Moving Forward...

Finally it seems like things are moving forward with the embryo adoption. I've been pretty antsy the last few days because I was just ready to get started on something, anything! Today we got an e-mail telling us that the genetic profiles of the available embryos will be e-mailed to us on Friday somewhere between 10-12 eastern time. So that means around 9-11 our time we will be picking out our potential children. Isn't that a weird thought??


From what they have told us, we will get basic information on each of the genetic parent...age, race, height, weight, blood type, eye color, hair color, hair type, skin tone (fair, medium, dark), body build (small, medium, large), education, occupation, and ethnic background. We will also know what stage the embryo was frozen - blastocysts, 2PN, or multicells. From what they told us, it really doesn't matter what stage the embryos were frozen in. It doesn't have much of an impact on the success rate. What is important is that we have to have 3 choices and they all have to be at the same stage. That will probably make it a little more tricky. AND it's on a first come, first served basis. Who ever gets their e-mail back to the clinic first will get those embryos.

Our hopes are to scan the list on Friday and be able to quickly make a decision. Jay and I have always been good at quick decision making. We aren't the types to mull something over for days, going back and forth and back again. I hope that is a plus for us in this process. We really won't have the luxury of thinking and over thinking this. Also, being in the adoption process for so long has also helped with this. When you get an e-mail about a cold call and have to make a split second decision so there is no time for wishy-washy behavior. You have to say yes or no quickly. Hopefully 2 years and 7 months of this process has prepared us for this! We are praying that the ones that are supposed to be ours kind of jump out at us and we just know those are the ones.

So we are on the move with this process. I'm ready to get going with it. I can't say that I'm excited about it, just because after so many years you know not to get excited, but I'm ready to move forward. Ready to see if this may be what we are finally supposed to be doing? Out of the blue Friday night Cade told me he wished I was pregnant. I really, really hope this works.


  

Oh The Country Life...

Changing pastures from the rented ground to our house.  Led the calves about a mile down the road.  Jay needs to "prepare" them for a show next weekend.  Jay's truck had to go to the shop (wheel bearing was out, YEAH for us!!!) so he improvised.  Good exercise and good practice for all parties involved!

I think I'm going to recall this as the summer I sweated more than any other summer in my life.

For those days it's a little quiet around the office.....

A few weeks ago I discovered this website.  Now every day I have to check it out to see the latest pictures posted.  It's a good site to browse on days when things are a little slow or you need a good laugh.  It's Awkward Family photos.  What's sad is I know there are some lurking around of my family when Charity and I were on vacation that would fit in on this site.  Of course none of mine and Jay's are this bad..ha ha.  The site is http://awkwardfamilyphotos.com/

Here are some of my personal favorites...

Swingtown   
Chairman of the Board....Why???
The Faceoff...One of my all time favorites.  Is it daughter/mother or daughter-in-law/mother-in-law?
Stepped Right In It
Scary....Again I ask Why???
Best In Show...This one didn't strike me until I read the caption.  Then I struggled to keep from laughing out loud.  I think I laughed so hard I cried.

Hope you all have as good of a time as I do laughing at other peoples pictures!

Oh, I also want to apologize for the typos in my last few posts.  I do know how to type and I do know how to spell.  It's that my internet connection can't keep up with my brain and my fingers.  Very irritating!!

Lawrence County Youth Fair

I've got several posts of pictures.  I had a lot I needed to update so make sure you scroll down to see...

Nana and Granddad's Anniversary
Easter
Ash Grove Show

I had some problems getting some of the pictures off of the camera so that's why I'm posting the anniversary and Easter 2 1/2 months later!
The Youth Fair was this past weekend and Cade once again had the heaviest pen of birds.  They weighed in at 24.80 pounds for a pen of three.  This year though Jay Cade got beat by one of Jay's students.  Cade was ok with it because he still got a buckle and a ribbon.  He had a dream that week that he got 2nd place so I think that helped him to be ok with it.

This is also our last year in Clover Kids.  Next year Cade will be able to sell his chickens at the sale and show the cattle.  Jay is glad because he's looked forward for this for years.  I will be glad because we spend a lot of time talking about the fact Cade can't do much at the fair in the time leading up to it.  Lawrence County is pretty strict on it's rules. The other places aren't so that's how we've been able to take him to the other shows in the area.   

Today our 17 chickens are being slaughtered.  Actually by now they should be about ready to pick up.  I have no idea where we are going to keep these frozen birds.  I think I know what we will be eating at every major even this year!  I'm so glad we are done with these birds.  I'm always glad to see Cade win something but I get tired of the electric bill from running the heating lamps and fans non-stop. 

The tradition before the show...washing chickens and using a shop vac to dry them.  Good times Good times.

An irritated wet chicken

Last night we watched the video and there was a shot of Cade just like this.  Last night he told us he was so nervous at that moment.  He was afraid he was going to get beat.  Not sure that's quite healthy for an 8 year old....

Notice the fan on top of the pen?  Yeah, we were the only ones who had one.  Jay is just a touch obsessed with this chicken show.  When he got into bed after midnight Saturday night he was already talking about next years modifications to the chicken pen.  And I'm the one who is blamed for being OCD???

The proud Reserve Grand Champion winner.

Ash Grove Show

Our first show of the "showing" season was Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend.  Jay loaded up Buttons and Ruby and we all headed to the metropolis of Ash Grove, Mo. 

For those of you needing a recap, here is a rundown of our current livestock...

Buttons - He's our first calf born from an embryo transfer.  He was a year old in February and is turning out to be a good show bull.  His real name is Anticipation, but Cade nicknamed him Buttons because he was born with horns.

Ruby - She is a heifer that Papa Jim got for Cade last fall.  She is not quite a year old yet so she is the perfect size for Cade to show this year.  Buttons is a little big for Cade to handle, but Ruby is just his size.  Cade came up with Ruby's name.

Jewels - She is Button's full genetic sister.  She was also transferred to the same cow, Sally, that raised Buttons.  Jewels was born in February (2 days after the failed adoption) and she will be what Cade will show this fall and next year.  Cade also came up with Jewels...but to say it right you have to really draw out the first part of the word...Ju...els. So far she is showing a lot of potential, or at least that's what I've been told.

  This is Ruby.  See how she is a good size for Cade.

This is a little tykes show...aren't they cute.

Cade and Ruby in the Little Tykes show

Ruby in breed show. She won her class.

Cade and Buttons.  Jay hung around to make sure he didn't get too wild.  Buttons won his class and then won Grand Champion Hereford Bull.

Easter 2010

Easter 2010 was pretty typical of most Easter's since Cade was born...except for one big thing..IT WAS WARM.  For the first time in years I could wear a summer dress and not shiver to death!  It turned out to be a beautiful day. 

Every year the men in our church start fixing breakfast somewhere around 6:00 am.  The rest of us get there about 8:00.  The women get to enjoy a meal that we didn't have to prepare!  The men also do the clean up.  It's a good deal all around for the girls!

After a great church service we headed to Sheldon for lunch.  We also celbrated my dad's 61st Birthday and the kids hunted eggs.  This was the first time in Cade's 8 years (except his first Easter at 1.5 weeks old) that it was acturally warm enough to be outside.  It was a nice day! 

I guess they spotted an egg under the car.  Cade went for it in his good shirt and slacks.  This may be why that was the first pair of slacks I've bought for him in awhile....

Nana and Granddad's 60th Anniversary

Nana and Granddad celebrated their 60th Anniversary with a party the day before Easter.  We all went to Fayetteville for the day to help them celebrate.  It was a good day to honor a marriage thats lasted through 6 decades, 4 children, 7 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and (I'm sure) many ups and downs. Hope you both had a great day! 

Beautiful flowers sent from the kids who couldn't be there

Daughters Sharon and Mary, along with Hill's sister Rita and her son

Cade and his cousin Josh