Mixed Bag

How's that for a title?  Actually things have been going very well here for the most part, I'm just having a frustrating day.

I tried to go back to yoga today and I just don't think that this instructor and this class is the right one for me.  I'm not sure whether to give it one more week or try out the Tuesday class next week instead.

My aunt wrote me through FB today...  yes, I unblocked her and added her back on my friends list when S was in the hospital...  I'm pretty much regretting it now.  Anyway, I'm trying to figure out what to write back. It might take me a couple days to figure out exactly what to write to be polite, concise and yet set clear boundaries.

So that's pretty much all that's stressing me.  The rest is really good.

E is getting more work so we're hopeful that we'll be able to stay here despite the fact that his employer announced that layoffs are still coming.  Regardless, we know God has a plan and know that if E does get laid off that everything will be good.  Funny how I'm not stressed about this at all and most days E isn't either.

S has been hit and miss with naps.  Some days she fights like a prize fighter and some days she goes down relatively easily.  Thankfully today was the relatively easy and thankfully she usually sleeps well at night.

So here's my funny story for the week (WARNING TMI AHEAD)...

While we were snowed in last weekend I got incredibly nauseous while taking decorations off our 12' fake tree and ask E to bring me something to puke in. I really didn't think that I would puke despite the overwhelming urge to, but what do you know I puked!  Now here's the funny part, I LOVED it!  Not the actual puking, but the fact that I did puke.  And do you know why?  Because it's normal to puke in pregnancy, right?  With S I never puked until I was in transition during labor.  I swear there's never been a happier puker ever.  It was so nice to feel normal.

My last progesterone test was in zone 3.  I haven't heard from Dr. O's office yet so I'm not sure if he wants me to try d/cing yet or not.  I'm due for another draw on Wednesday.  I'm guessing that the lab goofed up and just didn't send him the results so I'll probably end up having to fax them myself when I'm able to get them in writing.  My midwife is coming for a visit on Monday.  I'm not sure if I want her to use the doppler again or not.  I think it's still too early to use a fetoscope.  And I'm really torn about whether to get an ultrasound or not.  What a blessing to have these things be my biggest decisions.

Overall life is good.  Of course, I still have quite a few Christmas cards to get out and Candlemas is just a few days away...  maybe I should get off of here and work on them...  hmmm...  Maybe I'll take a nap. ;o)

Happily Snowed In

We live in the desert so we don't get much snow.  When we do get snow it usually doesn't last too long on the streets.  This week has truly been the exception and even my oh so "in love with Frosty" daughter, is now wanting her life to return to some normalcy.  I have to admit that I have loved the last few days.  My husband's work has never shut down entirely in the 19 years that he's worked there.  They shut down at 11 am on Wednesday and have stayed shut down.  All the school districts have been closed the last two days.  The libraries, social services, etc have been closed.  Even the mall closed early on Thursday.  I've never seen anything like the ice we have on the roads.  The plows keep coming, trying different de-icers, sand, salt... nothing has helped the hill behind us.  We have been blessed.  I was able to do the errands that absolutely had to get done this week on Wednesday morning before it got too bad and E stopped by the store on his way home Wednesday to pick up a few things.  Since then we've just been at home, cooking, playing in the snow, taking down Christmas decorations, and having some all around wonderful family time.  It's been a wonderful staycation for us and I am truly grateful but tonight I do have a prayer request....

Please pray for all the people who depend on M.eals on W.heels here as they have not been able to deliver since Tuesday.  Please pray for those that depend on the soup kitchens that are closed.  Especially please pray for the children (and their parents) that rely on food at school.  I can't imagine the pain of knowing that S was hungry.

I am humbled at the ways that God has blessed me.  And I feel God pulling at me to do more.  Please pray for my discernment as to what that more would be.

Please also continue to pray for Amelia.  Our culture of death knows no limits.  Speaking of our culture of death, please pray for my home state where marriage may be redefined by the legislature on Monday... that is if God allows the roads to clear.

Calling All Pro-lifers - time to pony up!

A little girl named Amelia has been sentenced to death by a "children's hospital."  Please read her story and use the anger that I'm sure will well within you to do whatever you can to reach out to any pro-life groups, doctors or hospitals that might help as well as letting CHOP know what you think of their decision.  And of course, PLEASE PRAY!!

http://www.wolfhirschhorn.org/2012/01/amelia/brick-walls/

Here is a listing of all the posts that tell her story:

http://www.wolfhirschhorn.org/category/amelia/

Sometimes it's good to be wrong.

Remember this post?  Well, I was wrong.  Two and a half months later on the Feast of Christ the King we got this:

On the 2nd we heard the heartbeat for the first time.  It was so wonderful to hear.

Then on Saturday we announced the pregnancy at our annual Christmas Open House.  S wore this shirt after the announcement:

We're supplementing with progesterone right now and my last test was in zone 3 so I'm happy about that.  The only thing that is concerning me is that I had a dream that I had a preterm baby and yesterday I found out that my CRP is high.  My CRP was high earlier in the year and the dream about the preterm had me wondering if it was still high.  I was assuming that I didn't get pregnant with it high but now it seems like I did. I know that CRP going high in pregnancy can really raise the risk of preterm birth but I'm not sure that anyone knows if having a high CRP preconception ups the risk or not.

Oh the testosterone as far as I can tell is normal where it was for pregnancy so I stopped being concerned about that.  Although I did find some studies that spearmint tea can reduce testosterone levels so I figure that can't hurt now when I'm not trying to build a milk supply.

I hope I'm making sense.  I'm so exhausted but so grateful to have this exhaustion to complain about.  So thank you for your prayers.  Please keep praying that this baby will be able to come into the world in a gentle birth here at home.

Merry 9th day of Christmas! & Prayer Buddy Reveal

This is a first for me.  The person that I was praying for was also praying for me!  And that person is...

Ania from The 411 on the 418's

Unfortunately she not only knows the pain of IF, she also knows the pain I go through with my mother.  The following is one of the first things I read on her blog:

"More than anything I want to love, but not at the expense of loving myself. I just want it to be ok that I'm hurting without having to hear why I shouldn't."

I was taken aback that she was able to so aptly put my feeling into words.  It was strange to feel so close to someone who's blog I'd never heard of before and yet so easy.  I'll say more about the benefits of her prayer in my life as soon as I get a little more time to update which will probably be next week but I wanted to just thank Ania for praying for me and let her know what an honor it was to pray for her.