Raising a glass to Tertia

I'm so excited that Mel is hosting this book party for Tertia today. Read this and then go mingle with the other guests at Mel's, k?  I'm so excited that Tertia's book is available on Amazon. Did you all know that it is? Here's a link. Go buy it if you haven't already. Seriously. I'll wait.

I am assuming that all of you (or most of you) know of the amazing Tertia. If you don't, you really, really should. Her blog (and her book) is called So Close and can be found at www.tertia.org

Mel thoughtfully provided us with some conversational topics and I'm really looking forward to reading everyone's posts today. I decided to go a slightly different route, something a bit more personal and a little less literary.

I think it's time for a toast. I hope y'all will bear with me.

Like many of us, Tertia's was one of the first blogs I ever found. Now this was in the dawn of the blogosphere (T is that old but not me) and there weren't as many infertility blogs around so most of us started with the classics. And hers was certainly a classic that is full of timeless posts like  IVF Barbie, How to be good friends with an infertile, Giving up- when is enough  enough, Surviving Infertility. Damn fine posts (and all in the book...hint hint).

Over three years ago I flew to South Africa for my first donor egg cycle I had a secret hope of meeting up with her but was way too starstruck to even ask. I don't know how she found out I was there but she did and was miffed I hadn't emailed her, she thought I wasn't interested in meeting her. Can you believe that? Being the bigger person she  invited the mister and I to coffee. It was awesome.

We met up on Friday the 13th in the middle of the mall on the V & A waterfront. I still remember seeing her come down that escalator with her incredibly long legs and dressed to the nines.

The three of us had a grand old time. We got right to the heart of the things quickly and heard all about her twins birthday party that happened just when we'd arrived to Cape Town. We talked about all the stuff we infertiles like to talk about. We shared notes on the doctors and sisters at the clinic. We compared notes on our ectopic pregnancies. We talked a lot about how the emotional part of cycling was so much harder than the physical part but no one warned you about it. We even talked about the book she was working on in her "spare" time. But this one part of the conversation stuck with me all this time. I can replay it over and over in my head. If I close my eyes and concentrate I can see the three of us at that table (all a little younger than now) and hear her words in my mind.

The mister asked Tertia how she was able to keep going, after all the things she'd been through and her long journey. And Tertia said "giving up just wasn't an option. I'm just too stubborn and the alternative is just unacceptable."

And the mister, with more than a tear in his eye, just said "Yes. You're absolutely right."

The other thing the mister said to me after Tertia went back up that escalator is that "she really puts the super in supermom, doesn't she?"

After that coffee, Tertia became one of our biggest cheerleaders. She was gutted along with us when we had our negative beta a couple of weeks later and she helped me get back on the horse (and the plane) a couple of months later.

My next trip was a whirlwind but Tertia found the time to fete the Infertile Gourmet and me. I must have passed the sniff test the previous trip because this time I got to meet the husband, kids and Rose and hang at Casa Tertia. I think she's realized the folly of letting internet friends into her house and has since moved but I've heard I could track down her new house with google or something.

Hm, that sounds a bit stalkerish, doesn't it? I wonder if she's changed her cell number as well? Moving on....

She took Alex and me to a lovely wine farm close by her house. We had the most amazing day. I would say that Alex and I drinking wine with Tertia puts us in a very exclusive club. But if you know Tertia that's not exactly true. ;)

We also talked about her book a lot on that trip. If I remember correctly (and I doubt that I do) it was in the editing stage. She promised to send me a copy when it was done. She said I could be her press person stateside or perhaps her chaperone (she SO clearly needs one).  I knew her book would be a great success. I'm so thrilled that it's climbing the charts on Amazon. I gave up waiting for my autographed copy and ordered one my self.

You'd better remember all the little people and at least sign my damn book on your triumphant book tour!

Now Tertia has added best selling author to her very long resume. She has done so much good for her sisters that were and are still in the trenches first with her blog then the book and now her Egg Donor Agency (btw I'm beyond thrilled that I can recommend Nurture to my friends). I honestly don't know where she finds the time.

Just like the mister said so many years ago, she really does put the super in supermom. And superwriter. And superfriend. Asshole.

So let's all raise our glass to Tertia, thank her for all she's done for us, wish her every success, and hope that baby Max comes soon. Gesondheid!

Now it's your turn to toast (or roast... up to you).

Comments

[loribeth]

Cheers! : ) Very cool that you know Tertia IRL.

[Lut C.]

Cheers indeed. I go just far enough back to remember Tertia being a celeb amongst earliest IF bloggers. But when I started reading there were already quite a few out there.

[Lori in Denver]

This is such a great tribute to Tertia! You show what kind of person she REALLY is.

Awesome.

[Jamie]

Wow! I'm a little starstruck that you've met Tertia in real like. And had a glass of wine with her!

She writes with such raw honesty and humor. She is truly one of a kind.

[Adi]

:) What a nice memory. I think even if you stalk Tertia she would just invite you for a glass of wine and chat until the stalker gets over herself...lol.

[Lisa DG]

Ok- this was an amazing book and if you haven't read it, go out and get it now. I had to order it straight from SA, but it was worth the wait and the expense. It gave me true hope, and I was crying from laughing a few times too.

[passing drug test]

You seem to have got the niche from the root, Awesome work