Year In Review

I'm awkwardly, and partly sad to see 2009 go. We've had a lot of great memories this year!

January (technically March)- We sold our old house all by ourselves- we're ready to move back near our jobs, yeah!



April-
We finally got to move into our house! After some fixing up (completely gutting the 5th bedroom, 2 new toilets, a new shower, tile floors, MANY MANY hours of wallpaper removal and painting in 7 out of 9 of the main rooms in the house, 6 new ceiling fans or chandeliers, hours of new landscaping and a retaining wall, new furnace, refrigerator, oven, sump pump, well-pump, almost all new outlets, and lots of wall repairs).


June-
*We celebrated our first anniversary. What an awesome first year it has been!





*We headed off to Southern Iowa for a rowdy, fun-filled Leymaster family reunion!

*We got our 2nd kitty, welcome to the fam Cheuse!




July-
*I graduated with my master's and had Matt, my parents, my grandpa, and Matt's Mom and Kevin by my side for graduation!

*We got a new car, welcome to the family Oscar!


August-
*We're pregnant, and although we lost the baby, we now know we CAN get pregnant.

*We bought a pop-up camper, and took a few mini trips with the cats!

September-
My dad and I met my sister in St. Louis for a fun filled family weekend.


November-
We finally got approved to head to University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Center for Advanced Reproductive Care. We definitely feel good about this move!

December-
*We officially own a business! Photography, which started out just as something to take my mind off of infertility, has grown into a business! We now are having a blast taking family, maternity, newborn, senior, and engagement pictures! (www.baileykingphotography.com)

And the picture that I get comments on almost EVERY week:



*The cyst is gone, yipee! We get the go ahead to start treatments again!

We've also had some tough times this year.

January-
I was diagnosed with PCOS and we learned pretty quickly that getting pregnant was going to be pretty tough (although we had NO idea what all it would entail).


August-
We miscarried our baby, but found out that it was due to MTHFR, which is hopefully now treated and will prevent us from further miscarriages.


November-
We officially hit one year of trying to conceive... dangit, we were supposed to be pregnant by now! And, we found out that I had a cyst 3 times the size of a normal ovary which meant we had to stop all treatments.


It's been a VERY busy year. We have a lot to be thankful for as the year comes to an end. Both Matt and I can say that this has been a huge year in the "faith" department. We have learned a lot about trusting God's plans for our lives, this is something that can never be taken away from us. And although it hasn't ended as we would have planned, we can only hope that 2010 is as good to us as this year (or maybe even a little bit better) ;-).

Thanks for following us and being along side us during this past year. We hope you stay on the ride for 2010!
Love,
Matt & Bailey

The cyst has ceased!

We got great news at our appointment yesterday, the cyst is gone! Yahoooo!!! We are very excited.

I headed into the appointment feeling completely at peace with things. I had spent a lot of time praying that God would give me peace with whatever the outcome was. The ultrasound tech only took a minute or so to find my right ovary and give us the thumbs up that the cyst was gone. She hadn’t even finished her sentence before I was high-fiving Matt. She then checked the left ovary which showed a few small follicles that will hopefully take off and become plump and ready eggs.

We are all set to get going on our first official cycle with our new Dr’s in Iowa City. I started some meds yesterday, and will start shots on Friday!!! I am so excited to get going and get these shots started (that is SO weird to type, me, wanting shots). I go back next Tuesday for an ultrasound to see how many follicles/eggs have “grown”. We ideally would like between 1-3. Anything over 4 and the Dr’s would suggest canceling the cycle because of the increased risk of multiples. We could also end up with zero follicles like we did last cycle and that would end the cycle and be awful too. So... we need some major prayer power. Please pray that we would have 1-3 good, strong follicles ready next Tuesday.

Side Note:
Someone was asking me today about our “statistics” for each cycle so I thought I’d share with everyone the rundown. Each month a “normal” couple has about a 10-15% chance at conceiving. With all of the assistance that we are receiving we have about a 20% chance of conceiving. If we end up doing IVF (In Vitro Fertilization, which will take an entire separate post of its own someday) then our chances go up to about 50%. Either way I am SO happy to have the go ahead and start trying again, this last month of sitting and waiting for the cyst to go away was no fun at all.

Again, a sincere thank you for all of the prayers yesterday; we are SO excited with the outcome and can't wait to see what happens!

Christmas eve photo shoot

Two exciting things to share.

1) I need your help with something this week!!

I have entered a contest to "study" with an AMAZING photographer for the next 12 months. Here is a bit of info about the contest:


The SOAR! Scholarship is going to help three women take their dream of building a photography business come true. On January 8th, we will announce the three winners. The recipients will be mentored by industry leaders as well as Me Ra Koh’s business coaches from Wisdom Connection.

But SOAR! is not for the faint of heart. The winners will be required to document their year long journey on the SOAR! website through blog posts, videos, images, teleconferences and more. In turn, the next 12 months will change their lives.

I NEED YOU TO VOTE FOR ME!!!
Here's how:

go to: http://www.soarwithmera.com/Galleries/Submissions/10499462_eeZj4#748369780_P8Mkz

Go to page 17 or 18 or 19 (it depends on what internet browser you use) of the videos. Find my video, you'll see me in a bright pink shirt, I am video number 19 out of over 200.

Click on the video

Hover your mouse over my video (which will now be on the right side because you just clicked on it) as you hover you'll see a green thumbs up, click on it to vote for me, then leave a comment about why you think I should win!

Thank you for all of your encouragement and help!
**(You can vote as many times as you want, so feel free to vote often and send this onto anyone else too.)**




2) Our second piece of exciting news is that on Christmas eve morning Matt and I had an amazing time with a very special family! Jenna and I have been best friends since junior high, and we were honored to be asked by her family to do pictures this morning. Although the weather wasn't amazing, we definitely made do and had a blast too! We died laughing as it was quite a challenge at some points to get all 13 people looking the right direction.

Shan and Bonita are the sweetest couple ever! They are so much fun and as you can probably see, they definitely made us laugh. We had a great morning spending time and documenting some special moments with everyone. We can't wait to see everyone again in March, maybe we can get some spring shots in? =)

**This will be the last full post on here about one of our photo shoots. I'll start placing them only on my photography blog, found here. So make sure to bookmark that blog to see more photographs that we've taken.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone!

I can't believe it's Christmas today... something about that just feels unbelievable. I'm not really sure why it doesn't feel like Christmas this year, but it sure doesn't. Although this has been a tough year for us, I think it's important to sit down and realize the reality of our lives.

We are so blessed, even with infertility, I know that we are blessed. Someday I will be staring into my baby's eyes, frustrated, tired, and discouraged and I will have this struggle to look back on and be thankful for those eyes that I am looking into, and I pray that my heart will melt knowing how darn hard we've prayed and wanted those eyes.

We have amazing families and friends. We are constantly surrounded by people that care so much for us, we are so thankful for that. On those rough days I know that there are countless people praying for us. As we head off to Iowa City on Monday in hopes of a good ultrasound (hoping that the cyst is gone, or at the minimum it's smaller) we know that we can find comfort in all of the people praying for us.

I have an amazing husband, one that I am thankful for everyday. He showers me with love, even in my unlovable moments. He gives me encouragement when I begin to doubt myself. He shows me love in the ways that the very depths of my soul need to be loved. I thank God each and every day for him, and I know that if this struggle continues on for longer than I'd like, I know that Matt will be by my side, and for that I am thankful for on this Christmas Day when I'm finding it so hard to be thankful for the things that I don't have.

So we hope you and yours have a very merry Christmas.... and

enjoy some of this

(Family)



and this

(kisses)


and this


(lots of food!)



and this today.

(rest)


Merry Christmas. Love, The Kings!

My new favorite recipe

A coworker of mine brought this AMAZING dip to our staff party a few weeks ago and those of us that tasted it were hooked! I ended up bringing this same dip to work on my birthday, and it was completely emptied by the end of the day. It's quick, easy (only 5 ingredients plus apples), and can be made the night before. So if you're in the hunt for a quick recipe to take to Grandma's house, here ya go.

Blend together:
1 pkg cream cheese
1/4 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla


Fold in:
8oz brickle bits (I get the package of Heath brickle bits, you can find it next to chocolate chips)


Serve with slices of apples and enjoy, and trust me, I know you will!

My 26th Birthday... save me!

Today is my 26th Birthday. I should be elated. I'm not. Now before you judge me, I know some people consider 26 to be so young. I would on a normal year too, but not this year.

This year I'm turning 26 without the one thing I wanted most for this birthday. A baby, or at least I hoped to be growing a baby. It may seem ridiculous to not be happy on my birthday, but really, why do I have to try and fake what I'm not. I'm kind of over faking things lately, if you haven't noticed.

I refuse to fake being ok anymore. If you ask how I am, and I'm not ok that day, I'm going to say "I've been better". If you tell me your pregnant and I cry, it's because it hurts, badly, not because I'm angry at you, but I won't be fake, instead I'll just need some time.

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for what I do have: an amazing husband, a phenomenal family, a supportive and awesome group of friends, a great job, a nice house, two sweet little kitties who act JUST like children, and ever growing faith.

But the hole in my heart for a child is still there, and it stings, even on this day, my birthday. It's hard to believe that I'm 26 and childless.

HSG from H - E - DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS!

I've been putting off writing this post because I think subconsciously I didn't want to think about the HSG again. But, I know lots of people read this that are going to be having an HSG done, and want to know what to expect, so I'll write it for you ladies. =) Everything that I had heard from other people and read, said that an HSG is not a fun procedure to have done. Most people have some pretty awful cramping and sharp pains. So I headed into this a bit nervous, and not excited to be going without Matt.

For those of you who aren't into fertility lingo: a hysterosalpingogram or HSG is an x-ray procedure performed to determine whether the fallopian tubes are open and to see if the shape of the uterine cavity is normal.

Matt was in Michigan when I had to have this procedure done, so my mom went with me to Iowa City. A VERY long story made short; the procedure showed that my tubes are both open, which is great news. However... the procedure didn't exactly go as planned and I was left in severe pain for two days.

The main nurse came and got me from the waiting room, and my mom stood up to come with me. But, they don't let other people come in the room because there is a constant x ray being taken and they don't want other people to have radiation exposure. Fine. So I went alone, into a white, sterile, big, operating-like room. I walked in and was told to sit on the sterile, cold, metal table. I looked over to my right and saw two more doctors preparing things. One doctor was holding a bottle of some liquid, and the other was drawing up a HUGE syringe with a HUGE needle (literally, like a 4 inch needle!). I started to panic, needles? No one told me about any needles for this procedure! I told the doctors that I'm not good with needles, so I preferred to just look away and not be shown anything. The doctor said she understood, and that they would be switching to a smaller needle before they started, gee great.

The procedure started with 3-4 very painful and awkward shots(I won't get into too much detail, you can google it for more specifics). Everything was in place and then the nurse went and got the head doctor so that he could come in and basically press a button to take all of the x-rays. (Wonder what his "skills" cost me?!) Once the head doctor was in place at the x-ray machine he gave the other doctor a nod and she began pushing the dye in, which was SO INCREDIBLY painful! All of a sudden I could feel all of the dye coming back out, definitely not how it is supposed to work. It should go through the tubes, and then spill into your stomach. The head doctor stared at the other doctor and then all of a sudden I could feel the doctor quickly shove all of the "equipment" back in, and then I had sharp awful pains again as she put MORE dye in. So I basically sat through the procedure getting done twice. I was not pleased to say the least, but we got good results so I'll just be glad it's over.

I got the official results mailed to me this week. It said that both tubes were open, but that they saw a "dark spot" during the procedure, that they are worried may be some scar tissue from a surgery I had in high school from my Crohn's disease, but for now, they are not too worried and we are to continue with our current course of treatments. So I'm sure I'll get more info on exactly what that means the next time we are in Iowa City.

As of now, we're still on "hold" waiting for the cyst to shrink. We should find out right around the first of the year if we can start treatments again. We need the cyst to be 1.5cm or less (currently it is 4.5cm). So fingers crossed that it is shrinking and we can start shots and get going again (who would have EVER thought there would be a day that I WANTED to get shots!)

Playing Catch Up

Matt and I took pictures for a daughter and her family, of a friend that I work with. We rushed to get the last drops of daylight that we could outside, and then headed in for the rest of the pictures. Katie, Jared and Finn were a delight to work with. They were so laid back and Jared was hilarious. I'll save him some laughs and not post all of the funny poses that he showed me while Katie ran in to change Finn. Enjoy this adorable family!







Grandma Laurie & Finn

UNI Family Photo Shoot

I've never laughed so hard or so much while taking pictures before. Scott, Maggie, Jake & Allie were hilarious! We met at UNI and had so much fun walking around campus taking pictures. Here are a few of my favorites, thanks for making us laugh guys!

So excited to announce...

Bailey King Photography!

Matt and I are SO excited to announce the official beginning of Bailey King Photography.

This is from my photography blog, but it explains things so well that I thought I would just paste it here too.

Photography is my passion. It all started when my husband and I began taking pictures of friends and family just for fun. Soon people started noticing the photos that we had taken, and asked me to photography their families and children... so began Bailey King Photography.

I love having the opportunity to capture the fun, sweet, and silly interactions between people. Having a photograph that shows your precious growing belly, love for a sweet newborn, or the unique bond between husband and wife or grandmother and grandchild is something that you can cherish for life.

Feel free to visit my website for more information: http://BaileyKingPhotography.com

So there it is, our official website. I can't believe that we are business owners! We are so excited to see where this takes us.

A sincere thank you to all of you who have let us use your family for "practice", have sent kind emails and messages, or have spoken words of encouragement to us... we appreciate the support so much!