Time to share the news...

I feel that it is time to share our news....(sorry, its pretty lengthy)

It all started back in April, when I was in Arizona visiting with my sister-in-law and we started talking about our pregnancies and deliveries and how natural and easy they are for us. Then we jokingly said that we have it so good, we could have someone else's baby for them. I didn't give it any more thought then, but after I returned home, the idea of surrogacy kept coming back to my mind. So I hopped online and began some research. I continued for sometime reading all I could about the world of surrogacy. I found that 'gestational surrogacy' or surrogacy using one couple's egg and sperm to create their own biological baby was made legal in Utah just a few years ago. I realized that the more I looked into this, the more excited I became about being able to do this for someone.
My next big question was "what is the church's stand?" So I went and met with my bishop about me wanting to be a surrogate. He had never been asked this question, but did his "homework," visited with the stake president, and even church headquarters. He got back with me and gave me his 100% approval and support and thinks that its a great thing I will be doing. All along the way, I have been very prayerful about this and have felt strongly to keep moving forward with it. I felt like I could really be a blessing in some couple's lives.
The agency I chose to go with is called CSP (www.creatingfamilies.com). They are wonderful! They completely screen both couples involved and don't cut any corners (which in some ways, seems to take forever, but in the end its a very good thing!) It wasn't until November that Gabe and I were presented with a "potential match". We read and re-read their profile and prayed to know if this was the couple I was to help. We both recieved a very strong affirmative impression. Soon after, we were able to visit with them over the phone. It was so great talking to them! We continued to email and call each other on a regular basis and have really enjoyed getting to know them. Their names are Scott and Christina and they live out in Wisconsin. They are devoted to one another and devoted to the Lord and we are so blessed to call them our friends. Thats why when we were finally able to meet them (face-to-face), that we truly felt like we already knew them! Just last week, Gabe and I took a trip out there to meet them! It was so fun to put a face to the name (and voice!). They took us out to eat a few times, we played games and just visited! They are so awesome! While we were out there, I met with the Dr. who will be doing the embryo transfer. We are set to have the transfer take place the end of next month! I am so excited! Scott and Christina are so very grateful for this opportunity! They have 20 nieces and nephews and so badly want a child of their own! I am truly SO happy to be their surrogate mom! Gabe is so supportive ---I could not (and would not) do this without his 100% support! We have told Hunter and Jenna about it and they are absolutley great with it. I really wanted them to understand that we are not giving away one of their siblings. We explained that our friend Christina has a broken tummy and can't carry her own baby, so mommy's going to carry their baby in my tummy and then when it time for the baby to come, we give them their baby. I have had people ask me if it will be so hard to give away the baby and my answer is 'no'! I am going into this whole situation with the sole purpose of giving a couple something they cannot give themselves and am thrilled to be able to do this. I am not by any means an expert in this field but if you have questions for me about this I'd be happy to do my best to answer. Sorry for the long post, but that's what's new in my world and I thought it was time to share.