My Life Support

I thought I would take today to introduce you all to my wonderful family.  The kiddos and Tony are all home with me today...SNOW DAY!  We had about 3-4 inches of this powdery white stuff fall from the sky last night...and it's still coming down!  Snow everywhere!  Then I realized, "Hey, I haven't posted a family picture for Misty's family and friends."  So, again, without further ado....




Tony, Courtney, Baelyn, & Brayson



Baelyn & Brayson with Bali

   

Still going strong



Modeling the Christmas PJs that Misty sent to them



I love my family more than words can say.  I am so thankful that they continue to support me through these journeys.  All three of them have had to sacrifice something at one time or another in the name of surrogacy.  And, not once has one of them been negative about it.  I am so thankful that they support me in what I love to do.  I have such a desire to help others get to experience the kind of love that I have with my children everyday, and mine are always there with me every step of the way.  My kids (poor babies) have looked at, analyzed, and gawked over more HPTs than any child ever should.  LOL!!! 

*Yes, mommmmmm, we see it.  There are two lines.  Can we go play now?*

So much goes into doing these journeys that many people don't realize.  I could sit here and literally rattle off 5 or 6 events that I have missed throughout the years of doing this.  But please.....I don't want this to sound like a whiney, poor me post.  The point of all this is just to say that it doesn't take just me to do this, it takes my whole family.  Everyone-- me, my kids, Tony, my sister, my mom, my friends.  Everyone.  At one time or another everyone has stepped in and helped in some way.  Really, my list could go on and on.  So...

Thank you!

Thanks, Tony, for giving me over 150 injections over the last 3 years.  Thanks for driving countless (really...countless) miles to take me to all my appointments.  Thanks for agreeing to all the things you have to agree to.  Thanks for submitting to blood tests, psychological tests, and more.  Thanks for being my rock.

Thanks, Brayson, for not being angry when I missed the Mother/Son dance when you were in kindergarten.

Thanks, Baelyn, for sacrificing the birthday party you should've had when I was on bed rest. 

Thanks, mom, for driving me all the way to Arlington, then Irving, and back for a 5 minute doctor appointment because I'm too chicken to drive in all that traffic (it was about 5 hours of driving!).  Thanks for coming all the way to my house to give my injection when Tony was in Michigan on business.  And thanks for taking Brayson to the Mother/Son dance in kindergarten.

Thanks, Mallory, for all the countless times you have had to take care of the kids because I was away at appointments.  They are lucky to have you as their aunt.

Thanks, Christina, for being my friend and worrying about me in all of this.

Ok, sorry.  Didn't mean to get off on that tangent.  LOL!  I know I have missed some.  But, I am so thankful to everyone!  So THANKFUL.

There is one more set of people I want to say Thank You to.  My IPs.  All six of them.  My IPs always say thank you to me in so many ways.  And I understand why.  I mean, hey, I am carrying their child, right?  Well sure.  It's very understandable why they would be thankful to me.  But, I always reply back "Thank You" to them.  I mean, think about it.  Can you imagine what it must be like to trust someone else with your baby?  Goodness, it's hard enough to trust others to babysit your baby.  But can you imagine what it must be like to trust someone else to carry your baby?  I mean, WOW!  That has got to take some major trust.  And that right there is what I am so thankful for.  That is why I feel so honored when I am chosen to do this.  Someone else is entrusting ME to grow, nourish, love, and nuture their baby for it's first 9 months of life!  Their baby.  Incredible!  Can you imagine someone trusting you that much?  Can you imagine entrusting someone else that much?  It's humbling.  And I am so thankful and so honored.  And, yes, even a little proud (that's not bad, right?).

So, this post totally took a turn I didn't expect.  But thanks for reading and letting me get all that out there.  :o)

Until we meet again!