About Me
A little about me... let's see - where to begin! I am Rebekah, and this blog began in 2006 as a way to record my experiences in
surrogacy and has evolved over the years to include my day to day life, including what my kids and puppies have been up to and the latest recipes I've enjoyed creating in the
kitchen. I have loved sharing all about my surrogacy experiences between 2006-2012 in helping to bring 4 beautiful little girls into the arms of their parents, who had long hoped for and dreamed of them. It has been a truly amazing part of my life, and I am so very grateful and humbled to have had those experiences. You will find more about my surrogacy experiences below.
I grew up as the middle child of three, with an older brother, and younger sister. My parents moved us around frequently for various jobs and we traveled the United States in the process. We were based primarily in Washington state the majority of the time, but I have lived in Alaska and Pennsylvania as well, and visited many of the states in the continental U.S. from our long, cross-country trips (which my mother was FANTASTIC at turning into wonderful adventures for me and my siblings).
In December 1995 my family packed up and moved to Senegal, West Africa where my parents had both taken jobs at Dakar Academy, an English speaking school on the coast. We lived there for 2 1/2 years and it was an amazing time in my life. I could not be any more thankful to my parents for being willing to pick us up and move us across the world. The experiences I was allowed to have while living in Africa are truly unforgettable.
I moved back to the US with my family, had my first child at the tender age of 17 in Washington state, moved to Tennessee when Kent was about 6 months old where his father joined the USMC so we moved to Camp Pendleton, CA not long after that and enjoyed the beautiful temperatures and ocean access for 4 years. We moved to Georgia in late 2003 shortly after my gastric bypass surgery and have been here ever since.
I have watched my little red headed boy grow into a young man over the years, have enjoyed fostering and rescuing numerous dogs through a couple different great rescue groups, and was tremendously blessed by the arrival of my sassy baby girl Lindsey Rose in 2013. Life is a never ending adventure, and I embrace each day as it comes and am so grateful for my family and those I love whom I get to share my days with. Each day is a gift, and a miracle.
In the kitchen I love, love, love to experiment. Most everything I make is geared towards "quick, easy, and family friendly", though every now and then I get the chance to be a little bit more creative and take my time to prepare a dish that doesn't need to be on the table 30 minutes after I start preparing it. I have huge lists of recipes to make "someday" and would prefer not to ever make the same thing twice, because there are so many new and fun things yet to be tested out in my kitchen! However, every now and then I give in and make a family favorite, but it is against my will I tell you.
I love to bake and often use kitchen time as my therapy when I'm having a rough day. I like to make muffins and cookies and share them at work, or send them with my son to his friends. I am a big fan of my crock pot and grilling as well - you'll find a little bit of everything here!
Find me around the web:
Blog Link: http://rebekahrose.blogspot.com/
Making Miracles on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Making-Miracles/112153588870188
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sandra92083/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/hillsrebekah
Twitter: @Make_Miracles (https://twitter.com/Make_Miracles)
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RebekahHills/posts
E-mail me: sandra_92083@yahoo.com
Surrogacy Experiences
My journey through surrogacy has been filled with many ups, downs and in betweens. I actually first started looking into surrogacy back in 2003 but didn't end up pursuing it until early 2006. I had gotten pregnant unexpectedly in late 2005, and we found out in January 2006 I had lost the baby. It was a very difficult time for me, but through that loss I realized more than ever I wanted to be a surrogate and help bring a baby into the arms of a couple who very much wanted a child but needed a carrier's assistance. I contacted Fran at A Woman's Gift in March 2006 and by the end of that month I was matched with Tom and Irena and I was enveloped into a world swirling with words like: IVF, gestational, surrogate, contracts, compensation, risks, injectables, progesterone in oil, estrogen, embryo, betas, transfer, and more. I had already done a lot of research at that point, but was ravenous for more and researched the process, procedures, what to expect, what medications would most likely be used, stats for the clinic we'd be using, researched the doctor's we'd be working with, and more. I wanted to know as MUCH as I could as soon as I could! I asked a million questions on http://www.surromomsonline.com/ where I found a wonderful community of surrogates, egg donors and intended parents - some with years of experience and knowledge to offer, and many who were just beginning like me. It is a community I'm so thankful to have found - I've made MANY friends through that site over the years, many of whom I've met in person and others whom I only know through the worldwideweb! They've been my support through it all, and I highly recommend anyone who's involved in surrogacy - whether you are a GS, TS or IP - to visit SMO and get involved. It's a wonderful network of support and knowledge.
I wanted to have a "highlights" page to have a place where I can look back and see "snapshots" of all the big days throughout the years, and so those who would like to take a look back can also get caught up on all the milestones and memories with me.
GESTATIONAL SURROGACY #1
April 8, 2006 About my PIPs - my very first blog post! An introduction to Tom and Irena and a summary of what had happened up to that point.
May 15, 2006 Back from Testing! - a summary of the exciting trip to New Jersey to meet Tom and Irena in person and have all our standard testing done at Cooper Clinic.
November 03, 2006 Transfer Day! - my memories of our amazing transfer, the day that would start the life of a precious little girl and an experience that I treasure greatly.
March 09, 2007 T&I are the proud expectant parents of a.... - capturing the moment we learned the little girl my IM and I had both been dreaming of was a reality!
July 21, 2007 She's HERE!! - the birth announcement and my memory of our incredible labor and delivery!
February 22, 2011 First GS Journey Flashbacks... - a snapshot post with pictures and milestone moments over my journey with Tom and Irena!
GESTATIONAL SURROGACY #2
May 29, 2009 TGIF! - a brief blog about meeting my IPs for my second G.S. journey - I'd been through a lot up to that point (with an attempted sibling project with Tom and Irena that took us through months of disappointing canceled cycles before ending in failed transfer which was devastating to us all, then moving on to match as a Traditional Surrogate with a couple whom we parted with amicably after one failed IUI cycle when more testing revealed there were sperm issues with the IF) so I was being a little "close to the chest" I think and not ready to feel too excited or hopeful that things would work out ok!
February 27, 2010 Transfer was today!! Yay!! - obviously there was a pretty big time gap in there between matching and transferring, we had one canceled cycle in September when my IM didn't respond to stims and then had to wait for the clinic to take it's 2 weeks off in December before we were able to start cycling again! Timing wise it was probably a good thing we had a long break, as my mother passed away that November, right before my son's 11th birthday and it was a difficult couple months for me.
June 11, 2010 Your pregnancy: 17 weeks - U/S Appt Update! - we found out (well for 90% certainty) that my IPs would be bringing a baby GIRL home!
November 09, 2010 38w3d - ZERO Days To Go! :) - labor and delivery update on the arrival of Miss "S"!
March 01, 2011 GS Journey #2 in Review! - a photo snapshot of my pregnancy and journey to bring Miss "S" to her parent's arms!
GESTATIONAL SURROGACY #3
March 24, 2011 Introducing...! - an introduction to Jenn and Chad, IP's extraordinaire!
May 25, 2011 Baby on Board! Transfer Today! - our first transfer! Unfortunately this resulted in a failed cycle but we were ready to try, try again!
July 7, 2011 Transfer Day! Snuggle in little ones! - our 2nd transfer, 2 little embryos (subsequently nicknamed "the chadifers"!) survived the thaw!
August 4, 2011 It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a beagle... - finding out we had TWINS on board!
February 15, 2012 Happy Birthday Beautiful Girls! - the arrival of Jenn and Chad's baby girls!
GESTATIONAL SURROGACY #4
October 15, 2014 - GS#4 Update / timeline.
February 10, 2015 - cycling update; we had lab work issues with this journey and I had to get blood draws on 3 occasions to confirm everything was ok to move forward, it took a L.O.N.G. time!
March 31, 2015 - Transferred one gorgeous 5-day blastocyst!
April 20, 2015 - 6 weeks pregnant and BIG betas!
May 25, 2015 - sad update... baby had looked great at nearly 8 1/2 weeks, but at our 10 week ultrasound we saw that the baby no longer had a heartbeat.
I grew up as the middle child of three, with an older brother, and younger sister. My parents moved us around frequently for various jobs and we traveled the United States in the process. We were based primarily in Washington state the majority of the time, but I have lived in Alaska and Pennsylvania as well, and visited many of the states in the continental U.S. from our long, cross-country trips (which my mother was FANTASTIC at turning into wonderful adventures for me and my siblings).
In December 1995 my family packed up and moved to Senegal, West Africa where my parents had both taken jobs at Dakar Academy, an English speaking school on the coast. We lived there for 2 1/2 years and it was an amazing time in my life. I could not be any more thankful to my parents for being willing to pick us up and move us across the world. The experiences I was allowed to have while living in Africa are truly unforgettable.
I moved back to the US with my family, had my first child at the tender age of 17 in Washington state, moved to Tennessee when Kent was about 6 months old where his father joined the USMC so we moved to Camp Pendleton, CA not long after that and enjoyed the beautiful temperatures and ocean access for 4 years. We moved to Georgia in late 2003 shortly after my gastric bypass surgery and have been here ever since.
I have watched my little red headed boy grow into a young man over the years, have enjoyed fostering and rescuing numerous dogs through a couple different great rescue groups, and was tremendously blessed by the arrival of my sassy baby girl Lindsey Rose in 2013. Life is a never ending adventure, and I embrace each day as it comes and am so grateful for my family and those I love whom I get to share my days with. Each day is a gift, and a miracle.
In the kitchen I love, love, love to experiment. Most everything I make is geared towards "quick, easy, and family friendly", though every now and then I get the chance to be a little bit more creative and take my time to prepare a dish that doesn't need to be on the table 30 minutes after I start preparing it. I have huge lists of recipes to make "someday" and would prefer not to ever make the same thing twice, because there are so many new and fun things yet to be tested out in my kitchen! However, every now and then I give in and make a family favorite, but it is against my will I tell you.
I love to bake and often use kitchen time as my therapy when I'm having a rough day. I like to make muffins and cookies and share them at work, or send them with my son to his friends. I am a big fan of my crock pot and grilling as well - you'll find a little bit of everything here!
Find me around the web:
Blog Link: http://rebekahrose.blogspot.com/
Making Miracles on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Making-Miracles/112153588870188
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/sandra92083/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/hillsrebekah
Twitter: @Make_Miracles (https://twitter.com/Make_Miracles)
Google Plus: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+RebekahHills/posts
E-mail me: sandra_92083@yahoo.com
Surrogacy Experiences
My journey through surrogacy has been filled with many ups, downs and in betweens. I actually first started looking into surrogacy back in 2003 but didn't end up pursuing it until early 2006. I had gotten pregnant unexpectedly in late 2005, and we found out in January 2006 I had lost the baby. It was a very difficult time for me, but through that loss I realized more than ever I wanted to be a surrogate and help bring a baby into the arms of a couple who very much wanted a child but needed a carrier's assistance. I contacted Fran at A Woman's Gift in March 2006 and by the end of that month I was matched with Tom and Irena and I was enveloped into a world swirling with words like: IVF, gestational, surrogate, contracts, compensation, risks, injectables, progesterone in oil, estrogen, embryo, betas, transfer, and more. I had already done a lot of research at that point, but was ravenous for more and researched the process, procedures, what to expect, what medications would most likely be used, stats for the clinic we'd be using, researched the doctor's we'd be working with, and more. I wanted to know as MUCH as I could as soon as I could! I asked a million questions on http://www.surromomsonline.com/ where I found a wonderful community of surrogates, egg donors and intended parents - some with years of experience and knowledge to offer, and many who were just beginning like me. It is a community I'm so thankful to have found - I've made MANY friends through that site over the years, many of whom I've met in person and others whom I only know through the worldwideweb! They've been my support through it all, and I highly recommend anyone who's involved in surrogacy - whether you are a GS, TS or IP - to visit SMO and get involved. It's a wonderful network of support and knowledge.
I wanted to have a "highlights" page to have a place where I can look back and see "snapshots" of all the big days throughout the years, and so those who would like to take a look back can also get caught up on all the milestones and memories with me.
GESTATIONAL SURROGACY #1
April 8, 2006 About my PIPs - my very first blog post! An introduction to Tom and Irena and a summary of what had happened up to that point.
May 15, 2006 Back from Testing! - a summary of the exciting trip to New Jersey to meet Tom and Irena in person and have all our standard testing done at Cooper Clinic.
November 03, 2006 Transfer Day! - my memories of our amazing transfer, the day that would start the life of a precious little girl and an experience that I treasure greatly.
March 09, 2007 T&I are the proud expectant parents of a.... - capturing the moment we learned the little girl my IM and I had both been dreaming of was a reality!
July 21, 2007 She's HERE!! - the birth announcement and my memory of our incredible labor and delivery!
February 22, 2011 First GS Journey Flashbacks... - a snapshot post with pictures and milestone moments over my journey with Tom and Irena!
GESTATIONAL SURROGACY #2
May 29, 2009 TGIF! - a brief blog about meeting my IPs for my second G.S. journey - I'd been through a lot up to that point (with an attempted sibling project with Tom and Irena that took us through months of disappointing canceled cycles before ending in failed transfer which was devastating to us all, then moving on to match as a Traditional Surrogate with a couple whom we parted with amicably after one failed IUI cycle when more testing revealed there were sperm issues with the IF) so I was being a little "close to the chest" I think and not ready to feel too excited or hopeful that things would work out ok!
February 27, 2010 Transfer was today!! Yay!! - obviously there was a pretty big time gap in there between matching and transferring, we had one canceled cycle in September when my IM didn't respond to stims and then had to wait for the clinic to take it's 2 weeks off in December before we were able to start cycling again! Timing wise it was probably a good thing we had a long break, as my mother passed away that November, right before my son's 11th birthday and it was a difficult couple months for me.
June 11, 2010 Your pregnancy: 17 weeks - U/S Appt Update! - we found out (well for 90% certainty) that my IPs would be bringing a baby GIRL home!
November 09, 2010 38w3d - ZERO Days To Go! :) - labor and delivery update on the arrival of Miss "S"!
March 01, 2011 GS Journey #2 in Review! - a photo snapshot of my pregnancy and journey to bring Miss "S" to her parent's arms!
GESTATIONAL SURROGACY #3
March 24, 2011 Introducing...! - an introduction to Jenn and Chad, IP's extraordinaire!
May 25, 2011 Baby on Board! Transfer Today! - our first transfer! Unfortunately this resulted in a failed cycle but we were ready to try, try again!
July 7, 2011 Transfer Day! Snuggle in little ones! - our 2nd transfer, 2 little embryos (subsequently nicknamed "the chadifers"!) survived the thaw!
August 4, 2011 It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a beagle... - finding out we had TWINS on board!
February 15, 2012 Happy Birthday Beautiful Girls! - the arrival of Jenn and Chad's baby girls!
GESTATIONAL SURROGACY #4
October 15, 2014 - GS#4 Update / timeline.
February 10, 2015 - cycling update; we had lab work issues with this journey and I had to get blood draws on 3 occasions to confirm everything was ok to move forward, it took a L.O.N.G. time!
March 31, 2015 - Transferred one gorgeous 5-day blastocyst!
April 20, 2015 - 6 weeks pregnant and BIG betas!
May 25, 2015 - sad update... baby had looked great at nearly 8 1/2 weeks, but at our 10 week ultrasound we saw that the baby no longer had a heartbeat.
