Catching Up!!!

Wow, I sure have neglected this blog the past few months. I have sat down a couple times to write and then nothing comes to me. So here we go, a little summary of what we have been up to the past few months, and how we are starting 2014.

The last time I wrote was in the beginning of November, and I promised an IVF update which I failed to give. After a long LONG preparation for a frozen embryo transfer (FET) we transferred 2 precious embryos. The day before Thanksgiving we found out it didn't work. November was a dark place for me. I was beyond frustrated with my body and its inability to get its act together. I was extremely negative about the FET, I had no hopes that it was going to work. If I am honest I was depressed. I didn't want to do anything, didn't want to see anyone and I am sure I was super fun to live with. I became very hardened and numb to the whole process of IVF. I was tired, physically and mentally and wasn't myself at all. The girl who had gone through the past 3 years with a pretty positive attitude, was officially a Debbie Downer.

Excited before the transfer

sweet little embryos

HA!

I was able to travel to my parents the day after Thanksgiving and spend some time with my family. My brother and his fiancé were in VA for the holiday. I flew in early Friday morning and we went shopping for wedding dresses. It was so much fun to share this special time with Emilie. Let me tell you, wedding dress shopping when you are coming off of high doses or hormones is not a good idea. I cried a lot!!! She is going to be a beautiful bride and I can't wait for August!!

Monroe and I didn't get a Christmas tree this year, we didn't even put up one decoration. It was such a fast holiday and we here hardly home. I can't wait to decorate next year. We headed to Dallas on December 17th for our cousin Kyle's wedding. It had been a little over a year since we had been to Dallas. It was just what my heart needed. It was so close to Christmas that we didn't get to see everyone but we sure had so much fun seeing who was still in town. We realized that we can't wait a year before traveling back ever again.

Me and sweet Ellie at the rehearsal dinner

At the wedding 

I miss these sweet friends!

From Dallas we headed to Virginia to celebrate Christmas with my family. We had a wonderful and relaxing time. In 30 years I have never not woken up in my parents house on Christmas morning. Monroe and I dove back to South Carolina on the 28th just in time to celebrate our niece's 2nd birthday that night.

Tango enjoyed the paper

After a break a much needed break in December we started the IVF process over on January 6th. I responded very well to the medications this time and we had our egg retrieval this past Sunday (January 19). It was a much different experience this time than last, I had a harder time waking up and was in some pain when I woke up this time. Monroe has some hilarious video of me waking up, seems to me I took up his hobby of duck hunting in recovery, and did some singing, and lots of crying. We are not doing a transfer this time and freezing everything, and will do a frozen transfer hopefully in March. I am currently eating lots of protein and drinking lots and lots of water to try to fend off hyperstim.

This must be our magic number! We got 17 MATURE eggs!

Very early in the morning all ready to go

This was a very jumbled up and condensed version of what we have been up to since I last posted. Over the past few months the Lord has really worked in my heart and once again given us the peace and will and stamina to go through another IVF cycle. We haven't not reached the end yet, but we know that whatever He has planned for us is perfect. Thank you for your continued prayers. I promise to be better at blogging.