For those of you following along at home, The Electrician and I have been working with surrogate number two, whom we have fondly nicknamed “Auntie Pelican,” for a several months.

Our previous experience with the wonderful Auntie Stork was one I was able to share with a fair level of detail. She lived in another community and her identity was a secret except for our innermost circle of loved ones. During that process, I wrote blog posts about achieving each significant step, and let the people cheering us on know when the embryo transfer was scheduled.

Auntie Pelican, everyday super hero, travels in many of the same circles as we do. She and Uncle Pelican live a very short drive from us, and both of them work in the same field as me. Given that so many more people who read my writing either know who she is or will figure it out quickly once (hopefully) her waistline starts expanding, I have chosen to share far fewer details this time around.

Right now, I can tell you that things are progressing much more smoothly with this surrogacy arrangement; thankfully, we are not being restrained by the thousand systemic delays of our past experience. I will not be sharing any specific medical information or timelines to respect Auntie Pelican’s privacy, but I am thrilled to tell you:

• All health clearances are complete for all the humans involved.
• The legal agreement is finished and in place.
• We are fully approved for an upcoming embryo transfer cycle.

I’m feeling a staggering swirl of excitement and fear, perhaps since this is unfolding so soon after losing our first baby in March. I didn’t physically experience the death of our developing embryo in the usual sense, but the pain crushed me like a beetle on the sidewalk nonetheless. I’m ready to move forward in hope and love, but I know PiP will be on my mind relentlessly in the early days after the new transfer takes place.

Until I have fantastic gestational news to write about, please know that we are doing well and feeling positive about the future. We are still utterly stunned to be blessed with another potential opportunity for parenthood. I am focused on preparation so that I can meet whatever happens next with acceptance and peace.

As always, thank you to the people in our lives who send their hope, their love, their prayers, and all their good vibes our way during this remarkable, exhausting quest.