It’s just an age

Baby fever is consuming me. Yes, I am the luckiest chick. I have a beautiful family and a boy that brings me love and joy every second he is near. I miss him when he is in school. School! I can’t believe he is in school! About to enter the 1st grade. He’s amazing. Beautiful, creative, smart, funny, affectionate and has to hug everyone. He was that kid at Trader Joe’s that everyone knew by name. He is thriving in Montessori and loves helping the littles. He’s always been a great sleeper and is an awesome child. He loves to play music, paint and is a wiz at uno! So how could I possibly be feeling this way. Another baby. I really want to give King the brother or sister he has been asking for. And I want that too. I can’t though because no IVF facility abroad would let me transfer at my age. It’s not fair. Who can say if I’m not fit to carry anther child? I cry for this. I want this so much but there is nothing I can do. Age limits have been lowered and I was truly lucky to be accepted when I was in Zlin. So now I have to mourn a baby I’ll  never have. The only optional is a surrogate but I want to carry a baby.

King is our world and I love him more than I could ever imagine. All my love belongs to him and Daddy.  We are truly so happy and I wouldn’t change a thing.

 

 

 

My water definitely broke.

In September of 2009, after an exhaustive and trying time in my life, I looked around, took everything in, examined, searched, trying to understand where I was, how I had gotten there, what was missing?  Motherhood.  That was missing.  A deep and hollow hole had been left inside me and it needed to be filled in order to continue to understand who I was.

My Mom recently told me a story about how I would try and take care of my little brother when they brought him home from the hospital.  I was 3 but wanted to dress him, change his diaper, feed him and would always be the one that pushed him in the stroller.  She said as soon as she put the changing pad down I would get all the items he needed before she had a chance.  She called me “little momma” and she knew I would be a great Mom one day.

I made many phone calls and saw my OB to understand what my chances were and what I could do.  Some of those calls returned promise while others were not as optimistic.  I needed something concrete.  Something to kick start this new journey.  Something to support this path.  In walked Rob.  Like an angel, seriously.  It makes sense to me.  I’ve been a good person all my life, big heart, kind soul, lost most of the time but with good intentions.  Rob was the one person who was absolutely meant to be right there, right then, just right on time.   Makes you wonder if there was a greater force at work, placing him on the road I was on.  We bumped into each other at the Yield Sign.  “Hello.  Can I walk with you?”  Why yes you can.

Rob made it abundantly clear he wanted a child.  He was fast approaching 40 and it needed to be soon.  Funny thing! I am trying to find out if I can get pregnant!  Cool.  We seem just a like.  He claims I am the female version of himself.  Cute huh?  We are so much alike its somewhat scary.  We are still individuals though with our own outside interests, friends, and hobbies.  But this baby thing is top priority!  Let’s go then.

You all know the rest of the story.  I won’t repeat it all.  I will just close this amazing chapter with the following:

Welcome Robert Michael Robbins III who we lovingly call King.
Born November 13, 2011, 3 weeks early, at 7lbs. 5 oz., 19.5″ long.
He is the spitting image of his Daddy with a full head of hair.
He is a wonderful baby.
We stare at him constantly, barely let him out of our arms and know that our lives are beyond perfect.

I love my son.  I love Rob.

Come meet King.  He will tell you all about the road to happiness.

I have seen a lot of needles in my lifetime :)

Tattoos, IVF and now GD (aka Gestational Diabetes) which I just started treating.  I have to poke myself 4 x daily (first thing in the morning, after breakfast. lunch and dinner) and log the readings.  I start a new diet as well which I am TOTALLY looking forward to.  I was once a hardcore pescatarian and ate SO healthy.  I got away from it in the past couple of years and haven’t been eating that rigorous.  All that is about to change and I hope Rob will be on board to cut sugar out of our diet to a minimum.

The RN taught me how to use the meter and its not so bad.  I want to do everything they are telling me and I will NOT deviate away from the instructions.  Essentially I count carbs and am only allowed so many for each meal.  I eat small meals, low in carbs, 6 times a day.  I can still bake but am now downloading low carb or sugar-free recipes.  Like Oatmeal Cookies with no sugar but has molasses, etc.  Sweet can come from many other sources besides sugar.   I am learning a lot and this will only compliment what I already know about good food, raising food and how proteins can be healthy, meat in moderation though.

King is moving so much now.  I can watch my tummy shift from side to side and see his head move across my belly.  It kinda freaked me out last night because it looked like he was coming out!  Soooo weird!! He is an active baby but sleeps through the night so I hope that’s a good sign!   I am definitely going to ask for another u/s soon so I can see him again and see how big he is 🙂

Oh sugar … honey, honey. You are my candy girl!!

My glucose came back high.  I’ve been pretty upset about it but was told it is nothing I could have done to avoid it.  It comes from the hormones.  I have to fast for 15 hours which started tonight at 8pm (my last supper), then sit in the lab waiting room for 3 hours in the morning from 8am – 11am.  They draw blood every hour.  These tests will tell if I have gestational diabetes or not.  This is common and I am not going to freak out but I am truly upset and want to know now!  Tomorrow is going to be a grueling day to say the least but I will take a laptop, one of the ten books I am reading and stick it out.  Either way I know my doctor is going to put me on a more strict diet as to not add to the sugar levels.  Bye chocolate.  I will miss you.

Of course once King is here and I start breastfeeding my diet is going to be restrictive to say the least … so better start now 🙂

My iron was a tad low too so I start an Iron supplement tomorrow.

Otherwise, all is well here.  The apartment is slowly coming together.  The downstairs is pretty much arranged but the upstairs is box hell.  I will get to it one box at a time.  Rob is going to Tacoma almost every night until fairly late to finish up the house.  Poor thing.  I know he is carrying so much on his shoulders which he never talks about and always smiles regardless.  I cannot even imagine what he is juggling with all of this.  He deserves one hell of a vacation …. one day.  He actually deserves much more.  Much, much more.   Like a Ferrari!

I really love our new place.  Its small and cozy just like I like it.  Rob says he thinks its the perfect size for all of us.  I have to agree.  We have lovely neighbors, a gorgeous park behind the building, walking trails and a great view of downtown.  The restaurants are awesome and there is so much here we will explore the coming months.  We are happy as can be, can’t wait to meet our son and looking forward to our future.

Wish me luck tomorrow!

The pelvic bone is connected to the …..

Did you know that your pelvic bone moves 2 – 5mm when you are pregnant to help the baby pass through the birth canal? Me either!! Sometimes they move a bit too much.  When that happens it feels like a knife is stabbing you in the you know where!  Ahemm .. yeah.  mine did this.  It hurts and walking hurts and turning over in bed, getting out of bed, getting out of the car, hurts.  Its called PGP (Pelvic Girdle Pain) or SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction).   It occurs 1-in-35 pregnancies.

I start physical therapy tomorrow which will include some simple exercises and the distribution of a pelvic belt that I have to wear to keep King from pressing on my cervix.

Speaking of King.  This child never stops moving, kicking, jumping and doing somersaults!  Its pretty amazing!  Rob has felt some pretty strong ones too.  Seeing this was music to the doctors ears.  Although its early for all this movement, it means he is a healthy baby.  I am also feeling contractions now but that’s normal for this time.

So there you have it.  The PG gods are testing my will once again but it will only make me stronger!  Bring it!

We move in 12 days.  I have barely packed a thing.  We are also having a garage sale and selling a lot of stuff.  We are pretty overwhelmed with everything but as I always say .. everything always works out.

We are all doing super!

Its been far too long since I posted! I should not be taking this long.  I could easily blame it on the HG .. and well .. I will!  Its almost gone though!  I don’t think I have thrown up for a week now and even then it was at night and only a couple of times.  In my book that means its out the door!

King is doing great and kicking up a storm!  He doesn’t like it when I bend at the waist.  Rob said maybe I am squishing him.  Hehe.  He is one active baby too!  We can feel his kicks with our hand now too.  What an incredible, beautiful, emotional feeling that is.  I can’t explain it.  Its just amazing.

I am 24 weeks now (5+ months) and am doing really good.  King is developing right on track.   My body is taking a few hits here and there, some pulling and tugging but all in all I feel good right now.

We are finishing up the remodel on the house and found a really adorable apartment downtown that we will move in Sept. 15th.  It has 2 bedrooms, a large deck (for gardening, of course), storage, under ground parking and is a 2-story townhouse style.  I am selling a lot of my large, heavy furniture including my Danish dining set but we don’t need a big, fancy table so out if goes (for a nice chunk of change we hope).  We are down-sizing like crazy since King will come with a lot of his own stuff 🙂

I daydream about his nursery everyday and can’t wait to start decorating it.  Can you believe we are here now? Decorating a nursery?  Wow.  We have to be the LUCKIEST couple on the planet.  Seriously.  I say that everyday.  We are so lucky.  Our dreams are truly coming true.

So yeah, the nursery.  I have so many ideas but we know which crib we are getting.  Its at IKEA.  I will find a mid-century dresser and create a changing table out of it like this:

Its safe to say that King’s nursery will be natural, organic, cozy, with animals.  I think I have put my best finds and inspiration here: nursery-favs

Jonna, Alice and Kay are graciously planning the Baby Shower slated for Saturday, October 8th.  Jonna is hosting the shower at her house and I just can’t wait!  These girls are so amazing to do this for us.  It’s going to be a really lovely time.  Co-ed too!

Everything is wonderful.  Rob and I are so excited to meet King.   Excited doesn’t even describe it.  Love does.

Hi. Its been a while.

Well,  I guess everyone that reads this blog deserves to know what is going on.  Nothing bad, just medical stuff with me.  I haven’t posted because 1) I didn’t want to seem like a complainer, 2) I haven’t felt like typing, and 3) I kept thinking it would just go away and I wouldn’t have to even mention it.

I have been inflicted with HG (Hyperemesis Gravidarum).  Basically its morning sickness that occurs all day and night.  So nothing stays down.  Not food or fluids.  I have been to the hospital 3 times for fluids but leave there feeling the same as when I went in so I am not going back for an IV again!  Unless of course I am really, really in bad shape.  Less then 2% of ladies get this thing and I just happen to be one of them.  I think when life throws me these curves it just makes me stronger.  I appreciate my life even more! So FU HG!

The doctor reassure me that the baby is healthy and fine.  I just need to get past this stuff.  Some ladies (regardless of age) get this and have it 1/2 way through the pregnancy and some, unfortunately, have it until delivery.  Rob has been incredible and is so helpful.  He has been keeping the house, the pets, me, the grocery shopping and even doing the remodel!  I cannot thank him enough.

Its been two months since this started and its rough.  I miss shopping, cooking and taking care of the house and Rob.  I would love to enjoy this pregnancy so we are hoping its going to end soon.

OK.  Enough of that.  I had an ultrasound last week and we saw a lot of the baby’s features.  I have 3 photos that I will scan soon and post.  Stay tuned.  xoxoxo

Pokes and Prods

When I started the Pokes and Prodding page here on our blog I never dreamed in a million years that the pokes would be this intense.  If I had to guess I would imagine that to date I have had a hundred needles stuck in me.

We went back to the hospital last night because I couldn’t keep a single thing down and had thrown up about 9 times.  I was really weak and dehydrated.  They sent me to Labor and Delivery where I got 2 liters of fluids and they tried every medication known to man for nausea and nothing worked.  I couldn’t even keep ice or jello down.  This bean is one picky eater!  The last drug they wanted to try I had not heard of and asked for a print-out.  The drug had not been categorized by the FDA and had some very disturbing effects to the baby so we passed.

I feel better after the IV fluids but still a bit nauseous.  I am trying not to take the strong medication and sticking with what has worked:  Unisom + B6 and lying down.  Rob’s pancakes he makes every weekend seem to stay down and thats good because they are make with love 🙂

I am over 10 weeks now and on the last leg toward the end of the 1st trimester.  Surely this will go away soon!!!

Who am I?

I sniff everything! Especially fabric, the sheets, clothes, my pillow .. something is making them stink!  No I didn’t change the fabric softener or laundry detergent but what is that smell?  Oh wait … I’M PREGNANT!  It’s so crazy really.  This is a hard pregnancy for sure.  I am still throwing up everyday but its getting better.  I can’t eat most anything but live on rice cakes and  coca cola.  I had a craving for a lemon meringue pie and Rob bought one.  Today, so far, I have had two small slices and wow! It helps!  I heard lemon is great for nausea and I have to agree.  I even got this homeopathic spray that helps and I sniff that stuff.  Haha!

The three different medications my doctor has prescribed aren’t doing the trick either but that’s OK.  I will get through it!

I do not know who I am right now.  I don’t look the same, walk the same, feel the same, think the same .. nothing.   This is truly one of the most strangest times of my life and I couldn’t be happier.  Rob and I have never been closer.  We still hold hands every time we are near each other, smile from ear to ear and are just incredibly happy.  I will be 10 weeks on Thursday and it seems so surreal this is all happening.  Jonna said it perfectly the other day when I showed her a rocking chair  I loved.  She said, “It just seems like yesterday you guys were leaving for Prague and now you’re looking for rocking chairs!”  Well, it really was yesterday wasn’t it?  It’s been a blur.

All my life I really wanted what I have in my life now.  For years and years I would look at couples raising children and it seemed foreign to me.  I assumed they weren’t really happy and would wonder how long they would last.  I guess I was cynical about relationships and thought they were only temporary.   Never TRULY serious.   Guess what?  I was wrong.   Rob and I absolutely represent that couple I had always imagined, thought didn’t exist and was only for fairy tales.  THIS is a fairy tale and he is definitely my prince but its so very, very real.  We cannot wait to meet our bean.

Icky. Ugh. Plaah

I haven’t posted in awhile and thought I should let those that follow our journey here know whats been going on.

I have pretty much been sick, at the doctors, in the hospital and on the couch for the past 2 weeks.  A couple of weeks ago I started bleeding heavily and drove myself to the ER.  Rob met me there.  We were both very worried and beyond upset.   I was taken care of beyond all our expectations.  I am so glad we decided to switch our care from Swedish to UW.  The conclusion was that I had “passed” the second embryo that had implanted but didn’t make it.  However, the strong bean (who we call King) is going great.  Strong heartbeat and measuring right on schedule.

I have also had a hard time keeping anything down and at one point was feeling so bad that my doctor had me come straight to her office and started an IV drip from being dehydrated.  Ugh.  I have tried different medications but nothing is really helping.  I have a prescription for one more that is very strong and I want to hold out before taking that one.  I am hopeful this will pass soon.

I am officially over 8 weeks now and the embryo is now a fetus.  Miscarriage is down to a 2% chance and I am on my way to being a normal pregnant lady 🙂

We are very excited and can’t wait to get completely out of this 1st trimester sickness.  Its really hard.  I just want to eat a meal and keep it down!  I started protein shakes this morning to get some nutrition in me.   The girls on my forum think King is a Queen since I am so sick.  Seems that girls make you more sick then boys.  Hmmm.  Guess we will know in about 4 weeks.

I want to give a HUGE thanks to my darling Rob who is not only working everyday, taking care of me, the dogs and the remodel, but is always smiling and happy.  I am truly the luckiest girl in the world and I appreciate him more then I could EVER find the words to express it.  I love him so much.  Thank you honey for being who you are.

More soon!

Our first ultrasound

Pretty cool huh? The beans heart rate is 113 bpm. Just perfect.

Many tears were shed. I can’t wait for the next one.

Here is the photo.

He feels it too

I love this site.  Here is what the baby is doing this week:

http://www.babycenter.com/fetal-development-images-6-weeks

All is well here.  I think the junk food phase has ended.  Thank goodness!  Today all I wanted was fruit and today the local market had some great stuff:  Honey Melon, Oranges, grapes, watermelon and cantaloupe.  Yumm!

I haven’t had any issues with spotting or cramping which is a concern during the 1st trimester especially after all we have been through to get here.  According to the pros, my blood work results indicate a healthy embryo developing normally, but I still worry.  Thats my job.

This Thursday (I will be 6 weeks exactly) is my first appointment with the OB and I am really looking forward to that.  I have a list of questions.  I also have been devouring books on pregnancy and Rob even has a couple he is reading that were written by husbands for husbands.  One is super informative and the other is tongue-in-cheek that I really like.  “What she will complain about THIS month.” hehe.

I am having some nausea but knew it was coming.  I read a few tips that I will follow like eating a few crackers before getting out of bed and sucking on cinnamon hard candy when the nausea starts.  I got both today.  I just hate that we went to have such a nice dinner last night that I promptly threw up.  What a waste.  Oh well.  Here is something interesting though .. Rob said he is feeling nauseous too!  Cute huh?

Happiness is a word that barely describes how I feel.  I am so in love with Rob and our little bean.

Oh yeah, I am so preggers

The tell-tale signs are upon us.

• My boobs have become Ji-nor-mus and I have to get a new bra.
• I want donuts really bad.  And grits. (Maybe that’s why my boobs are Ji-nor-mus).
• I get up between 4am and 5am every night to pee.
• A little nauseous but nothing too bad .. yet.   Update: Just left Southern Kitchen where I had Liver, Hush Puppies, Black eyed peas, cornbread stuffing, topped with the sweetest tea this side of El Paso .. then threw it up in their bathroom.  I want a refund dammit
• Everything smells weird.  Especially foods.

Poor Rob.  I don’t think he has had a good meal in awhile.  I just can’t handle a lot of smells when I am cooking.  If we could eat crap all day we would be fine but I have to eat healthy!!  I just can’t seem to want that right now.  I just want crap food. Ugh.  I am going to get on a good healthy diet starting Monday.

We are leaving for Vancouver this morning for a weekend of R&R.  It has been a busy, busy last few months and we haven’t really had a chance to just be quiet and ponder on our journey.  Rob does talk to the baby via my tummy everyday though.  It brings tears to my eyes.  He will say, “Hi baby.  Do your jazzercize today but be careful with your mommy’s big boobs.  They are heavy.  Have a good day.  See you later.  Love you.”

That is one amazing Daddy.

OK! We can jump up and down now!!

We made it.  We are cleared for take off.  We got us a little bean that has perfect development numbers.  Its just a single bebe and that is just fine.  A single bebe that is developing right on schedule.

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!

OK.  I’ll calm down now.  On second thought …

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!

There.  I feel better now. 

I am officially 5 weeks and 1 day with a single bean developing just right.  Dang, we have to be the luckiest couple alive.  Seriously.  We have to be.    I just couldn’t be happier if I tried!!

Looks like a single bean :)

Beta tests, HCg levels, blood work …. too much info!  The good thing is the test results put me in the normal range and it appears to be a Singleton.  We are super happy.  Not that we wouldn’t have been just as thrilled to have twins, we realize that the strain would be a lot to handle.  Anway, I am officially 4 weeks and 4 days pregnant with a due date of December 7th.

I have another blood test done tomorrow then I move to the high-risk OB doctor my primary selected for me.  She is at Swedish Medical and delivery will happen there.  Check out these rooms!!

Things are still slow moving for me.  I get nervous and scared when I have the slightest cramp, which is really implantation cramping, and just lay around.  That’s OK right?  We went through too much for me to take any chances.  So I am still resting.  I think its this stage though.  The pre-12 week scary stage.  Once I hit 12 weeks its on!

Maybe I will get out today and get some maternity jeans 🙂

one or two?

We got the blood work this morning and my HCG is 130.  My doctor thinks that we are having a singleton, although from what I have read the average at this time should be around 100.  They will redraw blood tomorrow (Saturday) to see where the numbers are then.  That is really the crucial number which should double in 48 hours.  This is REALLY REALLY great news!  A number lower than 50 right now would be a bust but we have to see the numbers for Saturday to know more.

I am exactly 4 weeks and 1 day pregnant 🙂

Weird huh?  Since the transfer was only 2 weeks ago but with IVF it is based on with the donor ovulated.  They explain it much better here: http://www.ivf.ca/pgweeks.htm

Keep your toes and fingers crossed that the numbers double!

knock knock …

who’s there?

Another + urine test the doctor had me take today (along with draw for the Beta / blood work).   SHE EVEN HAD TEARS!  The door slowly opened to the exam room as she peeked in .. “You are definitely preeeeeeeeeeegnant.”  So cute.

Beta test results tomorrow.  Yayy xoxo

+

So my cycle buddy has been doing a HPT (Home Pregnancy Test) or POAS (peeing on a stick) all week.  The deal is we have our Beta (blood work) which measures the HCG to determine pregnancy today, but a LOT of girls just cannot wait and go get HPTs.  There are some real addicts to these things!  I decided early on that I wasn’t going to use HPTs because there can be false/positives and you go into a tail spin, or you get a negative on the HPT but the Beta test comes back with high numbers!  Its a double-edge sword these HPTs!!

My cycle buddy has gotten negatives all week.  We have talked on the phone everyday.  She is in Dallas ironically enough.  She is in good spirits on the phone but I am sure she is just devastated.  The thing is .. she is putting herself through misery by not waiting.  The Beta COULD come back with good numbers and the HPTs just aren’t sensitive enough this early in the game.  Anyway … I got all down and depressed, questioning if I was going to find the same fate.  I went to Walgreens and bought a really crappy, cheap HPT — even knowing that TODAY I go get my blood work done and will know tomorrow — I just couldn’t stand the wait anymore.

Rob’s alarm went off at 7am.  I slid out of bed – pee’d in a cup – stuck the thing in there – waited, waited, waited.

+ Yes it is FAINT as all get out, but even the most faint line in the + section means +

I mean technically I am only 10 days preggers.  If I was 6 – 8 weeks that + would be a dark purple but since 10 days only excretes the tiniest drop of HCG this is all you get but you get it.  A +

We are preggers 🙂

We cried

Rob did a little jig in the kitchen

He cried more

I cried

Then I treated myself to a tiny espresso.

Now the blood work today which will tell us how well the embies implanted and if one or two is implanting.

Stay tuned!

p. s. I wrote the dang day wrong – should be 10dp5dt (10 days post 5 day transfer) meaning its 10 days since we have the embryo transfer on day 5.   Doh!

home sweet home

We arrived yesterday, dropped our bags at the house and went straight to the emergency clinic.   Two days prior I woke up with what I thought were bed bug bites.  My legs and arms had these small, red, itchy dots all over them.  We got some cortizone cream at the pharmacy in Prague and that seemed to help, however, on the flight home they got worse.  I was literally covered from head to toe in these bumps and the itching was so intense.  The flight was hard enough without dealing with this crazy stuff.  I used all the cream we got on the flight.  I probably would have just bought more cream here and dealt with it but I have two little embies in me and HAD to make sure nothing toxic was getting in my blood stream from these bites.

Two doctors later they concluded these weren’t bites at all but an allergic reaction, or “contact dermatitis”.    One asked if I had done laundry while there.  Yes, yes we had.  “Did you wash the bra you are wearing.”  No, no I hadn’t.  AH HA! That is it then!  There are no bumps where your bra is but everywhere else.  Also, on the flight wearing snug clothes made these little buggers warm and irritated.  Ugh what a mess.

The trip was tough.  I got sick a few times and then this allergic reaction.  I knew it wasn’t going to be easy but holy hell I am glad to be home, in my own bed, resting.  We have pretty much slept since we got home.  The doctor gave me two prescriptions for the allergic reaction (safe for pregnancy) and they knock me out.  We are just plum tuckered out 🙂

Now we wait.  We will know if we are pg the first week of April.  I will fill my days with lots of activity until then.  So far everything seems really really good and no issues at all.  I am ready to wear maternity clothes too!  My belly already feels full!

All is well and really couldn’t be better

As we arrived to the clinic we were met by a lovely deer.  He, or she, was just gorgeous.  The day was beautiful and sunny.  We were ready.

We met my cycle buddy and her husband for tea in the clinic cafe and then headed upstairs for our various appointments, blood work for me to check progesterone level, which came back just perfect, pay the balance (yikes) and then to the surgery center.

Our resting room and bed was very nice and overlooked the woods behind the clinic.  I changed into my gown and then they came to get me and Rob.   The entire process took no more then 10 minutes, 5 minutes rest in the surgery room and then wheeled back in the resting room for an hour.  Rob held my hand the entire time and we both looked a bit terrified.  Understandable right?

After an hour of rest we got ourselves together to head back to the hotel.  We had one more stop to make in the clinic for our prescriptions and pickup our file.  Rob said, “you got babies squirted in you honey.”  It is so cute.

Meet the babies:

Two perfect grade Embies all snuggled in.  The one of the left has already begun to hatch which is the PERFECT embryo to have.  This means that this little guy will begin to implant and snuggle in in about 24-hours.  So its rest rest rest for me to help him or her out.   I do have a tiny bit of cramping which is a good sign that he is trying to find a place to settle into.  Rob talked to them this morning and tears ran down my face.  We are making little jokes now too.  This morning he teased me about my snoring in the night and I said .. Hey! I am snoring for three!

This morning we are leaving for Prague to the apartment we rented and will stay there for 3 days to rest, rest, rest.

We are also thinking about Mike and hope he has a speedy recovery.  Hopefully we will get to talk to him later today.

We miss everyone.