Moving along

So Amanda has asked for more info on the embryo adoption and I aim to please so I'll update you all on where we are thus far. So far we have paid our initial application fee. Which basically means, we have to send in our homestudy, get blood work done to make sure we don't have HIV, hepatitis or any other STD's. Then we have to fill out our physical makeup. We had to write a brief letter to the donors stating our intent to adopt etc.
The organization tries to match your physical characteristics with that of the donors. Not that we wouldn't ever share with our child that genetically he/she is from different parents even though I gave birth to them.
I know it is slightly odd to wrap a mind around. Ken and I are going back and forth as far as an open or closed adoption b/c there are some different circumstances that we have to take into consideration.
So now we are onto our letter to the donor. How do you thank a donor for allowing you the chance to have their frozen embryo? I'm not really sure. In light of the octo-mom controversy this whole issue of invitro has taken on a whole new perspective for many.
But basically with invitro parents have 3 options:
1. Donate to a couple unable to conceive
2. designate the embryos to research or thawing, both of which results in death of the embryos
3. Indefinite storage

The ability to conceive a frozen embryo is about 40%, which is about 37% higher than what I currently have :)

That is our current status. I will update on our next stage which will be to go down to TN to have a consult with the doctor, do an ultrasound and more blood work.

We anticipate to do the transfer sometime from Feb-April.
Please don't hesitate to ask questions, if you are reading this you are a close friend and I value your questions and comments!

Lying in Wait

This week at camp has been one fingerprint of God after another.
As much as people always blame God for all the "bad" things that happen to them. I have taken it on as my personal mission in life to NOT thank myself for all the good things that happen to me but to Thank God for them.
For example:
Our staff has been working so hard this summer already and it has been in the mid 90's with heat indexes even higher. So I took them all out on the boat. But as it would turn out the boat decided to not work correctly, so we were able to swim and pull them on the kneeboard but then the fun was over.
Alas, 1/2 hour later a pop up thunderstorm appeared! And not only that but we took our boat into the shop and the fuel pump was busted! So now only did we make it out of the water unharmed but also we didn't have to paddle ourselves back! THANK YOU LORD!

This week we had some very sad stories of children who were at camp. And the Lord showed up in many ways. I was able through the use of horses to pray with many campers this week and to show them that the Lord wasn't done with them but in fact HE was just getting started and HE used these amazing 4-legged animals to light the path. His tool is HIS creation!

One week down and I'm still running! PTL!

New Journey

Today the Lewis family began embarking on a new journey for our family. That journey is known as the "embryo adoption". This phrase I know for most people is a new concept. Ken and I have been praying, researching, praying, thinking, looking at finances, praying... you get the picture. In a nutshell it is adopting another couples frozen embryo that they decided they couldn't go through with in vitro with b/c of multiple reasons and therefore have put these embryos up for adoption. Since Ken and I believe that these embryos are a human life, we decided to adopt some...hee hee.
Ok, so before you start calling me octo-mom, they man and his facility are highly reputable and b/c of my age :(, I will be implanted with 3 embryos, and we'll hope that one of them decides to live life in the Lewis family....Ok, I'm way overwhelmed now that I've put this all down so I'm going to stop and just say, that Ken and I finished our application and we've started the process. We covet your prayers and can't wait to keep you up to date on our newest addition (hopefully...Lord willing).

Friends

I just wanted to take this time to say "thanks" to all my wonderful friends out there! All of you in different states, time zones, life circumstances. I'm thankful for you! I can write here and you will read, respond and pray for me! I'm thankful for you all! I know many people who don't have friends who "know their hearts" much less "trust their hearts". So as I write this I know you all know who you are and I thank you! I love you all and can't wait for the day we are all together again!!!

If I was going somewhere..I was running...

Today began another start of my running career. One of my volunteers is an avid runner, running in 17 marathons over 10 years. For some reason she has taken on my case with shear passion that I also need to start running. I started off by asking her if she thought I was fat...hee hee. After that I started thinking more seriously about it but that was all I put into it was thought. So today, after months of not giving up on me. I got up early and met her at the local bike path. She asked how far I wanted to run and I said I would be happy with a mile. She just smiled...
I ran 4 miles today...and I'm astonished. I really didn't think I was going to die until about 3.5 miles. Which again shocked me, but I was pleasantly surprised. The entire time she kept talking about marathons and how much I'd love to do them and how great they were .... I can't imagine myself running a marathon, but God has done things with me that I never thought I'd do so you never know.
How's that for a shocker!

Crossroads

Ever feel like at some point in life you should be done with the "crossroads". As much as I want adventure in life, I also love the routine, the usual typical day to day expectations. That way when something unexpected does come up, I feel much better to deal with it.
But then there are times when everything is going to change and I feel out of sorts. Nothing seems familiar, even the day to day routine seems unusual. And I find myself on edge. My mind never stopping, thinking about all the new decisions I have to make as a family.
Then I realize that I can do all the planning I want but it may never materialize, or there may be a wrench thrown into one part, or nothing may even happen and I find myself worrying over nothing.
Then I start laughing b/c I've been in this place so many times, and yet things are good, and I had no cause for worry before, but I did worry...
ahhhh life...gotta love it.

Mirror Mirror

Let me first say that I love my new wallpaper (thanks Michelle). I have not been here for awhile again and camp has started, our 2nd week just finished. I forget how much I miss the kids and the redemption I see throughout the week. And in 10 weeks it will be over and I'll go through my depressed state of missing them. However, this year, I have my favorite camper of all....Jake! Jake has now gotten used to have 15 yr. old babysitters from 9-3 take care of him 3 days a week. At first I felt like a failure to have babysitters take care of him. Until one day, I saw him bossing all them around the camp! I laughed and realized how much fun he was having, I wasn't the worst mom ever to have him with someone else for a couple days a week. And there is nothing like the end of the day when they bring him out of the house and up towards the barn and I come out of the barn and he yells "HI momma" and comes running up the hill to me. ahhhhh that is life!

Ken and I are continuing to explore opportunities for our 2nd and last child. Somedays, I feel very satisfied with one, but growing up with 2 and ken as well, we are praying to have 2. God only knows if that will happen. Lots of changes on the horizon I suspect.