A little introduction of 2009...

I know it has been a while since I have completed a Coakley Newsletter and I was asked the other day when the next one would be. We decided to start a blog for Jason and I both to use so we can keep others informed of things that are going on in our life. Unfortunately we get so busy here in a Florida, we don’t get to talk to our loved ones as much as we like. I have created a blog for us hopefully to help fill that gap, if we can remember to update it along our journey.

I hope everyone's Christmas was great and had a Happy New Year.

I will start off with some sad news that I received about a week before Christmas about my Grandma, my father's mother. She had gone to the Dr. due to a bruise that would not go away and after some test she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She has been ongoing test since then and we are not sure at this time what or if there will be any treatment. She had a PET scan done today and that, I believe, is the last of the test. We are hoping for some good news. This has been really hard on me because she lived across the street for most of my childhood. Seeing her at Christmas, so fragile and tired, made it all too real. We are heading up there this weekend to spend some time with her. As you know, my family is large. My grandma has 55 total with her children, grands and great grands. This Christmas we were able to have all 55 of us together and of course have the traditional low country boil for Christmas. This was the first time, EVER, we were all able to be together at one time. The boys of course played volleyball, gnats and all. Jason complained for weeks about his bites but being the competitive person he is, he just couldn't say no.

It was great getting to see those I have not seen in a long time and spend time with their new additions. We are hoping this is the start of an annual get together. In June we had planned to rent a log cabin in Tennessee that would be able to house all of us but the Lord had a different plan for us and did not want us to wait that long. We just got our reunion a little bit sooner. Please, keep my Grandma and my family in your prayers as we continue on the new path that has been created for us. We know we have no control and that the Lord has a plan for each and every one of us, we just have to believe that the Lord has a reason for all and will help us through it.

Now, to Jason and I. As most of you know for about a year now we have been trying to add an addition to our family of three, we can't forget Louie, but I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) back in I believe July. Since then we tried fertility medication alone but it was not working for me. We were referred to an Reproductive Specialist back in September and after a serious of test and findings, I was put on a many different medications and I guess the combination was just right because last month I finally responded to the fertility medications. Our Dr. believed that to increase our chances, Jason also has some fertility issues, it would be better for us to do IUI, Intra-uterine insemination. Last month was our first and unfortunately it was negative.

Now, we are attempting round two with this new combination and we are just giving you another reason to include us to your prayer list. We know when it is our time, we will be blessed and until then we will do all we can to get there. With all the Dr. appointments and medications, it has been expensive but we know in the long run it will be worth. Along with PCOD comes other problems which our Dr. found out that I am hypothyroid and IR (Insulin Resistance). Both of these conditions make me a high risk for gestational diabetes and also miscarriages. If or when we do get pregnant, we will just have completed one of many steps.

So, as you can see we have plenty of things to blog about as we start 2009. We know that many people want to know when and what is going on and we thought this would be the best way. Of course, this doesn't mean we don't want to talk to you on the phone but we feel this will help fill in the gap between the phone conversations!

We hope all are doing well and we would love to hear from you. We love you very much and miss you and know that you are welcome to take advantage of us living in Florida anytime. We love the company and so does Louie.