I've been a slacker

At least when it comes to blogging lately.  Thank you for the comments and messages checking in to see how I am doing.  Honestly, I can't believe it's been over two weeks since I last posted.  If only a 2ww would go by that quickly!  After mother's day, I wasn't really motivated to write about anything.  Actually, I just wanted a break from thinking about everything for awhile and fortunately (or unfortunately) I've been extremely busy at work these past few weeks so I haven't had time to be preoccupied by my fertility woes very much.  A lot of my "busy-ness" at work had to do with getting ahead of the game so my hubby and I would be able to go on a somewhat impromptu trip to the great state of Texas for 10 days starting tomorrow.  One of my closest friends (who moved to Texas a few years ago) called me about a month ago,  told me that she would be getting married on Memorial Day weekend while her family would be in town for her oldest son's high school graduation, and asked me if I would be her matron of honor.  How could I say no??  I'm super happy for her.  Her first marriage wasn't so great and her current beau treats her like gold, the way she deserves to be treated.  Initially, I was just going to cash in some frequent flyer miles and go for a long weekend myself.  But my hubby and I decided that it would be more fun to go together and make it into a full blown vacation.  Needless to say, I had a lot to accomplish on short notice and that has contributed to my absence in the blogging world the past few weeks.  We will be spending time in Austin, College Station and San Antonio.  I'm looking forward to the heat and sunshine as this spring has been very gray, rainy and dreary in the Midwest.  I was in San Antonio about 10 years ago, my hubby was in College Station for a conference a few years back and neither of us has ever visited Austin so we are looking forward to this unexpected vacation!  See you all when we are done messing with Texas!

How Today Was Supposed to Go

I would have been exactly 12 weeks pregnant today.  I thought how great it was going to be to finally be happy about Mother's Day and to have my own reason to celebrate.  I was looking forward to announcing that we were going to have a baby and also share the news about our prior losses more openly.  All the dates seemed to be perfect this time around - my cycle started the day after attending the concert of my favorite band, our IUI happened on the anniversary of the day we met, 12 weeks would fall right on mother's day, our baby would be due in November adding another possible Scorpio to the mix of other important Scorpios/November births I have in my life including my husband, my mother and my grandmother, and there was a slight possibly our little one (which we now know was a girl from the genetic test results) could have been born on 11-11-11 if she decided to make an early appearance.  I wish today was different.  Instead we lost our baby girl and shared the news of our multiple losses during NIAW and today I am just feeling sad and conflicted about what to do next.

Aw Shucks!

I've been on a bit of a blogging hiatus the past couple weeks because I haven't had much down time to write.  But while I've been away two of you lovely ladies nominated me for my first blogging awards for which I am truly grateful.  Thanks to Jen at the Chronicles of Violetta Margarita for the Versatile Blogger Award and Cyndi at Then Comes the Baby in the Baby Carriage for the Stylish Blogger Award.

So, here's how this works:

1.  Winners grab the image and put it in your blog.

2.  Link back to the person who gave you it.

3.  Tell 10 things about yourself (per award)

4.  Award 5 bloggers (Stylish Blogger) and Award 15 bloggers (Versatile Blogger).

5.  Contact the bloggers you have awarded to let them know they have won.

Since I was nominated for two separate awards, it looks like I should technically share 20 things about myself.  So here it goes:

1.  My husband and I live in a Sear.s kit house from the 1930s and I love its big front porch.

2. I'm a serial "snoozer" and hit the snooze button 4-5 times a morning before I actually roll out of bed. 

3. I'd rather spend the money we will likely spend on IVF to make a large down payment on a Syn.ergy Green Cama.ro.  :)



4. My husband bought me a pair of Heely's for Christmas in 2009 and I still haven't figured out how to use them.  I don't understand how kids zoom around in them so easily!!

5. I probably eat popcorn for dinner more often than I should.

6. I love to travel.  In addition to many places in the U.S., I've also been to Spain, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Honduras, Peru, Mexico, U.K., Scotland, France, Italy, Canada, Jamaica, Grand Caymans, the Bahamas and the Domincan Republic.

7. I've watched Grea.se more times than I can remember.

8.  I've never been one to nap much unless I'm feeling under the weather, but when it is time for bed I shut down like clockwork.

9. I love a good thunderstorm.

10. I don't have a cell phone with a data plan. 

11. I love going to baseball games with my husband and rooting for our home team (who currently hold the best record in baseball so far this season).

12. I like wandering around cemeteries.

13. I wish I was more creative.

14. I prefer pie over cake.

15. I don't have any tattoos, but if I was forced to get one it would say "Made in Hawaii."

16. I've only been downhill skiing once.  I was in fourth grade and broke my leg.  Never tried it again after that.

17. I was a competitive swimmer throughout most of my childhood and college. 

18. I went to a frog jumping contest and festival last summer and plan to go again this year.

19. I think coffee smells good, but don't really like to drink it.

20.  We're taking care of a cat that belongs to our neighbor.  He's an indoor-outdoor cat who abandoned his home after their daughter moved back with a small dog of some sort.  He was spending cold winter nights between our garage and our fence so we started letting him into our house so he could stay warm.  Our neighbors know he has been staying with us, but have never asked us to return him.  He's the first pet I've ever had.

And the nominees for the Stylish Blogger Award are:

1.  Lauren at Every Word Is Nonsense
2.  Tracy at My Seriously Broken Oven
3.  Ed at Things People Said After My Miscarriage
4.  Reusethematerialgirl at Take Home Baby
5.  Jill at musicmakermomma

And (some of) the (15!!) nominees for the Versatile Blogger Award are:

1.  Cheers at I Just Relaxed. It Didn't Work.
2.  The Infertile Gynecologist
3.  Pendiente
4.  embracingtherain

Another Year Older

Today is my 37th birthday.  I'm not generally someone who laments about getting older because in my mind I still feel young.  But this year, just in case I forgot my advanced maternal age, AF decided to bust in with all her might yesterday to remind me.  It wouldn't normally bother me that she decided to visit on my birthday, but did she really have to make her reappearance for the first time since early February and after my last loss now? Sometimes I truly hate her timing.