News

Just a quick update with our progress. I had an appointment today for a lab and ultrasound. Ultrasound looked normal for this time of the cycle. One small cyst but he said not even big enough to worry about. Lab results came back with normal levels. I was instructed to start the stimulation medication, in addition to the Lupron I'm already taking, on Saturday. I will go back to the doctor next Tuesday for another lab to check my levels again. And then more than likely go in every other day after that until the egg retrieval, which is tentatively scheduled for January 25. And I was excited that I actually got a "calendar" rather than a long printout of dates. The calendar was pulled onto the screen and I said, "oohhh, I like that!" Dr. B just laughed and rolled his eyes. He said, "oh, you're in trouble!!"

Dr. B was unusually spunky today and accidentally ripped my "checkout" papers in half and trashed them along with the long printout I discarded to opt for the calendar. Luckily they can reproduce those things like hotcakes. Hopefully that trait will carry on over to our IVF cycle (the reproducing, that is). :)

Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers. I'm making it so far on the meds and have not been crazy (I don't think?!). I've been filling my afternoons with exercise (not too much) to keep my mind off of it and sort of wear myself out until it's time to go to bed. And I haven't had any problems! Mild side effect of a headache for about half of the days I've taken the meds. We're good so far!

*Thank you, Sarah, for taking me today!!*

WPS

We had a great weekend in Dallas. Hogs game was great, and we had awesome seats.

The Band Perry for the national anthem

 Before the game... In Kristen's words, we are "in a sea of purple!!"

 Precious little girl in front of us. She didn't cry one time!

And I miss the Hatch's so much. But it's always like we haven't been apart for too long because we can always catch up fast.

 She is so adorable, so sweet and I loved to watch her play and listen to her sing her ABC's. 

She would just climb up in Kyle's lap like she wasn't scared at all!

 Please excuse my morning travel look.

Kyle put her in the back of the car before we left and she thought it was so funny. And we all thought it was so cute. :)

*Please put David Womack and his family on your prayer list. His daughter, Lindsey and I have been good friends since Kindergarten. He is currently at UAMS and is in need of all of your prayers.*

...and...we're off!

The title could go two ways...IVF (got the big box this afternoon), and Dallas (WPS!!).

We ate dinner with Matt and Charity tonight. Kinley kept saying, "I see your booty" trying to pull our pants down. And, "I wan some chechup." That's all the poor thing asked for for Christmas was ketchup and Santa forgot! The child is hilarious.

She's got her Christmas pj's, mom and dad's old stockings, and is saying, "GO RASABACKS!" Look at that belly :)

Dallas- I just printed off hotel confirmation and I'm praying we can find our way around. We usually get "turned around" aka "lost" in cities we don't know but always end up where we need to be. So we're leaving extra early in time to check in, shower, eat and find our way to the game. I cannot wait to see the Hatch's too. Hopefully get to tailgate some with my cousin and family before the game. I sure hope we win!!

One of my new favorite hogs paintings. Might have to make another one just for me!

So, the box came today. It has ALL my  meds for the full round of IVF which will end up being about a month. I opened the box and was terrified. Not necessarily of what was in it but that I could not keep up with all of it. I admit I got a little upset, but gained my composure and laid it all out. Compared it to what my own calendar said of what I was to take. It's all there. And it's scary. I gave myself the first shot tonight. The ones in the abdomen are easy. It's the ones in the booty I'm dreading. Because Kyle will likely have to do them and, well. I'll end there. Those of you who know Kyle know why I'm dreading it. :) Really, he has been amazing through this whole thing. Even actually gave me a shot (with me directing the whole entire time) last IUI, saying "It can't be much different than giving a cow a shot!" Um, thanks, and yes! It's plenty different! But he never complains, never is negative or anything. I'm just thankful that I have him. Here are all my meds:

We can do it! :)

Why

First I want to say I truly enjoy days/afternoons home with Kyle. Even if we are just watching TV, cooking or eating dinner, or just whatever. I love being home.  Last night we went to Allie's for a little bit, then came home and watched season one of How I Met Your Mother. LOVE that show, and can never catch the new episodes. So I bought them and slowly but surely we will catch up and can't wait to find out who the "mom" is...whenever they decide to tell that!

I got on here to change my background from candy canes since we are no longer in the Christmas spirit. I mean...I still am because technically I'm off work until Thursday :) But I just started thinking about why I blog. And what people might say or think when they read my blog. So- I will tell you why I blog.

I am not much of a writer. Or a reader for that matter. I enjoy reading other people's blogs and looking at pictures. And occasionally I'll get stuck on a book series (currently the Hunger Games). But writing...not so much. I hated in college when we had to write papers and they had to be so many pages long. I mean, really- I can state what I need to say in three points usually and it doesn't take up that much room! I don't like it. But some of my friends started blogging and that's how I was keeping up with them and their newly born children :) I can't imagine not reading the blogs and not knowing what was going on. So, I thought it would be neat to do the same for friends and family to keep up. Except there wasn't much going on in my life...except IVF.

I am not someone who shares my business with everyone. If I wanted you to know something, I would tell you. And I was like that at first with infertility. I didn't want people feeling sorry for us; I didn't want people talking and spreading things that weren't true. But at some point I realized I HAVE to talk to someone about this. And I needed to. Of course Kyle and I talked about it, but not much. Just the necessities. I needed someone to understand what I was going through. And, honestly, unless you or someone close to you has gone through this, it is very hard to understand. Meaning when the world tells you, "It will happen" "It's all in God's timing" "Just quit trying- that's what we did" "Adopt!" they mean well, but to me it was hurtful and saddening.

I am not writing for people to feel sorry for us. I am not writing for attention. I am not writing to broadcast our business to everyone. However, if our story can reach someone else, or if someone needs to talk about their own infertility struggle, great! I know others who have done so and continue to do so for me (Sarah :) ) And even if no one reads everything I post...that is absolutely ok with me. I at least can get my feelings onto "paper." And I know through my updates that I make it onto some of your prayer lists. And that is exciting. :)

-- I would also like to say, I'm not sure how to get that huge picture at the top smaller :/ I did good to even upload it where it was supposed to go!

Clean Slate

Once again, I am slowing down blogging. Not intentionally. I have been helping at the hospital with home health patients, and still need to do my year-end taxes and get on the phone with an insurance company regarding one of my little guys so they will hopefully pay me! :) I had so much to accomplish over this break but sadly I haven't got much of it done. My hope is in next Monday and Tuesday. And here's my list:
-bill insurance company
-clean up Christmas decorations
-clean the house (so very desperately needs it)
-write two evals
-organize tax info...ummm, some of it hasn't been updated since June... :/
-finish painting my few non-Christmas orders (7 canvases, one pair of shoes, 2 canvas bins)

I need more than 24 hours in a day.

I had a great Christmas. Kyle surprised me with a Nikon D3000. I have absolutely no clue what I'm doing but I love it. I need any and all pointers. I didn't ask for it, as I didn't really ask for anything big. I thought this year we would kind of do the minimum since we have all the dr bills. But he said, "You surprise me with stuff all the time, so let me surprise you." And he did...I love it. I've always said I wanted a "big, nice camera" before we had kids, and he just remembered me saying that. Now, everyone is tired of getting their picture taken.

...and...we get to go to the Cotton Bowl! So excited. Spending the night after the game in Dallas, then Saturday with friends also going to the game. Saturday night with Mary Beth and Alex! Can't wait.

Please keep us in your prayers, as we both have appointments next week. I have the endometrial injury on the 4th. After that I will begin my medicine daily. Can't wait to get this started and see what is in store for us. Excited and nervous. Anxious and apprehensive. But hopeful and humble.

Sheree, if you are reading this...I got the Princess book for Christmas that you gave me the quote out of. Can't wait to get to reading. Thank you again for sharing with me. :)

Happy New Year!

Christmas Spirit

I love going to work around Christmas. I love my job anyway, but around Christmas is so fun. The kids adore the decorations and crafts and I love to hear what they want from Santa. The innocence of a child is so evident this time of year. Leaving our quiet room the other day, a first grader turns around and looks at everyone...grins...and belts out "AND A HAPPY NEW YEARRRRRR!!" Priceless.

I've been crunching it with Christmas orders. I've got most of them done and at this point I'm prioritizing...who needs their order by what date. And it's working so far. You may get your order on the last day you told me you needed it, but you got it! Last minute orders have come in too. I just can't say no to people I know. My paint room is...well, disastrous. Or maybe that is an understatement. It's kind of scary. But I will manage. Kyle may not, but I will.

We had a bible study at our house last night for our age people. I loved it. So fun to hear what the bible says with your friends, and talk about how it is applicable to our lives right now. We have decided to meet about every 2 weeks in our homes. I'm really excited about it.

The IVF nurse called, and mailed me a "calendar" of events. When she said, "Just follow your calendar and you'll do fine," I was kind of relieved. Although I seem type A with lists and calendar things, some parts of me (like my paint room) are so NOT type A. So if all I have to do is follow this calendar, we're golden. I can do a calendar! I got the paper and it states the dates and times I take each med. And a "possible ultrasound and lab" every once in awhile so I know I may have to miss work that day. I'm going to get with my family over the break and decide who goes with me when so that can all be worked out. My next appointment is January 4. I will be doing the endometrial injury to clear the lining to start fresh. I guess. I hope. He said just in case I do have endometriosis this would help, plus being on the birth control for longer than usual.

The IVF pharmacy called the next day just to confirm we are good to go. I said, "yes ma'am!" She says she will call me within a few days with a quote for our meds. :/ I am kind of nervous about the amount, but I'm putting a large number in my head so maybe it won't be quite as bad as I had thought.

I still have my cough, which is getting better; however, I seem to have pulled a muscle on the right side of my ribcage. Last night it felt like I was being stabbed in the side when I was trying to sleep. I ended up in the recliner and got a few hours of sleep. I'm hoping this will end soon as this is what I have consumed over the past month: 2 packages of cough drops, 2 bottles of cough medicine, a shot of Roceflin (not sure on the spelling), a Z-pack, and a small jar of Vicks. And Kyle's nerves are somewhere in that list. Bless his heart.

Thanks for all the prayers and love. Maybe when we have good news to share I can start doing more pictures. Our life is kinda boring and not many pictures (interesting, that is) are taken!!

Updates

I really wish it would have snowed here, and I believe it was cold enough! The temperature kept dropping as the day went on. My dad went with me to my appointment today, since Kyle didn't have to be there. The infection is slowly going away and he was able to do the ultrasound today. The cyst was almost gone, but it was not even big enough to be a concern. Good news #1.
He also did a trial transfer, which is where he goes in to see which catheter to use when we do the actual embryo transfer. He said everything looked good and was easily accessible (strangely put). Good news #2.
All of our labs from last Monday came back normal. Good news #3.

All of this to say that we are on track for IVF. We will begin stimulation medicines the beginning of January. Not sure what date yet, and it's bugging us because we kinda want to go to the Cotton Bowl! I asked the nurse to call me ASAP and let me know so we can get tickets if we can go. She just laughed. But seriously, I need to know!

Woo Pig Sooie!