Shhhhhhhhh...can you hear that? It's the sound of untouched computers while people enjoy this last vacation before summer semi-officially ends. All is quiet in the blog world. But here are some wonderful thoughts I found this week.

Over at Jesus Was Not a Republican, not only did Erin get back the DNA report with her name spelled wrong, but she got pictures of her new daughter, Azucena, and Azucena's birth mother that were taken at the DNA test. Erin is adopting from Guatemala and her post on getting the phone call (and the first pictures) was very emotional. In this new round of photos, the birth mother (referred to as S) is holding the baby, though Erin blocked out her face to maintain her privacy. But I thought it was beautiful--two women forever connected by this child and Erin trying to imagine what was happening in her head as these photos were taken. And I think that's one of the most beautiful parts about adoption and third-party reproduction--the ties it creates between people who would have never been joined together in this life.

Vee, over in Australia, has gone from living the Sweet Life to the Tired Life. She has hit the wall--entered that bone-draining tiredness that suffocates you during infertility. She puts it so eloquently, the exhaustion that accompanies this high-level of stress. And it's not a tiredness you can sleep away or recover from with a good vacation. It's a tiredness born out of heartache. So I'm sending good thoughts her way. Because I've been there. And it's terrible to have your day stretch ahead of you and just feel so tired. Infertility makes you feel like you've been dropped into a pit with very high, slippery stone walls and no one to help you get out. I wish I could send you a ladder, Sweet Vee.

And speaking of support, if you haven't read Stella and/or Ben this week, their second IVF cycle was cancelled due to lack of fertilization. And she needs some support right now and a shoulder to cry on because she is right now in--as she says--her own personal hell. I'm sorry, sweetie. Please head on over there and let her know that you're thinking of her.

On a happier note (as if there is a happier note in infertility), if you haven't found Offsprung yet, head over there because it is written from the elusive male point-of-view (shhhh, approach slowly with your head slightly bent. No sudden movements. You don't want to scare him off). He has joined the ranks of Dynamo Dad, DI Dad, End of My Line and a Dad Someday (amongst others) to start a blog about infertility from the male point-of-view. Go support him--and let me know if you know of other infertility blogs written by men.

And speaking of men, head over to Richard at End of My Line? and offer him a big fat congratulations because on Tuesday, four pee sticks came back with lines lines lines. By which I mean two lines. But since they took four tests, they have lines lines lines.

Katty over at Going it Alone has a very amusing post this week about the gas we pass when we're pregnant. Congratulations are also in order because she had her first vomit. And that pretty much sums up pregnancy after infertility--rather than bitch about the morning sickness, we wish our bodies would bring it on so we know the pregnancy is okay. And rather than discreetly ignore the gas and wax poetic about the beauty of pregnancy, we know way too much about our bodies (and have lost any sense of modesty) and are smart enough to pass along any information we have so others can be prepared. Because infertile chickies take a page out of the old Boy Scount handbook and be prepared. So, congratulations Katty--may the twins be healthy and grow. And make you belch.