The telling of the parents...

...wasn't exactly how I pictured it, but successful nonetheless.  We'd planned to have a quiet little dinner on Tuesday evening at home with our parents.  Unfortunately, we were "joined" by the Direc.T.V. installer who was here for the third time in two weeks trying to finish straightening out our issues (we were combining the accounts from our house and J's mom, since she lives here now, and adding whole-home viewing).  So, we had dinner, but I was a bit nervous and didn't eat much. 

Just before dessert, J picked up a cap from the stool at the kitchen counter and announced, "So, while you're all here, we just thought we'd pass the hat around because tomorrow, we've got to pay $_____ to NFC to begin our round of IVF."  I chimed in with some dates that I might need some company heading to Nash.ville, and my mom started going over dates from her calendar.  She'll be available for all of them except one, and my dad said he'd rearrange his day off to go with me on that day.  (J wants to save as many of his vacation days as possible in case this actually works.) 

I offered to explain any part of the process they cared to know about, as I forget everyone is not as well-versed on IF jargon as you ladies, and briefly went over the "highlights" of what would be happening over the next 5 or 6 weeks.  I invited their questions, but they didn't really have many right now.  (And, of course, the entire conversation was intermitten with off-topic interjections due to interruptions by the satellite guy.) 

Yesterday, after many unsuccessful attempts to make contact with the clinic to pay our balance, I was finally able to reach them just before closing time.  In an attempt to NOT max out our credit cards, we split the cost between my (cash-back-earning) credit card and J's.  So, when the bills come in at the end of the month, we will have depleted just over half of our savings.  But if this works, it'll all be worth it.  If it doesn't, well, at least we'll still have each other...and know that we tried everything we possibly could.  While I've read enough blogs and message boards to know that our longing is not any greater than others in our same position, but I can honestly say that there never was a child wanted more. 

Thus, the regimen begins.  Last night, J and I both began our Z-pa.ck and I took my first BCP in over 3 years.  I added extra Fol.ic Ac.id to the regular pre.natal vitamin I've been taking (for the last 3 years).  I never consumed much caffeine to begin with (it counteracts my blood pressure meds), and I'm trying to keep the fresh fruit a priority in my diet (despite the fact that I sliced my thumb last night on my apple cutter).  I suppose this part of the process will be the easiest for me, as I've done most of this stuff every two weeks for the past 3 years.  I guess that's not so odd, as I've read many other fellow IFers distress over living their lives in two week intervals, treating their bodies as if they were already pg. 

So, perhaps I'll have some good news to record here in a few weeks.  Either way, I'm thankful for the people I've met along this journey thus far.  You're some of the strongest people on Earth, and I'm grateful to be able to share this experience with you.

Hugs and baby dust,