this change!
3.My TSH levels are back up in the range that Dr. Bopp wants them for IVF & Pregnancy.
2. Date nights...we went to Scotty's for dinner, a beverage, and desert! 

and the number one thing we have to be thankful for this week...

being able to see so many of our old friends from DeMolay!  DeMolay played such a major role in our youth and the start of our relationship, it was fun to stroll down memory lane!

So, that's the blog update for this week!  A little random, but if you know me that shouldn't be too surprising!

Love,

Sarah & Joe

Sharing emotions

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4

This was the scripture that started my daily infertility devotional e-mail yesterday.  (Check out www.sarahs-laughter.com)  I had wondered what I’d write about this week since there’s no major update on the IVF front…yesterday’s devotion was about sharing your story in order to help others.  Some of this has probably come up in other blog posts, so if I repeat sorry.

So, here goes…

I can start with our hope and excitement as we decided to try and start our family.  We were married, had jobs, health insurance, and felt it was time to get cracking.  Well, hope and excitement decreased month to month as nothing was happening.  There were books, Google searches, and advices coming from different directions and we were game to try anything.  I should say I was ready to try random things and bless Joe for going with my crazy!

Fast forward to the evil cycles with Clomid, there just isn’t a lot of good to share.  It works for some people, but I would highly recommend three cycles of Clomid and then moving on.  At the Jones’ house, Clomid=Crazy!  It involved my assistant at school wearing three layers to battle the frosty classroom thanks to the hot flashes!  With the Clomid crazy came cycles of hope and disappointment each month.  Throughout the hot flashes, tears, hope, negative pregnancy tests…Joe was always there.  I have read that infertility can make or break couples, and our relationship is definitely stronger and more solid because of the ups and downs we have been through over the past few years.

Sometimes, people say things with good intentions but when you feel like it’s an uphill battle, little things can just hit hard.  “Just relax!”  “Are you sure you’re doing it right?”  “Just adopt, and then you’ll get pregnant.”  “We just look at each other and get pregnant.”  These innocent comments of good hearted friends left me crying when I was by myself or curled up on Joe’s shoulder.  Do I wish people just left me alone and not acknowledged what we were struggling with?  Not all, we would not have gotten this far without our friends and family!  Google dealing with infertility and you will see various articles on things people say without realizing the emotional impact it will have.  Part of the problem is infertility has always been something nobody wanted to talk about, so here I am.  If you know me,  you know that being quiet is not my strong suit. 

Last summer I realized that God had given us infertility for a greater purpose.  We will have our family some day; in His time (not mine as much as I’d like to plan!).  Between now and then, we will continue to share our story and hopefully reach out to other couples facing the same path.  Do I have all the answers?  Heck no!  Am I always at peace and content with infertility?  Nope, infertility sucks some days…when every one around is growing their family, celebrating birthdays, being the “only” couple without kids, etc.  I allow myself a moment to be sad, cry if needed, but not wallow in self pity.  I enjoy a glass of wine, being able to nap whenever my heart desires, and hanging out with the husband.  It’s the little things. 

Why on Earth am I rambling on and on…because I felt called to share my story in an open and honest way.  Hopefully, some one out there may take something away from it or share our blog with someone along a similar path.  There are resources out there and support.  I often go back to the Cade Foundation Banquet where couples shared that their families and friends had no clue what they had been through.  We are so blessed to have supportive family and friends, and hope that we can reach out and help others.  

Love,

Sarah & Joe  

Illinois Race for the Family

We did our first 5K, Joe ran...I walked!

Tinina, Joe, Sarah, Camille, and Jason
(If you don't know the story behind the Cade Foundation, ask- it's awesome)

Friday morning, we ventured north for the Race for the Family.  Joe drove, so I kicked back and read Pretty Little Liars (very intellectually stimulating material) and let him deal with driving around Chicago.  We checked in at our room and then headed to packet pick up, where I had volunteered us for the evening.  We hung out, passed out packets and shirts, and visited with everyone volunteering.  As of Friday night, there were 208 registered to be on the course for the Race.  I was able to meet Julie from the Infertility Awareness page on Facebook who signed up for the Race with her daughter.    After helping pack up everything, we headed to Chipotle for dinner and then back to crash for the night.
Saturday morning came quickly and we headed to Deer Grove Forest East to help set up for the Race.  I'm really not sure how many registered on Saturday morning, but there were people everywhere!  Yellow shirt volunteers, green shirt Race sponsors, and purple shirt race participants.  We rocked our yellow shirt while setting up, but then changed to our purple one!  Joe lined up with the runners, and they were off.  Walkers followed a minute or so behind, so I geared up my playlist, and started out.  I've been walking so I was ready to rock and roll.  While I was walking, it hit me how blessed we truly are by the Cade Foundation.  Granted, we haven't done our IVF cycle yet...but it was an emotional event to stop and process all the people there to help people like us overcome infertility.  As I looked ahead and behind me, there were purple shirts, strollers, doctors, nurses, couples still in their journey, and those who have overcome infertility...everyone together for a common cause.  
Joe finished the race in forty minutes, and I came in about fifty four.  While Joe recovered, I explored Savannah's Playground with Audrey and Cole.  After helping with clean up and saying our good byes, we headed to Crown Point for the night.  Before heading home on Sunday, we had a visit at the park with Joy, Jack, and Kate.  It was nice to get some family time in addition to our Cade Family time!
We are already looking forward to the Race for the Family next year!  We did find out the recipient of the Savannah's Grant is eight weeks along.  Savannah's mommy Lisa is 17 weeks along!!
A little bit about Savannah's Playground and Grant:
Savannah’s Playground is an area at our Race for the Family events where children and their parents/caregivers can play, take part in age-grouped Toddler Trots, listen to live acoustic children’s music with talented local and national artists, and learn about child safety. These playground events honor the memory and legacy of Savannah Caroline Pereira – a happy, beautiful baby girl conceived in love with the help of infertility assistance. Savannah loved to play, listen to and make music, read books, interact with her parents and caregivers. Savannah died in 2010 at 10 months of age in a tragic accident. To honor her and bless other families struggling with infertility, her parents, Lisa Rushton and Charley Pereira, established Savannah’s Memorial Fund with the Cade Foundation. Savannah’s Memorial Fund provides an annual grant to couples trying to conceive their first child so that they may have an opportunity, which might not otherwise be possible, to experience the joys of parenthood.

All in all, we had a great weekend trip with our Cade Family! We look forward to overcoming infertility ourselves and continuing to do education and outreach to help other couples. Support is out there if you or someone you know is struggling! Please let us know if we can help or be of assistance. Also, in addition to the Cade Foundation check out Fertility Centers of Illinois. Dr. Eve Feinberg from FCI is amazing! Not only did does she make little miracles, she ran the race, worked packet pick up, and came up with the cutest "Just Did It" t-shirts.  I'm hoping there will be a good picture up on the Cade site!
Special thanks to Craig, Audrey, & Cole for making the trip up from Muncie, too!  Thanks Buzz and Linda for donating to Indiana Jones!
Thanks to everyone for the love and support!
Joe and Sarah

Packet Pick Up on Friday

Registration

Joe ran the 5K.

The runners

Awards

Cole enjoying Savannah's Playground