Monday, October 1, 2012

Twins!



This email {letter} was sent to family & friends when we found out we were having twins.


Hello! 
Hope everyone is doing well! I am writing to give an update on everything in the Hart household. First off, Greg & I are doing well (pups, too)! 

Angela has been doing alright with her pregnancy. However, she went in for an emergency ultrasound, b/c of some pain, this morning & 
WE ARE HAVING TWINS!! 

Yes, you read that correctly... there are two babies!!! They measured 11 wks 1 day (3 days further along than we had calculated) with 169 & 171 bpm heartbeats... the tech said they looked perfect. Angela told me that they were moving all around & having a good time!! Angela asked if there was anyway she could lose one and the tech told her "no" & that she was too close to the 2nd trimester for that to be an issue. 

We really have no idea how this was missed at the 8 wk ultrasound-- the second baby must have been hiding or something ?!  
But we're elated!!

Monday, September 17, 2012

“For this child we have prayed"


The following is an email [letter] we sent to family & friends announcing our pregnancy & asking for their blessing. 

Greg and I are blessed beyond words to have such wonderful family & friends. With the love and support from those around us we have been able to grow as a couple, and now as a family.

Due to my congenital heart condition, pregnancy has been challenging for us. After my miscarriages, the cardiologist reviewed my medical records and determined that I would never carry a child to term. Because my heart is too weak, she strongly suggested that we explore alternative methods for becoming parents.

Greg and I researched many options and discussed adoption in detail. We ultimately decided on gestational surrogacy so we can raise our biological child. I emailed Angela (our surrogate) and explained our situation. Then, I prayed that she would respond. A few days later, she answered my email and told us about herself: she has been married for 19+ years, is a mother of 3, an IV nurse at Pittsburgh Children’s hospital, and has been a surrogate for 3 other families. After meeting with her in West Virginia, Greg & I knew that she was the perfect surrogate for us.

In February 2012, I began the fertility treatments & the cycle was rough. However, on March 1st we transferred two embryos. Unfortunately, the embryos were not strong enough and the pregnancy did not come to fruition. Because the clinic is in North Carolina, on May 13th I went to stay with Sheri (my sister-in- law) and started the second round of treatments. On June 4th we transferred 2 perfect embryos! On July 9th an ultrasound confirmed our pregnancy & showed a very healthy 8 week old baby with a heartbeat of 165 beats per minute!!

Although it’s been a long and trying road over the past 2 years, we are happy to announce our pregnancy and hope that you will share in the joy of this journey!!