Well, It Is Official...

Yet again another negative test. It is official, I am broken.

P.S. For those that don't know, it was a boy. ~Amy

Almost There

Tomorrow morning will not get here soon enough. Amy and I are so ready for it to get here. Amy will be taking the home pregnancy test first thing in the morning. It is exciting but nerve-racking. Amy talked with our nurse today and everyone at the doctor's office is ready to find out. There was even some consideration of whether a blood test could be done today. It is just too early for the blood test. Tomorrow is day 14. It will definitely be a restless night.

Today was a pretty typical day. It was nice to come home and relax and spend time with Amy. We caught up on our recorded shows. To end the evening, we are watching a movie in bed trying to relax. We will keep everyone updated as things progress tomorrow. Please keep us in your prayers. Today, I am thankful for children. Amy and I are so ready to be parents, and the good news cannot get here soon enough. The song of the day is "Better Man" by James Morrison. Talk to you tomorrow.

Z

TIRED!

So it is 12:17am, and we just got home from Enid. To say the least, this will be short and sweet. We had a great time with our friends tonight and got to see baby Elly, which is always a highlight. She is so precious. I think I am destined to have boys, however because while I was playing with her, her bow fell off and it was a project to get it back on. Bless her heart, I had 1/2 of her ear, at one point her eye, and all of her hair somehow tucked around the band.... it was a mess!

Today was a good day, we moved into our new section of our building at work, and I am excited to decorate my new office. More space and better a/c, can't get any better!

Today I am thankful for my coworkers who moved all my stuff because they did not want me lifting, bending, etc... I hope there is something to show them to pay them back. Something in the form of a baby in April!

Today's song is "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" by The Darkness. As I was getting sleepy on I-35 driving home, that came on and pumped me back up! Great song!

Good night/morning! ~Amy

Pageant Moms Are CRAZY!

So another day goes by! Today at my office we had a bake sale and we raised $525.00!! My coworkers can cook!!! Isn't that insane? Who would have thought that some brownies and cookies could make that kind of money? After work, I had a Junior League meeting and then came home to make dinner. Ever since we went to NYC last summer, I have wanted to copy a salad I had for lunch one day at an exquisite cafe. So, tonight we tried it. He grilled steak and we sliced it on a bed of spinach with tomato chunks and a Peppercorn & Parmesan dressing. It was sooooooo good! Even my husband ate it....with tomatoes!!!

Let me tell you about the song of the day for me. "This Woman's Work" by Maxwell. It was one of my favorite songs towards the end of my college career. (I say career because I changed my major so many times, that it almost became a profession!!) I have it on my I-pod, but listen to it rarely. Well, tonight watching So You Think You Can Dance, Tyce used it to choreograph the most beautiful contemporary piece focusing on a woman's struggle with breast cancer. If you missed it, You Tube it. It was ABSOLUTELY beautiful and I had tears streaming down my face. Unreal.

Today I am thankful for my huge spectrum of friends. Today, at the bake sale, as people around the agency came to buy stuff from our department, a coworker of mine said to me, "You have such an eclectic group of acquaintances." The more I thought about it, that describes my life! I have a very eclectic group of friends in general. I love that I have friends of all faiths, social statuses, races, political views,etc... and I embrace every minute of it. Besides, who wants to hang out with people that mirror themselves daily? How monotonous!

Time to go - the new season of Toddlers and Tiaras is on! You know that is my guilty pleasure! Pageant moms are crazy!!!
~Amy

One Day Closer

First, I want to apologize, because this blog is not going to be one of the best. We are in a holding pattern right now, and that is not going to change until Saturday. Today seemed like just another day. We got up this morning, went to work and came home. It was nice to have our friends Scott and Neilly over for dinner though. Their little boy is on the move and is a lot of fun. Although the final determination will not be made until the blood test on Monday, we feel the home pregnancy test will give us some perspective. For me it feels like Saturday will never get here. I cannot imagine what Amy is going through. We are nervously optimistic and anxious to get the news. Luckily, we have quite a bit going on to pass the time.

Today, I am thankful for Amy's new obsession, recycling. It is amazing how much can be recycled and how much is completely wasted. Today's song is "Supply and Demand" by Amos Lee. It was one of the few songs I heard today that I like. Everyone have a wonderful Wednesday. Saturday is just around the bend.

Z

Approximately 108 Hours....

I guess it is obvious that I am counting down until I can take a home pregnancy test. Saturday will be my 14th day from retrieval and that is when I can take it. Some people suggest that I don't BUT I know my body and my previous pregnancies and that HCG will show up if I am. Not to say that all hope is lost if it is negative, but it was right the last time. My goal this week is to keep myself as busy as possible. If I don't have time to stress about it, then I won't get all in a mess. It is better for the baby...that is my excuse.

It was so wonderful to get back to work today! 3 days at home was SOOOOOOOO boring! I was wide awake at 5:45am, and I think that it shocked my husband when he rolled over at 6 to wake me up and I was alert. That is not the norm. Usually he has to almost force me out of bed! Luckily Tuesday- Thursday I will be busy, but Friday... not so much.... I will have to create things to do. THANK YOU to all of our friends that are inviting us to do something with them, not only for our fabulous company, but also to occupy our time. We are having dinner tomorrow night with Scott & Neilly, Wednesday night I have a Junior League meeting, Thursday we are going to Enid for a jewelry party (well, my husband is not going for the jewelry, but he is coming with me) and then there is Friday. Yeah, I will probably be able to hear crickets chirp. I need to get something on the schedule ASAP!

Saturday night our friends Dave & Amy are coming into town. I have already warned them, I will either be ecstatic or a HOT blubbering mess. Hopefully it is the former one! I heard some horrible news today. One of my former coworkers, who I really enjoyed passed away. She was only in her early 40's. Today, I am thankful for the gift of life. There have been times where I wished it was over, but the next morning am thankful I still exist. It truly is something we take for granted. The song of the day is "True Love Ways" by Buddy Holly and the Crickets. I am a HUGE Buddy fan, a true musical genius who died before his time, and it is my favorite song of his by far.

Keep us in your prayers! We only have a few days left!
~Amy

I Love Crest!

Today has been a FABULOUS day! We woke up, went to church... yet another one that we thought was nice, but not for us.... and then we went to the grocery store. Since moving to Edmond, we have tried out new grocers. Everyone knows that I will not go to Walmart unless I absolutely have to, but Target is always too packed. Along came Crest. I love it. Their produce is always fresh, their meat department always has a great selection and they have wonderful customer service. Not to mention we spent $102 today at the store and had a basket full of fresh veggies, fruits, and even steaks. Deal of the century! Now, I have heard things about the one in Midwest City, but the one here in Edmond is super nice. Love it.

We came home and watched another movie! That makes 10!! I have 2 left! My husband and the neighbor finished the fence, and on the way broke another post. So that means, more fence repair this week. Tonight, just more relaxation preparing for work tomorrow. One week from tomorrow we will know if we are preggers! This will be the LONGEST week of our lives. Even though we have done it before, it is never easy. I keep trying to zone in on my body to see if I can tell if I am pregnant, but all the times I have been pregnant, I did not know it until about 4 weeks. Right now I am only (literally) 8 days pregnant. Anyway, we cannot wait to get the positive blood test results so we can unveil the baby to everyone! YES, to clear up some questions, we do know the sex, we have just chosen not to tell anyone (except family) until we have the positive results.

Today I am thankful that I got to get of the house! This morning, after leaving church, I had to squint because the sun was so bright! The song of the day is "Linger" by the Cranberries. I was a huge fan in high school and heard that song again today. Also, he has been singing it around the house!

I hope everyone has a great week and please pray that I keep myself busy so I do not dwell on this the whole time! Thanks! ~Amy

I Think I'm Going Crazy!

Day 2 1/2.... 7 movies down... NYC Prep marathon...Mastered game on the computer.... Over working Facebook... I am BORED! Last night I continued my movie marathon, then fell asleep. Because I am doing NOTHING active, I am bright eyed and bushy tailed at about 6am. My husband loves it.....

This morning my husband and our neighbor got after it fixing the fence. They have set the posts, and tomorrow they will add the fence back to the posts. My mother came over today and brought us lunch. Now my husband and mom are out and about; he is getting his haircut and mom is shopping. So, I am in my bed, attempting movie #8.

We did spend sometime last night looking at baby names and nursery ideas. We have had set names forever, but now, all of a sudden, we are not so set on them! My husband's little brother came over last night and informed us that one of our favorite names is a slang reference to male genitalia in England. He thinks that it is not that big of a deal, but I do. What if our child studies at Oxford, or falls in love with a Brit and then goes home to meet the family? OR, what if another movie like Austin Powers comes out and makes that nickname a household name... As you can tell, I am not comfortable with it. I can't wait to paint the nursery and get that ready. We were looking at cribs last night, and we love the round ones. I know what some of you are thinking, I am counting my eggs before they hatch (metaphorically, of course) but I just really feel good about this round. There have been too many positive signs. I refuse to think otherwise, until I have proof.

The song of the day is "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen. I do love that song, but it also fits like a glove today! I am watching a movie right now that deals with the military, so today I am thankful for our soldiers defending our country. They are sacrificing their freedom, so we can have ours. What could be more selfless?

Enjoy the nice weather!! ....(tear)..... ~Amy

I am Going Nuts!!!

So it has now officially been 24 hours since I have been in bed. I am going NUTS! Luckily my mother came in today and has been watching movies with me, but I am getting restless! I am so impressed with women that have to do this for long periods of time!

So we were so excited yesterday about Quad, that we forgot to mention this is what we came home to:

Yep, the storm knocked over our fence. Awesome. My husband's little brother is coming over in a while to help him dig up the old concrete and then tomorrow our neighbor and my husband are going to put in new metal posts. Apparently we missed quite the storm!

Today, I am thankful that I don't have to be in bed longer than this weekend! I am not cut out for this!! The song of the day is "Gives You Hell" by the All American Rejects. Why? They were singing it on the Today show this morning and it has been in my head all day!

Talk tomorrow! ~Amy

One Is All It Takes

Today was implantation day. We slept in and got some extra rest. I drove Amy to her massage appointment to help her relax even more. While Amy was getting her massage, I got a call from the doctor with the results of the chromosome testing. We had nine embryos that went through the testing. Only two of the nine were chromosomely normal. The good news is one of these was graded as an A-! (Embryo #4 a.k.a. "Quad") The other normal embryo had poor qualities and it was evident by the time of implantation that it would not be making it. It is hard to believe that after retrieving 32 eggs we ended up with one. No complaints though. It could always be worse. Here is Quad's first picture.

Not many parents are privileged to have a picture of their child 5 days after conception. After leaving the massage, we went and had lunch with Amy's mom. We ran a few errands, and it was time to head to the doctor's office. We had a chance to speak with the doctor before implantation. He discussed the chromosome testing results. In addition to testing the number of chromosomes, the geneticist was able to test for certain chromosomal abnormalities and was even able to analyze the chromosomes to determine the sex of the embryos. Is that not amazing?

He showed us the above picture of Quad and was very pleased with the way things were progressing. When comparing the picture of this embryo to the embryos we put in during our first cycle, this one is further along and stronger. We were a little disappointed having only one to implant but very happy to know how strong it was. The implantation went perfect and only took a few minutes after everything was in place. I truly believe that God has a plan for this embryo, because within a minute of the completion of the implantation, the storms in OKC knocked out power to the building. The doctor has to use an ultrasound machine to place the embryo in the uterus, and implantation would have been impossible without the power. God held back for just long enough.

We headed home and got Amy into bed to rest. Earlier in the day we stopped by Blockbuster and rented 12 movies. She is confined to the bed all weekend. It has been about 4 hours since implantation, and she is already getting restless. I have no doubt that she can handle it though. Today I am thankful for this in-vitro process that provides Amy and me with the opportunity to have children. The song of the day is "I got a feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas. Thanks again for everyone's thoughts and prayers. Amy and I are so lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful people.

Z

If We Can Just Get Through the Night

So today was spent in Shawnee at a tribal council health fair. The whole time I was manning my table, I kept looking at my phone to make sure I hadn't missed my husband's call. It is like sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear! He finally called me at 4:45 and told me that he had talked to the doctor and that we have 3 eggs that are moving along PERFECTLY (one was one of our A's) and 3 that were moving along well. The other 3 the doctor did not mention, so we can assume they are struggling. So we have 6 good eggs. That is not bad, we just need 3 to be genetically OK. Right now they are in the compaction stage. From what I understand, my babies are currently morulas. Hopefully by tomorrow, they will turn into blastocysts and that is where we will have the best quality possible. The doctor told him that we might wait to do implantation on Friday morning, but I hope it is tomorrow, if I have healthy eggs. If we can just get through tonight, we will know tomorrow how many of the 9 total eggs, but more importantly of the 6 healthy ones, are genetically OK.

On another note, why is it so hot? OMG! I am miserable. I can hardly stand it! I feel for people that work outdoors! Today, I am thankful for the support I have from everyone. We know you won't, but please don't get offended if we don't return a call, text, or email as soon as we would like! We are blessed with SOOOO many great friends, and supportive family, that sometimes we cannot reach everyone! But, whomever wants to call us Saturday, please go ahead! I will be in bed and I am sure I will be bored, bored, bored and he will be going nuts with me!!! Today's song is "Hold You in My Arms" by Ray Lamontagne. This song is so wonderful and has such deep meaning, but most of all it is what we want more than anything. We are so ready to hold our child in our arms and move to that next chapter of our lives.

BIG BIG BIG news tomorrow!

Oh - P.s. I moved my massage to tomorrow morning. I thought it would be best!! ~Amy

39 Hours and Counting!

Well we got FABULOUS news from the doctor today! 9 out of 10 embryo's were able to be biopsied. Of the 9, 8 were a grade of B or better! Last time we had one B+ and that was the best we had! I have said since the last failed IVF, if I can get a good quality egg, I will be pregnant! I think God is answering my prayers! Now we have to wait until around 12pm Thursday to see how many of the 9 are genetically OK! NERVOUS! I am a mess, but not a stressed out mess, an anxious mess! I am getting my 1 hour massage tomorrow night so I can be very relaxed.

I am feeling better today, I am just still super bloated and sore! The nurse told me that they had to push on me a lot to get my ovaries to cooperate, and let me tell you, I can feel it! Today, I am thankful that God has blessed people, like Dr. Ilkevitch, who allow us to have this chance! Without people like him, this would not be possible. The song of the day is "Got to Give it Up" by Marvin Gaye. It makes me smile, it is a totally chill song. One of my all time faves.

I would talk longer, but my husband just came back with a banana snow cone, so you know I am happy!
~Amy

Still Batting 1.000

So we got a call from the doctor this afternoon and things are going great. Of the 10 embryos, all 10 are still growing. 8 have three to four cells and 2 have two cells. During the first cycle, we started with 15 embryos, 9 with three to four cells and 6 with two cells. The doctor feels that the embryos are growing well, and the quality is better than during the first cycle. The geneticist flies in tonight from Chicago and will perform the biopsies in the morning before heading home with the biopsies tomorrow afternoon.

I think that Amy over did it this weekend. She was so sore this morning that she could barely walk or sit up in bed. She stayed home from work for a much needed day of rest and relaxation. Hopefully, she will feel better in the morning. We are still on schedule for a Thursday afternoon implantation. The doctor will call tomorrow to give us an update on the status of the embryos and how the biopsies went. Please pray that the biopsies go good. We have one of the leading embryologist performing the biopsies this time. It is our hope that each embryo will only need one cell biopsied. Sometimes the initial biopsy does not provide the necessary genetic information to permit the Doctor to evaluate the chromosomes. When this happens, the doctor has to take another cell to biopsy. This can create significant trauma to the embryo. We continue to have a great outlook and are excited to see how things go tomorrow.

Today I am thankful for movies. When you are lying in bed, movies are about the only thing that can be entertaining enough to pass the time. Amy got to watch two movies while resting in bed today. We are going to rent some movies to get ready for Friday after implantation. The song of the day is "Under the Influence" by James Morrison. He is one of my favorite new artists. I consider it easy-listening. Take a listen when you get a chance. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers.

Z

A Little Discouraged, but Hope is NOT Lost!

So we got a call today from our doctor. Out of the 32 eggs they got from me, 19 were mature. That was the good news. The bad news? Only 10 fertilized. We are not really sure why the other 9 did not fertilize if they were matured. That is a question we have for the doctor. So, we will wait and get daily updates to see how many are still strong, and multiplying and then we will get the big call Thursday morning to see how many we have that are viable. The next 84 hours are the MOST stressful. This is where I need pedicures, massages, yoga, whatever will work. We keep telling ourselves, it only takes one. If we can get two good eggs, I will feel REALLY good!

Today we went to the OKC Bombing Memorial. I forget how beautiful it is. Today I am thankful for Oklahomans. We really are a great state, with great people. Remembering how everyone came together during those horrible months in 1995, makes you proud to say you are an Oklahoman. Today's song is "Have a Little Faith In Me" by Joe Cocker. It is what we need to do... have faith. Faith that 1 of our 10 little children will be strong and make us proud parents. Happy Monday! ~Amy

Wonderful Day and Wonderful News!

First let me start by saying how absolutely wonderful my grandmother's service was! It was absolutely beautiful and me and my family SOOOO appreciate everyone for coming. We had SOOOO many friends there for support and I will never be able to tell you how much that meant to us. Again, I want to brag on Smith and Kernke funeral services. If anyone EVER needs a funeral home, I HIGHLY recommend them! They are 5 star, no doubt. The facility was wonderful, but the customer service was even better. It was a true blessing. Here is a picture of the flowers we had at the alter. They were gorgeous. I love Trochta's! So... I went in today to have my eggs retrieved and guess what??? 32 eggs! That is not a typo... 32 eggs! We were ecstatic! Can you imagine what it would be like if I did not have the genetic issue? My friend that went through invitro recently only had 10. I am a egg producing machine!! Have I bragged about how great my nurses and doctors are? AMAZING! We left the procedure and I was as high as a kite. At my grandmother's funeral, I almost dozed off, unintentionally, of course. I was alert enough to speak when the pastor asked if anyone had anything to say about her, and I am glad I did because I would have regretted it otherwise. I feel really good! I am still bloated as all get out, and the nurse told me today that it probably will not go down until I am pregnant because my ovaries are still enlarged. Doesn't that sound lovely? The doctor will call us tomorrow with the news of how many fertilized. We are hoping for somewhere between 16 & 20.

The song of the day is "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" by Stevie Wonder. That is the song that my husband and I were belting out in the Tahoe right before we got to the medical center. We love it. Today I am thankful for my family-in-law. Not only are my inlaws amazing, but my mother-in-law's brother and family made it in today for the funeral. It was completely unexpected and probably the nicest thing I have ever had happen to me. Also, my husband's grandparents who were not able to make it sent the nicest card, along with his Aunt Kimmy. I am blessed. They are amazing people, and I am so lucky to be able to say they are my family.

We will let everyone know as soon as we know something tomorrow. Our day is going to be fun. We are taking our friends from Chicago to the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial and then to lunch. It will be nice to get out and relax, I am just not sure how long I can make it in this heat!!

Stay cool tomorrow! ~Amy

Short and Sweet

Well, we have everything lined up for the funeral tomorrow. The one thing that is going to drive me nuts is that I have to wear something that is not tight on my stomach (i.e. pants or a skirt with a waist). Therefore, my mother went out and bought me a cute maxi dress today that is long and 100% knit. That will be my "invitro/funeral" attire. I really am not that concerned, considering I will have all of about 30 minutes between the procedure and funeral to get ready.

I cannot believe tomorrow is the big day. I had a small panic attack today, because I have been so neurotically busy, and thought that the shot I took last night was supposed to be taken this evening. I called the nurses, in a panic, but they reassured me I was right all along. It is funny how your mind will play tricks on you.

It is 10:45, and I am going to bed. I am thankful for my coworkers today. As I was leaving, they gave me a card with quite a bit of money in it to do something to relax me, or buy a tree to plant in my grandmother's honor. Isn't that nice? I was touched. The song of the day is "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole. I love it, and also it will be the song I listen to tomorrow as they take my eggs out. What a great song to pass out too! ;)
~Amy

The Last Day of Shots!

Well... we have the memorial service planned. It will be lovely. Now that it is completed, I can rest. We have taken it really easy tonight, and intend to keep it that way. We have to wait until 10:30pm to go to bed though, because I have to take my last shot. It is the shot that will tell my ovaries to release my eggs. It has to be exactly 35 hours before the procedure. We have confirmed the retrieval date and time;9:30am on Saturday. Nanny's funeral is at 2pm, hopefully I will be awake and not too drugged up!

We are just still in shock. We cannot believe that we are here already! Time has just flown by this round. We spoke to the PGD team today and confirmed that the doctor will fly in from Chicago on Tuesday to do the biopsy and then we will know the number of good eggs Thursday morning, with implantation that afternoon! 2 weeks from Monday, we will know if we are pregnant. Crazy, huh?

Today I am thankful that we had nothing to do this evening. We needed a night of relaxation. Also, Big Brother was on, and we love that show...however... Jessie from a past season returned. Blah. He BUGS! The song today that made me happy was "I'm Yours" by Jason Mraz. We love that song and it is perfect for a summer day.

HAPPY Friday! ~Amy

10/5/1922-7/8/2009

For those who do not know, my grandmother died this morning. Thank you everyone for all of your kind thoughts and prayers. She is much happier now, and I know it is selfish of me to still want her here. It will be hard on us, especially on my mother, so please keep the prayers strong. Here is the humorous thing, my retrieval will be on Saturday morning, and her funeral will be at 2pm. Wow. The good news is that we went to the doctor this morning, and I had 21 eggs in one ovary. No wonder I am SOOOOO bloated!

We have another doctors appointment in the morning, so I will keep everyone updated! Today I am thankful for Smith & Kernke funeral home. They are wonderful and we had an extraordinary experience. That is refreshing, since we planned a funeral 4 hours after she died. The song of the Day has to be "For Me and My Gal" by Gene Kelly and Judy Garland. That was my grandparents song and Nanny loved it. You will be missed! ~Amy

Waiting, Waiting and More Waiting...

Well, it is 11:50pm and we just got home from the hospital. My grandmother is still the same. It is so frustrating. It is so exhausting, I cannot even blog about it.

Today, I left the office early to go to the hospital. My husband picked me up, and we had to run some errands. (I got a snow cone on the way... strawberry...too sweet...)One of them was to go to Babies R Us. Now, I understand that place is the baby mecca, but their clothes suck! We spent so much time looking for something that did not have an applique or some cheesy saying on it. We decided, that will be the place for necessities!! A childhood friend of mine just gave birth to twin boys. Welcome to the world Brodie & Laker! We got to go to the NICU and hold them. They are so precious. They both weighed a little over 5 pounds, and will probably get to go home later this week!

I have a doctors appointment tomorrow morning, and we will figure out the retrieval date! I still think it will be Saturday. Tonight, we think that my husband must have hit a vein or something when he gave me the shot, because I bled like crazy!

Today I am thankful that I have such a diverse family. I love that my family is from coast to coast and that everyone has different lifestyles. My extended family is pretty cool. My cousin, Jeff, was telling my husband and I tonight about his travels to Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand and all other things he has done. He tried to convince us to move to Virginia, where he could get my husband involved in some business adventures. After he told us about his investments, we might have to take a chance!

I think that it is only appropriate, since today at work MJ's funeral was on a projector in a conference room from 11:30-2:00, that the song of the day is "I'll Be There" by the Jackson 5! RIP Michael.... but now it is time to move on to serious news!!! ~Amy

Producing Eggs and Spilling Secrets

I went to my doctors appointment and nearly fell asleep on the table....during a "wand" ultrasound, to be polite. How is it possible? I am EXHAUSTED! The good news? I am responding very, very well to the medicine, in fact, better than the last time. Good, good news! My doctor is predicting my retrieval to be Saturday, but will know for sure Thursday!

So, do you know what it is like to have a secret that you have known for like, um... 7 weeks and could not tell because you promised someone you wouldn't??? Well, I have permission now! Our GREAT friends Magan & Jarrod are going to be welcoming their first born in February!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

We are so excited! Especially when we get pregnant and our babies can be good friends too! How wonderful! You know, my husband and Jarrod are exactly 1 month, to the day, apart. If we have multiples, they will be here in March. Too cute!

After I left work today, I picked up my aunt who flew in from Chicago, and went straight to the hospital. It is 10:50pm, and we just got home. We are basically taking turns watching my grandmother die. I know that sounds horrific, but it is the truth. It sucks. I feel so bad for her, she did not want to live like this. My husband got back to OKC at exactly 8pm, so he brought the shots and met me at the hospital. He gave me my shots there. My aunt witnessed it and said she is so proud of me, because there is no way she could do all of this. It is not about me, though!

Speaking of, that is what I am thankful for today. I am thankful that God blessed me with the gift of giving. I work with some ladies that are so selfish it makes me ill. I am not sure if it is the hormones, or just me in general, but today I spoke to some coworkers about pitching in on a baby shower gift for another coworker. My close friends and I were talking about getting a gift card. A couple of women, who are not poor, thought they would give $5. I about died. $5? Really? And what exactly are you going to buy for $5? I told them that if they would like to buy a pacifier and wrap it up as a gift, they are more than welcomed. $5.... that is an insult. I cannot imagine even offering that. Then, some women thought we did not need to do a shower since a family member was having one for her AND one of these girls is one of her close friends. Pathetic. Selfish, selfish, selfish. I cannot stand selfish, tight/cheap people!!! Ugh! After the meeting I thought that I might have made some mad, but I don't care. My coworker told me that is why people like me so well. She said that I say things that everyone else is thinking, and I can be harsh, but I have the biggest heart of anyone she knows... I guess that is a compliment, right???

The song that made me have peace in my heart today was "Three Little Birds" by Bob Marley. Me, my husband, and my aunt were on grandma duty from 7-10pm tonight. My husband went outside to escort my aunt to go smoke and I was left alone with my grandmother. I closed my eyes on the chair/bed next to her and that song was in my head. It just made me feel good.

My next appointment is Wednesday and we will know a closer date!!! I can't believe it is almost here!

~Amy

What a Long Day

Today was a long day. We got home from the hospital last night at 2a.m. Amy didn't sleep that well and was up by 6:30. She decided to blog and let me sleep in a little. We went to an Episcopal church. It was a nice church, but it was not quite the right fit for Amy and me. After church, Amy wanted to check on her grandmother. We headed to the hospital, but her grandmother is not doing well. Her kidneys are beginning to fail her. She was able to talk a little bit with Amy and me and said she is ready to go and does not want to prolong her life. She has fought for a long time now. Please keep her in your prayers.

We spent most of the day at the hospital. My parents stopped by. Before leaving town, Amy and I had dinner with them. After dinner, we checked in at the hospital one last time for the night. We had to get home for the shots. The shots were routine tonight. Amy looks so exhausted. She just needs some sleep. It is 8:45, and we have already headed to bed. I just got to bed, and Amy is watching Okie Noodling on OETA. For anyone who does not know, noodling is hand fishing. You have to have a little crazy and a little redneck in you to do such a thing. My noodling career lasted about 5 trips to the river. I had to experience it a couple of times and that was enough for me. Amy carries one of my noodling pictures with me and my friend Chas after a successful day fishing. People who do not know about noodling have to see the picture to believe it. Amy has been begging to go to the Okie Noodling Tournament in Pauls Valley. It is next weekend (the same weekend as retrieval) and Amy wants to figure out a way to go. We will have to see. If it does not work out this year, Amy is already planning the outfits for the twins next year.

There is another doctor's appointment tomorrow morning. I am not going to be able to make it. I have a deposition in McAlester at 9:30. I will be leaving the house by 5:30. I am blessed to have a very understanding wife. Today, I am thankful for family. Amy and I are so very lucky to have wonderful families. For today's song, I am going to choose "Mambo Italiano" by Dean Martin. Everyone have a wonderful Monday

Z

Happy 4th of July!

Another jam packed day, but how fun! First, we had a doctors appointment at 8am. My levels are looking GREAT and they think that I am responding better to the meds than the last time! Woo-hoo! Eggs, eggs, and more eggs!!

Once we left the doctors office, we came home to get ready. My mother-in-law called my husband and told us that she was bringing pound cake and brownies. Thank goodness... no more cupcakes... We stopped by the hospital and my grandmother was NOT doing well at all, in fact, the doctor told us to basically prepare the family. We thought about not attending the festivities this afternoon, but she had a miraculous turnaround and is, at least, now stable. We left the hospital, and headed for Thomas. So, growing up we always attended the Norman 4th of July fireworks. Sure, I always saw fireworks stands on the outskirts of town, but never went. Typically the people in our town that were at the firework stands were the drunk hillbillies looking to "blow somethin' up." Actually, let me clarify... sometimes my dad would go and buy some sparklers, but I had no idea that they sold REAL fireworks until I met my husband. Small towns do not have the big, spectacular show, so they have to get fireworks. So, all my city girls, you would DIE when you see what you can buy at a fireworks stand!!!! For a very reasonable cost, you can buy fireworks like you see at Reeves! I am dead serious! We stopped at a stand in El Reno, and I was like a little kid. It was pathetic. I am sure the fireworks guy was not prepared for me! I love the smoke bombs, so I bought a ton and had his cousins shot them off. I am sure they were thrilled...

Once we got to Thomas, the show began. Between, us, Aunt Kimmy, and his uncle Luck, fireworks started at 5 and did not end until 10. It was INSANE! I will have to admit that by about 9:30, I started to get a little tired. Plus, the humidity outside was almost intolerable at times. My husband has been researching a sparkler bomb. He made one last night and the thing malfunctioned, and shot off to the side like a comet nearly setting the field on fire! It was the biggest ball of fire I have ever seen! The fireworks were so fun, even my husband's grandmother got in on it! The cutest thing ever was his cousin Nate and his little girlfriend, Rhianna. They were precious. I think that they are 5. It was hilarious. That is what I am thankful for today, being able to see the innocence in children, it is priceless!

The song that got us through the night is, "Looking For You" by Kirk Franklin. Our friend Jimmy, introduced us to Kirk and we love that song. Since we were driving back to the hospital last night (which we didn't leave until 2:30am) we needed a little pep in our step and that does the trick!~ Amy

Is It Tomorrow Yet?

BUSY day! We went to OBI and had our blood drawn... this time they got us both on the first try. Then, we went all over Oklahoma to find me pants that have elastic. Honestly, I don't care if I look like a granny in polyester! We took lunch up to the hospital and visited my grandmother. Still no change, she is not well. Once we left there, we continued our search for pants, went grocery shopping and then prepared dinner for my mom and my great aunt. Once that was over, we went back to the hospital, only stayed for a short time because my grandmother was having a rough time, and came home to cook. I am...or should I say was... going to bring my homemade salsa and cupcakes to the 4th celebration tomorrow. Let's just say it is now 11:53pm, no cupcakes, and I had a small meltdown. I literally took a cupcake and pounded it into the counter. Breakdown, is more like it. Needless to say, the salsa is in the fridge, but the cupcakes are in the trash. PLUS, my homemade buttercream icing is not setting properly, and I think it is due to the excessive heat. I am either going to cheat and buy box mix in the morning, or just buy some dessert! We have a doctors appointment at 8am tomorrow, so I am headed to bed. Today we listened to "Chasing Pavements" by Adele, whom we love. It helped us clean the house quickly before company. What am I thankful for? That I don't normally get so mad that I start smashing stuff in my house. Hormones... what a treat! ~Amy

Feeling Better

Well, today was a better day. I have come to love elastic. My jeans, that are my comfy jeans, are so tight that I cannot even button them. For the next couple weeks, I am going to have to be OK with "comfy" pants. So be it! I talked to my nurse this morning about why I am so bloated and irritable. She brought out the obvious... I have an enormous amount of hormones in me! Again, last time I did not have these side effects and it didn't work, so...process of elimination...

Today was day 1 of my long weekend. I went to the doctor and then to the hospital to see my grandmother. She is not doing very well. It is strange with her, though, because she is a strong, stubborn woman. For those who don't know, she was diagnosed with cancer 11 years ago and was given 6 months to live. Obviously, she beat those odds. Everyone is amazed that this is her first hospital stay since. Again, she is strong. It is hard to know if she will bounce back or not. She has a mind of her own, and nobody will stop her. Hmm.. maybe that is where I get it from! I was so happy today because one of my childhood friends, who I don't talk to nearly as much as I should, called and we talked for 2 hours. It felt like 10 minutes. I was shocked when I hung up the phone and realized how long it was. It was so good to hear from her. My husband and I picked up my grandmother's sister from the airport this evening, and took her to the hospital. It is so wonderful that her side of the family is coming out of the woodwork, from all around the U.S. to see her. Today, I am thankful that my grandmother has family that cares enough about her to come and see her. Also, it helps my mother and I tremendously.

Tomorrow will be our appointment at OBI. Hopefully this time around, they won't torture my husband in getting his blood. (That still makes me giggle.) The song that made me smile today was "Tonight's Going to be a Good Night" by the Black Eyed Peas. That is ironic, I know, because I really don't like them. It has been in my head all day, for some reason, and has put pep in my step! ~Amy

Another Day, Another 3 Shots

The marathon of shots continued. Amy tolerated them better tonight, but is still completely uncomfortable. Today at work one of her coworkers, who knows what she is going through, felt bad for her and told her she could definitely tell she is swollen. Other than the swelling and being super tired, Amy feels good. I know everyone is concerned right now, but as Amy's friend told her maybe the hormones are really doing their job this time.

We went to see Amy's grandmother after work tonight. Unfortunately, she is not getting any better. Amy is off tomorrow and Friday but will not have an opportunity to get any extra sleep because she has a doctors appointment at 7:30am tomorrow morning. Today I am thankful for Amy's friends who can bring a smile to her face. Thanks, Jami, she needed it today. I hope your procedure goes good for you tomorrow. The song of the day is "Wasting Time" by Jack Johnson. This song kept me awake drafting documents at work today. It is also a great song to lounge around to.
Z