I'm getting antsy

In early January, Mark and I found out we were a genetic match for a mutation that could immediately terminate the life of our baby. So with that gut punch, we put the kibosh on "seeing how things go" and accepted our fate that we would be paying for a baby.
Knowing that IVF with PGD is a lot of money, we needed a new game plan. In short, we decided to wait.

To say this change of perspective was different was an understatement.
It was freeing.
For four years we wished and timed and hoped and prayed and waited and cycled through every emotion imaginable. I lived my life in 25 day increments. In the meantime, life sorta passed us by.
Sure, I still remember the good and bad memories, but those four years are sort of fuzzy.
Fuzzy in a way where we just realized our English bulldog will be turning FOUR this July and I just can't believe we have had him this long.

So, we decided to put the whole thing off for two years. In two years we were going to redo our kitchen, buy a sensible car and get Mark his dream boat. And then get a baby.
In two years.
And of course I'm all, "I did the budget! We can totally do this!" But dudes, that's a looonnngggg time away. And who knows how many other hurdles may come in between now and then? The baby timeline could get pushed back dramatically because there's always something else.

The first change in the two year timeline was to put a temporary hold on the kitchen. Instead, we could save our tax return money until we have enough for the renovation and not have worry about the month to month savings for that particular item.

But then there is our insurance.
Although I am extremely grateful to have found this company and have such a great job so quickly after I was let go, our insurance is what they call "self-funded."
And in Illinois, even though we have a glorious new mandate that a woman can receive infertility and IVF coverage at no cost, some plans are exempt from the rule.
And that is where the self-funded insurance comes into play.
They don't have to cover it.
And in a office of 99% dudes and me? Oh yea, they won't be changing that any time soon.

Enter Obamacare.
After doing some research, I learned that I can purchase my own insurance that covers all these wonderful IVF fees, essentially reducing our costs from $25K to $5-$8K.
Open enrollment starts November '15 and my insurance renewal is up in December '15. It's the perfect transition.

Because I just can't wait anymore. Here I am reading baby blogs and following baby companies on Instagram and dreaming about our nursery...and still trying to put it off for two years?
I can't.
Not when I have started going off the crazy train and filling up a cute little turquoise and gold dot box with baby items. I should also mention that I have a strangely insane pull that our first will be a girl.

The new timeline is to get insurance coverage at the end of the year and start out consultations for IVF early 2016. By this time next year we should be rocking and rolling with whatever the first steps of an IVF protocol are.

It will finally be happening. We are staying optimistic that there won't be any additional hurdles in our way.  I have the rest of this summer to and next to prep, and come early Fall we will hopefully be making a much anticipated, exciting announcement.

I'm so excited!
Thank you for reading!