Ovulation Predictor Kits

As we get further along in this process there is a lot to start thinking about! My current Googling involves looking at different ovulation predictor methods. There are a lot of ways to measure ovulation: measuring temperature, ovulation predictor test strips, fertility monitors, saliva monitors, and many others.

According to the doctor the ovulation predictor test strips are the best route to take. Seems to be pretty simple--just involves peeing on a strip and comparing the color of a line to the control line--can't be too complicated, right? I guess we should go and buy some tomorrow as well as buy some prenatal vitamins for Jennie to start taking! It's pretty exciting to think about all of this and the fact that this time next year we might be welcoming a little Baby Crate into the world.

Luckily, Jennie's ovulation/period cycle is a lot more regular than mine, so it should be easier to narrow down at least a window of when ovulation might be occurring. And then there is the question of how many times to try inseminating during each ovulation cycle.  Some sources recommend just once, others recommend twice, so we'll have to see what our provider recommends.

As far as doctor's go, we've been leaning more toward using a midwife for insemination. One of our friend's informed us that a midwife at Mountain Midwifery Center of Colorado is starting to perform inseminations. This is really exciting to us because we've always wanted to use a midwife and we thought at first we'd have to at least start at the office of a Reproductive Endocronologist before heading over to a midwife, but it looks like we'll be able to start there!  There are some unknowns as far as whether or not we can have the sperm from the bank sent straight to the Midwifery Center or if we need to have it sent to a local sperm bank for storage. 

On to our next adventure--buying the sperm! It seems like the donor we really like has gotten low on supply, so we may have to choose another one.

  

Who Will Carry?

One really interesting question that you have to ask yourself in a lesbian relationship that most other couples don't have the option of asking is "who will carry the baby?" In most relationships there is no question of who will get pregnant, it's usually predetermined by which of the partners has the uterus. Fortunate for us though, we have options.

Most of you who know me know that my whole life I have wanted babies. I've always loved babies and kids. I was the little kid that had babies (not dolls) and carried them around with me constantly. I was also the designated family babysitter for all of my little cousins, and I loved it. Another thing that many of you know is that even though I've always wanted babies, I've never actually wanted to have the babies! As far back as I can remember I never wanted to actually give birth to the children that I knew I would have some day (perhaps I knew at an early age there was something different about me). Before I came out as a lesbian, I remember telling friends that I would likely adopt or go about creating my family in some way that did not involve me being pregnant or birthing a child.  After I came out and began dating Jennie and learned that she would love to carry a baby, my problem of how to have babies without actually having them solved itself. Just one of the many joys of being a lesbian ;)

It wasn't until very recently that I started to question whether or not I wanted to actually have a baby. Last Fall I volunteered to be a surrogate for a lesbian couple friend of ours who had been struggling for several years to start their family. I underwent a TON of testing and started a regimen of vitamins and hormones to prepare my body for  carrying a baby. I know some of you are probably thinking, wait a minute, I thought she just said she never wanted to carry a baby.  Well you're right, but in this situation I saw it like this--I am young and have this ability to carry a child, why let it go to waste if I can help someone else out who can't have a baby. I know that logic might seem strange or not make sense to you, but it made sense to Jennie and I. 

Only a week away from diving in and doing the embryo transfer, the intended parents had a 6 month old baby placed with them through the foster care system--and it looks like this baby may end up with them permanently so they called off the surrogacy. I wasn't sure how to feel when this happened. I was elated for them that they had a beautiful baby in their care, but I also worried that this placement could fall through and then they would no longer have a child. Surprisingly, I experienced a feeling of loss and sadness that I did not at all expect. I think I had prepared myself so much for carrying a baby that it was disappointing that it wasn't going to happen. After that is the first time I ever started thinking "hey, maybe I do want to do this whole having a baby thing."

Jennie and I chatted and decided that maybe I should be the one to carry our first child and that she could do the others (if we're blessed to have more than one).  So for the past 4 months or so I've been wrapping my head around the idea of me being the one to have the baby.  I thought for sure that was what I wanted, but the more real this all gets and the closer the first IUI gets, the more I begin second guessing myself.  I was fine carrying a baby as a surrogate and handing the child off to the intended parents in the end, but this feels different.  I don't think I'm interested in all the weird/awkward stuff that comes along with actually giving birth to my own child.  One of the main things that freaks me out is breast feeding. This is something that Jennie and I have talked extensively about and think that (if possible) we want breast feeding to be a priority for our children. HOWEVER, the idea of me breast feeding a baby totally weirds me out--it freaks me out when women I work with or interact with announce that they need to leave a meeting to go pump. I'm not sure what it is, but there are just parts of being the woman who carries that don't interest me.

So after thinking for quite some time that I would be the one to carry, we've switched back to what had always been--Jennie is going to be the one to carry our babies. Who knows, maybe we'll switch it up again or I'll have some strong urge to carry our next baby, but as of now that's the plan.

As far as where we're at in the process, we're going to begin observing Jennie's ovulation soon and get her on some prenatal vitamins.  We need to sit down and order our sperm (odd to think about that!) and decide just how we want to go about this insemination process. Some people swear by the IUI at the doctors and others keep telling us that it's a waste of money and we should just do it at home.  So we're discussing and weighing our options.  We're hoping to begin the process in June, so with any luck we could all be welcoming Baby Crate into the world this time next year!

Almost a year later in the Life more Abundant...

Well. after almost a year hiatus we're back! We decided that we would reinstate our Crates by the Bushel blog to document our latest adventures! As many of you know we've just bought our first house and we're finishing up our Indiegogo campaign "Help us Make a Baby". Two really big things happening all at the same time.

The house in itself has been an adventure. We had the lofty goal of scraping all of the popcorn ceilings, painting the ceilings, painting the whole interior, tearing out some cabinets and mirrors and deep cleaning before we move in. So far we're probably about 70% finished with this list and we're picking up the U-Haul Saturday morning! Also since we've been spending so much time at the new place trying to get it ready, we don't exactly have our apartment packed up. I have faith that it will all get there and work out, but I'm starting to feel slightly panicked. On top of renovating, paiting, and packing we've been hard at work managing our campaign on Indiegogo.

We have been absolutely overwhelmed by the support from our friends, families, and strangers during our Indiegogo campaign. Here it is in case you missed it. If you could be here to see us running to tell the other person "we got another contribution!" or squealing in excitement when we'd reach another milestone in our campaign, I'm sure you'd be entertained! I honestly got very little sleep the first night we launched our campaign. I kept thinking "is this crazy?" or "should we really put our personal lives out there like this?", and "is anyone even going to donate to something like this?". I also spent a lot of time worrying that people we cared about would think that we were being selfish or that because we were doing this campaign it meant that we didn't have the financial means to raise a child. Fortunately no one that we actually know and care about thought any of these things. There were quite a few lesbians outraged by our story that was shared on the Curve Magazine Facebook page, but I keep telling myself that out of 29,000 followers, a couple of crazies isn't too bad :) We also got a lot of amazing support thanks to that post on the Curve Magazine Facebook. We want to make sure and thank Missy over at theterellsjourney for posting this great piece, Throwing Stones at Our Own. As someone who has dedicated their life to fighting for LGBTQ equality and works daily with LGBTQ youth facing discrimination and exclusion it was tough to read the negative comments from my own community. But I had to remind myself--those women aren't my community, my community is the over 135 funders who contributed to our campaign, and the hundreds of others who spent 47 days sharing our story on facebook and telling the world what amazing parents we would make.

I can't tell you how swollen my heart has felt over the last 47 days. It is amazing to see the world validate us and our dreams to be parents just like they do any other couple. And I can tell you this baby will be well planned for! We will receive the funds from our campaign April 27th at 11:59pm and then the process begins! I plan on using this blog to update as often as I can any big happenings along our baby making journey.

Pictures of the Day - April and May

Surprise Snow

 

Rebirth

  

Bleached Tree 

MLB

Sunset Tulips
















Andrea Gibson Concert Audience

Privacy Please
















Backyard Glow

Pictures of the Day - February and March

 Earth Friendly 

 

Afternoon Snack 

Luxuriating Orchid

101 Goals in 1001 days

I am a list  maker.

I enjoy order and efficiency and I love the feeling of 'checking things off my list'.  Its a sense of accomplishment, a sense of purpose, and a way to measure the way I've spent my time.  In fact, I love putting things on my monthly calendar, because when I look back on it at the end of the month, I can physically see the way I've spent my last 30 days.  I feel amazing when I'm busy and get things done.

So it makes sense that I would eventually incorporate lists into my photography career.  As a newbie who is trying to built a photography business from the ground up, I think my goals in a list form will really provide me with focus and purpose in the coming three years. 

The inspiration for the 101 goals in 1001 days came from reading two posts by Denver area photographers R.J. Kern  (Kern Photo) and Amanda Tipton (Kokoro Photo).  Being new to the area, I'm slowly trying to learn about (and hopefully meet!) other wedding photographers and the two of them seem like fun people with great photographic work.  I like the idea of updating my list as I accomplish my goals, and sharing the final products with photographic proof when possible.  I will re-post this as one of my first posts once I get my photography blogsite up and running (Goal #1).

Since I finished my list today, my 1001 days will expire on Saturday,  February 7, 2015.

You'll see that this list has mostly photography components to it as this is the area that I have the biggest goals to work towards, but there are plenty of other personal goals (both fun and serious!) to reach.  I hope you enjoy following along as much as I enjoy attempting to accomplish my goals.

101 Goals in 1001 Days: Green Blossom Edition

Completion date: Saturday, February 7, 2015

1.     Launch Green Blossom blogsite

2.     Blog twice a week

3.     Write inspiration posts for blog

4.     Write FAQ’s for blogsite

5.     Write a kick-ass ‘About Me’ section for blogsite

6.     Enter a photo contest

7.     Contact a local gallery about selling my work

8.     Create a business card

9.     Create a marketing postcard

10. Consult with a lawyer to create a contract

11. Sign up for liability insurance

12. Open a business bank account

13. Shoot a wedding as a second photographer

14. Purchase a full frame camera

15. Purchase a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens

16. Purchase a 70-200mm g/2.8 lens

17. Try out a new lighting technique

18. Photograph a wedding with my wife

19. Photograph a same-sex wedding

20. Advertise in a publication geared for same-sex couples

21. Photograph a newborn baby

22. Get portraits taken of me

23. Attend a photography class/ workshop

24. Attend a wedding photography class/ workshop

25. Purchase an iMac

26. Purchase CS6

27. Join a photography organization

28. Subscribe to a photography magazine

29. Subscribe to a wedding magazine

30. Attend a bridal show

31. Host a booth at a bridal show

32. Meet area photographers

33. Photograph a gymnastics meet

34. Photograph an elite gymnastics meet

35. Photograph a destination wedding

36. Eat a whole lobster

37. Have a wedding featured on Style Me Pretty

38. Buy a car

39. Buy a house

40. Have our first child

41. Give birth naturally

42. Have maternity photos taken

43. Hike the Grand Canyon

44. Go to Hawaii

45. Take my wife on a surprise vacation

46. Print gallery wrap canvases for our nursery

47. Photograph a boudoir shoot

48. Finish scrapbooking our wedding album

49. Complete 365 Day photo project

50. Have a 365 Day photo project party

51. Publish an ad in a local bridal magazine

52. Go to the 2015 gymnastics world championships

53. Purchase a monitor calibrator

54. Go to an 'equipment try-out' day at the Denver Zoo

55. Go to the Denver Museum of Science and Nature

56. Visit Mesa Verda

57. Climb a 14,000 foot mountain

58. Cook every recipe in Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution cookbook

59. Finish transferring my gymnastics VHS tapes to DVD

60. Take voice lessons

61. Join a yoga and spinning studio

62. Join a volleyball league

63. Pay off our credit card debt

64. Buy a dresser

65. Complete the Red Rocks fitness challenge

66. Get a massage

67. Have a spa day with my mom

68. Buy a bike with a basket

69. Knit a blanket for our baby

70. Grow my own herbs

71. Print photographs for my wife’s office

72. Attend a concert at Red Rocks

73. Take a 3-day backpacking trip

74. Host a dinner party complete with stylish table decorations

75. Go on a business planning retreat

76. Create a cozy and inspiring studio space

77. Evaluate 101 goals and progress throughout the year

78. Photograph a stylized photo shoot for fun and experience

79. Visit a natural hot springs

80. Start figure modeling again

81. Learn off camera lighting set-up with wireless remote

82. Create a list of photography blogs I follow and check weekly

83. Introduce myself to photography bloggers I follow

84. Find photoshop plug-ins I like

85. Define my photographic style

86. Photograph a wedding at the Denver Botanic Gardens

87. Purchase a pair of Vibrum 5 fingers

88. Run a 5K race in Vibrum 5 fingers

89. Visit the 4 corners

90. Go on a wine tour

91.  Have lunch with a local wedding photographer whose work  I admire

92. Make monkey bread

93. Do a photoshoot with headpieces from Dani Hansen’s ‘From Sprout to Out’ collection

94. Go horseback riding

95. Print my own greeting cards as family Christmas gifts

96. Go on a 30-mile bike riding adventure

97. Purchase a case of Chenin Blanc from Goosecross Vineyards

98. Go apple picking

99. Make a dessert from a Martha Stewart recipe

100.                Go on a 10 mile-run

101.                Make my own ice cream

Vita Abundantior -- A Health Analysis

I've been thinking about my health and my body quite a bit in the last few weeks. Not in a bad way, as I've never been one to constantly put myself down or criticize myself (although, as with most women, I think every now in then it's inside of the norm), but more as an analysis of where I am, where I want to be, and how to get there.

Last week I went to the batting cages with the softball team that I'll be playing on for the summer. I haven't played fast-pitch softball in almost two years, though we played about 6 months of slow-pitch in Syracuse. So while I know I'm not super fit for softball, I wasn't expecting to see how weak I felt. I felt like my swing was still pretty good and I was making decent contact with the ball by the end of the evening, but I just felt like I had so little power. In my arms, my hips, and my core.

Then today I want for a run. I've been running a few times since we've been in Colorado and I've felt pretty good on each run, but today my legs just felt heavy. Again, my hips felt weak. So, I started to think about why this might be happening and how I can change things up so I feel stronger.

My conclusion is that, while I am doing more daily active things (like riding my bike to work, hiking once a week), I'm doing less intensive exercise. In college I was a two season athlete with a workout plan for the summer. After I graduated I was dating a college athlete and was still in the mindset of exercising almost every day. In DC I discovered yoga and we joined a gym, which I was adamant about working into our weekly schedule. I also did a lot of walking in DC. And then in Syracuse, I went to spinning and yoga weekly, I ran a couple of races, and I played on softball and kickball teams.

Part of what I was so excited about with our move to Colorado was the active lifestyle mindset of most people who live here. Here biking as a means of transportation is common, people take their three year olds and their dogs on hikes, and families hang out a parks with their kids. As far as vita abundantior goes, I feel like we've done a great job of taking advantage of the opportunities to be active and outside in Denver. But what I think has fallen by the wayside is my attention to overall core strength and fitness. And as a soon to be 28-year old who would like to start a family in the next year or two, its really important to me to be fit and in shape before I get pregnant so I can continue that lifestyle during the pregnancy.

If we had the opportunity to hike four or five times a week I think the fitness would take care of itself, but the fact is, we're happy if we get to fit one hike in per week because of our work schedules. So I need to form a plan to make sure that my overall needs are met, while still making sure that we embrace the Colorado mindset. A good balance is what I need and here are my short term plans for achieving it:

1) I've signed up for two months of sunrise vinyasa yoga classes at the Denver Botanic Gardens. As an employee, I get to go for free, so I'm taking advantage of the opportunity, even though the classes start at 7am.

 2) I'm going to start doing some basic lifting and core exercises each evening while we're watching TV at night.

3) I currently work four days a week and have three off, so I'm going to go for a run, for however long I'm feeling, for two of those days.

4) Weekly bike rides, hiking trips, and organized sports should help round out my week. This fall, I hope to add volleyball to the repertoire.

 I'm really excited to get back to yoga, and perhaps when I get a full time job, I can find a spinning studio to join too. I'll report back on progress as the summer goes along.