What's in a (donor) number?

The more we look for a new donor, the more I question what we should be looking for in them.  We're well aware that for the most part this was done as a means to earn money.  So when the application asks why they donated, we appreciate honesty with a dash of "I wanted to help people."  The variety in donors has been narrowed even though the numbers have been expanded. Other than potency, I'm not sure what I want in a donor or what my wife wants. We have mentioned taller (I'm a shortie), hopefully of mixed or other than Caucasian heritage, and someone that seems to vibe with our likes/dislikes.  It just seems odd shopping for a product to help make our child.  Anybody willing to share what helps them narrow down a donor?
A big question that has come to mind lately is known vs unknown vs willing to be known.  There were only unknown donors at our last bank and at the time that seemed to flow really well with what we wanted. This was our dream child and if they should actualize they wouldn't need to meet the donor.  The more we search, the more cruel that seems.  My father was a product of closed adoption and faced unique difficulties. I think that an unknown donor closely resembles closed adoption. However, having a willing to be known donor doesn't guarantee the donor will still want to meet or the child will either.  There are rules and regulations in place to keep this our child and only allow the donor to be sought out at a specific time. Then there is a known donor...... insert cricket chirps here. Too many horror stories both real and dreamt up. Plus by the time you pay for all the testing it can be just as expensive as a bank.  It's good we have time to ponder but I think I might take to the community boards with these thoughts. It's nice to have other people to bounce ideas off of.

We're Alive!

It's been a busy two weeks, even though it doesn't look like it. Currently we are battling gas... natural gas. It all started with a slight smell of gas. Now after 3 shut offs, 2 turn ons, 1 full new set of pipes, and countless visits from a handy friend; we are hoping it will be finally resolved tomorrow. This nightmare just goes on and on.  We are actually trying to be positive about it. We have hunkered down in the living room with sheets blocking drafts and the rest of the house. We dragged the bed in and rearranged all of the furniture. Surprisingly our two little heaters are keeping us nice and toasty.


Tie-dye throw back from high school

Now for some news that actually relates to the creation of this blog. We are back in the planning stages of ttc.  Why planning?  Well, our sperm bank (and subsequently our donor) is in the middle of a giant disaster. We have no clue what it is, why it is, or if/when it will reopen. What we do know is we don't have time to wait around.  We really felt comfortable with our donor, costs, and the bank itself.  That just wasn't enough to keep us hanging around. Granted if they opened tomorrow and had their act together, we might consider going back. But for now we're looking at using Northwest Cryobank. There are a lot more options with this bank but they come with a price. We're both excited to get back on the path to building our family. Hopefully this change of direction will keep me more attached to this blog.
~Aiden

Fast Forward Introduction

Well this blog certainly hasn't started the way we thought it would. The blog was started over a month ago, but never posted on as life got in the way. So here's our fast forward introduction.


A few basics about us:

• Aiden (23) and Elizabeth (30) happily together for five years
• Reside in Metro St. Louis
• Aiden grooms dogs and nannies for a family with four children
• Elizabeth is a charge nurse at a local emergency room
• Parents to four furry kids (three dogs, one cat)
• Rascal- Old gentle Rottweiler/Blue tick hound mix
• Luna- Crazy squirrel chasing Shepard/Lab mix
• Frankenstein- One eyed chug who is convinced he is human
• Iris- Tiny black kitty with her own set of rules
• We are using anonymous donor sperm from a sperm bank
• Aiden is the "seahorse" and Elizabeth is the "sperm fairy"
• We love art, museums, and road trips

On Sunday December 19, 2010, we did an at home insemination with two vials of frozen donor sperm. If this works, we will not be finding out the sex of the baby.  We are hoping this will help everyone enjoy the journey and not focus on the details. Besides it's just more fun this way. We are now 7 dpi and trying hard not to focus on any symptoms whether real or imaginary. January 1, 2011 will be the test day. Here's hoping that 01-01-11 will be a change in a great way.