The Lovely World of Fertility Treatments

Shaun and I always knew that we wanted kids right way, but of course things never seem to go the way you plan.  As most of you know, through the years we've done fertility treatments off and on, special diets, and all kinds of vitamins, and then of course we finally were blessed by adoption.  So, at the beginning of  the year we started thinking a lot about how another child would come into our family.  We prayed and talked, and prayed some more.  For some reason we thought we would do treatments and the adoption process, but we kept getting the feeling that we were only supposed to do fertility treatments.  This was really hard for me, it was hard to give the little control that I thought we had and trust in the Lord, and follow one path. So, in March we started working with our Doctor to start up treatments again.  After talking with me and looking at my medical history he thought that I might have endometriosis, and the only way to find out is surgery  In April I had the laparoscopic procedure done, and they did find that I do have endometriosis.  This was a relief to me after going through so many years of unexplained infertility.  In June we did our first IUI with no success, and then in July we did another IUI and soon found that we were expecting!!  I can't tell you how excited we were, I truly couldn't believe that the treatment had really worked!  A couple days later my doctor had me go in for a blood test to check my hcg levels.  They were a little low so I kept going in. We found that they were going up, which was a great sign.  Even though my numbers were going up they still needed to get a lot higher.  I think over all I went in for 8 blood tests ( I hate needles), but my numbers soon started dropping.  I knew that this wasn't a good sign and soon miscarried.  Even though this was hard for us we are truly grateful for this experience.  We now know that it is possible for us to get pregnant.  We are hopeful that things will eventually work out.  I do know that Heavenly Father would not lead us in the wrong direction.  I'm choosing to trust in Him, even though I don't know what the out come will be.  We are excited for what comes next, and for now we are happy and enjoying the blessings that we do have.  I don't want to focus on the negative because we truly have so many wonderful things to be grateful for.  I would hate to waste my time being sad and missing out on everything that is good in our life!

What's Been Going On

Well, It's been an extremely long time, due to us being without the Internet.  Now that we are once again a part of the 21st century, I can now blog, scan Facebook, and search Pinterest to my hearts delight.  Life has been pretty normal since I last wrote.  Shaun Started a new job as CFO at Metalcraft, which is a company that builds jet airplanes.  So far he loves it!  It definitely keeps him busy, but I can tell he's happy!  He also has been serving as a leader in the Young Mens, which also keeps him really busy, but he loves it, and loves getting to know the kids.  He also has been playing a lot of basketball, either with City League, or church ball.  He's even gotten Carson obsessed, and now he carries his basketball all over.  I am still at home taking care of Carson, and I wouldn't want to do anything else.  I feel that I finally found something I love to do everyday!  I have been serving as the Secretary in the Primary.  I love being with all the kids, they make me laugh with all the things they do and say.  I hope that this calling will help me be a better mom, and help me teach my kids the gospel.  I've also started to make jewelry that will be sold in a Salon in town, I'm pretty excited!  Carson is getting really big!  He is now 18 months.  On the 12th it will have been a year since he was sealed to us.  It's crazy how fast time goes by!  He is an extremely busy kid, with tons of energy!  He loves to climb on everything, and to my dismay he now moves the kitchen chair over to the kitchen counter so he can climb up.  He loves Sesame Street, and is starting to laugh at things they do.  Right now he really thinks it's funny when they do Karate (he now karate chops everyone), when they rap to music, and when they fall down.  He is also talking a lot.  He says "please, thank you, go, bye, hi, nummy(yummy), Nana, Papa, Grandma", and a bunch of other words.  I'm still amazed at how fast he is learning these things.  Well, that is a really quick update on how we have been doing! :)

Our Summer

We've had really great summer!  We closed on our house in May, it only took seven months!  At least it finally worked out, we have really been enjoying it, and we really love our neighborhood and ward!

Shaun's little brother Steven got married in June, so now I have another amazing sister-in-law!  The wedding was a lot of fun.  They got married in the Manti temple, which I thought was amazing!  Shaun's youngest brother Bryson left on his mission in June to the Dallas Texas mission.  It's weird to have him gone, but we're so proud of him, I know he is going to make a great missionary.

At the Manti Temple

On the 4th of July Carson went to his first parade, I thought he would have been scared of all the noise but he seemed to really like all the commotion.

Grandma walking Carson around at the parade.

Carson playing in the pool

At eleven months Carson finally decided that he was ready to walk, it was kind of a nice change since he wanted you to walk him everywhere, so my day usually consisted of walking around in circles.  Now I'm just chasing him around trying to pick up the contents of all the drawers in the house, and trying to track down my shoes, for some reason he has this thing with shoes!

On August 7th Carson had his first Birthday!  Can you believe that it's already been a year?!  I can't believe how fast time has gone by.  For his party my sister made him a fish cake!  We of course had to do something with fish because of his dad!  We'll see if he likes fishing as much as Shaun.  I also made some cupcakes with fish on top.  It was really fun to have both our families there, but I guess I forget how many people there are.  I think it was a little over whelming for Carson, and it didn't help that he was getting four teeth.  Despite a little crying I think he had a good time, and got way more presents than any one year old needs.

This is about all he ate of his cake.  I don't think he liked the frosting stuck to his hands.

The cake that Lori made.

The cupcakes I made.

Daddy helping Carson open his presents.

Everyday I feel so blessed that we have him in our lives!!  He truly makes us so happy, and I still can't believe that we've been blessed so much!  I know that Heavenly Father truly answered our prayers.  Adoption is the most wonderful thing, and I realize that not everyone will fully understand how amazing it is, but I am so grateful for the experiences we have been given, and for the sacrifice that was made by our birth mother!

A couple days after Carson's Birthday I took him for his check up.  He now weighs 20 lbs, which is in the 21st percentile.  He measured 31" for his height, which is in the 95th percentile, and his head circumference is 19", which is in the 93rd percentile.  So, it seems like he is destined to be tall and skinny!  Carson also has 12 teeth, and I think two more are coming in!  I guess we're almost done with teething!



Carson's Favorite things:

Music- He's either dancing to it, playing with the piano, or carrying Shaun's ipod around!

Dogs-  He is fascinated with them, his first word was "ruff".

Getting Chased-  He loves when people chase him around the house it makes him laugh like crazy, he mostly loves when dad does it.

Bath time- He is definitely a water baby.  He'd probably stay in the tub all day if I would let him!

Cars- He loves driving his toy cars everywhere and now riding the firetruck Nana and Papa gave him.

Waving- He loves to wave hi and bye to everyone.  I was in Walmart the other day and he kept waving at everyone, I guess he's really friendly.

He truly is the sweetest baby, who always makes us smile.  We love you Carson!

Catch Up

I've been meaning to post something for a while....so, now it is going to be a jumble of random stuff.  Carson had his first Easter, I think he liked what the Easter Bunny got him, he seemed to really like his soccer ball!  He loves to kick that thing, well and everything else, maybe we have a soccer player on our hands!  I will post a video as  soon as I can, it's so funny how excited he gets when kicking that thing!

We just had Carson's 9 month check up.  It looks like he is 20 lbs, which is in the 45th percentile.  He is 29 inches long, which is in the 90th percentile, and his head is 18 inches, which is the 90th percentile.  I thought his head wasn't as big as it used to be, but I guess I was wrong.  At least the doctor tells me it's because he is so smart!

Hopefully this week we will be moving into our new house!  Yes, I said a new house!  We are so excited that we will finally have a place of our own.  We definitely waited a long time to get this house to go through!  We had to wait seven months, and we almost bought something else because we thought it wasn't ever going to happen.  Lets just say I hate short sales, they definitely aren't short!!  Even though we waited forever we are so excited!!  I'm so excited to get all my stuff back which has been in storage for a year now.  I don't even think I remember what we own anymore, maybe it will feel like it's Christmas when opening all the boxes...yeah, probably not, isn't unpacking fun!

So, this weekend was my first Mothers Day!!  I truly feel blessed that I get to experience this role in my life, and I wouldn't have gotten to do this without our beautiful birth mother.  We got to see her this last Saturday on Birth Mothers Day.  I'm so glad that we got to spend time with her and that she got to see Carson.  He is a lucky boy to have her in his life!  I'm also thankful for my mom and mother-in-law.  They are such wonderful examples of how a mother should be.  This year I took some pictures of Carson to give to them, I think they turned out pretty good.  It has been a while since I've gotten to go out and take pictures.  I forgot how much I love it.

Just the Same

By Diana Lynn Lacey

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Sometimes—

God sends rain

Straight from the sky

To nourish the young flower

and it grows.

Sometimes—

God sends rain from the sky

To the mountaintops,

Then over hills and through valleys

Until it reaches the flower

and it grows, just the same.

Sometimes—

God sends a child

Straight from His realm

Into a mother’s arms

and love grows.

Sometimes—

God sends a child

From heaven to another’s arms,

Then over hills and through valleys

Until he reaches the arms of his mother

and love grows, just the same.

 This poem was in this months Ensign along with an article about adoption and infertility.  I loved this poem and wanted to share with everyone.  I hope that you all enjoyed it as much as I did!
 

Court, Sealing and Blessing

We can finally breath a little easier now that Carson is a part of our eternal family.  Everything went so well!  Carson was adorable at the court house, he couldn't stop smiling the whole time, maybe he knew what was going on.  At the temple he was just as good!  The temple was such a neat experience.  Of course I couldn't stop crying, I can't even express how wonderful it was to have him sealed to us.  I feel so blessed that we got to experience this and have our sweet baby in the temple.  The blessing was also amazing, Shaun gave such a beautiful blessing, he always amazes me!  I am so thankful for this gospel and that we have the opportunity to be sealed together!

6 Months

We just had Carson's six month appointment on Monday.  It looks like he weighs 17 lbs which is in the 53 percentile, his height is 27 inches which is in the 85 percentile, and wait for it.....his head is 18 inches which is in the 93 percentile!  I guess he is going to be really really smart!  Ha, we sure love our boy so much and we're just glad he is healthy!  I guess we will wait and see how much he changes at his 9 month check up!

Now that Carson is six months we are now going to be able to finalize the adoption. Tomorrow we have our court date scheduled.  Friday our birth family is coming!  I can't wait to spend time with all of them.  We also have a lot of our family coming.  Then Saturday we get to take our baby to the temple!  Then Sunday we will be able to bless him.  It certainly is a busy week, but it should be an amazing one! 

Going To The Temple

We have been truly blessed and and are going to be able to take Carson to the Temple in February!  Our lawyer worked really hard to get our court date moved up so we wouldn't have to wait until March.  We are scheduled to have our baby sealed to us on the 12th!  I can't express how excited I am for this day!  We love our son so much, he truly makes our lives wonderful!

Pictures

I thought I would hurry and post some pictures of last month.  I'll try and actually write something soon!

Carson eating for the first time!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve.  Aren't they cute in their matching shirts!

Carson in his Christmas pajamas

Christmas Day

Christmas Day

Families Are Forever

 Well, it looks like we will have to wait a while until we can have Carson sealed to us.  We finally got a court date which has been scheduled for February 14th.  We wanted to go to the temple as close to that date as we could.  I called the temple to reserve the following weekend, and when I called the worker informed me that they would be closed from February 15th to February 27th.  I guess it looks like we will have to wait until March to have him sealed to us.  I'm pretty sad about having to wait, it's hard enough to have to wait the 6 months but to add another 2 weeks!  I guess that waiting a little longer will make it that more special, but it's still really hard.  Hopefully the next couple months will go by really fast!

My Birthday

I am officially getting old!  Last week I turned 26!  I know it doesn't seem that bad, but the last couple of years I've been forgetting how old I am.  So...this year it came as a little shock, and of course I was reminded of how old I am by the the cake that had been set on fire.  Over all it was a great birthday, and it has been such an amazing year!  Shaun finished school, and got a great job, and of course we've been blessed with Carson!  Hopefully age 26 will be as wonderful as last year!

Update

For five long months Shaun has been commuting from Cedar to St. George.  During this time we've looked into renting and then moved on to buying something.  We finally found a town home and quickly placed an offer.  A week before we were going to sign Shaun's work asked if he would like to transfer to the Cedar office.  So, now we are no longer moving!  Now we are once again searching for a home, hopefully we will find something soon!  We are excited that we get to stay in Cedar since it's where we wanted to end up in the future.

In October we had a chance to visit our birth mom. This was the first time we got to see her since Carson was born.  We had such a great time with her and her family! They have been so kind to us.  We are truly blessed to have them in our lives.

Carson was a cute little puppy dog for Halloween.  It was a lot of fun taking him around in his costume.  I'm already excited for next year when he will be a little more aware of what's going on.

Carson is now 3 months!  Seriously, where does the time go!  At his 2 month check up he was 12 lbs, 24 in. long and his head was 16 in.  I'm sure he is a lot bigger by now, that boy sure loves to eat!  He is now smiling and has started to laugh and he coos all the time!  We're working on rolling over, but so far he only rolls to one side.  We love our little boy so much!  We can't wait to see what he does next!