Spring has Sprung......

My gardens are full of green.....sprouting and mounding from perennials ready to pop! The weather is warming and trees that have been nothing but sticks all winter are starting to grow tiny leaves. Spring trees are in full bloom already in Knoxville. My sweet husband even had to mow our lawn today.

We love Spring in the Bice house, as I am sure most people do! Our gardens go from neglected to weekend priority number one! Just thinking about cleaning out our largest garden somewhat overwhelms me, but I know it's a task Brandon and I will have to complete sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Spring is also a runner's paradise! The weather is perfect for a nice long run. Cool to start, but comfortable by the end. Since our egg retrieval and transfer, I have yet to be cleared to run. I think it's part of the OHSS and the prolonged bloating and general hugeness of my ovaries. I have been told I can walk....for 30 minutes at a time, but only as long as I can carry on a normal conversation without getting winded. Sweet Noah and I took a nice long walk this morning (don't tell, but it was a little over 30 minutes)! It was nice to feel somewhat active! I am ready to come off injured reserves and get back in the game! But, you know what they say.....good things come to those who wait! :)

Patience

Patience has never been a trait of mine. When Brandon and I first started trying to get pregnant I could barely stand the TWW. I can't tell you how many times I took pregnancy tests, long before it was possible to even know. But, pregnancy tests are expensive, so that had to end!

I used to pray all the time for patience. I would always ask the Lord "Please teach me to be more patient" and not just in the TWW, but with co-workers and friends, and God's general plan for Brandon and I. Patience and Lauren Bice don't generally go well together in a sentence.

About 6 months ago I was at the gym in the cardio theater room watching Evan Almighty (of all movies). I had never seen it before and although I love Steve Carell and found the movie mildly entertaining....I had no idea it was about to change my outlook on patience.

At one point in the movie Steve Carell's character is questioning what God has asked him to do (build an ark) and the decisions he has made. God, played by Morgan Freeman, says this during the movie......

Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?

I nearly fell off the treadmill. And I know I cried (so glad the theater room is dark)! It was exactly what I needed to hear and seemed to fit our situation perfectly. I have stopped praying for patience and instead have started praying for and embracing my opportunities to be patient. I can't say it's made me a more patient person, but it's changed my outlook on certain situations.....and given me lots of comfort. Who knew a silly movie like Evan Almighty could do that?

The Two Week Wait (TWW)

The dreaded two week wait. That time between "ovulating" (or in our case- Egg Retrieval) and finding out if you are pregnant. Over the last year and a half Brandon and I have learned to handle the TWW pretty well. Although, I won't lie...it's the longest, most awful two weeks that seem to drag on with no intention of ever ending (and yes...I am slightly exaggerating).

Thankfully our wait ends tomorrow. I go to the doctor first thing in the morning for a blood pregnancy test. I will learn the results sometime tomorrow afternoon. We are both so excited! And nervous!

Monday night and early Tuesday I started having symptoms that led me to believe this IVF procedure had NOT been successful. Thankfully the symptoms have subsided. I can honestly say I don't know what to think about this pregnancy test tomorrow. I think it could truly go either way, positive or negative.

Brandon and I have come a long way in our infertility journey. We have passed many many milestones and are honestly proud of ourselves and where we are today. We are ready for the next step (hopefully pregnancy). But, if we are not pregnant, we are ready for that, too. We are saying our prayers, crossing our fingers, and keeping our attitudes positive! Hopefully this time tomorrow.....we will be parents!

Mother Nature laughs loudest

Friday afternoon Brandon's buddy, Kevin, from back home (Chicago) arrived in Knoxville. Brandon has been like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning all week. He is so excited to have Kevin in town. It's cute.

Saturday morning Kevin gave us an update on what the weather was doing in Chicago. Thirty degrees and snowing like crazy. We all laughed. A lot. Haha...Chicago is cold and snowy. Sure....it was raining in Knoxville, but it was sixty degrees.

Mother Nature got the last laugh. This morning we woke up to huge snow flakes and cold temperatures. Maybe we shouldn't mock Mother Nature?

Little Green Men

Have you ever wondered what an embryo looked like?

Here are two pictures of our embryos.






The two with writing around them are the two embryos that were transferred back to me yesterday. Apparently those are the "good looking" embryos. We are really hoping that if they continue to grow and become our babies, some of that neon green will wear off.

Some of the other floating items in the pictures will later become our "frozen embryos". Some look better than others...and they will be the keepers. And some "look a little weird" (to quote my doctor) and will not be kept. Although, let's not kid ourselves, this wouldn't be the last time our children might be labeled as "weird looking"! :)

Today I feel good! Better than I have felt in a couple of weeks! And I am feeling hopeful and excited all over again!