Here we go again!!!

Hello family and friends,

Well, as you most likely know we unfortunately lost our babies yet again. We transferred two embryos to Lindsay on July 25th. On August 4th, we received the phone call that Linday's blood work was slightly positive but very low. Her blood work was repeated two days later and it was negative. She was no longer pregnant. It was incredibly hard to get this news. Especially under the circumstances we were in at the time.

August 4th was also a wonderful day, but in a very different way. That day, my mom received her new heart. My mom was not born with a heart defect like me, but had a rare condition with no cure. She very much needed a new heart. Our prayers were answered on August 4th. It was wonderful that my mom got her second chance, but I was so devastated for her donor family. I could only image what they were going through. Please keep them in your prayers as well. We do not know who the donor was, it was completely anonymous.

My mom is doing very well. Her new heart is working well with her body. I am so excited for my mom, but I so badly wanted her to wake up from surgery and I could tell her she was going to be a grandma again. However, that was not what was planned for us and our journey. I know I never met our babies, but I miss them. It hurts to know we won't see them grow and hold them. We will always love all our little angels and we will see them again one day.    

We are moving forward and planning a third try. We can't give up! I know one day our baby will be here and I can't wait for that moment. Lindsay has been wonderful. We have no words to thank her for all she has done and gone through for us. Lindsay, we hope you know how much we appreciate your help and willingness to stick with us! Thank you!

We will be holding fundraisers and have set up another GiveForward site. To make a donation please visit: https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/7sl5/project-baby-m-third-times-the-charm-
All donations are appreciated and will go towards the medical costs involved with surrogacy.

Thank you for reading and for your support and prayers!
-Lori

Take 2!!

Hello all!

Project Baby M Take 2 is officially underway!! Lindsay began her first shot, Lupron yesterday. Lupron helps her get ready for the transfer.

She will continue on the Lupron for several weeks. Soon she will begin two other shots. Lots of medication, but all are required to help the transfer be successful.

Lindsay is wonderful! I wish I could take all the shots for her, but unfortunately that is not how it works. We are all so excited to get the process underway.

As of now, the transfer date is July 25th. The date may change depending on medications and blood work results. The 25th seems like so far away! I am excited but nervous. I have been there when it doesn't work and I don't want to go there again. I am still very hopeful that this time it will be our turn.

Please pray for our sweet baby who has yet to come into this world. Pray that our baby will make it this time and be a happy, healthy little one.

Praying for you M.
Sincerely,
Lori

Here we go round 2!!

Hello all!

Sorry I haven't updated here recently! We have all been busy with Project Baby M take 2! We held a bake sale in April and a car wash in May. Both went AMAZING and we had great turnouts for both fundraisers.

Now, we are finally at the point where we can get the ball rolling! Lindsay will begin her medications on June 7th. These are just pills, she won't start her injections until later this month. Since we are doing it a little bit different this time around, I will not be taking medications. The pills and injections get Lindsay's body ready for our baby.

We are all a bit nervous but excited this time around. We know that we have chosen the best option to have a baby. Scott and I can't even begin to thank Lindsay. She is amazing to do all of this for us to have a family. I would love to be able to return the favor someday, but nothing compares to giving us a little baby.

I will update more often as round 2 gets under way! Thank you for reading our story and for all the positive thoughts and prayers.

Love you M,
Scott and Lori

Here Comes Round 2!!

Hello all,

Scott, Lindsay and I are getting very close to being able to start round 2! This attempt will be slightly different then our first, but we will explain that later. Right now, we are focused on bringing Baby M into our family.

We have already paid the fee for Cryobiology (which is the facility that stores eggs and sperm). Now we just have to to pay Ohio Reproductive the fee for the transfer. We continue working towards raising money for the transfer.

We will be holding a bake sale on April 19th at TSC in Mount Vernon. As usual, we will have TONS of yummy baked goods! Come and see us and help make our dream come true!

Baby M- We love you so much already. We can't wait for the day we get to bring you home. You are coming into a wonderful family!

-Lori

Onward and upward!

Hello family and friends!
Scott, Lindsay and I are continuing to move forward with Project Baby M. None of us give up that easy! Not much to update on. For now, we continue to raise money for the next procedure.

Lindsay and I have made donation jars, which we have set out at local businesses. We are also holding a fundraiser along with Buffalo Wild Wings on March 12th in Mount Vernon. If anyone would like to attend, please just let Scott, Lindsay or I know. Once it gets warmer, we will most likely hold a bake sale and possibly a car wash.

Moving forward is tough. Scott and I miss our babies. Even though we never got to meet them or hold them, they were ours. They will always be remembered. We love you Baby M. One day we will get to meet you and hold you. We can't wait for that day.

-Lori

Moving Forward

February 10, 2014 we received heart breaking news. Our babies did not make it. The three of us were devastated. Scott and I want a family so much! We had so much faith and hope this would work for us. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. I just know there is a baby out there for us. Somehow, someway we will move forward and start the process again.

Lindsay has been amazing through this. I know she was devastated. I know this process has been hard on her. Lindsay, we can't thank you enough for not giving up on us and Baby M. Thank you for going forward with us and continuing our journey together.

Although Scott, Lindsay and I do have plan to bring Baby M into this world, we are not quite ready to share this plan. Once we determine it is the right option for us, we will gladly share our news. This plan will also require a lot of fundraising. Please visit our GiveForward website at : https://www.giveforward.com/fundraiser/ssh2/project-baby-m. This is our donation website. All donations are very much appreciated and will be used to fund the medical procedures needed to bring Baby M home.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us through this past week. It has been difficult, but we made it!
Thank you for reading our story. Please continue to follow our blog, as I will update as often as possible.

-Lori

Grow baby grow!

Hello all!

The past week has been very busy and exciting. I had my egg retrieval last Friday. All went well. Dr. Williams was able to get nine eggs, however one was immature. So that left us with eight. All were fertilized and three took off! Two grew very well and the last one stopped developing after the first day.

Lindsay's transfer was January 27th. Dr. Williams transferred the two healthy embryos to her. One embryo was eight cells and one was six cells. Not sure what that all means, but I was told they were right on track and very healthy!

We won't know if one or both of the embryos implanted for awhile yet. Waiting is very hard! Lindsay goes for blood work February 7th and again on the 10th. Hopefully the results will let us know if we have a baby (or two) cooking!

It is very hard to be patient, but I trust this is the path we were meant to travel. I keep faith in God, I know he will guide us through and provide us with what is meant to be.

Please keep praying for our Baby M! Your support means so much to Scott, Lindsay and I during this time.

Keeping faith,
Lori 

Egg Retrieval Date!

 

Hello family and friends!

Great news! My egg retrieval will be 1/24/14. We are excited  to get the ball rolling! Dr. Williams saw several eggs on my last ultrasound, most were mature and ready to be retrieved. The doctor said he thinks he could get at least 6 to 7 eggs, which is a very good number.

The transfer to Lindsay will be next week. We are all very excited for this! But we are dreading waiting two weeks for Lindsay to take a pregnancy test. We will keep the blog up to date to let everyone know when the transfer will take place. 

My egg retrieval is tomorrow at noon at Riverside. Please send good thoughts and prays our way for many healthy eggs!

Thanks all!

Grow eggs grow!

 Hello!

Lindsay and I went for our ultrasounds this past week. Lindsay's news was perfect! Her uterine lining had to be at least 6 and it is 11! Her blood work came back great as well. Lindsay is more then ready for our baby! Now it is just up to my body.

My ultrasound showed several eggs, but they were on the small side. They measured about 8 and need to be 18 before they can be retrieved. The plan is for me to stay on my Gonal-F (my egg growing medicine) and have another ultrasound on 1/20. I am praying this medicine works and I have many big, healthy eggs on Monday! Depending on if my eggs are ready Monday, then my egg retrieval will be Wednesday.

This past week has been a little rough. I was very nervous and upset when I heard my eggs were on the small side. I won't let my body fail me again! I am keeping a positive outlook and praying and more praying! Monday will show big healthy eggs ready for retrieval!

Thank you everyone who supports us and prays for our future family. All of your positive thoughts and prays mean so much to Scott and I during this time. Lindsay, we can't thank you enough for all you are willing to do! Thank you for putting up with us!

Keeping the faith, miracles happen everyday!

Scott and Lori

So So Close Baby M!

Hello all!
Just an update on how everything is going. Lindsay started her estrogen shot last week and continues with lupron. Both shots help to prepare her body to grow our baby for nine months! I am up to FOUR shots a day! I am taking lupron as well. I am also on a medication called Gonal-F, which I take two times a day. This injection helps my body make more eggs. Finally, I am not able to take coumadin during this time so I also have to take lovenox due to my heart condition. Overall, everything is going well! The shots hurt and we both have bruised bellies, but I just keep thinking of holding my baby. All this will be well worth it!

Scott is very helpful when I give myself shots. The other morning we woke up with the power out. Scott held a lantern up so I could see in the dark to give myself my shots! He is going to be an amazing daddy. I am so looking forward to seeing him hold Baby M for the first time. I can't wait for that moment... it will be unforgettable.

My egg retrieval is planned for NEXT WEEK!! I am so excited, but nervous. I am dreading the two week wait! I hope and pray our hard work pays off. I want to be a mommy and I want Scott to be a daddy. I  am looking forward to my parents and in-laws meeting and holding our child for the first time. I love this child so much already!

Thanks for reading our posts and story. Please pray for our baby. We love you M!

First round of tests... done!

Hello all!
Today I had my first ultrasound and blood work. My blood work came back great! My ultrasound showed 6-7 eggs, which is average for a woman who is not on medications yet. I will begin my second injection January 11th. This injection will help my body produce more eggs. Lindsay will be starting her second injection on January 9th. Her medication will help her body prepare for and help our baby grow for nine months. I also found out today that Dr. Williams (our fertility doctor) would prefer to do my egg retrieval in a hospital setting. I will have the procedure done at the Ross Heart Hospital. This way my heart will be able to be monitored more closely. Most women are able to have the procedure done at the fertility clinic, but I have to be extra careful with my heart condition. It's better to be safe, especially when bringing a baby into this world. I want to be here and be healthy, so I can be the best mommy to Baby M that I can be!

I am very excited, but nervous at the same time. I want to be a mommy so bad! I have always known I would want children someday. I had the shock of my life when my cardiologist advised me to not become pregnant. I never thought my heart would stop me from something I want so much. I can't believe it has been almost one year since my doctor broke this news to me and Scott. This has been the hardest year of my life. My heart is still broken and even though we have been very, very blessed with Lindsay helping us start our family, there is still a small part of my heart that will never heal.

Please continue to pray for our future family. Scott and I want very much to be parents and we thank everyone who has helped and supported us along our way. We are very thankful and appreciative of so many family and friends! We couldn't do this without you all!

I will try to update more often since things are moving fast! In the meantime check out our pages!

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/projectbabym?ref=hl
GiveForward- http://gfwd.at/1gqCvu9

Thanks for reading,
Scott and Lori

Facebook!

Don't forget to check out our page on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/projectbabym?ref=hl

Coming soon... Baby M!

A lot has happened since I last updated! Lindsay and I started our first injections this past weekend. This injection is kind of like an insulin shot, as we give it to ourselves in our bellies. It's not very painful, but not fun either. However, we are all committed to doing anything to bring Baby M home!

January is going to be a very busy month! Lindsay and I both have to have blood work, ultrasounds and more injections to prepare for the expected date of the egg retrieval. If all goes as planned my egg retrieval will be the week of the 20th! Once they retrieve my eggs they will then fertilize them with Scott's swimmers. Next, our babies will grow for 3-5 days before being transferred to Lindsay.

Then comes the wait. It will be the longest two weeks of our lives before Lindsay will be able to take a pregnancy test. Thank you to everyone who has supported us and continues to do so. We are very blessed to have so many who are looking forward to meeting and falling in love with our baby M already! 

Please keep Lindsay, Scott and I in your thoughts and prayers as we get so close to our dream!

So Close Baby M!

Sorry it has been awhile since I have updated on here. Since my last post, Scott has done his part. His swimmers are all ready to go! Scott, Lindsay and I have also come up with and signed our contract. As soon as our clinic gets the letter from our attorney saying we all three have signed, it's show time!!
We are all so excited that this journey is about to begin. Scott and I would like to thank everyone who has believed in us and this path we decided to travel. Lindsay, we couldn't do this without you, thank you for being so willing and excited to help us start our family. To our parents, who have been so supportive and helpful. Chris, Grandma Barker and Grandma Balcom, thank you for your help when we held bake sales. I know how much time you have devoted to baking and helping us raise money. Jody, Kyle, James and Madison, thank you for your help and being supportive. I know you have spent a lot of time making crafts and baking for our sales. To all those who have donated to our project, thank you for supporting our future family.
Lindsay and I will begin medications in January or February. Please keep both of us in your thoughts and prayers as we finally begin to make our dream come true.
Baby M, your dad and I hope you are here to celebrate Christmas 2014 with us. I can't begin to explain how much your loved and wanted. We think about you everyday and look forward to holding you and watching you grow.  

Waiting for Baby M

I had my appointment with Dr. Williams recently. I learned more about the egg retrieval process and what medications I will be taking. It is exciting to learn more about the process, but at the same time I just want to get started already! It is hard to be so patient. We have a few more "little things" to do before starting the medications and moving forward.
I am so ready to be a mom! I can't wait until Baby M is here and I can hold and cuddle him or her. I dream about it often. I also can't wait to see my husband with our baby. To see him hold our child will be priceless. Our child is so very wanted and will be very loved.
Scott and I would like to thank everyone who has given a donation on our GiveForward website. To make a donation go to http://gfwd.at/17vB4Gg. We would also like to thank everyone who has supported us whether through donation or going to a doctor's appointment with us. As always, thanks to our "stork" Lindsay, who without, this entire journey would not be possible.

First doctor visit

My cousin and I went to our initial doctor appointment today. We got a lot of information!! We found out a lot more about how the whole process works and what all will happen. Our first steps are getting blood work done and Scott will need a physical. Once we get our blood work done, we will be able to decide when to start the required medications. We are looking forward to getting this process started! Thank you to everyone who has helped or gave a donation. Everything is very much appreciated! Also, a special thanks to our family, who has been SO supportive and willing to help us. Especially... Lindsay!!

Update

Today Scott, Lindsay and I went to the surrogacy counselor. It was considered the first step in the surrogacy program. We were all given the okay to start the surrogacy process! Our next step is to meet with the doctor and discuss everything with him. Unfortunately, our appointment isn't until July. I knew this was going to be a long process, but man is it hard to be patient!

I am so excited that we were cleared by the counselor. I still am trying to hold back getting too excited... I have already been crushed once. 

We are having a bake sale June 22nd at TSC in Mount Vernon. I can't believe how many people have offered to help and bake stuff! It's amazing the support we already have and we have barely started this whole process. We once again want to thank our family, friends and everyone who has already been so kind to help us this far!

Let the project begin!

Hello all,
Scott and I have decided to share our journey to parenthood with our family and friends. We have learned we will not be able to have a healthy pregnancy due to my heart condition. Therefore, we have chosen alternative route to start our family. My cousin has offered to be our surrogate and go through this journey with us. Her offer is amazing and an unbelievable act of kindness.
As we begin the long road toward a surrogacy, I will continue to update here. I know we will have many bumps in the road, but please keep Scott and I in your thoughts and prayers. This is a very hard time in our life and we really do need as much support as we can get.
I truly believe I am suppose to be a mom someday. I know Scott is meant to be a dad. I can't wait until the day our baby arrives and I can become a mommy and Scott can be a daddy.

We will be raising money, as surrogacy is by no means affordable for us. As we arrange events we will post them here and on Facebook. All are welcome to participate!

Thank you to all our wonderful family, friends and supporters out there! We truly appreciate each and everyone of you!