Today's Test/Tomorrow

Here is today's test! I think this is the end of the road as far as our home tests go. We will more than likely get the official "You're pregnant" from the doctor tomorrow! YAY!!!!! The test . . .




Here is the succession of tests . . .


Stay tuned for the blood test results!

Mystery Solved/Today's Test

I figured out today what is causing the indigestion, and it is, in fact, pregnancy related--it's my prenatal vitamin and fish oil supplement. Mystery solved!



And here is today's test: If I take a step back, I have to laugh at us--I can't believe we're still taking daily tests. Before, we were looking for the line; now we enjoy watching the line darken from day to day. Today's test is the one on top!

I'm also happy to report that I ran today--the best run I've had in a week. Slowing down really helped. Yes, I came home and had to take a nap (thank goodness Chris was off today), but I feel good that I was able to run!

Tune in tomorrow for our daily test!

Symptoms and Today's Test

I have been pretty surprised at how fast my pregnancy symptoms have appeared. No, I'm not assuming/insinuating/suggesting we have multiples. :) I think a lot of it is related to the fact that my body has been pregnant before and maybe because I'm more aware of such things this time around. ? But then again, it could be multiples . . . take my poll over on the side margin to cast your opinion!

It also just dawned on me that I am slowly accpeting the reality that I'M PREGNANT. Even if the pregnancy is not viable or whatever, I will still have been pregnant. Wow. It still feels pretty unreal.

We will have the "official" test on Friday. It's a quick blood draw, and our nurse will call us with the results sometime in the afternoon. For some reason, this is when we will really celebrate--it was the same way last time, too.

Anyway, the symptoms (and the ways that I interpret/dismiss them) are as follows:

(1) The "girls" are bothering me. This started about a week ago, actually. Every now and then, I get the feeling I used to have when I was nursing Noah and KNEW I HAD to pump right then. If you've nursed before, you know what I'm talkin' about. Otherwise, they have grown and are tender, making running a bit uncomfy. This was the MAIN sign I got from my body about a week ago that something was up.

(2) I get dizzy randomly and am getting headaches. Now, I'm not convinced this is hormone-related. I've thought that maybe I have a sinus problem, swine flu, or something else. BUT it could definitely be the offspring.

(3) I'm peeing all. the. time. I'm also not fully convinced this is hormone-related. I think it's because I'm drinking more water lately because I've been more thirsty. But then again, I could be more thirsty because it's been so hot . . .?

(4) My workouts have been really bad lately. I ran a mile this morning and did my normal strength-training routine, but I was not 100%. I had to stop and go to the car for my banana. Very atypical. On my distance run days, I haven't been able to run as far, as fast. Tomorrow, I'm going to try slowing the pace down considerably and seeing if that helps.

(5) I have indigestion in the afternoons. I think this might be the progesterone, though.

(6) I'm so, so tired at the end of the day. I think some of this is because I haven't been sleeping that great. I need to pee in the middle of the night (b/c of the water) but I don't get up and pee because I'm saving up my pee for the am test.

Speaking of the test . . .

I took it at some point in the middle of the night. In my memory, I had a dream that I had to pee really badly, so I went ahead and took the test at the same time. Turns out, it was indeed reality. Had I been able to wait all night long, I know the line would've been way darker since it darkened again in less than 24 hours and that was only a few hours worth of pee/hormone build-up.



So, there you have it! And I apologize for all the pee references.

Today's Test

Here is today's test! The pregnant line is still there . . .

. . . and a little bit darker than yesterday! (#1 is yesterday's test; #2 is today's!)

By the end of the week, we'll hopefully have Chris' bright pink line!

A Word from the Hubz

As we continue down the road to child number 2 (or 3 or 4), I continue to have several different thoughts and feelings. As we traveled to the clinic, I was very calm. I can’t really explain why. I guess it had to do with this being the second time and being a little less complicated than the first time. It wasn’t until after they told us that all 3 embryos survived the thaw that I got a little nervous. I want for all of them to survive, but I don’t have a clue how we will be able to provide what is necessary if we go from a family of 3 to a family of 6. I rest on the fact that God will allow us to have the number of children that he wants us to have, and that He will then allow for us to provide for them, however that may be.

Mary took a pregnancy test on Thursday, and it showed negative. Though she believes it was a faulty test (as the control line didn’t show up right away) I was pretty bothered by it. I know that it is possible for this procedure not to work, but I don’t think I have ever accepted that it REALLY might not work. That test brought to light the reality that we could do all of this and not have another child. That test also allowed me to come to grips with the fact that, pregnant or not, God is in control and I am OK with whatever happens in light of that. I processed the reality that even if this doesn’t work, we are blessed to have Noah.

When Mary did the test today, I didn’t get too excited because the line is very, very faint. That is why she "made" me do the other one, so that we could compare as there is NO WAY that there would be any line if I did it. The things you do for love . . . .

[Mary here: Since this is technically my blog, I have to correct something said by the hubz--I did not make him take the other test; he did so willingly and fully aware that such an event could absolutely not be left out of this blog. :)]

. . . I want to see a bright pink line. Then I will celebrate, and then I want to know numbers.

In all, I am excited, nervous, and yet calm. We are walking this road together, wherever it may take us. The journey has been great because I have such a great companion to share it with. We’ll see where it leads us . . .

Faint but THERE!/Real Men Take Pregnancy Tests

So we took a home pregnancy test this morning. I'm so excited to report that the pregnancy line is very, very faint, but it's THERE! We went shopping for tests last night, and go figure, the cheapo test is the BEST as far as early detection--better than EPT, First Response, etc. If you are wanting to know as early as possible, the Answer brand is the best over-the-counter brand to get. It detects the lowest HCG level of any of the others. We tested SEVEN days early, so these tests are super-awesome at 2 for $6!


Anyway, when we first saw the very, very faint line appear, we weren't sure if it was a fluke or not. So, Chris took the other test so we could compare. hahahahaha! I still can't believe my husband took a pregnancy test--he was hesitant to do so, but we really needed the comparison. hahahaha!

Here are the pics of the tests. Chris' test is the one WITHOUT the silver heart. The 2nd picture is a lot clearer, and you should be able to see the faint line. I'm going to test again tomorrow and again Tuesday, and the line should darken as the days go on.


So, friends . . . I think I'm pregnant!!!!!!! Stay tuned for more info as the week progresses!

Three, continued

If you have ever walked the path of infertility, you know how mind-consuming it can be. As a person who loves things to be in order and at peace, this has really stretched me (again). I've said it before, but the waiting and the not-knowing are the hardest things. It's the first thing on my mind when I wake up, and the last thing on my mind before I fall asleep.

In the midst of the uncertainty, however, I feel as though I'm finding some peace in the truth. I am not poweful enough to prevent these lives from growing further or to make them grow futher somehow. Already, they are miracles. Already, they are strong survivors. Already, they have taught us truths.

At the heart of me, I really want to meet all three of our embryos as people. Also at the heart of me is a lot of fear about a triplet pregnancy, triplet newborns, triplet toddlers, etc.

In the midst of all of my thoughts on and prayers for our three embryos (or "eee en-dee-does" in Noah-ese), I had a revelation.

God is a three-person God, perfect and complete.
Our current family is made up of three persons, perfect and complete.

I am slowly becoming "OK" if we are to stay at three for now or forever. I will definitely miss Chris' "Goodnight, everybody!" to my belly, but we will be OK. Three is perfect; three is complete; three is a miracle; three is beauty.

Today, I am meditating on Psalm 94:19 (Thank you, C!!!): "However great the anxieties of my heart, your consolations soothe me."