Here and Back
5 years ago
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Preparing for March 29th!
We booked our hotel for the trial transfer in March - So exciting! It feels like we're really moving forward now! I also got my first prescription (Estrace) in the mail to begin taking in early March to prepare my lining for my trial transfer. In the meantime, the NEDC nurse has me taking BCPs to get my cycle where it will need to be in March. I must say, it seems counter intuitive to be taking BCPs while praying to become pregnant through this adoption. But, I know this is part of the process. I'm so thankful that I don't have to give myself hormone injections for the mock transfer, like I will for the real transfer! - NOT looking forward to those shots, but definitely looking forward to what they'll be preparing my body for! :)
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Heavenly Implications of Embryo Adoption
I was hit by some of the weighty Heavenly implications of embryo adoption today, ones that have to do with the children that we adopt that perhaps won't get to experience birth.
During embryo adoption, several embryos, usually 2-4 are transferred at the same time. On occasion, all of the transferred embryos attach (implant) to the uterus successfully and twins, triplets and quadruplets get the birth that they were made to experience. However, this is not usually the norm. More often, at least one embryo doesn't survive either the thawing process.
Knowing this, we're not purposely sending a baby embryo to its death. As it currently is, they sit frozen with no chance, none at all at experiencing birth unless they are adopted by a couple. It is our prayer that every embryo that we adopt will experience a live birth, and we know families for whom this has happened. However, we know that it is rare for God to do this and we have to prepare for the fact that some (and perhaps all) of the embryos we adopt may not experience a live birth. It is a "risk" that we have to take, but it is one that is especially worth taking - for the embryos and for us.
Now Jennifer and I believe that babies who die, while having an inherited sin nature, are part of God's elect people. We believe that the grace of God applies the power of the sacrifice of Jesus on their behalf so that they immediately are ushered into Heaven. We don't believe this flippantly or sentimentally, but theologically. For great insight on the subject, take a look at this printed sermon by John MacArthur.
This being the case, we believe that God has a plan for each frozen child who is currently sitting in a storage container. That plan is either being birthed to a loving, adopting family on this current Earth or eternal life with a loving, adopting God in Heaven and on the New Earth yet to come. There is nothing but good in store for these children, even though most of the world views them as dispensable, good only for research and spare parts. The connecting line between their current state and the good that God has in store for them is an adopting family.
Now we pray and hope and think about our adopted babies experiencing birth, but what about the ones that God may have predestined for death during the transfer? Well, their entry into Heaven is dependent upon us reaching out to them and going through with the transfer. To turn that sentence around, God could be waiting for us to attempt this transfer so that some of his child(ren) can walk into the gates of Heaven and run into His arms. I guess when it comes to embryo adoption, I've always thought about either its Earthly implications or the future Heavenly and New Earth implications. I've seldom thought about way it could change Heaven before I get there. That I could be sending some of my children on ahead of me. That they could be showing me around Heaven when I get there.
What an awesome thought that Jennifer and I have probably been chosen as agents to literally bring children to God. Of course, death is a result of the Fall, but God is still sovereign over it and uses all of the results of the Fall and our sin for the ultimate good. He proved that by dying for Jennifer and myself and any of our to-be babies who may not experience birth. It is our prayer, and we ask you to join with us in this, that God will allow all of our transferred babies to experience birth. But if any don't, we know where they'll be. All of our babies will be adopted, either to our home in NC or to their Heavenly home with the Person for whom they were made to enjoy. Isn't God awesome?!
-Aaron
During embryo adoption, several embryos, usually 2-4 are transferred at the same time. On occasion, all of the transferred embryos attach (implant) to the uterus successfully and twins, triplets and quadruplets get the birth that they were made to experience. However, this is not usually the norm. More often, at least one embryo doesn't survive either the thawing process.
Knowing this, we're not purposely sending a baby embryo to its death. As it currently is, they sit frozen with no chance, none at all at experiencing birth unless they are adopted by a couple. It is our prayer that every embryo that we adopt will experience a live birth, and we know families for whom this has happened. However, we know that it is rare for God to do this and we have to prepare for the fact that some (and perhaps all) of the embryos we adopt may not experience a live birth. It is a "risk" that we have to take, but it is one that is especially worth taking - for the embryos and for us.
Now Jennifer and I believe that babies who die, while having an inherited sin nature, are part of God's elect people. We believe that the grace of God applies the power of the sacrifice of Jesus on their behalf so that they immediately are ushered into Heaven. We don't believe this flippantly or sentimentally, but theologically. For great insight on the subject, take a look at this printed sermon by John MacArthur.
This being the case, we believe that God has a plan for each frozen child who is currently sitting in a storage container. That plan is either being birthed to a loving, adopting family on this current Earth or eternal life with a loving, adopting God in Heaven and on the New Earth yet to come. There is nothing but good in store for these children, even though most of the world views them as dispensable, good only for research and spare parts. The connecting line between their current state and the good that God has in store for them is an adopting family.
Now we pray and hope and think about our adopted babies experiencing birth, but what about the ones that God may have predestined for death during the transfer? Well, their entry into Heaven is dependent upon us reaching out to them and going through with the transfer. To turn that sentence around, God could be waiting for us to attempt this transfer so that some of his child(ren) can walk into the gates of Heaven and run into His arms. I guess when it comes to embryo adoption, I've always thought about either its Earthly implications or the future Heavenly and New Earth implications. I've seldom thought about way it could change Heaven before I get there. That I could be sending some of my children on ahead of me. That they could be showing me around Heaven when I get there.
What an awesome thought that Jennifer and I have probably been chosen as agents to literally bring children to God. Of course, death is a result of the Fall, but God is still sovereign over it and uses all of the results of the Fall and our sin for the ultimate good. He proved that by dying for Jennifer and myself and any of our to-be babies who may not experience birth. It is our prayer, and we ask you to join with us in this, that God will allow all of our transferred babies to experience birth. But if any don't, we know where they'll be. All of our babies will be adopted, either to our home in NC or to their Heavenly home with the Person for whom they were made to enjoy. Isn't God awesome?!
-Aaron
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Trial/Mock Transfer Scheduled!!!
To our astonishment, the NEDC called this morning to schedule our consultation appointment for March 29th! This is crazy because when I spoke to the NEDC last month, they said that they were completely booked through March and that we were #25 on the waiting list for an appointment after March. We weren't expecting our trial transfer to be until May or June at the earliest! We're still not sure how we got this appointment so quickly... Aaron and I have been praying that this adoption would progress as quickly as God would allow and this is confirmation of answered prayer. How kind of God!
So, since the trial transfer will be done in March...hopefully, we will be able to have a real transfer in the summer.
As always, please continue praying for us (and the babies that will be transferred to my womb).
Jennifer :)
So, since the trial transfer will be done in March...hopefully, we will be able to have a real transfer in the summer.
As always, please continue praying for us (and the babies that will be transferred to my womb).
Jennifer :)
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Hello 2010!
Happy New Year! I have been meaning to blog for awhile now, but life has been too busy! We spent Christmas with my family in Atlanta and New Year's with Aaron's family in Columbia. Nothing has progressed with our adoption at this point...we continue to wait for the NEDC to call and schedule my mock transfer. Since I know that they book appointments MONTHS in advance, I would think that if I were to have it scheduled during the summer, that I'd know by March. If we don't hear from them by mid-late February, we will probably call and touch base to see where things are. But, for now, we are just waiting...which is SO HARD! I hope and pray that 2010 will be the year that our babies are transferred to my womb with a successful pregnancy!
Below are some pictures that we took on New Year's Eve - Aaron's family bought a murder mystery game, taking place in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. He was Chef Cayenne Pepper and I was Maid Elise St. Gresch - and neither of us were the murderer. :)
Below are some pictures that we took on New Year's Eve - Aaron's family bought a murder mystery game, taking place in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. He was Chef Cayenne Pepper and I was Maid Elise St. Gresch - and neither of us were the murderer. :)
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