...drumroll please...!

Please welcome the newest addition to blogland - me!

I have been wanting to create an online blog for quite some time, giving my close friends and family around the world the opportunity to stay up to date on all the stuff that's going on in my life at the moment. And yeah, it's alot!! The past few months have been pretty chaotic, a rollercoaster of emotions. But I finally feel ready and confident about sharing, now that the journey has begun.

So what on earth is going on ????! Well, the short version:
I'M GONNA BE A DAD !!!!!

As for the somewhat longer version:
Those who are close to me know that it has been a big dream for me to eventually create my own family. However, given the circumstances - being single and gay hasn't made it any easier. Until the recently proposed same-sex marriage law is a fact (most likey next year), adoption is not a possability. Creating a child with a lesbian woman/couple would have been an option, and I did give it alot of thought, but it was not for me. I don't want to become a dad and have my child with me every other weekend and christmas.

So I started looking into surrogacy. Months of research, testing, waiting, consultations, more testing, more waiting. Finally I felt confident that this was what I wanted to do. The timing was so right - I have never felt so sure about anything before.

I spent weeks to prepare myself to tell my mom and dad. Not because I thought they would not approve or back me up. I always knew they would. But no matter how sure I was there was always that small doubt in the back of my head. I needed the persons closest to me to be supportive of my decision. I needed their help financially. I was afraid they wouldn't think I had researched it well enough. I guess I was a litte scared about their reaction after all.

The time came, I was over for dinner and helping out with some stuff at my moms place. I finally sat them both down and told them I needed to talk to them. I had the entire speech rehearsed, but as I probably already knew beforehand it didn't really come out as I had planned. I think I started to cry during my opening sentence.. there were just too many emotions at once.

I have the most amazing family. No doubt about that. I left that day feeling so relieved.. with their full support and blessings. It was one of the happiest days of my life!

August 2007. All papers ready, just waiting to be signed. The process had officially been started!!

September has been hectic.. what feels like a million papers, forms and contracts has been signed. Agencies, insurance companies, psychologists, doctors, lawyers.. all experts within the field of assisted reproduction. I have chosen the egg donor, the biological mother of my child. I have been matched with the most amazing surrogate. We are so much alike and have very similar views on the most important issues. Even if she wasn't my surrogate she would be exactly the kind of person that I would love getting to know and enjoy being around. I feel very blessed to have established such a strong friendship with her at this early stage in our journey. We are looking at a possible December transfer, which means - if everything goes by the book, there could be a confirmed pregnancy around Christmas!!

In just a couple of weeks I will be flying across the Atlantic. Undergo a number of medical exams, do my thing and get my groove on at the Medical facility. While in Los Angeles I will also meet my surrogate and her husband who are flying in from Oregon. C-A-N-T .. W-A-I-T ! I wish time would go by a little quicker sometimes.. but I have peace in mind knowing that this in fact IS happening.. it's not just a dream anymore.

So there you have it. The very, very abbreviated version of what has happened and of what is going to happen.
I am on cloud nine. No.... higher. WAY higher.