Happy NEW Year!

I can't believe 3 weeks have went by so fast! I hope everyone enjoyed Christmas! We enjoyed the time with family & friends but it just seemed like everything happened too soon this year. I promise that I will not post an Apple picture on every single blog, but this is just too darn cute...

PC and I have decided one puppy is not enough. We're looking for a companion/playmate for her and think we've found him, but it will be after the new year before we find out for sure. We're crazy, right? Did I mention that, if it works out, the combined weight from these 2 furry friends in a couple of years could be as much as 225 lbs.? That's a lot of love (& poop)!!!

In IF (no) news... I broke a promise to myself last week. I told myself I wouldn't take a preg. test anymore unless I knew without a doubt there was a good chance of a BFP. But... as usual... AF was nowhere to be seen and... as usual... negative. Not ovulating is just cruel... cycles are long so it plays with your mind. This month my paycheck had the automatic deduction for my "12 months to IVF savings plan"... ouch. OR- I'll try to think more positive and hope that it is the future nursery fund if/when we don't need IVF!

I want to be a better blogger this new year... because it helps relieve stress...cheap talk therapy! Since I last posted, I filled in for the boss at work for a week while she had surgery... fun to do that every once in awhile huh? But- whew. The next week was Christmas and all of that busy. Whew. This week I've been in another state in a hotel room (missing PC) getting about 6 hours of sleep a night taking a class to get closer to finishing my degree. Whew is not the word. AF showed up yesterday- witch! To show up on the Day 1 of the new year! Since I need to think more positive- I'll try to see AF as an opportunity.

So, what's the plan for 2009? Make It Count.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Things are very busy in Mac & PC world. Apple is learning how to use puppy pads and the chewing has started. I had these high hopes of teaching her boundaries & manners-- if this video works you'll see that I'm not doing a great job of that!



Don't let the sweet face fool you...those little bites hurt!!! I have a 30-page term paper due this weekend (new goals- be done with school and overcome IF by 35!!!) and what am I doing? Catching up on blogs... for a quick break of course. Work is busy & there's not much holiday cheer being spread at the moment! Cycle day 17 & not much to report with IF. Guess it's time to get back to my paper... but maybe I'll check in on a few more blog friends first... :]

A different kind of BFP....

Beautiful Furry Puppy... meet the new fur baby, Mac + PC= meet "Apple" :]











And for all my dog lover IF friends.... something cute that came across email today...

TEN PEEVES THAT DOGS HAVE ABOUT HUMANS

'1' Blaming your farts on me ... not funny ... not funny at all !!!
'2' Yelling at me for barking. I'M A FRIGGIN' DOG
'3' Taking me for a walk, then not letting me check stuff out. Exactly whose walk is this anyway?
'4' Any trick that involves balancing food on my nose. Stop it!
'5' Any haircut that involves bows or ribbons. Now you know why we chew your stuff up when you're not home.
'6' The sleight of hand, fake fetch throw. You fooled a dog! Whoooo Hoooooooo, what a proud moment for the top of the food chain.
'7' Taking me to the vet for 'the big snip', then acting surprised when I freak out every time we go back!
'8' Getting upset when I sniff the crotches of your guests. Sorry, but I haven't quite mastered that handshake thing yet.
'9' Dog sweaters. Hello ??? Haven't you noticed the fur?
'10' How you act disgusted when I lick myself. Look, we both know the truth. You're just jealous.

Icebreaker=Heartbreaker Game!

This morning I had to attend a meeting with other people in the county where I live who do the same work as me. The presenter started with an icebreaker game. Name 2 truths about yourself & 1 lie and the group has to decide which is the lie. Mrs. H read "I love to run" "I love to swim" "I am pregnant". And her (lie) was "I am pregnant." I know Mrs. H's background. She has 3 kids (boy & boy/girl twins) through IVF & we've talked about it. We have the same insurance so I asked if she had advice about financing IVF & she was very honest & said "my husband's family paid for it or I couldn't have done it." She's really nice & I think her anovulation is due to how much she exercises.... this girl is like super woman... no hard feelings about her 2 truths & a lie. The heartbreaker came next. The presenter said "you know I was having a hard time once and someone told me... no matter what kind of hard time you're having... it could be worse... you could be pregnant." Laughter followed. Wow. That comment hit hard. Rewind to my life 4 years ago... I may have joined in the laughter. I didn't laugh this morning. It was a reminder to me about the power of words & thinking before speaking... you never know what the person next to you is experiencing. It could be worse... you could try for over 3 years and not be pregnant!

I've been thinking... (IF Vent #3)

... about how pregnancy is achieved so easily for some. How is that?!? I've learned much more about the female reproductive system than I've ever cared to over the past 3 years. Obviously those who deal with IF get the fine print version. Like when you get something with an instructional manual & it doesn't work so you turn to the back where it says "If it didn't happen... then maybe..." or "Try this..." Most of the time I've taken something back by then! Maybe the next time I visit the RE I'll say... "I'd like a refund on these ovaries please!" I was great with thinking that sperm meets egg-- sounds easy enough! But then when it didn't happen cycle after cycle, I started the 4 r's of IF... reading/researching/relying on specialists/ranting on blogger. ---- Let me get this straight... my cycle is managed from my brain when the hypotha.lamus sends a message to the pitu.itary at just the right time and both must have just the right amount of FSH & LH (don't forget estrogen/progesterone) to release an egg at just the right moment which must travel to just the right place to meet with just the right swimmer--- and this happens all the time!?!  I'd just like the chance to not worry about my brain not sending the right signal to increase the right hormone needed to stimulate a mature follicle to release a viable egg... wouldn't this seem like a reasonable request? Is it a mystery to anyone else how this happens right on cue (planned and not planned) for so many???