Baby Bennett,

Here we are. Two full weeks from where we started. In the past 14 days, I’ve administered shot after shot, done ultrasound after ultrasound, and spent countless hours on the road in order to prepare my body for you. At each appointment, we’ve look at how my body was producing eggs, and measured my various hormone levels. It was so taxing and exhausting.

On Tuesday, my body showed signs of being ready. My doctor decided that Wednesday was the day we would go in and harvest as many eggs as we could. It was finally happening! I had 17 follicles that were measuring and I was sure we would see great results at the egg retrieval.

Wednesday rolled around and your Dad and I got up super early to travel to our appointment. I was prepped for surgery and had butterflies in my stomach. Everything we had done was leading up to this point. We prayed and I was rolled back to the OR. After what your Dad says was about 25 minutes, it was all over. I vaguely remember waking up and the first words out of my mouth were “How many did we get?”

I was not prepared for the answer.

“Five. We got five”, he answered. I immediately started crying. I felt like all my hard work, all the injections, appointments, blood draws, was for nothing.

I couldn’t keep from crying. But your Dad assured me this was all going to be just fine and that you were in that bunch.

The nurse was as sweet as can be and told me it only takes one and that she will be praying, but I felt like our odds were not good. The whole ride home, I barely spoke. I didn’t know what to say. How could my body betray me and only produce 5 eggs?

I spent the rest of the day in bed, resting and doing everything I could to keep my mind off of our odds. Cut to me Googling everything from “5 eggs from IVF retrieval” to “what are my chances of pregnancy with 5 eggs”. To say I was obsessed is an understatement. Night came, your Dad came home from work, and we conversed about how life could be. The test would be waiting for our fertilization report on Thursday morning, a life time away.

Thursday morning. A new outlook. Anticipation. I should know the results between 8am and 10am. I could do that. I just had to occupy myself between now and then. 9am came. 10am came. Then 11am. I left countless voicemails looking for someone who could give me an answer. My gut was telling me it was bad news.

Then, at 12:37pm, I had my answer. Out of the 5 eggs, 4 fertilized! 4. That is an 80% fertilization rate. And Baby, let me tell you, I feel that you are in that group. You are a fighter and you are ready to make an appearance. I know we have a long way to go and a lot can happen, but this is the news we have been waiting for. Good new. No, great news! There are so many people who are praying for you right now. They are hoping you make it to transfer and thrive, which I have no doubt that you will.

Now we have the long wait until we hear about the next steps, which will hopefully be on Saturday. I’m keeping my hopes high, but my expectations manageable. I’m praying that God gives me patience and reminds me who is really in control. I know He is on our side.

Waiting for you with such anticipation!

Mama