Big Move

Hellooooo fellow blogger friends! Sorry its been FOREVER since I've blogged or replied to any of your blogs, but.....I'm still here, still alive, just busy, busy, busy. AND, I moved! Wooo! I am now, officially a Florida resident!!! Hopefully for a looooong time too, because moving just plain old sucks! 

So the move pretty much explains why I've been MIA for the last few months but admittedly, explaining all of this is basically what's kept me from the blogging sphere for so long. That, and no real action going on in the surrogacy department either. I've decided that instead of explain it all in detail (which would be boring anyway) I'll break it down for ya real quick-like:

1) We changed our preference of military base to Florida (blogged about that already here.)

2) For lots of different reasons, we decided to go ahead and buy a house in FL a year early (!!!)

3) We looked, put in a contract and bought our first home (crazy, but YAY!!!)

Our pretty new house! 

4) I'm exhausted and honestly haven't thought about anything surrogacy related until now...

5) What I have thought about surrogacy (or heard or read about or whatever) lately, has left a bad taste in my mouth. Not from any of my fellow bloggers but from people I know of who shall remain nameless.

That about wraps it up.

Sooo, I'm still getting settled and working on things here BUT, there is a small glimmer of something brewing in the surrogacy world for me. Of course, if anything concrete happens, I'll keep you posted!

Until next time.....

And...now its March!

Wowza have I fallen sadly behind on the blogging sphere. Somewhat shameful I'd say. Well, not really since I don't have much of anything surrogacy related to blog about...but, I hate to be growing cob webs in my little corner of cyber space.

Just a few quick updates and then I shall retreat to my quiet, cozy corner.

-Dakota had his second visit with the optometrist on Monday and all is well. His new Rx is +5.50 in the right eye and +6.00 in the left. We'll hopefully get his new lenses ordered tomorrow. He's adjusted amazingly well to wearing glasses everyday and we're very proud of how well he's taken care of them so far. *knock on wood*

-I haven't made as much progress as I would have liked in the weight loss department so far. Only down about 5lbs since January. BUT, at least I'm down and not up...

-I should have more exciting surrogacy news in late April, early May!

Until then, have a lovely month of March!  : )

It's February Already?!

Why hello blogger friends! Just checking in. Not a whole lot happening on the surrogate front for me right now so it has taken a backseat to the other things going on in my life at this moment. I don't ever want to wish time away but I'm so happy to be inching closer to spring! I'm trusting that exciting things are coming and that they'll happen when they're meant to. Until then I surely have lots to keep me busy! But never fear, I'm still alive, kickin' and trying my best to lose weight, get some other things straightened out and just overall improve. There's always room for improvement, right? : )

Ta-Ta for now...stay warm out there!

~Kristen

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Certainty: Death, Taxes & the Military Being Uncertain

  Its amazing how quickly things can change when you've signed your life (and that of your family) away on the dotted line. Not just small, day to day things, but really big, life things. We found out the other day that sadly, Germany has been taken off the list of possible bases. I have to laugh out loud at the irony. For the first time, I thought our future was somewhat secure and reliable. James has direct communication with the assignments officer and I thought surely we would get our first pick of base because Germany is a big base and has a big hospital. Never in my wildest did I dream they'd go and take it off the list. Of course not, why would they? I suppose having too many new 2nd Lt's could be a good reason. Ugh! It equates to having the rug pulled out from under you in a lot of ways. Oh silly me for thinking anything could ever possibly be certain in the US Armed Forces. Haha!

BUT... and there's always a but...after feeling disappointment and all of those other things, I quickly felt the need to re-establish that quasi sense of reliability and security for what lay ahead. Again, silly me! But hey, a girl can hope and dream right?! Anyway, since Germany was the only overseas base on the list, that means life for us in the next three years or so will continue to be conducted in the good ole US of A.

After Germany, our second choice was Florida. Now, I've been to Florida and its nice. I like it there and they have Disney, etc, etc. But when I think of FL, I think of the Orlando and Ft Meyers areas (where I've been) and know very little about the rest of the orange state. Well, well, well! To my surprise, I think I'm in love! The area we would be moving to is around the Clearwater/Destin area. Hel-lo beautiful, warm, sunny beaches!!  I know its probably not the best idea, but I've been looking at houses in the area and, Ohhh yes, mama likes! : )

Disclaimer Alert: There is still a *small* chance Germany or another overseas base could return to this silly list, but for now, I choose what is going to stay and for sanity's sake, a base I can (maybe, kinda sorta) count on. As far as I'm concerned, its now looking like the sunny gulf coast of Florida for us! Yippee!!

What does this mean for my surrogacy journey you may ask?! Well...in a word, RELIEF! No more pressure, no more worrying about time. I can sit back, relax and wait for either my IM to be ready to move forward or for another opportunity to come knocking. Whew! *inhale....A-N-D, exhale slooowly* Ahh, how nice!

Due to the recent dump of snow we've received, I'm ready to pack my bags and head south as of yesterday. Yep, I'm that ready. Hey, it was a balmy 5 degrees here this morning and I need some warm Mmm-kay! ; )

At least my kids are having fun in the white stuff! Here's my little guy Colton or "Col-kie" as he calls himself, out in the "sh-no" today.

He loved it, but you can't tell here by his little sour face. haha!

Stompin through the "sh-no"

If anything else changes, you know you'll read it here!

Have a warm & wonderful weekend everyone!! : )

Faith Margaret

Since I don't have any news of my own to report just yet, I figured I'd share someone else's! I've always admired Nicole Kidman and actually just watched a biography on her about a week ago. When I saw this in the news today I was so excited! I know she has struggled in the past with fertility and I think its wonderful she was able to add to her family via surrogacy!

Here's the story:

Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban Welcome New Baby via Surrogate


Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! : )

I Smell Excitement!

Wow, so many of my fellow bloggers (surro-Mama's) are on the movin' and groovin' surrogacy fast track! Starting medications, ultrasounds to check lining progress, embryo transfers, etc. I must admit I'm a little jealous but so excited to watch their journeys unfold!

Hmm, but then I can't help but wonder just where my journey is going to go...

So far so good with being patient. : ) I'm still holding out hope that my IM will become preggo and have a happy, healthy little one all on her own. And I truly, sincerely hope that she does! I feel so blessed to have two healthy boys and wish that joy for every deserving, hopeful-mama (and daddy!) out there!

The only worry I have is time. Its always about timing isn't it? Of course if we lived here permanently (as in, from here, staying here, own a house kind of permanent) I'd set up shop and chill. Buuuut, being military -- its not quite that simple. You see, my hubby is due to PCS, that's "permanent (<---yeah right!) change of station", in late 2012. Actually, we should have PCS orders in early 2012 and be packing and getting ready to move in summertime 2012. Its all a little confusing even for me but here's the gist of it:

• We get orders no later than spring of 2012
• James graduates with his BSN in May/June of 2012
• Takes his nursing exam shortly after
• Attends COT (commissioned officer training) for a month 
• We pack and get ready to move summer 2012
• James goes to NTP (nurse training program through the AF) for 9 weeks
• We move to our first base around fall 2012

So what this means for me is that I have until (comfortably) summer 2012 to deliver a baby(ies) in time for us to move. To throw another twist in the mix, we are really, really, really hoping to go to Germany. Now, maybe, just maybe if we were planning to move to a state-side base, I could feasibly move while pregnant. I say that only because James would be there to help and we will obviously have the AF move us. (Meaning they pack our things, haul them where ever we're stationed and then un-pack them for us.) But, since my hubby is such a nice guy and loves me so much, he told me I could pick what base we put in for and being me, I had to pick the only overseas base on the list. Of course! Since then I've had my heart set on Germany. I know there are no guarantees with the military but because he's in a special program, he actually does have a very good chance of getting my, I mean, our first pick. 

Now for the dilemma. (Hopefully I haven't lost ya in the confusion...) 

I've figured out that in order for me to deliver by summer 2012 and have enough time to do whatever else needs to be done before we move, I really, seriously need to be on my way or already have a transfer date set by this September. I've given it a lot of thought, that's my goal and for sanity's sake, I'm sticking to it. That includes being through the contract phase, testing, mock cycle, etc. I mean totally ready with date set by Sept. I might be crazy but I know its possible! As a human and of the female variety however, I'm starting to get just a little bit worried.  

If my IM does in fact get preggo on her own (which would be fabulous!) and doesn't need me, that gives me about 6 months give or take to re-match, get through contracts, testing, etc, etc and be ready to transfer. That's totally do-able...right?!

Initially I thought, well, if I have a really strong connection with my IPs and things are moving but we've just had a few set-backs, we can go ahead and put in for Texas or California or Florida and stay in the states. Then the other part of me, (the part that won), wants to go to Germany really, really badly and I feel like I have to stay true to that. I know there might be another opportunity to go, but I want my kids to have that experience. I want us as a family to have that experience and as much I really, really, REALLY want to be a surrogate, I think if things don't work out before its time to go, then I'll just have to accept it and try again when we come back to the states in a couple years. I've got time...right? 

Ahhh, what is life without a project or twelve? haha!

 

All part of the journey! I'm honestly, 100% seriously, not stressing that much. I'm just thinking through everything because I can (and should) and figuring things out. Its a process and for the record, I don't feel like I'm on the Surro-Coaster just yet. I'm actually standing in line with much the same feelings a real roller-coaster rider feels. Excited, totally pumped, rushed with adrenaline, a little nervous but jumping up and down to see how close I'm getting to the "loading" area (hardy-har-har!) and so super jazzed I might pee my pants! No, not really, but ya know, its pretty freaking awesome!

For those already on board, I'm cheering you on and can't wait to hear all about it! Just please, for the love of everything good and holy, don't puke on me as you fly by. Its gross and I can't stomach vomit very well. lol 

My turn will come!

Like one of my best friends likes to say, "It'll all work out!" And by cracky, I'm just sure it will. : )

Shakin' Off the Uglies

Whew. Ok. New day. New fresh day and deep breaths. Time for a happy post!

In the next few moments I'm going to post everything that comes to mind that is *positive* and uplifting. I'm not too ashamed to admit I've been in a bit of a rut (aka, foul, funky, down depressed mood) and its time to pull out of it.

Repeat after me:  This is going to be a good year!

Here goes...

-Today is my last day of the colored BCPs. Which means I start another round in about a week or so once AF is over and that's great because the more regular I am the better!

-We bought Dakota a pair of reading glasses at Walmart last night in his first Rx strength (+3.50) and he's been wearing them non-stop so I think he likes them and we know they're helping because he can read fast like Speedy Gonzales.

Dakota sporting his temporary reading glasses 

-Aside from me having a tiny bit of congestion, the sickies have left the building (knock, no, pound on wood!) I'm so relieved to have my boys looking and feeling better.

-In less than a week we'll be submitting our tax return and then *hopefully* receiving the refund on the 28th which is great news. We'll be able to pay some things off, (like our new computer) and go out for a nice dinner on our anniversary which brings me to...

-Exactly 3 weeks and 1 day from now, James and I will be celebrating our 8th Wedding Anniversary!! I'm so excited and really looking forward to a date night. We're planning to re-visit the same restaurant we went to last year for our anny, the Melting Pot. Mmmm....fondue! My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

...and I think that about sums it up!

Lots of good things coming, lots of people and events to be thankful for.

Time to take my vitamins, shake off the uglies and make it a good day! But first, another favorite quote:

"The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience." ~Eleanor Roosevelt


 I wish a fabulous, ugly-free Sunday to you all! : )