Not Really Sure How to Title This!

I am so sorry to all of you that actually read our blog to see updates in our baby making process. We took a couple of months off, starting in May. The end of May, I got really sick and had an awful pain in my side. Shaylor decided at midnight to take me to the ER. Those of you who know me, know that I DO NOT go to the doctor, so I reluctant to go. In the end, I am so glad he made me. I had to get my appendix out and we made it just before it ruptured. So that put a little damper in our time off because of the recovery time. We were forced to take time off.

In July, Shaylor and I prayed and talked about what we wanted to do. We decided with it being the summer that we would take our next step which was for us to do an IUI, which is simply artificial insemination. The first month we did it, I only had one mature follicle, the nurse tried to keep us positive by telling us you only need one. Well, that one didn't take. When we went in for a sonogram, they found a cyst on my ovaries. They think my follicle never released. So, in August we tried again. This time we had 3 mature follicles. We felt pretty confident, the doctor and nurse, that if this was going to work, it would be in August. Well, guess what, it didn't. We were devastated. Shaylor and I sat down again and just talked about what we wanted to do. It was nice in the summer to do the IUIs. I had to go to the doctor about 6 times in the month for monitoring and measuring and whatever else we needed. With school starting back up, I just told Shaylor I don't see how I am going to be able to go that much, so we decided to put things back on hold.

At this point, we were both so discouraged. We started looking into adoption and maybe some of our other options. We had an appointment with the doctor to discuss what her plan was for us. So, in the doctor world, she wants to do a scope and go in surgically with cameras and check for scar tissue, endometriosis on the inside of my ovaries (they have already checked the outside), clean my tubes AGAIN, and just have a closer look at what might be stopping my eggs from releasing.

She gave me hope again. I was ready to throw in the towel and be done, but not now. We aren't going to make any decisions right now as to what we are going to do. Shaylor and I are going to sit down in January and talk again about what we want to do.

I never thought having a baby would ever be this hard. It has been such a long hard battle. I know when God finally does bless us with a child, it will mean that much more to us because of all the struggles we have faced.

Please continue to pray for us. Even though we are taking a "break", it's not really a break.

Update and Time Off

There is not too much to update. It is the same thing, levels go up, do everything right, and not pregnant. Shaylor and I have had a lot of discussion lately and we are going to take the next couple of months off. We need to, well really, I need to get myself back together. Every month it gets harder and harder and I just can't do it right now. The heartache and depression it causes is too much right now for me. So the next couple of months will be nice to just regroup and enjoy my husband. I am going to take a couple of months off of the blog too. It is a constant reminder of the hardships we are going through. Unless something happens, then there won't be any updates for a couple of months. I am sorry to depress you, but I hope you understand.

Before I go, I want to just send a special thanks to my family and Tara and Dusty. The support they have shown to us goes above and beyond what I could ever imagine.

I appreciate all the prayers, PLEASE, PLEASE don't stop. We need them now more than ever.

Hopefully the next time we update, there will be good news.

What a month!

There has been so much going on. I know many of you are just waiting to hear what news we have this month. There is nothing positive to report. My levels went up again to 57. This is incredible as the doctor put it. So after we found that out, we were anxiously waiting. I had decided to not test until last Sat. That morning I started. It was so hard because my period was late and we were just hoping for the best. I have probably taken it harder this month than any other month. I am trying to stay strong and positive but I am beat down. I know it is in God's hands, but I don't know what else we can do. We are going on 14 months of this trying business. I guess right now, we are talking about our options and maybe other routes we can go down. I am hoping God will give us some answers as to what we need to do. I know it has started bothering Shaylor more and more, but he is such a supportive husband and trying to stay positive for me. He keeps reassuring me that we will have our day. I don't know if I am taking it so hardthis month because I ovulated on Shaylor's birthday, and i just knew that would be the best birthday present I could have given him. Shortly after Shaylor's birthday, my grandmother passed away. I was hoping to have a little bambino breweing away, so I could say "You were in Mommy's tummy the last days of Granny's life." I am hoping Granny will send some baby dust our way from Heaven. It has just been a hard month for us. I know many of you are praying, and we appreciate it more than words can express. Please don't stop now, and if anything PRAY HARDER PLEASE! I know that is asking a lot, but yall are our family and I feel like I can ask that of you.

I am going to the doctor in the morning for an u/s to check my ovaries. I am hoping to have enough courage to ask some pretty in depth questions and to try to get some answers. I will start round 3 of clomid tomorrow. Let's just pray that the third time is the charm!

LOVE YOU ALL!

The Latest News

I got an awful e-mail this morning from Grandma, (Shaylor's gradnmother), mister, her dog passed away this morning. It is just heart breaking. We were over there yesterday and we all knew that he wouldn't make it much longer but didn't realize it was going to happen this morning. Grandma wantes some pictures of Mister and luckily we got some yesterday. So, say a little prayer for Grandma, as I am sure it will be a hard adjustment.

On the baby making... I started Clomid again on Friday. The doctor gave us some things to change. She was really surprised that I was not pregnant since my levels were up so high. Knowing what is going to be happening the next couple of weeks, I know that it was a God thing why we didn't get pregnant. I have faith and trust God that everything will happen at the right time. Please don't stop praying now.

Nothing

There is nothing to tell yall about the progress. I am really sorry. I will let you know something when I do.

It worked

I just wanted to give my blog family an update since you are family to me too. I heard from the doctor this morning and my levels went up! They went from a 9 to a 39.4. That is a HUGE increase for those of you that don't understand the levels thing. Dr. Luck wanted them at a 15 and well we surpassed that by a lot. So, PRAISE GOD, the Clomid worked!!!!!!!! We are still unsure about being pregnant, won't know that for a few more days.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Thank you for all your prayers, but don't stop now!

Waiting Game

So I am sure many of you are dying to know what's going on, no I know not really, but I thought I would let you know.

Finished the medicine, was pretty emotional, but made it through. Shaylor got a little testy with me, but overall he understood. Last week we did the ovulation kit and on Friday we got a positive surge, which means I released a hormone that you release right before ovulation. So that is a good thing. I am going on Saturday to get blood taken. This will check my progestrone levels and see if I did ovulate. Hopefully we will have some news next week about our pregress.

The waiting game is what is killing me right now. I am one of those people i want to know now and don't want to have to wait a couple of weeks. In the past year, I have learned it is not that easy.

February marked a year of us trying. Needless to say, it has been a long, hard 12 months. People say it usually takes a year, so I am hoping that our year marks the pregnancy of a little bambino. Shaylor and I both are very anxious. When I know something, I will pass it on to yall.

I know I say this every time, but thank you so much for your prayers and please continue to pray. We wouldn't be able to make it through this without prayer. We love you all!

Day 5

Today is the last day of the Clomid. The side effects haven't been too bad. I have just had really bad hot flashes. I will take that. Yesterday and today, I seem to be a little bit moddier than usual. My class probably gets it more than Shaylor. I always feel bad and apologize to them. They didn't do anything wrong! So now it is jsut the waiting game! I am very anxious but I know our time will come. All I can ask is for all of you to keep praying! It means a lot to us. All prayers are always welcome.

On the bright side of things, Addison Hope Richards was born on the 28th. We are leaving today to Houston so we can see our new niece. We are really excited and can't wait to be with Shaylor's family again.

Day 1

Today hopefully starts the first day of the rest of our lives. I start the meds today so please, PLEASE, pray for us this next month.

One of the side effects is mood swings, so you might need to pray for Shaylor too!

Update

So... here it is.

Christmas was wonderful. We had a fabulous time in El Paso. There were 6 dogs, and 6 people. I know my parents loved having everyone home. I am sure it is hard to be by themselves. The weekend before Christmas we went to Houston. All Shaylor's mom wanted for Christmas was to be with her family. So Shaylor and I , and Tiff and Benji drove down to Houston and suprised them. It was great to be able to spend the Holidays with both families. Hopefully we can do that every year.

All I really wanted for Christmas was a miracle from God. It didn't happen, but we did get some answers at the beginning of 2009. My progestrone levels are too low for us to get pregnant. Ther are boderline lever. Because my levels are not where they should be, we have a high risk of having a miscarriage. So, I really do feel it is a blessing in disguise that I haven't gotten pregnant. I am going to start taking Clomid on my next cycle. The research I have found shows that there will be a good chance of it happening in the next 3 to 6 months. So, continue to pray and keep your fingers crossed for us. I feel at peace knowing that there was a reason that it had not happened yet. It is crazy how God works. I wish I could express the relief that I felt when the doctor called and told us there is something wrong, but it is fixable.

I got a new car in Dec. so that was exciting for us. We are going to spend the weekend cleaning out the garage so she can have a home.

Shaylor has been taking real estate classes and is almost finished. SO YEAH!!!!! Hopefully he won't be at Home Depot much longer. I am ready to have my husband on the weekends. He has been working nights. He goes in at 9:00 pm and gets off at 5:30 am. He has had the weekends off, which has been extremely nice. We go to church together, go to the movies, or just veg! I think I am a bit more ready than he is.

So, that is all I can think about right now. I am sure I missed a bunch and if I think of it, I will try to post it. Hopefully I can update more frequently. Hope yall enjoy your weekend!

Update

Update coming soon!!!!! There is so much going on. Stay posted.