School's Out Baby!

Wahoo we made it! It's always a huge milestone to make it to the end of the school year! Corbin did a great job his Sophomore year. I want him to get higher grades but I realize that is a ME thing. He got all B's and one C. He took 2 college classes (Biology and College Algebra) as well as Physics, and German. I got straight A's but I didn't take hard classes like that. I think he's taking easier classes next year though. It was a little intense for him I think (although he never does work outside of school). It's crazy. I'm just glad he got B's on his college classes. He's a smarty for sure. His Cannon grandparents gave Corbin a truck and he has loved having that freedom. I can't believe he will be gone in 2 years! Crazy. I love hanging out and watching a show with Corbin. Gabby excelled in all of her classes ending 3 classes with 100 or better. She got all straight A's. She is super smart and a good student. I think she's a little sad to be leaving Lowell Scott. She will be in high school next year. Weird! To say that Piper HATED middle school would be an understatement. She ended up getting all A's and one B. At one point I just told her to stop doing her homework and get bad grades. She was so stressed out and behind all year. She's a very slow worker and she's a perfectionist and that's a tough combo. She will hopefully learn the art of doing good enough on your work and moving on. She is so happy it's summer. I am so happy for her! I hope 7th Grade is easier for her. Ryan seemed to have his best year at school. He's never ever talked about friends at school until this year. He always seemed pretty content and happy even without school friends but I think him making friends this year was a BIG deal. Elementary grades are weird but he is doing well with his academics. He's growing up too fast. He is super brave on his skateboard and watches YouTube videos on how to do tricks.   

I had my first pregnancy blood test on Monday. They wanted my HCG level to be at least 100 and mine was 429. Woot! My next blood test in on Tuesday and they will want my levels to be at least 2,000. Fingers crossed for high numbers. They have all of this milestones to see if the baby and my body are cooperating. So far, so good. I think it's going to stick!  Oh and I can exercise now! I'm really happy about that. 

Leaving North was kind of weird. I feel like I was ready to go. I just never really had a place there being a traveling teacher so even though I am dreading figuring out 3 new preps I am excited to feel like I have my own space. Starting over can be hard and I just don't want to think or deal with it for now so I won't. Summa summa summa!  

I went to a concert with a friend Friday night. I had never even heard of the artist, I just wanted an excuse to leave the house. We had to stand for about 3 hours and that killed me. Haha. I've pretty much adjusted to my daily hormone shots but standing that long made my lower back hurt pretty bad. 

I'm trying to figure out how to not lose my mind this summer. Not working and being alone for 7 days straight every other week is not great for me. I did a lot of deep cleaning this weekend. Haha. 

Gabby and Piper dressed up for "Adam Sandler" day. 

Two of my TA's. They were my AVID kids last year. It will be weird to not see my students next year.

I went to lunch on the last day of work with a co-worker of mine. I will be sad to not see her everyday next year.

I found an old picture of Janet. I cried when I said goodbye to her. We have spent so much time together for the last 4 years sharing a room. It will be really weird to not see her everyday next year. She helped me through a lot of tough times. She's a great lady.

Last day of 10th grade!

Last day of 8th grade!

Last day of 6th grade!

Last day of 4th grade!

I'm glad these girls had one year together at Lowell Scott.

A girl asked Ryan to sign her yearbook. Cutest.

Concert time.

 

New Backyard Oasis!

Wow! What a week. So many things. I'm in pure survival mode at school and don't give a crap about it right now. I'm tired, I'm burned out, I'm not coming back to North next year. 4 more days! 

On Mother's Day we went to dinner at Idaho Pizza Company. Later that evening the kids ceremoniously came downstairs and presented me with cards and gifts. It was very cute and sweet. I love my kids SO much, they are my everything. 

I got my very first positive pregnancy test last Wednesday. I knew it wasn't from the hormone shots because I got a very negative test days before. The line has gradually gotten darker. I have a blood test tomorrow. The real confirmation won't be until the ultra sound at the end of the month. It's positive signs literally so far so fingers crossed. My stomach is even already coming out. It's crazy! I don't usually notice symptoms until about 6 weeks. I am tired already but that also could be life. I took a 2 hour nap today which is crazy long for me. I think I will be 5 weeks pregnant tomorrow, but I'm not sure because making a science baby is weird.

When I bought my house I knew I would need to do a major makeover on the backyard but I knew I would need a ton of help. I got Trisha to come over and help me plan my backyard out back in February or March, I can't remember. I asked her if she would build my gazebo because I knew she had major skills and was super dependable and she said yes. She gave me a weekend and I invited my parents and I'm so glad I did my parents were essential to the project as well. My sister Kelsey came which was huge also. Alex and Kelsey planted the junipers with some kid helpers. Alex dug them too deep and Kelsey basically had to re-do it the next day. She's tough! Alex and kids helped also. My mom designed and executed my flowerbed. Hart and Jory helped with the gazebo also. That thing was intense and hard to build and put together. It's still not quite done. I need Gabe to finish drilling it into the cement and putting in some beams. I couldn't help at all, which was hard to just sit back and watch everyone do all of the work for me. I did feed everyone but that was my only contribution. I am on a semi strict no exercise or unnecessary movement order until the first ultrasound at the end of the month. Trying to get an expensive embryo baby to stick is serious business. I hope I can resume exercise after that because I am an avid exerciser and exercised throughout my other pregnancies. I ran 3 miles on the treadmill with Gabby on the day I gave birth to her.

I'm over the moon excited for my new yard and just in time for summer. I don't have many plans this summer and I will be tired and pregnant so having an outdoor oasis will be perfection! I'm super grateful for my amazing go getter family! 

Cute Ryan made me this vase and made the cutest bag with A-Z reasons he loved me. It was the cutest!

 

I am zo cool.

Piper made me a very thoughtful card.

"I donut know what I would do without you." Gabby wrote me a thoughtful card and Corbin helped to buy the donut. 

We went to Idaho Pizza Company for Mother's Day dinner.

Piper did a great job at her recital. She really enjoys dance.

Piper's Recital

Here is today's pregnancy test. Darkest line yet! I have a blood test tomorrow. 

Before

After

Before

After

Before

After

This angle of the yard.

This thing was complicated!

Alex and Kelsey planted and then Kelsey replanted because Alex dug them too deep. McCoy, Corbin, and Gabby also helped with the trees.

My mom had the flowerbed vision and execution. Flowerbeds are her favorite! 

Backyard working party. 

Embryo Transfer Day!

This week was a big freaking deal! I first looked into surrogacy and began an application with one company back in July. I was put on hold because I couldn't proceed with the application until my divorce was final. I  ended up going with a different company and that process started early October. It's felt really long and it's taken a lot of steps to get to this point. I was very happy to arrive to the clinic and see that my uterus looked good and the embryo looked good. The procedure was so fast. It took less than 5 minutes to transfer the embryo into my body. They gave me a valium before the procedure so I didn't feel any pain. Christy came with me and she held the phone so the intended parents could watch the procedure. It was really cool. I got emotional when the embryo was transferred. This is just a really unique special experience to be a part of.  I ended up having to take the day off of work today so I could lay low and make sure this embryo sticks. I'm not sure if it's placebo or hormone shots but I already feel pregnant. The first initial blood test will be May 20th which will just be informational like the blood work looks on target for a healthy pregnancy or not. I think I will know for sure May 28th. The embryo was really healthy and they gave it a 75% rate which seems pretty good. I'm getting a little more used to the progesterone shot. The first few days I was incredibly sore and had a heating pad on my back as much as possible. Let's skip forward to the 28th shall we?

I went to Piper's choir concert on Monday night. For some reason this teacher always puts Piper and her friend Maddie in the very back and they are the shortest humans. You can barely barely see Maddie's head next to Piper. This choir teacher has the best concerts because they are short and sweet. 

I took my AVID students on a field trip on Wednesday. We went bowling. It was fun. I haven't been bowling in such a long time. It makes me want to take my kids. 9 more school days! Can't wait. I'm tired and burned out. Having pregnancy hormones pumped in me is not helping me drag to the finish line. So close! 

Happy early Mother's Day to me, I have the best kids in the whole world. Happy Mother's day to my mom who has taught me so much and has especially supported me during a very difficult transition in my life. I love her so much!

Quick Video

I bought a baby wrap and cut off the baby portion so I could stuff a heating pad on my back and wear it all the time. Brilliant! 

Christy driving me to my appointment, which was a good thing since the Valium made me very loopy.

So many blood tests.

Healthy Embryo

There's an embryo in there somewhere.

There's a rumor that fries are supposed to help an IVF baby stick. I won't say not to fries and friends. 

A Lot of Happenings

I only have 3 more Mondays of work. What! I'm super excited. This school year has been good but it's still a tiring job. I'm kind of sad to be leaving North. It's hard to start over. I really do like junior high kids a lot. They are kind of the best and the worst. Borah will be interesting next year for sure.

Gabe and Christy took their daughter Brigitte to Paris and I helped babysit their other 4 kids for 8 days. It wasn't as tiring as I thought it would be. They also hired another girl to help at night and in the mornings and during the day while I was at work. It worked out really well and it was helpful to have someone else so I could go home and shower and get ready for the day at my house. The older boys helped too and would watch their brothers when I needed to run errands. It was still tiring though and Tuesday night when it was done I was wiped out.  I'm mostly happy to have that off of my mental list of things to do. It worked out well and it really helps that I've spent so much time with Gabe's family since my divorce and I know his kids very well. 

My kids have been on a weird schedule trying to coordinate babysitting and I also wanted to switch weeks. I had them for 11 days and then Scott had them for 11 days. They've had a short week with me this week because of that and none of us are ready for the house transition. Piper got an expander in her mouth last week. It's this giant piece of metal at the roof of her mouth. She is having a hard time eating and talking right now. I think she has to have it for at least 6 months. Woof. 

Making a baby with science is kind of crazy. Everything has to be very exact. I had an ultrasound on Tuesday and the lining of my uterus was not where they wanted it to be so I had to take some additional medication. I went in for another ultra sound on Friday and my lining thickened up. My blood work was also where they wanted it to be so we are able to proceed with the May 9th embryo transfer. I had to start daily progesterone shots yesterday and my shot yesterday hurt a lot and made me really sore but I already did another shot today and it wasn't bad at all. It's tricky to get the shots in the right spot and it's kind of hard to do the shots myself as they are given in a specific spot in the buttocks. I'm going to be nervous for the next several weeks that the transfer happens like it's supposed to and that the baby sticks. The rate is 60%. Fingers crossed for a sticky baby! 

Charly is just the cutest.

Gabby and Corbin have been enjoying getting out and doing sport activities this spring. 

Piper is helping Ryan crochet his very own wooble. 

Ryan watching the tutorial video trying to figure it out.

Yikes

Cute nephews.

This is Mittens. He is a monster. We survived each other.

I love when Mittens sits like a fat human.