We may be miles apart - but we're together in HEART!

Hello everyone!  It's been quite some time since our last post - so I have a ton to update you all on.

The entire surrogacy process is finally coming together now and it's everything that we thought that it would be!  After coming back from IN for our psychological testing weekend and meeting with SMI (Surrogate Mothers, Inc) within that week we finally heard from the intended couple that has chosen us!  We received our first email from the couple and learned so much from them, just from that one email.  Due to confidentiality, I am going to leave the couples name out of our blog, but because they are such incredible people, I definitely want to share some of their information with all of  you.  The couple we were chosen by is a gay couple (both male) who are from France and actually live in Paris (HOW COOL!!!).  They have been together for almost 11 years and have wanted children since their first year together. 
Since our first emails, we have emailed back and forth at least twice weekly and we SKYPED last weekend and finally saw one another face to face (through the Internet, of course).  Although all of us were all experiencing the same nerves (What would the couple actually be like?  Is this going to be an easy communication process?  Will everyone understand each other?) but we all quickly realized that are nerves were unnecessary.  Communication was very easy to understand on all sides and the process just went so easily.  We all seem very much alike and all have the same thoughts about the entire surrogacy process.  We were all able to talk about everything with no fears of what anyone would think about our thoughts and it was just incredible!  After speaking face to face with the couple, Jeff and I experienced so much excitement about the rest of the process.  We know now who we're having a baby or babies for and we are 100% positive that these men are going to be incredible fathers!  Although we're miles apart, we're all on the same page with our thoughts and concerns and we are now all in eachother's hearts!
The couple is traveling to come and meet Jeff, Tatum, Gavin and I at the end of April and we just can't wait for them to come to CT.  Although they have a long list of tremendous places that they have visited, they are very excited about coming to CT.  I am very nervous because there isn't much to do here in CT - but hopefully Jeff and I can find some fun places to bring the couple once they arrive.  Updates on the visit will come as soon as the couple leaves!
We also have successfully met with our lawyer and reviewed the entire contract that we have received for our Surrogacy Journey.  After a couple of provisions and amendments, we have re-reviewed the contract with our lawyer and have signed it!  The contract has now been sent to the couple and they will be signing shortly.  So - it's a definite GO!
In addition to signing the contract and hearing from the couple and speaking on SKYPE and meeting at the end of April, I have also heard from the Clinic in Oregon that the couple is working with their egg donor at.  The employees at the clinic who I've spoken with seem so nice and are very easy to speak to in regards to any questions and concerns that I have in regards to the medical aspects of the surrogacy process.  The clinic called me at just the right time and because of the "time of the month" that they called me - we have been able to start the process sooner than we anticipated.  This week I have started the "Mock Cycle" which basically means that I will be monitored with blood work and will begin to wear an estrogen patch on my lower back or abdomen that I will change every 2 days.  This mock cycle is monitoring my body and how it takes to the estrogen patches (the patches are supposed to help thicken my uterine lining as it would in a normal pregnancy).  Next weekend, I will travel to Oregon to have some ultrasounds and tests done to see how the Mock Cycle is working and then will be trained on how to give myself the injections that I will need to take that contain hormones that will basically "trick" my body into thinking that it is pregnant, as well as, continue to keep my cycle aligned with the egg donors cycle.
If all goes well with the Mock Cycle, the clinic says that they think the implantation of the embryos can take place as early as June or July of THIS YEAR!!!  This was a surprise to me as I didn't think everything would happen so fast - but am very excited that everything may be happening this summer!
So - up next:

1. Mock Cycle Patches on every other day and blood testing
2. Travel to OR for a day and a half for tests to be done and training of the injections to be learned
3. Meet with the intended couple at the end of April

Jeff and I are so thankful that this idea was reviewed carefully and thought through and that we actually took the dive to go through with being Surrogate Parents.  We have been able to educate many individuals close to us, we've been able to teach Tatum about meeting new people, we've been able to meet incredible men who chose to have us as their Surrogates and are being able to see the crazy things that science can do with the human body.

I hope that this finds you all well!  Until next time...