We're going to give donor eggs a shot.
Top ten reasons behind my half of that decision:
10. I could use some time off from work.
9. Maybe we'll find a donor who is related to Obama. Everyone else seems to be!
8. The economy sucks. We can't earn any interest on our money -- even if we had enough to buy real estate, that too is decreasing in value -- so we might as well put the cash we have (or borrow) to a good purpose by trying for something tangible that can't be valued or devalued by market forces.
7. By not throwing ourselves into the open adoption pool, maybe a gay couple will be given a child instead. Seriously. My friend W wants kids so badly that if he and his partner were on the list at our adoption agency, I would step out of line so they could get in front of me. Heck, I even thought about volunteering my eggs to them, back before I realized my eggs are old and moldy. The agency we have been looking at has about 40% same-sex couples in their waiting pool. May they all be united with their children soon.
6. This week's bout of seasonal depression has made me realize yet again that there are certain positive aspects to not using my own eggs. There are already plenty of us to go around. Cousins on both sides of my family have had kids and my brother has produced a couple of charming boys. My FIL's family has somewhere close to ten thousand kids and counting. But the Mister and his brother are the last members of my MIL's father's family, and time is slipping away. Seems like we should give her part of the gene pool a fighting chance.
5. The local donor agency has several pleasant-appearing donors whose photos remind me of my favorite cousin. We just need my RE to vouch for them and find out if one of them has some free time to spend shooting herself up with artificial hormones and growing small oranges where her ovaries should be.
4. We chose a former midwife turned Buddhist wise woman to give the blessing at our wedding. Seems a shame to waste that kind of juju.
3. Speaking of juju, Julie was my first blogging idol. I want to be just like her when I grow up.
2. I'd like to try that whole pregnancy thing. They say it makes your hair shiny.
1. When we flipped a coin, it came up tails.
In the long run, it doesn't matter how the child comes to us. It just matters that it happens before I'm too old to remember how to smile.
I. love. your. post. Love it. And you are absolutely on point in your analysis. I would add (If I may) that you are actually helping the economy by using donor eggs because you will be producing a future employable human being who will support you in your old age and buy you lots of shoes, thus further jump starting the economy. I'm glad that you have a plan.
Posted by: Melanie | March 19, 2008 at 05:57 AM
Great reasons! I wish I had thought of the one of opening up more spots for gay couples in the adoption pool - that might have helped me come to my decision faster. Good luck as you go through the next steps.
Posted by: Egged | March 19, 2008 at 09:31 AM
Mazel Tov! And I can't think of a better time of year to be hunting for eggs! :) Oh --- and I can't WAIT for the day when we meet for (decaf) coffee and I get to say, "OMYGAWD....You.Are.HUUUUUUGE!!"
Posted by: Kelly | March 19, 2008 at 11:57 AM
Congratulations -- sounds as if you're moving ahead smoothly and surely. Good for both of you! And good luck with the DE cycle -- I look forward to reading all about it!
Posted by: Aegina | March 19, 2008 at 01:34 PM
Great! Im glad to hear you were able to make a decision ;) Best of luck, and I cant wait to hear all about it.
XOXO
Posted by: vanessa | March 19, 2008 at 02:47 PM
Gosh, I am so excited for you! Congrats on coming to a decision!
Maybe we'll end up cycling at the same time again - with much better outcomes!
Posted by: sherry | March 19, 2008 at 06:01 PM
I'm glad things are moving along for you! You should also add to the donor egg 'pluses' - you'll probably get a child faster than with adoption (basing this on what I have read) Pregnancy also makes your nails grow longer so you'll have shiny hair as well as long nails ;)
I hope everything goes smoothly with the whole donor eggie process!
Posted by: ~Carrie | March 20, 2008 at 05:17 AM
I particularly love the reasoning that the economy sucks and you wouldn't be getting any interest anyway - you are stimulating the economy when you get donor eggs! Do it for the economy!
Seriously, though, best of luck on this new chapter. I don't know if hubby and I will ever get here, but I'm sure you will show us all how it is done.
Posted by: Mrs.X | March 22, 2008 at 04:16 PM