Upcoming Adoption Raffle for Lost Stork

The Lost Stork Foundation is holding two raffles in November to celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month. Click here for information. One raffle is adoption-themed for those going through domestic, international or foster adoption. The other raffle is a Family Fun Night theme which anyone can enter. The raffle entry period is from November 1st through November 15th. Please help spread the word and consider participating in one (or both) raffles!

Friendship Fundraiser Friday

The Lost Stork Foundation is still working hard to raise money for our grants but in the meantime we're started a Fundraiser Friday! If you're currently holding a fundraiser to help pay for infertility treatments or adoption we would be happy to promote that fundraiser every Friday. It can be an online auction, Etsy shop, garage sale or anything else. Check out the Lost Stork blog for more details. I've already added a couple fundraisers that I know of from my blog readers. And check back in a couple days to hear more about our upcoming raffle to celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month!

Busy Bee!

August is going to be wicked busy for me. Check out the schedule I already have planned:

Aug 3rd- Baseline U/S appt
Aug 4th- Meds arrive
Aug 5th- Start Lupron
Aug 10th- U/S appt
Aug 16th- U/S appt and physical appt for homestudy and first homestudy visit!
Aug 24th- Last U/S appt and trigger day
Aug 29th- Transfer Day for last FET

And somewhere in all that we have to scrub our house clean, finish filling out our homestudy application and questionnaire, finish up our adoption profile, paint the nursery room and get fingerprinted (though much of that may take until September to complete).

And on top of all that I'm putting together another raffle for the Lost Stork Foundation. Things have been moving a bit slowly for the LSF. We had been putting together a big bowling fundraiser in Georgia but had to put those plans on hold. Because our non-profit is registered in Missouri, it would cost over $100 just for us to hold a fundraiser in Georgia, something we can't afford at this time as we're working on applying for our 501(c)3 status which costs $400. Sooo at fundraiser have been put on hold for now and we hope to work something out so that we can have this event sometime next year. The raffle that I'm planning right now is to celebrate National Adoption Awareness Month which is in November. It's only fair since we held one for National Infertility Awareness Week. We will be having two raffles, one adoption-themed raffle for those who are going through domestic or international adoption and one general raffle for those who would like to participate but aren't adopting. If you are interested in making a donation for the raffle or if you simply have a suggestion as to what you'd like to see in the prize selection, please email me at christa@loststorkfoundation.org. I hope to have all donations in by mid-October so I can announce what the prizes will be, so check back for updates!

And don't forget to enter my Harry Potter Birthday Giveaway!

Adoption Updates, a New Article, and a Project

Well today was my appointment with my PCM to discuss a piece of our adoption questionnaire. We went over various substance abuse issues and what kind of effects those drugs would have on an unborn child. It was very enlightening. Some drugs that I thought I would be comfortable with I ended up changing my mind and vice versa. We also discussed medical history of birthparents' family, like mental disorders or cystic fibrosis, and what we felt comfortable accepting and not accepting. I didn't realize how uneducated I was about all this until we went to our appointment. But it looks like we've made up our mind about our comfort level with these issues so we plan to fill out that part of our questionnaire tonight while the information is still fresh in our mind.

Today I finally got an article published with Associated Content. This article discusses 13 different resources for adoption fundraising, all with different ways to raise money for your upcoming adoption. My favorite is the Leaves of Love which is the fundraiser I plan on doing if we end up adopting. It's such a wonderful idea and I love the artwork! I plan on working on my next article shortly, which will be a compilation of adoption grant programs.

So to commemorate my lovely adoption fundraising article I've decided to start a new project called Fundraiser Friday. It's a simple enough project, if you're having a fundraiser for something infertility or adoption related, simply email me with the info about the fundraiser and its purpose. I will post the information about your fundraiser either the week before or the week during your event to help spread the word (on Fridays of course, hence the name Fundraiser Friday). I'm not sure how popluar my project will be so I can't say when I'll have my first Fundraiser Friday post but we'll just figure that out as we go along.

Oh, and the Lost Stork Foundation finally has a blog of its own! Check it out here. The design isn't complete yet but we hope to have that done this week so please excuse the "construction" going on. Aly from the Infertility Overachievers has graciously donated her time to help make the Lost Stork's blog beautiful and we can't wait to see the finished product!

Oh, and 48 MORE DAYS!!!!

Raffle Winner

Congratulations to the winner of the raffle, Ellen C.! I want to thank everyone who entered to help out the Lost Stork Foundation. The organization has big big plans in the making for National Infertility Awareness Week (April 24-30) and will announce those plans as they get firmed up.

Waiting Sucks

There's a few important things I'm waiting on in my life right now that's causing me a bit of stress. The most important one is my FET schedule. I'm due for a baseline ultrasound in less than 2 weeks, if my calculations are right. So it's a bit stressful to not have a schedule detailing all the other appointments I need. I still have to book my flight, hotel, rental car and ultrasound appointments and it's all on hold till I get that piece of paper. I'm trying not to stress about it but it's getting to me.

So let's talk about something else, shall we? The raffle for the Lost Stork Foundation ends on Saturday so please check it out and buy a ticket if you can. We haven't sold any raffle tickets so far and the end of the raffle is only two days away! Also, the LSF has moved from a Facebook group to a Facebook page so followers can get updates through their news feed instead of having to visit the group's page. Unfortunately followers of the group could not be moved to the page so please stop by and click "Like" if you would like to receive updates from the Lost Stork!

In adoption news we've got an appointment next week with my PCM to discuss substance abuse issues and their effects on babies. We just don't have enough information to make an informed decision and since it's part of our adoption questionnaire we need get more information before we can fill that section out. I specifically asked for an appointment with a pediatrician but we've got no kids so apparently that isn't an option. I was told that if my PCM doesn't know the answer to some of our questions then she can just run over to the Pediatrics Dept and ask someone. WTF. I hate Tricare sometimes.

I'm starting to get things ready for our trip to Ireland, even though it's two months away. I need to buy a power converter for our electronic stuff so that will need to be ordered soon. And I'm going to pack the things we don't plan on using between now and then, like our camera and tripod. I've also got plans to meet two blog friends on our trip, Fran from Everyone else but me and Mrs S. from Him+Me+Three?Maybe. I'm so excited! Fran lives in Dublin so it was only natural to make plans to meet her and her precious baby Oliver. But Mrs S. is also planning a trip to Ireland/London the same two weeks we're going and it just so happens that we'll be in the Galway at the same time! How cool is that? I'm so excited to be able to meet two blog friends on my upcoming vacation. I told Brandon about it and our conversation went a little like this:

Me: Hey babe, you know how we're meeting Fran when we go to Ireland? Well now we're meeting another blog friend of mine, only she's from the US and will just happen to be in Ireland at the same time!
Brandon: Really? So we're actually going to be meeting Fran?
Me: Of course we are, I just haven't hashed out the exact plans. Why do you think we wouldn't meet her?
Brandon: Because it wasn't on your itinerary.

Well played, Brandon, well played. Looks like I'll have to add my friends to my itinerary so he isn't confused anymore. Sheesh.

ICLW Welcome & Other Random Updates

First off, I'd like to say hello to everyone stopping by for ICLW. For those of you unfamiliar with ICLW, it stands for International Commenting Leaving Week. Mel from Stirrup Queens hosts the event every month and it's a way to socialize with others in the ALI community. I encourage everyone to give it a try!

So I suppose introductions are in order. I'm Christa, author of Fearlessly Infertile. My husband and I are currently residing in CT, though we're a military family and we move alot so we're hoping to make it back to the West Coast in a couple years. Not that we hate CT (actually we do) but we really miss living in Washington. We've been married 3 1/2 years and have been trying to conceive since before then. 2 IVF's and a FET later we have one miscarriage and 5 frozen embryos to show for it, but alas no baby. So now we're in the "boring" part of FET #2...waiting for AF to show up. I'm on the last few days of Provera, just twiddling my thumbs for the moment. Transfer Day is scheduled for May 2nd. We're also researching domestic adoption and have an application on our desk ready to be filled out. But for now we're just going to prep our house for a homestudy and not really pursue anything adoption-wise until we're done with infertility treatments.

So as I wait to embark on FET #2 I decided to keep myself busy. I recently hit 200 followers (yay!) and I'm hosting an awesomely awesome raffle to benefit the Lost Stork Foundation. The LSF is a new non-profit organization that will be providing grants to infertile and adoptive couples. It's in its infancy so they're not accepting applications yet but they're trying to build their grant fund and could use your help! Because I'm a sucker for a good cause I put together an anti-stress gift set to raffle off this week.

Check out the detailed info here and please please please donate if you can. We all know how much infertility and adoption can cost and we have a great new organization that wants to help our community. But first they need our help, not just by spreading the word but by opening our pocketbooks. And considering a $1 ticket is less than the cost of a cup of coffee, it won't break anyone's bank. So please enter the raffle if you can! Entires are accepted through Saturday March 26th and the winner will be announced the next day.

In other news, I copped out on the 5K run this weekend, the one where I only had 8 measly days to prepare. I didn't see the point in paying $60 for me and Brandon to attend when I knew I'd be walking the whole time. I wanted more of a challenge than that. And I think I'm on the verge of giving up on my weight loss quest (for the record I weighed in at 198.6 this morning, but who's counting). With everything else that's going on right now I just don't have time to hit the gym or the track. Our gym membership expires in May and we're probably not going to renew it. That $55 a month can be utilized somewhere else in our budget (mainly for adoption). It will suck having to drive 30 minutes to the gym on base but at least we have a free resource (even if they have no air conditioning and it gets really hot in the summer). And I can diet on my own and save another $18 a month by dumping the Weight Watchers Online account. So I'm weighing my options on that (pardon the pun).

And raise your hand if you noticed that I now have less than 60 days till Ireland!!!!! For my ICLW visitors who don't know, my husband and I are going to Ireland in mid-May, right after our FET. I'll know before we leave whether I'm preggo but I won't get my first ultrasound till after we get back. I'm so so very excited to be going and I hope I get to meet some blog friends while I'm there!

Well that's it for the updates. I hope everyone enjoys their visit to my little corner of the blog world and feel free to stop by and say hello every now and then!

200 Followers and a Raffle for a Good Cause!

Hooray! I'm just a couple months shy of my 2-year blogoversary and I finally hit 200 followers! Usually I host a giveaway for events like these but this calls for something a little more special. Therefore I've decided to host a raffle to benefit the Lost Stork Foundation! For those of you who don't know, the LSF is a new non-profit organization that will be providing financial assistance for couples pursuing infertility treatments or adoption (including domestic, international, embryo adoption and surrogacy). It's an awesome organization that hopefully (in the very near future) I can start helping out with on a regular basis. But more on that later. Let's get to the good stuff!

I knew this raffle had to be epic. It couldn't just be a little gift I picked out because that just wouldn't do my readers or the LSF justice. So I scoured the stores for the perfect things to make up this raffle. In the end I decided on a relaxing "anti-stress" themed gift set with some seriously awesome stuff. In fact I might have to go back and buy myself a few of these things (but don't tell Brandon that). So without further ado....the gift set!


The items in this gift set include one of each of the following:
-An EarthTherapeutics Anti-Stress Microwaveable Comfort Wrap (say that 3 times fast) with the scent of lavender and chamomile
-EarthTherapeutics Anti-Stress aromatherapy bath beads (also lavender and chamomile)
-An EarthTherapeutics Holistic Stress Management Aromatherapy Set, including a cooling beauty mask, pulse point cream for the temples, neck and forehead, an anti-stress pillow mist and anti-stress massage soap
-A Bamboo and Jasmine reed diffuser set by Chesapeake Bay Candle (which smells absolutely divine and comes with a pretty ceramic vase)

*Actual Retail Value of this gift set: $58

Because this is my first time hosting a raffle (let alone an online one) it's going to be a bit simplified. Raffle "tickets" will be sold for $1 each, or 6 "tickets" for $5. In order to enter the raffle, please send payment via Paypal to my email address, cvpis4me@yahoo.com and note that this payment is for the LSF Raffle. I will add your name to a spreadsheet with one entry for each ticket you buy, much like the way I do things for giveaways. At the end of the raffle period I will draw a "ticket" via Random.org and announce here. ALL raffle donations will go to benefit the LSF, not just the proceeds. If you would rather make a payment directly to the LSF you may do so via their website. The winner will be contacted via email so please leave your email address as well.

The raffle will begin on Sunday March 20th and will continue until midnight EST on Saturday March 26th. Until then please help to spread the word and I hope that we're able to raise lots of money to benefit this wonderful cause!! I'm very excited about this raffle and about the future of the Lost Stork Foundation!

Random Updates

Well, FET #2 has officially started. I didn't get my period on Sunday (of course) so I started taking Provera. I hope to get my schedule for everything this week but I already talked to Nurse D and my FET is scheduled for Monday, May 2nd. That means that I will know if I'm pregnant before flying off to Ireland but unfortunately my first ultrasound will have to wait until after the trip.

I think I'm going to start writing articles again for A/C. My Article list is a bit short at the moment, though I did remove all the non-fertility related ones from my blogs. I'm currently working on two articles right now, both are related to adoption. One will be a compilation of sources for adoption fundraising and one will be similar to this article (my most popular one) and will discuss adoption grants. But because there are so many adoption grants out there my list will be narrowed down to grants that 1) don't require couples to be a certain religion and 2) apply to adopting all children, regardless of race, age, or special needs status. That article is turning out to be a little harder than I thought, as there really aren't that many grants out there that fit that criteria. I'll be lucky if I find 10 for my article (I think so far I have 8). So I hope to have my adoption fundraising article done in the next couple weeks and the second article will be done in April.

I think when I reach 200 followers (only 1 follower to go!) I won't hold a giveaway. I think this time I'll hold a gift basket raffle, with the proceeds going to The Lost Stork Foundation. So I could use some suggestions for what to include in my gift basket. My next true giveaway will be something from Ireland (63 more days!).

I think there was another update I wanted to put on here but my mind has gone blank and I'm running late for work. Ciao!

Helping Out

sThis post is a shout out for the Lost Stork Foundation, an up-and-coming non-profit organization that will be providing grants for infertility treatments, adoption and surrogacy. This organization was started by Meghan Swann, a fellow infertile and new mom. I know many of my readers have infertility issues and those issues can be expensive. Really REALLY expensive, especially if you don't have insurance coverage for those treatments. Adoption, whether it be domestic, international or embryo adoption, can be even more expensive. That's why it's so important to show support for organizations that are trying to help people like us out.

Unfortunately the LSF has been unable to start accepting grant applications because they haven't gotten enough funds to provide grants yet. Last fall they started selling cookbooks as a fundraiser but they still have many more to sell before they can start handing out grants. As I said before, infertility and adoption can be expensive but if you have the money, please purchase a cookbook from the LSF. I bought one last fall. They have a huge selection of recipes (263 I believe) that were contributed from families all over the world. Cookbooks are only $10 plus shipping. Buy a few and give them away as gifts or host a giveaway on your blog for a free cookbook.
Even if you don't have the money to purchase a cookbook right now, get the word out! Follow her blog or Facebook page, grab her button and put it on your blog, or write a post to let your followers know that there is a resource out there that is willing to help our community. And trust me, those resources are hard to come by. But without support from us and others this organization can't help us and I would hate to see that happen. So shout it out to the world, buy a cookbook, or make a donation. Every little bit helps, it really does.

Cook Much? Like to Bowl? Help out a Good Cause!

The Lost Stork Foundation is a new non-profit organization that is committed to helping infertile couples realize their dreams of parenthood through financial grants for adoption or fertility treatments. It was started by fellow blogger Meghan Swann, author of ~*Finding Family, one bundle of joy at a time! They are currently selling cookbooks to raise money for their first grant awards! Please stop by their website here to buy a cookbook or make a donation. They're only $10 each. Who knows, you or someone you know may benefit from their grants in the future! You can also help by spreading the word about the Lost Stork Foundation and its mission.

Another infertility non-profit, Parenthood for Me, is hosting their 2nd Annual Bowling for Babies at the Clover Lanes in Rochester, NY on Sunday November 14th. Parenthood for Me is also a new organization who just awarded their first grants this year. One of their grant recipients recently brought home their beautiful baby from China!