Something to Share....

OK - so Chris and I have been going through fertility treatments again. It is a very emotional thing for both of us. Chris handles things a bit better than I do. We were hoping for a positive pregnancy test for Christmas, but that did not happen. We have not decided how long we will try and our finances may limit us as to the length of time we can try. I ask for everyone to remember how much of an emotional roller coaster ride infertility can be. Please think before you speak to me (or anyone else trying to conceive). These are the top ten things to remember NOT to do or say:


1. If we decide to stop treatments, please do not tell me not to give up. If YOU think I need to give up treatments - please keep those comments to yourself. (It will be our decision and I don't mean to sound mean, but we really do not need any one's opinions on when to or not to give up)

2. Don't say "Maybe you weren't meant to have kids" (I can't type what I want to say to this comment)

3. Don't tell me that you know how I feel. (No - you do NOT know how I feel, you may know how you THINK you would feel in my situation, but you don't)

4. Don't tell me that we can always adopt. (you want to pay the $20,000 + it will cost to do that? and will you be there to pick up the pieces when the mother changes her mind and it does not happen)

5. Don't hide your pregnancy from me for as long as you can. (I am not going to try to kidnap you and steal your baby, I won't be mad because you are and I am not, I will genuinely be happy for you. And remember, I am happy for you - I am still sad for me, but I am happy for you)

6. Don't say "do you know what so and so did? They were having problems and they got pregnant right after (fill in the blank)

7. Don't tell me "You can have my kids for the day" (You will only make me want to smack you. And please, do not give me all the silly wives tales about standing on my head etc (trust me, I have tried all of them)

8. Don't ask me when I am due or if I am pregnant until you actually see the baby coming out! Remember, I am being pumped full of hormones - some of which cause cruel weight gain.

9. Don't EVER say, you are still not pregnant yet? How long have you been married?

10. And do not ever ever ever say stupid things like "Are you sure you really want kids" or "I will trade you my kids for your sports car". (If you do, you may not live to tell about our conversation)


As for what you can do.... if you are a praying person, keep us in your prayers. Pray that we will be fruitful and multiply. :) Remember that I am being pumped full of hormones, so excuse my behavior if I ever seem less than pleasant to you. And finally, please take the time to visit this website and add your name to a petition supporting mandated fertility insurance in the state of Alabama. There are 15 states currently mandating fertility insurance, but unfortunately, Alabama is not one of them. Here is the web address - please add your name! http://www.petitiononline.com/alif/

A Christmas Thief!

Yep - that's right! We had a Christmas thief! Can you believe that? Chris and I had our Christmas on Christmas Eve so we could go visit family on Christmas Day. I left all our presents under the tree and had all the stuff from our stockings in plastic bags under the tree. We went to visit family and came home to find quite a mess all over our floor and a very hyper dog! Now, Taichi never gets in to things - but today Chris forgot to shut the door to the tv room where our tree is. Tai Chi helped herself to an entire bag of kitty treats from the cats' stocking, two HUGE bones from her stocking. Our sweet doggy was kind enough to leave everything from Chris' stocking, but she really enjoyed my stocking stuffers. She ate an huge bag of twizzlers licorice and a box of chocolate mints and a York Peppermint Patty. Needless to say, she beelined for the door to go outside to potty! We are about to go to bed and I am guessing that she will have me up all night long because her belly will be hurting..... ah, the joys of the holidays :)

Last of the Gift Wrapping

Although I am quite the procrastinator, I have all of my Christmas shopping done! Can you believe that? Today we took the packages that needed mailed to the UPS Store - huge mistake procrastinating there - it cost us double to get them there guaranteed by Christmas Eve! I would like to say that I will not procrastinate next year, but I would be lying. I always procrastinate. Anyway - I also finished my Christmas wrapping today as well. It was quite a challenge and I believe that everyone revceiving a gift from us will ultimately receive a little fur from Pauper. She loved "helping me wrap gifts. When I was done, I had one more piece of wrapping paper and of course Pauper laid on that piece like she did every other piece. So what did I do? I wrapped her up! She did not stay wrapped up long - she poked her head out right away and then busted the paper. But we did manage to get a couple of pictures.....

The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

OK - I admit it - I am usually the Grinch in the family. I am the one who usually says Bah Humbug all season long. I am the one whose idea of decorations is to spell out bah humbug in lights. I am the one that does not want to be bothered with decorations or baking. But not this year - no - this year I am being just as festive as anyone else. Nope - this year it is not me..... this year, the Grinch award goes to....... drum roll please....... PAUPER! Yep the newest member of our family - and the most mischievious member of our family might I add. Our poor little Christmas tree that I was so excited about.... well, it is kind of leaning to one side now, and the ornaments..... well, there are still some on the top of the tree - but i have given up replacing the ones on the bottom portion of the tree. Pauper just cannot seem to keep her paws off the tree.... OR the gifts! She has chewed and scratched the packages under the tree non stop. If the door is not shut to the TV room - she is going to be in there - by the tree, under the tree, in the tree, or on the tree. She is quite the stinker. I tried to redirect her to her christmas stocking. It kept her interest for a while. But finally she gave up. I strategically placed the toys with the bells at the bottom of the stocking (which is actually shaped like a fish) so that she could not get to them. She tries. She tries hard. But so far she has been unsuccessful. I am sure that those people who go to extremes to have the beautiful perfect tree and decorations would cringe at the thought of my curious little kitty pulling off all the ornaments and making the tree less than perfect. But not me. I find a little humor in it. I find humor in it because it is not me this year who has the title of Grinch. It is not me this year who is getting in to the presents before Christmas day. This year - I can sit back and relish in the thought that I am actually in the Christmas spirit - but not SO in to the Christmas spirit that I obsess over how the tree looks - as long as it brings joy - I am happy. And I am pretty sure that Pauper is enjoying that tree......

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Yep - we got a Christmas tree. No big deal, right? Wrong. For me, it is a big deal. I have not been willing to participate in any tree decorations, decking of halls, or any of the other Christmas cheer garbage for the last 8 years. Last year, Chris bought a teeny little tree for our hotel room in Germany and had it decorated before I got there. I am sure that he knew that I would not be a willing participant in his decorating the room. The two years before that, we spent at Camp Fallujah Iraq, so we had no tree there. The five years before that - I just did not want to be bothered to decorate and be cheerful. This year - I decided I would give up my Bah Humbug attitude and get a tree. Chris has not dared suggest we go tree shopping, but was excited that I actually was suggesting we get one. We opted for a small (6') fiber optic tree. It was not the tree that I wanted, but I guess I waited too long because all the pretty white fiber optic trees were gone :( I even enjoyed the Christmas tunes Chris played this weekend. Geesh- am I getting in to the holiday spirit or what? Who knows, maybe next year I will even agree to hanging lights outside too......

Well, since I got hit up twice on this…. I guess I am obligated to respond :) However I am not sure I like admitting to having any addictions – but here goes anyway….

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The rules of this award are:
1. You have to pass it on to 5 other fabulous blogs in a post.
2. You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions in the post.
3. You must copy and paste the rules and the instructions below in the post.
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Instructions: On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them. When you post your five winners, make sure you link them as well. To add the award to your post, simply right-click, save image, then "add image" it in your post as a picture so your winners can save it as well. To add it to your sidebar, add the "picture" gadget. Also, don't forget to let your winners know they won an award from you by emailing them or leaving a comment on their blog.

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I am choosing 5 Fabulous Bloggers--who make me wanna read their blogs again and again!
1. Romberg Family – This is a brand new blog! It is Dana’s mom’s blog and she is such a cool lady that I am really looking forward to reading her blogs!
2. Herwig Family Blog spot – I love reading Dana’s accounts of the goings on at her house. I usually laugh so hard at the antics of my adorable nephew and awesome nieces.
3. Airborne Wife’s Stamping Blog – This is a really cool blog by a really cool lady I “met” on a stamping site.
4. Unforgetable – Peg Graham’s Blog – Peg and her husband are friends of ours from Virginia. They are uber cool people and though we miss them, I love to keep up with their lives via Peg’s blogs – she has more than one!
5. Lady Doc – this blog belongs to a lady I “met” on a stamping forum. This lady has an amazing blog. She has links to webcams where you can watch elephants and other safari animals! It is so awesome!
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5 Fabulous Addictions of mine......
1. Soft drinks and chocolate. Yep – I am totally addicted to Cherry Coke, Pepsi and Dr Pepper. I am also addicted to chocolate.
2. Scrapbooking! OK – I think my addiction may be hoarding scrapbook items – because I have not scrapbooked in a couple months  But I can never get enough paper, embellishments, stamps, ribbons, etc. I am also addicted to looking at pictures – I don’t even have to know the people IN the pictures – I just love looking at pictures.
3. Love. Yep, I am addicted to love. I am addicted to the love my hubby shows me. I am addicted to his pampering me and showing me affection.
4. The internet – yep – gotta have my Yahoo messenger, Facebook, Myspace, Forums, Blogs, etc.
5. Having fun and laughing. I just love to laugh and have fun. I refuse to grow up! I am addicted to things that increase my heart rate and adrenaline! I love to kayak, snorkel, fly power kites, roller coasters, any kind of amusement rides – especially ones that make me dizzy! Oh – and I even love to just sit and spin in a desk chair. I like to swing in porch swings, tire swings, kid's swings, hammocks, pretty much anything that will swing.
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Enjoy your award ladies! You are FABULOUS! Can't wait to read your Fabulous addictions!