Storms of this life...

are what grow us and change us...
They are not easy to go through and I wish we didn't have to!
Right now our family is going through some storms!
I pray that these storms will draw us all closer together and closer to God!
Please pray for our family as we go through these storms!
Some pretty major decisions are being made!
Heavy hearts and knots in stomachs!
Lots of prayers needed!

Letting go & trusting!

You don't get to where you want to go without taking that first step!

I would not be where I am without going through so many infertility problems and two heart breaking negative transfers.

I am in a very content and happy place in life!

I am also looking forward to what is to come but also a bit scared!

I want to give him all of me!

I need to find the confidence to take that next step and peace in the outcome before I take that next step.

I am afraid of a negative.

I need to let go of that fear and know that God is in control.

I have my miracle and have seen the blessings that she has brought and I should have confidence because of that success but I am back to the fear of the unknown...starting all over again.

In my head I know God is in control but I need help letting go of that fear.

I need to lay it down and know that if it is in Gods will then it will be.

I need to trust God with all my heart and know what he has already given me is way more than I could have ever asked for.

I will trust you, Lord, with all my heart, for all you are and I won't forget how good you are!

I need to get my head and heart in the right place before I even take that next step...

Maielle's Language

Maielle's language amazes me about how much she says and understands! I decided today to write down all the words she says that I could remember. These are all words that she uses in her everyday language at 15 months old!
32 words total
Daddy
Mama
Papa
Bubbles
Thank You
Paw paw
Grandpa
B (Bee)-what she calls my sister
Diaper
Poo poo
Ball
Bird
Book
Shoe
Bottle
No
Eye
Hi
Bye Bye
Baby
More
Clock
Hot
Uh Oh
Hat
Ball
Cheese
Duck
Balloon
Pee Pie
Boo

She also loves animals!!! She has been making animal sounds for a long time. I can't remember what age she was but her first animal noises were owl, dog, bear & monkey. Not all of these are noises...some are gestures or imitations of the animal.
Dog
Cat
Monkey
Kangaroo (jumps up & down)
Bear
Lion
Dolphin
Elephant
Pig
Fish (open & closes her mouth with her lips puckered)
Rabbit
Chicken
Duck
Bird
Cow
Owl

Three Embryos Should Never Be Implanted in IVF

Three Embryos Are Too Many for IVF: Study

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 11 (HealthDay News) -- The ideal number of embryos to implant during in-vitro fertilization (IVF) therapy can be one or two, but should never be more than three, according to a new study that examined this controversial issue.
British researchers analyzed data from about 124,000 IVF cycles that resulted in 33,500 live births. The live birth rate was higher among women of all ages who had two embryos implanted than among those who received one embryo.
But among women younger than 40, transferring three embryos was associated with a lower birth rate than transferring two embryos. The success rate for women older than 40 who received three embryos was the same as for those who received two embryos.
Compared with transferring one embryo, transferring two or three embryos was associated with a higher risk of all adverse perinatal outcomes. The risk for severe preterm birth was particularly high among women who received three embryos, according to the study.
Overall, the live birth rate was lower in older women than in younger women, no matter how many embryos were transferred.
The study appeared online Jan. 11 in The Lancet.
"In older and younger women, the transfer of two embryos was associated with greatest live birth rates...," Debbie Lawlor, of the University of Bristol, and colleagues said in a journal news release. "A clear implication of our study is that transfer of three embryos should no longer be supported in women of any age."
"In both age groups, transfer of three embryos did not increase the livebirth rate over that seen after transfer of two embryos, but was associated with an increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes."
In younger woman with only two or a small number of embryos successfully fertilized, transferring two embryos, rather than just one, as is legislated in some countries currently, may be justified, the researchers noted.
"In view of these findings and previous findings, we conclude that no more than two embryos should be transferred into women of any age, but greater freedom should be given to clinicians and patients to decide whether to transfer one or two embryos, according to prognostic indicators, such as maternal age," they added.
Couples need to be aware that delaying childbirth may make it difficult for women to conceive and harder for in-vitro fertilization to be successful, the researchers added. For doctors seeing a new couple struggling with infertility, starting IVF quickly is key when the woman is in her late 30s compared to her late 20s, the researchers suggested.

I thought this article was very interesting. For our three transfers we did 1 embryo the first time, 3 the second time & 2 the third time...which resulted in the birth of our wonderful baby girl!!! I am curious what my doctors views on this will be?

On the Night You Were Born

On the night you were born,

the moon smiled with such wonder

that the stars peeked in to see you

and the night wind whispered,

"Life will never be the same."

Because there had never been anyone like you...

ever in the world.

So enchanted with you were the wind and the rain

that they whispered the sound of your wonderful name.

The sound of your name is a magical one.

Let's say it out loud before we go on.

It sailed through the farmland

high on the breeze...

Over the ocean...

And through the trees...

Until everyone heard it

and everyone knew

of the one and only ever you.

Not once had there been such eyes,

such a nose,

such silly, wiggly, wonderful toes.

In fact, I think I'll count to three

so you can wiggle your toes for me.

When the polar bears heard,

they danced until dawn.

From faraway places,

the geese flew home.

The moon stayed up until

morning next day.

And none of the ladybugs flew away.

So whenever you doubt just how special you are

and you wonder who loves you, how much and how far,

listen for geese honking high in the sky.

(They're singing a song to remember you by.)

Or notice the bears asleep at the zoo.

(It's because they've been dancing all night for you!)

Or drift off to sleep to the sound of the wind.

(Listen closely...it's whispering your name again!)

If the moon stays up until morning one day,

or a ladybug lands and decides to stay,

or a little bird sits at your window awhile,

it's because they're all hoping to see you smile...

For never before in story or rhyme

(not even once upon a time)

has the world ever known a you, my friend,

and it never will, not ever again...

Heaven blew every trumpet

and played every horn

on the wonderful, marvelous

night you were born.

                                Nancy Tillman

She's One!!!

We made it…the first year is over! Wow it flew by so fast! It was just twelve months ago when I met Maielle James, we were strangers and now we are inseparable! In the past year we have had many laughs, some tears, many lost hours of sleep and tons of sweet, sweet kisses and cuddle times (some at 3 am)! Our life without Maielle seems like a distant memory and yet it was only twelve months ago! A smile comes over me when I think of all the things we have gone through in the past year and I am also sad to think her first year is already over! I can’t wait to see what is to come!

Her birthday had an owl theme and I think everything turned out really cute! My sister and I made her birthday cakes and they were precious!

The Invitation

Owl Cupcakes

Smash Cake for Maielle

 The second Owl Cake for everyone else to eat

The Birthday Girl...outfit made by my mom! 

Her head piece inspired the entire outfit

 She was hesitant at first with the cake but as soon as she tasted the icing she dove right in!

Maielle had a great party and I enjoyed watching her enjoy her party! She was a perfect little birthday girl!