705th Issue of the LFCA

Welcome to today's edition of Connections Abound. The point of Lost and Found is to level the support playing field. When LFCA works correctly, the newest blogger with the smallest readership can receive the same level of support as the oldest blogger with the largest readership. Anyone can submit news to LFCA by clicking here.

Lost and Found is open to anyone in the infertility, pregnancy loss, adoption, pregnancy-and-parenting after infertility, assisted conception, living child-free after infertility or loss community (as well as anyone I inadvertently missed on that list). Please support the list as well as anyone posting announcements below.

Connections Abound

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS
New

• Prompt-ly: A prompt and blog post idea listserv has started. You can read more about it on Stirrup Queens and join.
  
• Pomegranate Writers Group: The Pomegranate Writers Group has officially been formed! A group of us (Keiko from Hannah Wept, Sarah Laughed, Esperanza from Stumbling Grace, Mo from Mommy Odyssey and Me, from Too Many Fish to Fry) are joining forces for this virtual workshop, where we will critique and help fellow writers create and refine the projects they are working. Welcome projects: Memoirs, Chick Lit, Mysteries, Children's Books, Screenplays, Cookbooks. You can be just starting out or polishing a manuscript. I will be matching like-minded projects together. The goal: by the end of the year, we get at least a few finished works agents, and hopefully, contracts with publishers!
• Non-Profit: The organization write, "Chance to Hope is looking for men/women who have their own business to help raise money for their infertility treatments or adoption. We would like to add them to our ongoing list on our website (List is at http://www.chancetohope.org/2009/06/help-shop.html) in order to give them more exposure and support. Chance to Hope is a non-profit foundation that gives financial assistance and resources to infertile couples that are trying to build their families through treatments or adoption. It was founded by Courtney.
  
• Helpful: Fertility Nation compiled rates of IVF use into a map and created rankings for every state. How does your state rank?
• Project: Keiko hopes to get 1000 votes for her infertility awareness story on 1000Women.com, a social media health awareness movement to get 1,000,000 women advocating for women's health. Currently she's sitting in the #2 spot and would love your votes to crack #1!
• Question: St. Elsewhere will appreciate any input from any fellow blogger who consumed Clomid while pregnant, and if they have any idea of the outcome of the same. Or did such consumption make no difference?
• Advice: After 3 losses, two of them suspected ectopics, Mo over at Mommy Odyssey just found out she has a partially blocked right tube, and her options are very limited. She's currently opting for monitoring which side she's ovulating on in any given month in the hopes of avoiding the partially blocked tube, and is looking for some success stories.
  
• Daily Creme Update: There are currently 306 participants on the Creme de la Creme list (and 370 total currently in the queue to get on the list). The list is now closed. Make sure to check back often as new posts will go up daily.

Old

• First Time Reading the LFCA: If this is your first time reading the LFCA or you need a refresher about how the LFCA works, please read this post. It has everything you need to know about getting your news in the LFCA.
• Quicklink Resources: Regular ALI Blogroll: If you would like your blog added to the ALI blogroll, please email me directly with your blog url and category pick. More information about being added is contained in that link. Password-Protected Blogroll: If you would like your password-protected blog added to the blogroll, please fill out the form.

NEW BLOGS (started in May or June 2011)

• Musings of a Blue-Eyed Blonde (general adoption)
• Waiting, Wishing, Hoping (general IF)
• Seriously?! (old blogger; new digs)
  

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES (celebrate your birthday or blogoversary with the community. Send me date at any point and I'll post them on the correct day)

• A Woman of My Age celebrated her birthday on Sunday. Go sing her a little song.
• Soulbliss also celebrated her birthday on Sunday. Go have a slice of cake with her.
• I'm a Smart One is celebrating her anniversary on Wednesday. Go wish them congratulations.
• Stirrup Queens is celebrating her blogoversary next Saturday. Wish her congratulations this week.
  
• Erika and John celebrated their 8th anniversary back on the 7th. Taking the next step and traveling hours to an RE is weighing heavily on their minds.
• Tigger is celebrating her 34th birthday on Monday. Go over and sing her a little song, share some cake.
• The year has skipped round and Stinky is celebrating her first blogoversary already. On Sunday. Already!
  

LOSS REMEMBRANCES (send in the dates of loss anniversaries and I will post them on the correct day)

• Thinking Miracles was remembering a loss on Sunday. Please go give her support.
  

LOSS ANNOUNCEMENTS

• After losing twins, Ayla & Juliet 10/2009 Lis was again expecting twins. She began having cervical shortening last week and found out today that she was dilated with bulging membranes. She has now had to say good-bye to her 3rd daughter Bayli and 1st son Thomas Jr at just past 21 weeks. Please send her lots of love and support in this trying time.
• Those Krazy Koopman Kiddos had to say good-bye to her baby girl and could use some support.
• After experiencing initially very high betas, Egghunt was diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy. She is mourning the loss, not only of her pregnancy but of her tube. Please offer support.
  
• Modern Medicine Miracle had an ectopic pregnancy and is miscarrying naturally. She could use some kind words.
• JustHeather could use some much needed comfort and hugs. She found out today that her mother has passed away from a heart attack. Lots of positive thoughts are needed as she makes frantic plans to cross the big pond (Atlantic Ocean) to be with her family.
• Ernessa's final FET resulted in a miscarriage at 8 weeks. She's not sure what comes next.
  

MISCELLANEOUS SUPPORT AND CELEBRATIONS (scary scans, anxious waits, OHSS, and a host of other reasons why these bloggers could use some additional support right now. Also, celebratory retrievals, transfers, and other good news)

• Amy at Babies or Not has finished chemo! Drop by and help her celebrate.
• Parenthood for Me has notified the grant recipients for 2011. They are giving away a total of $14,000. They wish they could help all applicants. The decision was extremely difficult. For all those that applied that did not receive a grant, PFM wishes you well on your journey to parenthood. The 2012 grant cycle opens in January.
• After failing IVF 2.5 recently, approaching the 4 year TTC mark, trying to move forward is proving to be difficult for M. Adoption? While M is open, her husband is hesitant. Where do you even begin with the adoption process? How did you know you were ready to adopt? Any help or guidance would be appreciated.
• Even though 11 eggs were harvested for Arohanui during IVF #1, none of them fertilized, and the sperm was found dead. After 18 months of trying and 9 IUIs and 1 IVF later, Arohanui has now been told that the infertility all stemmed from the sperm. She is crestfallen, and is dreading going on the list for receiving donor sperm or even thinking of what to do next.
• Abracadabra Baby is in her 2ww of her 4th cycle (3 IVF w/ PGD + 1 FET), and she's having trouble keeping up her optimism. Please stop by with some good vibes and encouragement.
• Waiting for u, baby got a BFN after a two-embryo transfer and is devastated.
• Nic is having a hard time right now and needs a flood of love. FET is pushed back and she awaiting the diagnosis of MS or neurosarcoidosis. Both very scary.
• Heather over at MamaWannaBe is wrestling with the decision to try for #2 as a SMC. She could use some input from any of you been there done that single moms of two (or more!)
• Please keep InDueTime in your thoughts and prayers this week as she is not with A this week on her 5th birthday.
• Gracie has made the decision to move on from treatments to domestic adoption.

BEDREST BABES: on bedrest following infertility or loss and needing support. Drop in on them and keep them company. Blurbs running underneath the "new" line are from this week, and the ones above that line will disappear on Sunday. Please do not re-list bedrest blurbs.

• None Today.
  

PREGNANCY ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS

• Sunny Jenny is celebrating a confirmed pregnancy! Five years of treatments have resulted in her first pregnancy!
• Tam is pregnant!
• Taking the Long Way Around is pregnant!
  

BIRTH AND ADOPTION ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Elaine and family have just welcomed Caleb on May 27th. Go wish them congratulations.
• My Hopeful Heart was just chosen by a local mom to adopt her newborn baby. Go wish them congratulations (and sneak a peek at her new cutie pie baby)!
• Erica and AJ of Parenthood for Me are expecting another baby boy through international adoption. He turned one May 10. They have a long wait ahead expecting his arrival home in December or January. Erica will be writing about her second adoption journey at her new personal blog.
  
• Geo-chick was matched and placed with a baby boy in a matter of days. Her and her husband have been waiting so long for this. Please stop by and offer congratulations.
  

Read and Support