Confessions.

I've been holding out on you guys.

In short: Round #3 of IVF was a success, I carried twin boys through 8 months of pregnancy on the nose, they spent a month in the NI, and we are all home safe, sound, amazed, and so thankful.

Caught up or worn out?

Sorry for not keeping the blog up-to-date. I needed some space during the IVF round and thought not blogging would keep me from not thinking about it . . . not so much. And then it worked, and I didn't know how to announce our happy news . . . same with finding out it was twins . . . same with their birth and hospitalization . . . same with bringing them home.

Thanks to Sarah for her comment -- it brought me out of retirement, at least to convey our updates.

I hope you'll all understand my awkward way of conveying all of this, and accept my heartfelt thank you for all of the support you've given our family over these years. It was a tough road for us. I know it's been a tough road for all of you, as well. But in the end, why were our prayers for babies answered with a "yes," and so many others aren't? Why did our sons thrive in the NICU, while other broken precious bodies were not healed? Why has our marriage somehow managed to flourish in these rocks? I don't know. And I think that's why it was hard to say our third round had worked, and it snowballed from there.

The bottom line is that we are so thankful and overwhelmed by these two little lives that have become intertwined with ours. Looking at them, dreaming of all that they can be in this world, remembering all that it took to get to this point, and knowing without a doubt it was worth it -- we love them more than we could have imagined.

Peace, hope and love to all of you. May God give you all comfort and strength as you continue on your own journeys. Thank you for taking care of us on ours.

Game on!

So good to hear from so many of you. So thankful to have you along for the ride.

We passed our suppression check today with flying colors (welcome news after my PIO-induced cyst a few weeks ago. Did I tell you guys about that? No? 4-cm and then ruptured. Yep. Anyway, it was awful.). Yay for progress! Starting stims on Sunday.

Here. We. Go.

Oh, and happy ICLW!

Let's Rock.

Hello there. Missed us? We are back and ready to show IF who's boss.

Come on, that should have at least provoked a chuckle.

Looking forward to catching up on everyone -- here we go (again).

Peace.

We had a great meeting with our RE today. Sum and substance: notwithstanding our lack o' a baby, we are still optimal candidates for IVF success. So, we'll be taking a break for a month or so, and coming back for round #3 in June.

I'm going to take a break from the blog, as well. Of course, I'll still be checking in on you all, but don't expect frequent posts from our part of the world until we're back in the "active" stage of the IF journey. The goal is for a break from the stress of IF treatment -- body, mind and soul. Breaks are healthy, and we intend to enjoy ours.

In the meantime, peace to you. Be well, and be good to each other.

Regrouping.

We are compiling questions for our follow-up with the RE next week. One of the front-runners: is it time to get a second opinion, and if so, where?

We are at one of the greatest clinics in the Southeast, but we are considering breaking out the big guns and heading to Colorado or New York . . . but maybe that's getting ahead of ourselves. Not quite sure yet, but sure would love to hear your thoughts on "where" to get the mythical second opinion. If it matters for your consideration, we have both endo and male factor.

Thanks for loving on us. You all are the best.

Because He Lives.

How perfect is God's timing! Easter has always been a special day for our family, but this year, the message of loss, redemption and resurrection is somehow even sweeter. Christ has conquered death. He has conquered sin. He has conquered pain. He is Lord of the Universe -- even (and especially) Lord over infertility. Knowing that there is a plan, even though it might not be mine, is an unbelievable comfort.

Because He lives -- we CAN face tomorrow. Thanks for all of your prayers, kind words, and support. I will update again soon, but for today, just know that you have all impacted our lives, and made them better. For that, we are thankful. Happy Easter.

God sent His son, they called Him, Jesus;
He came to love, heal and forgive;
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!


Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,
And feel the pride and joy he gives;
But greater still the calm assurance:
This child can face uncertain days because He Lives!

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

And then one day, I'll cross the river,
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
And then, as death gives way to vict'ry,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know He lives!

Chorus
Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives, all fear is gone;
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living,
Just because He lives!

Negative.

We are so sad.