I'm ready...

for tomorrow!! Chadd gave me the shot last night.. which honestly the needle was so small I barely felt it at all. There was a little bit of a sting right afterwards but nothing I couldnt handle, believe it or not.. ha ha!!

This morning I did the ovulation test and had my spike YAH!!! So, everything is on track just as the nurse had timed out and the IUI is going to be done at the perfect time tomorrow!

I did some reading yesterday about follicles and the IUI. From what I read the amt of follicles I have (3) is normal so that is good... the size of the BIG one is the perfect size, I think around 23mm. The other 2 were much smaller.. I dont remember the size of them but they were between 12-14. They should at least be around 16-18.. but I also read that they continue to grow up until the time I ovulate, which will either be tomorrow or Friday. Hopefully they will grow some more between now and then. Also the shot I took last night should boost them and might make them bigger and create good eggs. Crossing my fingers..

I haven't been able to sleep.. between photoshopping in my dreams all night long (YES I do, isnt that funny?) and worrying over the IUI.. not so much for the procedure cause I read its not so bad.. but worrying that it wont take and we'll have to go through this again. I wouldnt wish any of this on my worst enemy.. its just heart renching every month that goes by. Just still keeping the faith, trying to stay positive, and hoping it takes the 1st time ! I'll keep everyone updated after the IUI tomorrow!! I'll go back next Friday for a blood test to see if it took!!

I heart faces - No flash!

I'm entering in the photo contest at the I Heart Faces blog. A beautiful little Princess! :D

Beautiful Erika!

Check out the blog.. click here to see all the other amazing photos and/or to join in on the fun!!!

Sonogram

So.. we had the sonogram this morning. Chadd asked if I wanted him to come.. since it was just the sonogram I told him it was totally up to him.. and he wanted to. I had told him about my last sonogram and I think he wanted to see what it was all about. He came in the sonogram room with me and the nurse faced the screen so we could both see. She showed us my uterus, explained to me about my lining (which is thickening just right!), and then went to each of my ovaries. GOOD NEWS.. I have 2 follicles in my left ovary and 1 BIG one in my right ovary!! The nurse said it looks GREAT and we're ready for the IUI! YAH!!!!! (What's an IUI? click here)

After the sonogram we went and talked with the nurse to get the IUI scheduled. She asked if I could give myself a shot and Chadd willingly said he would give it to me!! Ugggggh!!! Anyone who knows me, knows I HATE needles and normally pass out at the sight of them... so this should be interesting, ha ha!! So, tonight at 10:30pm Chadd will have to give me a shot in my stomach, which is a boost for me ovulating. She has it timed just right for the IUI that we scheduled for 8:30am Thurs morning! SO excited and scared all at the same time!! When I had the HSG done (read more on HSG), it was the worst pain EVER.. and I'm afraid this will feel about the same. It'll all be worth it though in the long run and I'm just staying positive about it and will try my hardest to relax myself Thurs morn to take the pain off.

We're hoping and praying this takes the 1st round so we dont have to do this for another 2 months. Thank you for all the continued prayers!! We truly have the greatest circle of family and friends!! We are very thankful!!

On my way..

to being a Mommy!! :D :D

So I went Sat to the appt and the sonogram showed everything looked good! The nurse went over the plan with me and I was scheduled to get started! Here's the plan:

Days 5-9 (Mon - Frid) : I started Clomid on Monday and will be on it for 5 days

Day 11 (Sunday) : start my ovulation kit. This tells me when I should be ovulating.

Day 13 (Tuesday 03/24) : I have an appt early am to go in for another sonogram. They will look to see if there is an egg ready to drop. If there is, they will give me a shot that will make me ovulate. We will schedule the IUI for the next day. If there is not an egg ready to drop, we will wait til I get a spike in my ovulation kit and will shedule the IUI for the day after the spike.

We are REALLY excited about all of this!!! We have been going on for months and months of dr's appt, test, dr's appt, another 2 tests, dr's appt, more tests... its extremly frustrating! I'm just SO excited to finally be at a point where we are doing something that can actually cause us to get pregnant instead of trying to figure out what's wrong!! Say some prayers for us cause next wk for sure will be our IUI and in a couple wks we might be pregnant!!! YAH!! YAH!! YAH!!

"Mommy"

You have no idea how badly I would love to hear that word.. I have never posted anything about this issue but now that pretty much everyone knows what we're going through, I figured why not.. It's our life and its what we're going through. Maybe by writing about it, it'll make me feel better about the situation and get some of my emotions out there.

Chadd and I have been trying for about a year 1/2, not technically a year 1/2 but well over 12 cycles. Those trying for a baby will understand what I'm talking about :D We have gone through many testings, Dr's appts, and have been placed in the category of "unknown infertility". We've done everything we can do to get preg thus far; electronic ovulation monitor, ovulation kits, temperature/cycle tracking.. it just hasnt happened for us yet. Dr says some infertility issues just cant be explained, especially when all the tests are coming back normal (which I'm totally thankful for!).

So, we got some good and bad news today.. We'll start w/ the Bad: I had bloodwork done last week and my progestrone was borderline low (9.4 supposed to be at least 10 or higher). Good news: They are starting me on Clomid (which helps w/ the progestrone) and we're starting IUI's this month!! YAH!!! I'm realllly excited for this and I really feel in my heart that this will work!!! For those who dont know what that is.. an IUI is where they take his "stuff", clean it out, then they take the good "stuff" and put it in my uterus when I'm ovulating. Click here to read on it.

I'm going in Sat morning for a sonogram where they'll check my follicals (sp?) and then we'll get started on the Clomid. They will then get me ready for an IUI this month and will continue IUI's for 3 months. If it doesnt work, then we'll take a different path. Please keep us in your prayers, as we want this SO badly and are so ready to be a Mommy and Daddy. I will say that when I finally get pregnant, it will be the BIGGEST blessing from God!! Thanks for all the love and support we have received from all our family and friends.. we are so thankful for all of you in our lives!! We couldnt get through this w/out you guys! I'll definately keep everyone posted!

Prayers for my friend Kacey, who is going through fertility issues as well.. She is the one who has gotten me through all of this.. Her positive look on life and God has meant the world to me! I cant wait til the day she has news to share!!! Hopefully we'll get pregnant together, that would be SO much fun!!! :D :D

I heart faces - creative crop

This week I'm using a picture that I took this past weekend. I had SO much fun taking pics of my best friend and her family.. it was hard w/ the little one who wanted to play "princess fairy" and play in the sand, go figure.. ha ha. I saw this picture and noticed how adorable little "A" looked so I cropped him out..

Before:


After:

** Click on the pics to pull up bigger versions.... you can really see his beautiful big eyes when the pic is bigger..

These are some of my best girl friends.. they are sisters. Believe it or not the ones on each end are twins :D They are beautiful girls and I had SO much fun taking their pics! They are absolutely STUNNING!!

Before:

After:

*click on the pics to pull them up bigger!*

Join in on the fun at Iheartfaces blog.. click here

Calling all family and friends.. (**invitation only**)

I sent out an email to all my friends and family today. For the month of March, I am offering FREE photo sessions so I can get some pics together for my portfolio and my website. I have put together a schedule below.. please let me know which date and time you prefer and I'll put you down. I would like pics for my website of babies, children, families, couples, and maternity. With the session, you'll receive a cd of the photo images so you can order and do what you please with the pics. The sessions will last between 30 min-1 hour.

After March I'm going to start charging a minimal fee for photo sessions. It takes up SO much time w/ proofing, editing, etc. Plus, anything I make will go directly toward photo equipment I need to further my career :D

Until I get some backdrop and lighting equip these will be outdoor sessions.. in case of bad weather, we'll re-schedule and it'll still be free if it has to go into April.

Here's when I'm available:

Sun 03/08
530pm- Dietrich Family

Frid 03/13
630pm- KC and Dustin - reshedule (weather)

Sun 03/15
93oam- Ring Family
630 pm- Coker Sisters (Mi Casa)

Sat 03/28
930am- Erika & Thomas

Sun 03/29
930am- Tami & Fam
6pm- Andrea, Ben & the kids

Email me and let me know what works for you and I'll update the blog as I schedule the sessions. I would like my friends and family to have this opportunity so it is based on invitation only. I am really looking forward to photographing all my beautiful peeps !! :D

Name

I have been trying to come up with a name for my photography "business" for quite some time now.. I have gone back and forth between using my name.. using a "cute" catchy name.. and I just haven't been able to come up with anything. Nothing has really stood out to me. I also had to look up domain names to see what was "left".. I really liked "Cloud 9 photography" and a few other names, but if you look that up.. there are a TON of photographers with those names. I just didnt want my potential clients or customers to get confused and go to the wrong site.

After thinking long and hard.. and after hours and hours of researching on godaddy.com I decided at least for now I'm going to be "Sarah Denise Photography". As weird as it is.. there is already someone w/ my 1st and last name so I decided to go w/ my first and middle. I thought it sounds kinda catchy and would be easy to remember. I am the new proud owner of the domains: http://www.sarahdenisephotography.com/ (main site), http://www.sarahdenise.com/ , and http://www.sarahdenisephoto.com/ (they will all be linked to the main site). Now, there isnt anything on the site just yet, but hopefully will be soon enough !! :D I'll let everyone know when I finally get a website set up so you can go and check it out!!! I'm also working on a photography blog so I can post pics from photo sessions. I am really proud when I have a good session and like to show off my work :D

* I even figured out how to make a "stamp" in photoshop w/ a little logo for the pics!! Look at my prior post to see it in the bottom right hand corner :D :D So exciting!!!

I'm continuing to learn so much in my classes and I'm having a blast so far! Everytime I take pics, I love photography and my passion grows more and more. Thanks for everyone's love and support!!

I heart "messy" faces

This weeks theme for the photo contest is "messy". My pic was taken this past weekend when cutie patootie Carson was having fun with a bubble bath. Check out the other pics or join in the fun... http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

I wasnt going to submit a photo for the I heart faces adult category.. but I decided at the last minute to enter. This is my friend Lana with her "messy" hair. I took pics of her and her sisters this past weekend and some maternity photos of her. The girls are absolutely BEAUTIFUL, as you can see in this pic!

I Heart Faces

So a friend of mine told me about a photography blog today, where you can enter "face" pics into a contest. They have different themes every week. Feel free to join in the fun.. http://iheartfaces.blogspot.com/

This week is black/white. Here's the pic I'm entering.. this is baby Connor, SO sweet!!



Would love to hear some feedback!! :D