Contract is done...

Going to notarize my part tomorrow ~ I cannot wait for it to be officially sealed, signed and delivered!

Finalizing the contract is always my least favorite part of surrogacy.  It always seem to put everybody a little on edge.  Even when your (mine and IP's) vision for the journey aligns,  even when you are pretty much in full agreement on the various aspects of the contract ... reading through it and contemplating all the possibilities covered in a contract is really sobering.  Add a double dose of lawyers to the deal representing opposite parties ... and well then you have a party! 

The contract is the legal backbone of any journey.  It is there to protect everyone involved and it is required to establish the legal parentage once baby arrives.  While it is a very crucial component of a journey, it is one of those things that once done, you hope you never really have to look at very much.  Sure it absolutely will be referred throughout the duration, but it will no longer be at the forefront ... it's like having a fallout shelter ... if the plan of attack goes well everyone wins .. but if something unplanned pops up, it is there to cover you.

Since I am doing this surrogacy as an independent match (meaning without the support of an agency), it is extra important to have an attorney that you trust and can rely on.  I really appreciate mine, he has always looked out for my best interest and make sure that I understand every little details and know what exactly I am signing my name to. 

It is a relief to have it finalized ... and suffice to say, that I am just happy that it is pretty much done and we can move on to lots more happier things ... like making a baby :-)