Had our engagement/family photo shoot! Still waiting for all the pictures, but our photographer, Beth with True Love Photo sent us a few "teaser pics". Here are a few that she shared with us.
This one we added a little saying to.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Kelly's Other Blog Posts at The Next Family
Several people have asked me about my blog posts at The Next Family. So thought I'd give you some links, since they are not all together. I have blogged under Kelly Rummelhart for Surrogacy and Kelly for Divorce, Coming out, wedding stuff, etc.
Kelly's posts:
Coming Out, etc.: http://thenextfamily.com/2012/12/sexuality-whats-in-a-label/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/10/happy-national-coming-out-day/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/12/lesbian-comes-out-and-feels-late-to-the-party/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/01/lesbians-moving-in-and-children/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/01/newly-out-lesbian-wonders-what-to-call-girlfriend/
Marriage Equality/Wedding Stuff:
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/03/marriage-equality-is-now-about-me/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/04/divorced-and-out-marriage-take-two/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/06/its-official/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/07/gay-wedding-plans/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/01/lesbian-in-love-a-bicycle-built-for-two/
Divorce, etc:http://thenextfamily.com/2012/11/wife-comes-out-after-divorce/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/10/counselor-for-self-and-children-after-divorce/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/10/six-months-a-year-without-my-kids/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/10/the-stages-of-grie/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/09/my-husband-wants-a-divorce-fight-or-flight/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/08/dealing-with-divorce/
All of my Surrogacy posts for TNF can be found here:
http://thenextfamily.com/topics/family/surrogacy-family/kelly-rummelhart/
(Keep going to "Next Page" at bottom left and you'll eventually see them all)
Kelly's posts:
Coming Out, etc.: http://thenextfamily.com/2012/12/sexuality-whats-in-a-label/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/10/happy-national-coming-out-day/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/12/lesbian-comes-out-and-feels-late-to-the-party/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/01/lesbians-moving-in-and-children/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/01/newly-out-lesbian-wonders-what-to-call-girlfriend/
Marriage Equality/Wedding Stuff:
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/03/marriage-equality-is-now-about-me/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/04/divorced-and-out-marriage-take-two/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/06/its-official/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/07/gay-wedding-plans/
http://thenextfamily.com/2013/01/lesbian-in-love-a-bicycle-built-for-two/
Divorce, etc:http://thenextfamily.com/2012/11/wife-comes-out-after-divorce/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/10/counselor-for-self-and-children-after-divorce/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/10/six-months-a-year-without-my-kids/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/10/the-stages-of-grie/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/09/my-husband-wants-a-divorce-fight-or-flight/
http://thenextfamily.com/2012/08/dealing-with-divorce/
All of my Surrogacy posts for TNF can be found here:
http://thenextfamily.com/topics/family/surrogacy-family/kelly-rummelhart/
(Keep going to "Next Page" at bottom left and you'll eventually see them all)
Look who just turned THREE!
Surrogacy is awesome. To help a couple become a family is truly amazing. They have gotten so big and their voices are just the sweetest ever. From embryo's to three in the blink of an eye.
Sorry I can't share more pictures . . . only what's available online. However, I am so excited that I get to follow privately on instagram, so I can see pics of them all the time. That is the reward for me, seeing all my Surro babes loving life with their dads'.
Friday, July 12, 2013
A Certain Birthday Boy!
Baby Alexander turned one June 29th! Man does time fly!
We received our invitation in the mail a few weeks back (top was the front, and bottom was the backside). They kids were so excited, they shouted, "Let's Go!" . . . sadly I had to remind them that Alexander and the guys lived in Australia, so we wouldn't be able to make it this year, or most for that fact.
On the morning of Alexander's birthday we were able to Skype! Actually, it was his birthday in Australia but for me in the U.S. it was still the day before :)
We had a great visit and it meant the world to me that M & S made sure I took part in their special day. Later, he had his party with close friends and family and it looks like he had a great time.
What an awesome cake he had!
Of course, anything that requires mailing from me is always late, so his gift has been sitting in my house for more than a month now. Gesh, I suck. You'd think I'd get better at it, but I don't.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
My new body art
For years I have thought about getting a tattoo to commemorate the most fullfilling time of my life . . . being pregnant, birthing my children and my years spent as a surrogate. I knew I would get it eventually, but the process has been difficult.
First, as a gestational surrogate, one of the things that can slow down the process is getting a tattoo or piercing. Remember, one of the first steps of any journey is to pass medical screening. It used to be, that a tattoo or piercing would set you back 6 months, now 3 months. After I had Natasha and Anjali, I thought about it but then was asked to come back for a second journey and I didn't want to hold up the process. Later after Gideon and Harper, the same thing happened. Months later, when I started entertaining the idea of finally going to get the tattoo, I put it on hold because low and behold, we decided to do a third journey.
So, last summer, after Alexander's birth, I was ready . . . but then came my second issue I've had since 2008 . . . what do I get? I have had several ideas over the years but nothing felt right. I wasn't sold and as we all know, a tattoo is permanent so you better love what you're getting. When I was younger I got a dolphin. I told myself it symbolized my years as a competitive swimmer, my stroke of choice, butterfly. About seven years later I got a butterfly, pseudo tribal, which meant black with some twisty things to each side. Of course, like almost every young woman around 1998, I decided on the perfect location where not everyone could see it . . . who knew years later it would be called a tramp stamp. Which brings me to my third and final issue . . .
Where do I put this tattoo? I went into this week thinking I'd place it on my back to cover up my 22 year old dolphin (which was so faded, you would've thought that I got it while doing time). However, as I shared my ideas with my closest surrogate facebook group, I didn't want to hide it. It's my story as a MOTHER, as a SURROGATE, and as a WOMAN, who not only embraces her body and the amazing things it can do but how beautiful being pregnant is. I have also decided in the last year and a half to be ME and not worry what others will say. Seeing some of my friends rocking beautiful body art, encouraged me to just do it.
Finally, I was ready. I had a concept and it just needed some blending. Now before you start guessing, no, it is not a uterus.
I wanted something that was "me" and would symbolize my journey.
I wanted something whimsical.
I wanted the silhouette of a pregnant woman . . . face, bust and belly. I wanted a big belly (since that's what I always have) . . . I wanted her breasts not to be small and perky but larger and a little saggy, like mine (8 babies people!)
I wanted three large flowers in her hair to symbolize my own children, 2 boys and a girl. Being able to use orange, my favorite color and purple, Erin's favorite.
I wanted long flowing hair (and if it could cover up my dolphin, that would be a plus!)
I wanted her blowing a dandelion or flowers, symbolizing the children I have given birth to as a surrogate . . . and having those "wishes/magic" turn into birds that fly back home to their parents . . . 2 birds in the front that are Natasha and Anjali, then 2 more birds that represent Gideon and Harper and then finally a single bird (closest to the mouth since he was my last one) that is Alexander.
Here was the original pieces of art that inspired the piece
And here was the drawing Jessi came up with for me (she would draw the flowing hair and birds on my body later). I love it. Beautiful and not in a knocked up Disney princess sort of way . . .
It was perfect. The day before at my consult, when I gave her my ideas, she asked me, "How do you feel about nipples?" I thought that was a funny question, I never thought about it. Yes, she can have nipples . . . after all a naked, pregnant lady would have nipples and areolas. I didn't want to hide it under an arm or anything, to do so, I thought would make it seem like I was ashamed and the female body is nothing to be ashamed of. Not to mention my own breast and nipples helped nourish 8 babies, so why not give them credit? Jessi said, that if later, I decided it was too much we could add a strand of hair or some more flowers to cover them up . . . or as my surro friend Jen suggested, having sparklers shooting out of them ;)
So after and hour and a half, here was the final product . . . still red and swollen, but you'll get the gist of it. I'm going to keep an eye on the little yellow parts and if they don't end up dark enough, I may have Jessi touch them up with pink.
A final note . . . I wanted something that not every surrogate would duplicate. My friend Amy designed the most amazing, beautiful piece of art . . . but surrogates everywhere have fallen in love with it and copy it without adding something to make it their own, which bums her out a little. Hell, she even found someone on etsy that took it and made it into some sort of keychain/jewelry thing! I figure the nipples alone will scare most people away from this one!
Lastly, a HUGE thank you to my Surro girls who helped me vocalize what it was that I was wanting, gave me some ideas that I hadn't thought of (going on the collar bone) and gave me the encouragement to just do it . . . I love it and I love them and now, I feel like they are a part of it too.
First, as a gestational surrogate, one of the things that can slow down the process is getting a tattoo or piercing. Remember, one of the first steps of any journey is to pass medical screening. It used to be, that a tattoo or piercing would set you back 6 months, now 3 months. After I had Natasha and Anjali, I thought about it but then was asked to come back for a second journey and I didn't want to hold up the process. Later after Gideon and Harper, the same thing happened. Months later, when I started entertaining the idea of finally going to get the tattoo, I put it on hold because low and behold, we decided to do a third journey.
So, last summer, after Alexander's birth, I was ready . . . but then came my second issue I've had since 2008 . . . what do I get? I have had several ideas over the years but nothing felt right. I wasn't sold and as we all know, a tattoo is permanent so you better love what you're getting. When I was younger I got a dolphin. I told myself it symbolized my years as a competitive swimmer, my stroke of choice, butterfly. About seven years later I got a butterfly, pseudo tribal, which meant black with some twisty things to each side. Of course, like almost every young woman around 1998, I decided on the perfect location where not everyone could see it . . . who knew years later it would be called a tramp stamp. Which brings me to my third and final issue . . .
Where do I put this tattoo? I went into this week thinking I'd place it on my back to cover up my 22 year old dolphin (which was so faded, you would've thought that I got it while doing time). However, as I shared my ideas with my closest surrogate facebook group, I didn't want to hide it. It's my story as a MOTHER, as a SURROGATE, and as a WOMAN, who not only embraces her body and the amazing things it can do but how beautiful being pregnant is. I have also decided in the last year and a half to be ME and not worry what others will say. Seeing some of my friends rocking beautiful body art, encouraged me to just do it.
Finally, I was ready. I had a concept and it just needed some blending. Now before you start guessing, no, it is not a uterus.
I wanted something that was "me" and would symbolize my journey.
I wanted something whimsical.
I wanted the silhouette of a pregnant woman . . . face, bust and belly. I wanted a big belly (since that's what I always have) . . . I wanted her breasts not to be small and perky but larger and a little saggy, like mine (8 babies people!)
I wanted three large flowers in her hair to symbolize my own children, 2 boys and a girl. Being able to use orange, my favorite color and purple, Erin's favorite.
I wanted long flowing hair (and if it could cover up my dolphin, that would be a plus!)
I wanted her blowing a dandelion or flowers, symbolizing the children I have given birth to as a surrogate . . . and having those "wishes/magic" turn into birds that fly back home to their parents . . . 2 birds in the front that are Natasha and Anjali, then 2 more birds that represent Gideon and Harper and then finally a single bird (closest to the mouth since he was my last one) that is Alexander.
Here was the original pieces of art that inspired the piece
And here was the drawing Jessi came up with for me (she would draw the flowing hair and birds on my body later). I love it. Beautiful and not in a knocked up Disney princess sort of way . . .
It was perfect. The day before at my consult, when I gave her my ideas, she asked me, "How do you feel about nipples?" I thought that was a funny question, I never thought about it. Yes, she can have nipples . . . after all a naked, pregnant lady would have nipples and areolas. I didn't want to hide it under an arm or anything, to do so, I thought would make it seem like I was ashamed and the female body is nothing to be ashamed of. Not to mention my own breast and nipples helped nourish 8 babies, so why not give them credit? Jessi said, that if later, I decided it was too much we could add a strand of hair or some more flowers to cover them up . . . or as my surro friend Jen suggested, having sparklers shooting out of them ;)
So after and hour and a half, here was the final product . . . still red and swollen, but you'll get the gist of it. I'm going to keep an eye on the little yellow parts and if they don't end up dark enough, I may have Jessi touch them up with pink.
A final note . . . I wanted something that not every surrogate would duplicate. My friend Amy designed the most amazing, beautiful piece of art . . . but surrogates everywhere have fallen in love with it and copy it without adding something to make it their own, which bums her out a little. Hell, she even found someone on etsy that took it and made it into some sort of keychain/jewelry thing! I figure the nipples alone will scare most people away from this one!
Lastly, a HUGE thank you to my Surro girls who helped me vocalize what it was that I was wanting, gave me some ideas that I hadn't thought of (going on the collar bone) and gave me the encouragement to just do it . . . I love it and I love them and now, I feel like they are a part of it too.
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Little Surro Man . . . Big Surro Cutie!
So my little surro-man turns one years old in less than two weeks! Can you believe it?! He is getting so big and is the cutest thing ever! Here are a few photos that were taken a few months back. I love all of them but of course, can't share them all, so here are a few of my favorites.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
I am a mother and then some
I am a mother and then some.
Since 2001, I have given birth to eight healthy babies. I don’t actually have eight kids
running around my house, but eight healthy embryos have flourished in my uterus
over the years. Three of those
were my own children and the other five grew into babies for three other
families. You see, I am not just a
mother but I am a Gestational Surrogate and even though I’m not the mother of
my surrogate babies, with every hope their parents had, every pregnancy, every
birth, every experience of placing a newborn in their parent’s arms, I relived
my own journey to motherhood. As I
helped others realize their dreams of becoming parents, I was continually
reminded how truly amazing being a mother can be. Not just in the delivery room when your child takes their
first breath but how every day you have with your child is an adventure and a
blessing.
I was lucky that I had a very easy time conceiving, very
easy pregnancies and very easy deliveries. I loved, and continue to love being a mom. I also loved being pregnant. I learned about the concept of
surrogacy pretty early on and thought, even before I had my own children, that
it was something that I would like to do.
How amazing must it be to help people who can’t have children (for one
reason or another) become parents?
Little did I know that it would be one of the most amazing things I’d
ever do in my lifetime. Who knew
my uterus could be so marvelous?
And I am not alone. Across
the country there are women, who already know the joys motherhood brings, who
are ready to help give something great to others.
Surrogates are amazing. I think we are a lot like unicorns . . . you’ve heard about
them but have never seen one in person.
When I meet people, most are intrigued and have a million
questions. Lucky for them, I have
a million answers. When women say,
“I could never do that,” I simply reply, “Then don’t.” It takes a very special woman to become
a surrogate. Actually, it takes a
very special mom to become a surrogate.
For only mothers, truly understand the gift they are giving and the
amazing lessons of love and family their own children are about to learn. These surrogates are teachers, nurses,
day care providers, etc. but above all, they are mothers.
Every year, when Mother’s Day arrives, I celebrate the fact
that I am a mother to my own three.
I do not celebrate the births of surro-babies that day, that’s what
their birthdays are for. I do,
however, think of the many surrogates I know, that have bestowed one of the greatest
gifts you can give to someone.
Regardless of compensation, there is a certain amount of altruism that
surrogates have. I also think
about all women who celebrate their own motherhood, regardless of how they got
there. Alternative Insemination?
IVF? Adoption? Surrogacy? There
are so many ways to arrive at motherhood, not one better than the other.
I will always be a mother. It’s part of who I am.
I will always be a Surrogate.
It, too, is part of who I am.
Years from now I will look back at my experiences and will swell with
pride when I think of the families I helped create. Not just my own, but six
other parents who have been able to live the dream. Yes, I am a mother, and then some.
This was a piece for Mother's Day that was supposed to go on a different site . . . However, they decided to go a different direction and have me write something more about Surrogacy in general . . . and I hated to waste it.
Friday, April 5, 2013
My gorgeous ladies!
Sharing some photos I thought I had in the past, but apparently only on Facebook . . .
My surro-girlies at 4 years old . . .
And here's a photo from our last meet up (my boys and my surro girls)-
And here's a reminder of how much they've grown!
My surro-girlies at 4 years old . . .
And here's a photo from our last meet up (my boys and my surro girls)-
And here's a reminder of how much they've grown!
Monday, April 1, 2013
Hawaii!!
I just came back from a one week visit with one of my Surrogate families. The kids and I ventured to Maui to visit with my surrobabe (who turned 9 months while we were there) and his amazing daddies.
They are all doing so well and I loved being able to have my family spend time with their family. My kids are in love with M and S and of course the baby. They are already having withdrawls.
Here are a few pictures from the trip. . .
They are all doing so well and I loved being able to have my family spend time with their family. My kids are in love with M and S and of course the baby. They are already having withdrawls.
Here are a few pictures from the trip. . .
Me with my surro babe in the morning
Building Sand Castle's with M and Baby
Heading out to watch whales
My boys hanging out with one of baby's Dads
Swim time!
We had such a marvelous time. I am very lucky that I have been able to see my Surro Family twice since the birth! I was a little worried about matching with an International couple at first, but that has proven to be no big deal at all!
Thanks to M and S who flew my kids and I out to spend a lovely "holiday" with them. When I asked my kids what their favorite part of the trip was, they said spending time with M and S and the baby. Yep, mine too!
Friday, January 18, 2013
NOH8 !!
So Cool!
The first NOH8 picture I took back in 2010 when pregnant with Gideon and Harper was highlighted today on NOH8's Facebook and Twitter pages.
Remember it HERE
Since some traffic may be driven to my own blog, here's a quick update . . . since my "Be Heard" was written I have given birth to Alexander, who is now 6 and a half months old and have come out. YAY!
Also- in case you would like to see other Surrogates and their families who have posed for NOH8, here's a LINK to Growing Generations Facebook Page.
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