A Step in the Holiday Direction

Thanksgiving was fantastic!

The family all gathered around the living room, the food.. Everything was just perfect :).

The spread: turkey, smoked turkey, traditional stuffing, sweet fruity stuffing, yams with marshmallows, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, rolls, sweet corn bread, pecan pie, pumpkin cheesecake, apple pie, and pumpkin pie. My mom really outdid herself this year.. Yummy!)

My cousin, Saman, and I baked pumpkin cheesecake pumpkin cheesecake and pecan pie. The pumpkin cheesecake was pretty easy (I’ve never made cheesecake before) and it came out phenomenally! It was really a hit with our family today :). The pecan pie, on the other hand, came out a bit sticky and chewy because we didn’t take it out of the oven when the contents of the pie (sugar) began to overflow onto the pan in the oven – lesson learned.

I hate the idea that people leave their families to go to work on Thanksgiving day, but if they’re working… Why not pay them a visit to shop, right? After lunch and dinner (more like grazing all day), Saman, Jerry, and I decided to drive to Houston Premium Outlets to do some shopping. Kate Spade had a fantastic 50% off sale, so I snagged a beautiful black leather cross body and a mini-wallet for when I carry small purses. I also got a really cute pair of purple and coral flats from J. Crew and Christmas gifts for my dad and little brother (they’re going to love them!). That being said, I’m really in the holiday spirit after today, and really want to wrap up my holiday shopping so I can wrap everything nice and pretty to put under our Christmas tree (which is up already)!

Time for bed.. It’s pretty late and were getting up to go shopping in the morning. Hubby was so patient tonight, that I’m being a good wife and driving him to an electronics store to get a few things he’s been wanting :).

Live. Laugh. Learn.
Roxana

Thankful

Good morning!
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I want to take a moment to express my thanks.

I am thankful for life –
the ability to see and hear,
and the ability to breathe in fresh air and to feel the warm sun on my face.

I am thankful for the ability to live comfortably –
we have all we need and more.

I am thankful for having supportive relationships –
my family, husband, friends, and yes.. My pups, too!

Although sometimes I catch myself wishing, hoping, or wanting something, I know I already have everything I NEED in life. That being said, the cherry on top of everything would be to welcome a little life into our home. Not many of you know about our journey, but I would like to start opening up about it more, because I am finally able to talk about it without breaking down into tears.

I’ve always had problems and have never had regular cycles. In October 2011, after trying to conceive (TTC) for 8 months naturally, we decided to see a specialist. The specialist drew blood and gave me the diagnosis of Primary Hypothalamic Amenorrhea. (This means that my brain does not properly communicate with my ovaries to tell them to develop and release my eggs. I have plenty of healthy eggs just sitting around, but no hormone to tell them to release.) I had seen this particular specialist a few times in high school, and turns out I’d had this diagnosis since then (but was never told?).

We were told our options included injectable medication or IVF treatments. We knew that both of these options would cost us significant amounts of money (most traditional insurance companies do not have infertility coverage), so we did some research. I read about an oral ovary stimulant called Clomid. I made an appointment to see another (less harsh) fertility specialist. I practically had to beg my doctor to allow me to try Clomid. He said that it would not work for me, but I was persistent saying that I need to know for myself whether it work or not. Well, he gave in, but told me not to get my hopes up. I took the medication, and at my follicular ultrasound, he told me I had two very small follicles in my left ovary. Unfortunately, they were not developed enough to do anything with :(.

After much deliberation, lots of tears, and many sleepless nights, we finally decided that adoption is the journey for us. Domestic or international was the next dilemma. Domestic adoptions occur win the states and may be open or closed. Domestic adoptions can run between $15,000-25,000. International adoptions occur among the USA and other Hague countries. International adoptions cost between $25,000-$70,000 dependent of the chosen country. Based on these numbers, Jerry and I decided that domestic adoption is for us.

After doing more research and speaking to some friends, I found out about fostering to adopt. This sounds like a fantastic option because the maximum cost is $1,500 (legal fees only). The only con we see with this option is that, at any time, the child who has been placed with us may be taken away from us if the birth parents or family “clean up their act” or earn back their parental rights. I’m not sure my heart could handle such pain.. Because it is so much more practical, however, I think this is the option we are leaning toward for now..

We have chosen an agency, and have completed paperwork (now, I just need to turn everything in). We do, however, want two children, so I have set up a fundraising website through YouCaring to fundraise for our traditional adoption (second time around). Any donations are so very much appreciated. Here’s the link: Fundraising for Baby Horak

Live. Laugh. Learn.
Roxana