Friday, October 12, 2012

More of the same...

So yet again I find myself searching and researching stuff online for Babies... however, today's topic is more on child care - needs for the 1st year or two, ways to punish for misdeeds, what is needed the week or two before birth and first few days home from the hospital after birth, ways for them to earn money, and ways of keeping from spending tons on trips... honestly it's kinda cool looking up how others have handled certain aspects of all of these different times of a child's life!!



** Baby Shower gifts:
1. Children's books instead of cards...
2. Since I want to try cloth diapers, each guest bring one cloth diaper if they buy disposables..?
3. Speaking of disposables, i
f your last name falls in A-F bring newborn, G-L bring size 1, M-R bring size 2 and S-Z bring size 3.
4. Same as disposables with baby clothing... otherwise way too many to wear!


** Week or two before delivery - OMG some of these things I just can't imagine ever thinking about, and here are my 4 favorites:
1. Home Cleaning Service or have a house cleaning party if you have really nice friends/family! (Make sure the fridge is cleaned too)
2. Have plenty pads (yuck), hand soap and toilet paper in stock..
3. Put a water-proof liner on the bed - for Breatfeeding and possible leaks.. really cool idea is to have two sets of sheets and liners on the bed in layers (liner, sheet, liner, sheet) so it makes for quick changes if needed... this would work for crib too
4. Daddy suitcase/survival kit along with one for Mommy... ooo and signs for the hospital door to inform visitors of situations where room needs to remain clear of guests!!http://dearbabyblog.com/post/4718750068/a-candid-list-of-things-to-do-in-the-last-weeks-of


** Home from the Hospital:
1. Soothies Gel Breast Pads, Breast Pads and Maternity Bras- Think Breastfeeding...
2. Swaddle Baby Wrap
3. another SD card for your camera4. frozen meals and snackshttp://keepupwithusjones.blogspot.com/2012/07/10-things-for-your-first-week-home-with.html
** Baby Care:
1. Make a diaper bag packing list (http://66.147.242.155/~checkli2/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/checklistmommy-diaper-bag-pack-lists3.pdf)...
2. Sleeping through the night assistance (http://delightfulmomstuff.blogspot.com/2012/02/newborn-sleeping-through-night.html)
Then I was also thinking about chores and money too... specially after hearing the argument/convo my DH had with his mom about when he was little...
1. Make a board for chores- each "chore" will be a label on a magnet with a $$ amount attached to said item (once the child selects the chore, if there are siblings no other child can do that chore until the next time it comes up on the board or 1st child gives up that chore).
2. Make a Ransom Box - this will be for every time a child leaves out a toy or bookbag or whatever after a warning to pick it up. Item will be placed in a Ransom Box, child must choose a "To-Do" penalty out of an envelop in order to get back the item (http://madsmemories.blogspot.com/2009/08/moms-ransom-rubbage.html)
3. Differentiate between a "Experience Day" and a "Gift Day" - Experience days would be such days were you go to zoos or parks (water or theme), Gift days would obviously be for gits... and speaking of gifts (http://secretsofasupermommy.blogspot.com/2010/03/birthdayfun-things-to-do-on-real.html)




Sunday, October 07, 2012

Online Retail Therapy.. Baby Themed!

.. not exactly the greatest thing in my husband's opinion since it focuses on infants/children almost constantly, but it's very therapeutic for me to research different options for future needs when I do finally get to have a child of my own to take home and care for!! If I can't focus on trying to have a child right now, why can't I focus on my wants for the child when I can try?
I've noticed I lean toward very simple and easy when it comes to decor, things that can easily be done in the course of a day or two if needed... things like stick-on wall murals, mosaic frames, etc... but I still like unique and somewhat traditional - so rocking horses and teddy bears, twinkle stars, and song birds instead of newer cartoon figures and the like.
I've also picked up on a few ideas about how to make certain looks without the need to have a sewing machine or spending a lot of money - I'm trying to use pinterest as much as possible to capture these ideas, but I think I might have to note a few here as well, such as using stick on velcro pieces to secure the crib lining to the bars of the crib or speaking of crib lining, using lace fabric and creating my own liner...

Saturday, October 06, 2012

What to do, what to do...??

I truly don't know what to do or think... this stupid investigation is royally stressing me out!! My poor husband is stuck on what he should do - on one hand he feels that he needs to try and do something to push this to conclusion, on the other he worries what trying to push will end up doing to his career... sadly every time he makes the decision to push for a conclusion someone else in his command reminds him of the possibilities of ruining his career if he does. Most recently, the opinion of how long it'll take to get things in order between the investigation and the decision on his promotion status is approximately 11 months... hence where my question of what to do comes in... should I try to talk the husband into no longer waiting on trying to get preg or continue to wait until we have an oops while here?? 11 months is a long time, specially since we've been "waiting" for over a year already and I've personally been "waiting" for much, much longer!!!

In the meanwhile... I've been doing lots and lots of research on things I want or what to do (or not want to do in some cases), traditions I would like to start, etc once I am able to have my little one.
  • I want to co-sleep (side-car) instead of allowing baby to sleep with us in our bed... and I've found the crib I would like to have, although I'm pretty sure I'll have to get bed risers for the crib in order for it to work as a side-car/co-sleeper crib.
 
  • ... and I'm going to use a breathable crib liner and wedges instead of crib bumpers.
 
  • No TV's in bedrooms, or at least not accessible to the kid when I don't want them to have access. Hopefully I'll be able to work this out that I can have a play room for them to have video games and watch movies in as well as keep toys in.
  • Christmas and Birthday gifts - 1 gift of clothing or accessory (jewelry, shoes, etc), 1 gift of something to aid with learning (books, etc), 1 toy gift and once they are old enough to play with electronics 1 electronic gift or accessory... Maybe if I stick with this I won't spoil my children?!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

Lets see what a vent will do...

Recap:
  • Investigation initiated for a supposed recruiting impropriety on my Husband and a fellow Recruiter.
  • After beginning questions and comments, a civilian secretary becomes involved but not her immediate supervisor.
  • Shortly after investigation is initiated, the fellow Recruiter is released from the investigation and is allowed to PCS to a new duty station.
  • Investigation stalls, has key players come and go, is sent up and down the chain multiple times to "fix" or make corrections to the investigation.
  • Husband loses opportunity to put in his Officer Packet.
  • Remaining individuals involved in investigation are questioned a 2nd time and asked again for statements.
  • Stalls again, is up and down the chain again a few more times.
  • Husband is given a promotable status, E6 to E7.
  • Judgement rendered nearly a year after original investigation launched (60-90 day is regulation standard for all investigations to be finalized), and a rebuttal statement is set in.
  • 60 days after - still no word on a final verdict, and now my husband stands the chance of losing his promotion status. 

I am livid over this whole process, mainly because it is taking so long for something to happen - but also because it affects my husband career so much. I've tried multiple times in the past year to discuss the feelings I have over this, but it usually seems to upset my husband so I drop it. However, after an extremely frustrating day of wondering and worrying over this whole ordeal, I finally fully vented my frustrations to my husband and expressed how taxing this is to me. Now I know that it's his career, I know that I shouldn't get involved, I know that it's the military so there are any number of little pitfalls that would cause major damage should I actually ever get a chance to "go off" on the personnel that might actually be able to assist in finally getting this problem resolved - knowing all of that I usually keep my mouth shut when in contact with any of his peers or superiors... but it doesn't keep my mouth shut when it's just me and my husband unless it starts to upset him and then I back off.  So the fact that I didn't back off last night is a little surprising, but I think he finally might understand just a hint of my frustrations over this. I expressed how him being kept in this limbo state is difficult on me just by seeing how difficult it is on him, nevermind that it constantly runs through my head on a loop that delays the baby train. To be fair, this investigation would probably not bother me as bad if I wasn't as baby crazy as I am... it would still bother me because it affects my husband so much, but I doubt the frustration levels for me would still be as high. It also affects my work... I love the company I work for, but I know I'm leaving here eventually and therefore it's not as important to me - which sucks since I'm usually so good at being on top of everything. This endless limbo loop has me very distracted personally, so therefore it distracts me professionally - it's hard to keep professional and personal separated... None-the-less, I do try and succeed on most days. Anyway, after my vent - Hubby typed out a list of questions both from me and him... we'll see if this list actually gets brought up today! I'm debating on negating my rule about leaving his career to him if he doesn't get some answers today... because to be honest - this has me so wound up and twisted that I'm going to come unglued before too much longer and it won't be pretty when I do!!

Monday, September 24, 2012

Yeah... Let me explain Lemons!!!

Today my heart is breaking...
... and I don't know how to unburden these feelings??

My husband found out today that his promotion status was removed, in other words part of his career in the military just had a huge stumbling block... Why? Because he was acting station commander when an investigation was initiated on another recruiter!! Why does this upset me so much?? Because it means that I've just got shoved backward in my progress toward motherhood... oh and of course I'm upset cause my husband is upset about his losing his promotion status, can't forget that is the most important part of why I need to be upset!! Whatever...

Then lets see.. my husband's family is nothing but drama this week...
  • His little sister is just about the most annoying spoiled brat ever!! Seriously my blood pressure is through the roof just listening to this shit!! This child has been a thorn in my ass since I met her and only gotten worse throughout the years - anything from stealing, running away, assault on a police officer, sleeping around at 13 (and trying to get preg) to pitting me and DH against each other cause I actually told her "no" occasionally when she was at our house, of course her mommy was there too and I had no right to tell her what she could or couldn't do... WHATEVER - if someone had disciplined that brat when she was little she probably wouldn't be nearly as... be nice Stephenie!! Anyways, latest thing is that she quit her job and went to Hawaii to hook up with a married military guy... Really?? REALLY?? Cause her current loser of a boyfriend went back to jail maybe...?? She also wants DH to pull his "magic" strings and get her into the military... she does the cutesy thing and bats her eyelashes while pouting and just expects everyone to do whatever she wants them too!! She has serious issues!!!!
  • The oldest brother (DH is the oldest period out of 4 on his mom's side, at least 2 other siblings on daddy dearest) is having baby number 2... I keep telling myself that I'm not upset by this, but I am - deeply, deeply upset... They've been married/together for all of 2 seconds or at least it seems that way, officially I think they've been married 3 years and were dating maybe a year before that?? I shouldn't be upset, I should be happy for them... I just feel that they've stolen my thunder really... I'm still childless after 9 years of marriage and 2 years on/off dating, 3 clinical miscarriages... MIL is so excited and always wanting to talk about "peanut", the 2 yr old little girl, and now they are at the hospital about to welcome the new little boy!! DH is excited acting kinda about his new nephew, was really excited by his niece... me, I just wanna hide somewhere!! Actually, I think I'll do just that before I start crying and have to explain my "jealousy"... Night Bloggerville!

Life's Lemons...


It's a widely known saying "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade!"... but damn there is only so much lemonade one can make... of course if you could find a way to capitalize on all that lemonade, it'd be one thing - but seriously how do you capitalize on Life's Lemons??
  
There will be little rubs and disappointments everywhere, and we are all apt to expect too much; but then, if one scheme of happiness fails, human nature turns to another; if the first calculation is wrong, we make a second better: we find comfort somewhere.
Jane Austen - Mansfield Park 
What's all this got to do with me?? Well... lets just say that over the course of the last year or so I've had a lot of lemons thrown my way, and it seems that there is an over abundance staring me in the face - so I'm trying to remember to add a little humor to the situation I'm currently trying to make my what through... so with that in mind, here are a few comical endings to the well known saying...



Remember when life gives you lemonade...
... accept them graciously.
... add tequila.
... alter their DNA and make super lemons!!!
... and for some reason you can’t make lemonade, find a recipe for a lemon cake. The secret is to turn bitter into sweet and darkness into light.
... ask for a refund.
... ask for salt and tequila!
... ask for seconds.
... ask for something else, unless you like lemons.
... ask for the receipt so you can exchange them for oranges.
... ask it for a cup of tea.
... ask the guy next to you why life gave him $50,000,000.
... ask what life is suggesting.
... ask 'Where do you get all these lemons from?' Actually, don’t ask. You really don’t want to know…
... ask why it can't give you money instead?
... ask why not limes?
... ask why you didn’t get apples.
... ask why you didn’t get some water and sugar also.
... ask why you got lemons and not vodka.
... ask yourself how exactly an anthropomorphic personification of something immaterial like life can give you a fruit.
... be glad, it could have given you nothing.
... be grateful, you could end up like me and get nothing.
... be sure to send a hand written thank you note for the lemons, as email thank you notes can appear to be less sincere.
... blame Adam and Eve for eating all the good fruit.
... collect them, one day life will stop and you will have the only lemons in the world.
... convince everyone that having lemons is the best thing possible.
... demand a refund and to Consumers Protection.
... do something with them, don't just let them sit there, that's wasteful.
... do what we all do with unwanted gifts: Thank the giver, then regift it to someone else.
... don’t make lemonade, squirt them on lobsters.
... don't make lemonade, no one is going to buy it because we are in a recession.
... dress up like life and hand them on to someone else.
... drop them, then you will have lemon drops.
... eat all lemons without peeling them, because all the vitamins are in the skin!
... eat them as fast as possible and get huge bragging rights.
... enjoy the Vitamin C!
... enjoy your lemon juice or lemonade.
... fake a british accent and say, “Please, sir! May I have some more?”
... feel inadequate that lemon trees are naturally superior to you.
... find a kid with a paper cut
... find a new life that is willing to supply also vodka.
... find a new life!
... find someone who life has given fish and chips and enjoy.
... find someone who life has given ice cream.
... find someone who wants them and trade.
... find someone whose life has given the gin and have a party.
... genetically modify them and use your Super Lemons to reign the world!
... get a knife, cut them in half, then squirt them in some carbonated water and VOILA! you got Lemon Water!
... gift wrap them and give them to somebody as a gift.
... give them back and ask for limes!
... give them right back.
... give them to me, I love free stuff!
... go get yourself some salmon and some sushi rice. It's lunchtime ;-)
... go shopping for some lobster.
... grab a marker and draw funny faces on them and make yourself a little puppet show.
... grab life by the throat and demand something better.
... grab them and eat them before it decides to take them back.
... great, lemons contain Vitamin C!
... grow a lemon tree. When that tree gives you more lemons, make a lemon orchard. When that orchard gives you more lemons, sell them and become rich. Then next time you see life, you can say, “Thanks for the lemons!” Life hates people who are grateful for its lemons.
... grow an orchard and start a lemon business making millions.
... hide the lemons and, when life turns its back, claim you never got your lemons. Repeat until satisfied. Open a business, sell lemons, and make money.
... hope that you are not allergic to them.
... ignore them if you don't like lemons.
... invite your friends and ask them to bring salt and tequila.
... it is lemons for dinner.
... it is probably because it gave all the oranges away to other people.
... it's ok to re-gift them.
... just shut up and eat your lemons, they are good for you.
... just smile and say 'Mille Grazie'.
... keep them, because, hey: Free Lemons!
... keep them, they were for free.
... learn to juggle. Or, even better, get an air cannon and have some real fun.
... life is giving you a free meal.
... look it hard in the eye and say "I didn't order this!'
... mail them to God and ask for apples.
... make a lemon pie and send me a piece.
... make a movie about it. Or a youtube video ;-)
... make a sour face.
... make lemon curd.
... make lemon earrings.
... make Lemon ice cream or sorbet. Yummy!
... make lemon meringue pie, yummy!
... make lemonade and find someone else who life handed vodka to, and have a party
... make lemonade and find someone who's life gave them rum. Then have a party together.
... make lemonade, sell it, then re-invest your earnings to buy more lemons for lemonade.
... make lemonade. Then, find someone whose life has given them vodka, and have a party! Don't forget to invite me ;-)
... make lemongrenades.
... make limoncello.
... make orange juice, then let everybody wonder how the heck you did it.
... make some lemonade, sell it and thank life for giving you money.
... open a lemon farm.
... paint them dark green and throw them in crowded areas.
... paint them orange and give them to someone else.
... plant a lemon tree.
... plant the seeds and grow more lemon trees.
... pretend they're oranges and hope nobody notices.
... put them in the refrigerator.
... put them in your fruit bowl.
... put them somewhere safe and continue your life.
... question the existence of an entity called life.
... question the metaphysical concept of how 'life' itself can physically give you lemons.
... refuse them.
... run away, you're not supposed to take things from strangers.
... say thank you and when he leaves, put them in the cupboard with the rest of the crappy gifts.
... say, 'I like lemons. Please, can I have more?'
... sell them and ask for more.
... sell them in the market place.
... send life an invoice for the disposal of the aforementioned hazardous citrus biologicals, citing the need to buy the correct Personal Protective Equipment and the associated costs of adhering to local legislation. Then ask life if it would like a glass of lemonade.
... squeeze them and sell the lemon juice to double your money.
... squirt the juice in his eye
... start a lemon orchard and then use all of your lemon money to buy a lime orchard, beginning your citrus monopoly.
... start running. Why? Because 'life' has apparently obtained corporeal form. That is not good.
... suck out all of the vitamin C and yell “EAT THAT, LIFE!
... sue life because of psychological cruelty.
... take a permanent marker, write “pass it on” on each one, and mail them to complete strangers.
... tell everybody how you got a free lemon - how awesome is that!
... throw them at life and see if life will make the same mistake again.
... throw them back and ask for ... .
... throw them back and see if life makes that mistake again.
... throw them back and yell “I WANTED CHOCOLATE!”
... throw them right back and add some lemons of your own.
... trade them for a fruit that tastes better.
... trade them for something else.
... twist some of the peel into a martini.
... unscramble, rescramble and make melons.
... use the juice to bleach your freckles.
... use them to flavor you alcoholic beverage.
... use zinc and copper to make a battery – free electricity!
... when no one is looking, throw them through life’s window and run away.
... wipe out every lemon farm, and sell the last 2 lemons for profit.
... write a hub about it.
... you have lemons.
... you probably deserved it.
... you really need to start rethinking you career.
... you're in trouble.
... you've got potential for a lemon quote.
... be grateful and share with others.
... don't complain, say thank you for the free lemons.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Seize the day..

The ode this phrase comes from speaks to me:


Tu ne quaesieris, scire nefas, quem mihi, quem tibi finem di dederint, Leuconoe, nec Babylonios temptaris numeros. Ut melius quicquid erit pati!Seu pluris hiemes seu tribuit Iuppiter ultimam,quae nunc oppositis debilitat pumicibus mare Tyrrhenum, sapias, vina liques et spatio brevi spem longam reseces. Dum loquimur, fugerit invida aetas: carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero.
Translated into:
Ask not we cannot know what end the gods have set for you, for me; nor attempt the Babylonian reckonings Leuconoe. How much better to endure whatever comes, whether Jupiter grants us additional winters or whether this is our last, which now wears out the Tuscan Sea upon the barrier of the cliffs! Be wise, strain the wine; and since life is brief, prune back far-reaching hopes! Even while we speak, envious time has passed: seize the day, putting as little trust as possible in tomorrow!


Hebrew saying is "And if not now, Then when?"


Jesus said it another way, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.” Matthew 6:34


Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero – "Seize the Day, putting as little trust as possible in the future"


The thoughts that roam through my head are constantly flipping from one individual to another that has had a part in my life...  grandmother Arms who was taken from us when she slipped and hit her head on the tub, Uncle Marvin died of cancer, Aunt Nelda lived and breathed adventure until she too died of a head injury after falling inbetween a boat and the dock,  Uncle Charles for the last 3 year of his life was confined to a retirement home and it broke his beautiful spirit for life, Uncle Mickey is the latest in the line with his passing over the weekend due to a brain aneurysm..  my grandmother Lindsey, who lived to be almost 100 and was still able to do almost anything she wanted, is probably the only one of those that could say she was ready to go - she held on long enough to see all the family that could make it to see her, including waiting to say goodbye to me...  
Carpe Diem... it's not easy...




As humans, we tend to think that there is always time tomorrow... we can finish what we started today later... however, this isn't always true, tomorrow may not come for us or it might end suddenly... Our job as human beings, then, is to be born again each instant and to die again each instant. Are you so busy seizing the future that you’re losing today? If so, I would remind you of the second half of the expression and encourage you to seize each moment. Enjoy each second and squeeze from it all the life you can!



I haven't become fascinated by this phrase overnight by any means, it's always been in front of me - something that I usually try to take advantage of, but usually am held back by financial means or other people's desires... When allowed I'm usually one of those people that are beyond impetuous, I love to live on the edge of things, the faster it goes the better... I'm the ultimate "immediate satisfaction" type individual, but I appreciate every step of the path to that satisfaction in most cases!! I see beauty in the smallest things and I look for "signs" or "reasons" for everything... 

However - As I sit typing this... I'm constantly reminded of the things that I have "waited" for... that I haven't taken the steps to "seize" a moment or desire... and maybe it's the fact that there has been so much death and despair forcing it's way into my life recently that has punctuated my need for Carpe Diem... I've lost another chance at being a mother, of seeing my husband be a father... I've lost time with beloved members of my family that I'll never get back... I've lost touch with friends only to find out that I'll never get the chance to "catch-up" again...  but with these thoughts in mind, how do you change the way you live if part of your life is always trying to plan for the future and make the future perfect?? Don't get me wrong, I love my husband - but the boy truly needs to learn that the only thing that is assured is the right now - tomorrow is the future, today is the present and yesterday is the past... the only place you can live is in the present, and while yes, you can't get by on hope and prayer all the time, you also need to LIVE!!! Seize life, seize the moment... this moment will never come again and life slips away so fast... 

Part of me wonders how many more lives I'll say goodbye to before I'm allowed to personally welcome a new life into my family... 

Friday, August 24, 2012

Struggling - day in, day out...

It seems every day I struggle...
... I struggle to keep focused on the things that need to be done at work - projects that need to be completed, problems that need to be solved, paperwork that needs to be filled out and filed, inventory processed and cataloged, shelves that need organizing, etc, etc, the list just goes on and on...
... I struggle to keep up with the housework and yard work - again with the projects that need to be completed (walk way around the house, pier, display stand for my DH's trophies, etc), never ending cleaning and dusting and folding and organizing and putting away and ____ and ___ and __ and _ and and, mowing and weeding, potholes in the drive, again the list grows and grows... I need a maid and a gardener!!
... I struggle to lose weight, maintain weight, work out, and eat healthy all while making sure that the husband has what he likes to eat...
... I struggle to keep the peace, to keep my opinions to myself, to forgive, to trust, to not judge too harshly, to keep my emotions in check, to always remember to smile in the face of adversity, to laugh at least once a day, to not rely solely on myself and make like an island, to not be needy, to be independent...
... I struggle to keep my mind from wandering around too much in my brain's attic, it's just not a good place to go with all of it's skeletons and ghosts...

Most of the time my internal struggles are ok, most of the time I make it through each day like it's nothing... Most of the time you'd never know if I was truly upset by something or if I was just fine...
 However - "Most of the time..." isn't today... isn't this week... isn't really this month... most of the time is just not cutting it recently!! Recently if I get even a little upset by something, I'm either flying off the handle mad or I'm trying to keep from crying a river... everything is bugging me - from the daily grind at the office to seeing the little things around the house that need done, everything bugs me, everything rubs me totally wrong, everything pulls an extreme reaction... UGH!! I'm so sick of this crap, because this isn't me normally... and the last time I can honestly remember I was like this - last year starting around April/May, problem with this recollection is that I know it's not the same reasons which makes me all the more upset and anxious... Sadly enough, this puts a major strain on my relationship with my husband. I know he can tell I'm not "ok", but when even I don't know what is causing this mental melt down it's kinda hard to answer his questions. And even more to the point, hard to keep from tearing his head off when he makes me even a little upset... trivial stuff, stupid discussions and I'm ready to do just about anything to shut him up so I can have some quiet - but then once he's shut up and quiet (usually asleep when this occurs) all I want is to be wrapped up in him, which is a no-go cause he's just not really all that affectionate, AND I put off a ton of heat so even when he is being somewhat affectionate the heat becomes an issue for him relatively quick and that's that... Why is it I feel like I bitch about the same things with him over and over...???

I need a vacation from myself...

Monday, July 30, 2012

Long talks, long cries and long weeks...

Man... last week was killer!!!
Started off good... after getting this new doc's diagnosis of high Androgen counts, the hubs and I have been discussing plans for changing the way we eat around the house. Conversation started a little rough around the edges but seems to have evened out decently since... I had to remind myself several times that I needed to wait to see if the knee jerk reaction from him was going to continue or if he would come around, he did finally come around but for a while there I thought I'd have to strangle the poor boy if he said one more negative comment about my "need" to diet... Men don't always think about what they say and how it can be damaging!!!  He's been trying to be more willing to eat green stuff as sides and even willingly stated that he'd lessen his want for red meat to once or twice a week... that was an interesting turn around though... I did compromise on that seeing as I tend to not want to eat often in the evenings, I'd cook some of his more hearty meals on those nights and he'll have left overs. We also talked pretty extensively about his feelings of remorse, guilt and selfishness concerning us not having kids yet... that kinda surprised me, since he's never said much about how he'd felt beyond that he wants kids and that he is ok with me not being on BC pills.  His emotions were like a damn busting though - started with a random comment from me concerning his investigation that has had us pinned here at this duty station for the last 6months to a year without having any news, apparently my making those comments has rubbed him pretty raw even though it wasn't my intention to make him feel that as he put it "I'm using this RI as an excuse to wait longer"... I didn't realize that he thought that I was resentful toward him, which I have been in the past because I did feel like he was just pushing another excuse my way, but that feeling has not been there in a long time - if I'm resentful it's not at him any longer, it's squarely on the frustration of the situation... but he told me that he was selfish in the past for all the times that he's said wait and explained that it was usually that he just was holding so tightly to the past issues we'd had and fear of us getting a divorce that had him thinking he didn't want to have kids with me yet, he explained that he felt guilty over the excuses and wished he could have known better and saw the situation for what it was as well as see that he was the one making it so hard. I was amazed at that and it only got better... he stated that he also was frustrated because he not only didn't want me going through a pregnancy without him due to stress levels, but he wanted to be there to experience the entire thing with me from the first moment we knew we were going to be parents to the hormone craziness of cravings/crying/tempers throughout the months of pregnancy to the 1st Ultrasound to the sleepless nights of the first few weeks/months of having a newborn in the house... he was in tears and I was awe-struck!! It was a very good convo and made my heart do flip-flops... couldn't keep the smile in check either even as the tears rolled down both of our faces because all I could think about was his flippant remark about how he knew there would be Facebook pictures of him crashed out on a couch with a tiny little one asleep on his chest... he's so terrified of doing something wrong... it just floors me when he tells me these things!!!
Anyways... that was the good...
It then got bad... BAD BAD BAD...
1st found out the investigation was substantiated... bad news for the husbands career... rebuttal had to be turned in within 10 days and poor J was stressed out badly over it. We're waiting now for the answer to the rebuttal, hoping that the substantiation gets overturned or that it's proven that J was unaware of the reasons for the investigation in the first place... UGH it's a mess...
2: Found out my niece was preg again, but either losing it or lost it or something funky happened... still waiting on the official results but my opinion was she had already lost it... it was bad enough on me just to hear that she was preg because they so aren't in a position to be trying again and yet they are - that's just frustration in a bottle waiting to get shook up and pop the cork... and pop it did, I think I freaked out and cried for over an hour to J. My soap box needs to stay to the side on this but really... they aren't married, barely can take care of themselves and the kid they already have without leaning on others, what makes them think that it's smart to have another - specially where she's going to have issues if she doesn't lose a ton of weight first, and get a reliable vehicle so she can make it to her doc appts without someone else taking her!!! Which the vehicle thing is why I ended up having to go with her to her Ultrasound and Doc appt... man that was like going through my M/C all over again, only diff was there wasn't anything at all to see in her uterus whereas in mine there was just an empty sac...having the same doc telling her that she might still have a possibility when that doc told me flat out there wasn't any hope that there might be a viable pregnancy... it was just BAD news all around!!! But I endured for my niece, I found the courage to deal with her and was able to put all the info I've gained over the last year to good use and asked several questions when it was obvious that my lovely niece had no clue what to ask or say... UGH!
3: The niece stayed the night with me, along with my little grand-nephew... that was interesting, kid gets into everything and there is no way to get him to listen... talk about pulling your hair out when you've had that kinda day... I wanted to drink all the alcohol in my house and eat up a store-room of chocolate and buttery bread or something... BUT NO... stupid diet!! Can't even have my favorite comfort foods after a week like that!!
4: Thursday and Friday were still hard, I still wanted to cry because everyone was calling me for answers about my niece - she has a phone, she was there, call her - unfortunately she's not good with being an adult yet and figuring out the right questions to ask or knowing what in the hell just happened really so it was left to me to figure out... but I made it through ok... Saturday I think I paid for it somewhat with a migraine but I'm ok still... cool thing about Thursday thru Sunday was all the chats with the hubs about his feelings about the situation with the niece, he's just as outraged as I was about them "trying" in their situation for another child, he felt in some ways the way I do with the jealousy and judgmental attitude... how life isn't fair that we who have WAY more stability haven't even been blessed with an accident nevermind can't get away from a bad situation so we can try without one or both of us being so stressed out we are tearing hair out...

so that was my week... parts good, parts bad... overall survived it to another week...
I'm just hoping for some calm for a while... and a positive answer for the investigation...

Friday, July 20, 2012

Okay... it's reset time!!

So after a year of grieving, of reliving and rehashing, of struggles both internal and external, of wistful thinking, and of dreams turned to ash... I think I've finally made it to a point of acceptance and understanding. I apparently needed to go through this again, maybe I needed to go through it so J could understand in part the risks, or maybe so I could finally get some tests done and know what is wrong with me (I'll get to that in a second), or maybe it was so I could get over the fear of it happening and know that it was something I could live through... maybe I needed to go through it so I could share my story and connect with those who I never knew had suffered this miserable fate, maybe it's cause I needed to meet someone and offer my assistance to them... I truly don't know the reason why it happened again, and while I still wish I was holding my 6month old in my arms instead of grieving over another child that I didn't get to know, I finally feel as though there really was a purpose to it.
I've learned that my husband does want kids with me and I'm no longer afraid of that... (even if he continues to want to wait for the perfect time)... UGH!!!
I've learned that there are lots of wonderful women out there that have gone through this experience and have endured it far better than I have...
I've learned that it's ok to not be ok, not to feel guilty over others actions/reactions, not to take everything that happens as a slight against myself or my "failures"...
I've learned to cry it out, rail and not hold so much to myself because there are people out there more than willing to offer support no matter the complication... and that includes my husband in those that are supportive, even when he makes every appearance of not caring - I've learned that specially with him appearances are very deceiving and I need to wait before passing judgement because what's on the other side of his "act" might surprise me!

Anyways - it's time for me to really focus on trying to get my body and mind reset.. time for me to stop letting the past cloud over the good things in my life.. time for me to get a handle on my emotional state, my physical state, and my mental state...
Part of this will be what my new Doc has ordered.. a diabetic diet! Nope I'm not a diabetic, but apparently when you have a high testosterone count you might as well be if you are trying to get your body ready to be preg!! Yes, I'm gearing up... hoping and praying that all the obstacles will line up and get cleared so I can finally get out of this hold pattern... so over the next week or two I'm going to start paying closer attention to what I eat, working harder at getting in shape, and also try to find a balance between my new dietary needs and what my husband wants to eat!! LOL - 1st things first... get all the junk out of the house, I'll probably eat some of it, but I'm going to try and cook up everything that isn't REALLY healthy for me now, start looking into recipes and finding what I will eat on my latest list of stuff, and then once I get all the bad out it'll be time for a good cleansing fast and jump onto this new way of eating... Wish me luck!

Saturday, June 02, 2012

Free, I'm free at last...

I think my day just got made!!! Yup... day totally worth it!!! DH and I just had a very interesting conversation... I mean very interesting conversation!! I just got told to stop preventing all together, but that doesn't mean that we're trying yet because trying means getting docs/meds/temping/OPKs involved and yes he did specify!! I think I just fell in love again... what was the most interesting about it was that he said that he was kinda hoping that I'd tell him that we had an oops, but that he'd been too afraid to ask me about it... Yes I know that this last cycle I didn't try to prevent, but I felt horrible about it cause the last time that prevention was brought up he was furious that I wasn't on BCP yet and he wasn't ready to try... FINALLY - FINALLY I'm free!!! Free of this blasted wait, free of the stress and resentment that was weighing on our relationship... which even he was feeling!!! YEAH!! YEAH!!

Friday, June 01, 2012

1 year today...

One year ago today I was praying that I was wrong, that I was just having normal spotting... that I wasn't going to M/C, that there wasn't anything wrong...
One year ago today I was having my 1st appt, 1st U/S, and my husband would be in the room with me to find out the good, the bad, or the indifferent... I wish it hadn't been the bad!!
One year ago today, I had my fears confirmed...

Today I still cry when I think too much about it, today I still feel like my heart isn't whole...

Today I did something to bring others joy even when my own heart felt like breaking... I bought flowers for Christina and took a bedtime storybook to Jessica...
Christina I know doesn't understand why I brought her flowers, it's almost morbid to think about in a way really... I choose flowers that were bright and sunny, flowers that belong to the living... I thanked her for allowing even the smallest measure of inclusion into her little family - Raiden, who is approx the same age my child should have been, brings a smile to my face every time I see him even if it feels like my heart is seizing up and trying to batter my emotional wall down... bittersweet really...
Jessica is a truly special individual, she's had multiple M/C's and now she's finally looking forward to a beautiful take home rainbow baby boy...

It's not exactly healing... but it felt nice to bring a smile to someone else instead of dwelling in my pain!?

Sunday, May 13, 2012

Past Rememberances...

Today I decided to hunt for my written journal that I had started last year and abandoned shortly after my M/C... I found it and tears found me...

Jan 1, 2011
I'm glad 2010 is over.. already wish '11 was over too! This year already seems bad.. No Job.. Truck is jacked up.. a million other things that I'm hoping straighten out or I'm going to be in a padded room or a coffin one..
My heart is broken with no signs of repair anytime soon... my soul and spirit are heavy... Worse though is due to all the things added up, I feel like I'm letting down the ones I love most?!

Jan 2, 2011
J's 30th birthday... (I felt bad that we didn't have much in the way of money since I'd lost my job so I couldn't do the things I wanted.)

Jan 6, 2011
Counseling today... didn't know if I was looking forward to it or not? (We'd start marriage counseling... it was our first session and I was very upset with J over things) Still feel out of sorts with it... 1st off our homework so to speak is to basically compare our spouses current traits, positive and negative, to our role models.. Not an easy Task!! Of course neither was what she asked during session - "Tell me why you feel in love? What is the current issue? Why do you feel this way?" - J spoke up a lot talking about a wide variety of things... surprised me!

Jan 10, 2011
Weekend at Mom's and it actually gave me a lot to think about... Strange!! I see a weird pattern... not only with myself but w/ J, w/ Makeesha, and even w/ the rest of the family... compared to J's family we are all VERY close, VERY connected!! Not just physically but also on a deeper level... I realize a lot from this weekend such as why I act how I do? I've always known that 'Nurture vs Nature' was a real thing but it's strangely evident  to me today?
Another thing made itself known too - I was actually glad to be back home, a first in a good long while... things were really nice here... 

Mar 11, 2011
2 months since I last wrote... Wow!! Not for lack of time or want - I think maybe just lazy?? Things have gotten better in ways though and I am impressed some days with J's behavior... Other days are harder!! Some days he's sweet and kind, affectionate... Mitzi and Derek even notice and have made multiple comments about how different he is some days... but again others - I'm just glad that those days seem to be on the lower end of the spectrum instead of higher!!
I can't complain too much though...
Areas that have improved are obvious... affection and sweet/kind words rather than cuts and the like... I think he's also maybe realized a few things that are making life easier - definitely less egg shells!! I still wish he didn't drink as much!! 12 pack on the weekend (as he promised) is still closer to a case... smoking isn't improved... and he still doesn't see how spiteful, argumentative and cruel he can be... Nor does he seem to realize that temper/anger issue all the time?? But small steps...??

April 15, 2011
Today I turned 30!! Yikes... 
(I documented my birthday party so to speak, along with the treasure hunt for my gifts... and the good news about jobs and the like...)

May 11, 2011
I don't know what to say... call came today for me to go do two things - 1: take a pregnancy test, 2: then a blood test... waiting on results... 
I'm scared!! Terrified and more...

May 12, 2011
Positive - 2nd Trimester possibly... OMG - how am I going to tell Jonathan!!
I have the U/S on the 1st and I hope that J goes... stressed, scared...

May 25, 2011
So... I pulled the same trick J did for my B-Day to tell him... went & got stuffed bear and a few other things, set clues and he followed the trail, he said he was happy...? IDK though... I wanted to cry cause it just was such a relief - and he's going with me on the 1st!! I'm happy and all day have felt less stressed and panicked... I wish that he'd come out of his shell more and tell me what he's thinking... wish I wasn't sitting here wondering about his thoughts all the time! Specially now, specially when I want to know all about what he thinks of all this.. Ugh!!
Love- you keep asking what I'm writing... you should know... the one thing that for the next few months will be my primary focus - silly boy... I'm pregnant with your child... my world suddenly seems very difficult to expand beyond the widening part of my mid-section!! I'm finally free to be truly happy and not concerned about your reaction (well as long as I take just your words from last night) to all of this... so... as long as I don't think about the bad things that could happen, so scared of anything happening but right now I'm just trying to remain up beat because positive thinking is the best right? I just want to share everything but I don't want to go overboard with you... ugh... so hard to balance this... I know it's only been a few days but like you, I've had a passing thought of 'maybe' here and there... only I didn't want to know for sure in case =  somethings are better left never knowing for sure than to have it taken from you!! I guess this way it's been nice because everything is saying "good" without me having time to be overly worried about anything other than telling you... 2nd trimester... I hope everything is right!!

Letter to my baby:
Sweet baby... you have been dreamed of and wished for... desired and longed for... as long as God continues to allow you to grow and be healthy, I will cherish each emotion and sensation!
There is nothing I regret about your presence, and you've already migrated into my heart and soul... I know time will go by so fast but right now it seems like it can't go by fast enough and later I'll be wishing that time would stand still so I'll try to refrain from wishing time to go faster and just enjoy all the experiences as they come...
The very idea of you has healed parts of my heart and soul that I've worried wouldn't ever heal... and it makes the relationship with your father interesting!! He's already worried about how much I eat and threatening an IV... I love him very much and it has been a struggle our entire relationship to continue to do so... But he'll be an awesome dad... I can't wait to see you with him... 
You are my secret garden that only I can see or feel... for now...

June 1, 2011
Black Void... that's all it is... just an empty spot where my child should have been... I don't know what to think or say or do...
Jonathan... I'm sorry - I should have waited to tell you... should have waited to tell anyone... I knew better than to get my hopes up!!

June 2, 2011
"M/C" started at about midnight... didn't really end till about 4... horrible... I was really hoping to sleep through most of it again or at least the Aleve would help more!! I think my back muscles hurt more than anything... no work today other than stuff around the house maybe...
Mitzi and the kids went to lunch with me and now I'm cooking dinner for them cause they helped paint and stuff... Not been thinking about it other than when I have a bad cramp! Still remember J's face when the black void appeared... it wasn't good to me... I wish he'd talk to me about it - i don't want him to get upset if I'm talking about it when he doesn't want too?! Love you baby... I'm sorry!!

June 3, 2011
I still don't know what to feel or think 1st of all... went a little crazy on J last night - poor guy didn't deserve that but then I don't feel I deserved the tone or manner that he answered me with!
I wanted to know where his thoughts were so finally I asked after everyone left... "Disappointed" was all I got? Somehow that doesn't seem right... Disappointed is what I was when you didn't immediately want to celebrate - although maybe you did but like me wanted to wait to see if everything was ok 1st? And I would understand that... but hell I had to ask if you were happy because you didn't seem like you were... Disappointed is also the 1st emotion that hit me when I saw the black void... but that was overshadowed so much by how worried I was about how you would be... and also by this huge feeling of extreme loss... Disappointment is so minor of an emotion to me currently that it doesn't even fit!! But regardless if disappointment is all you feel babe... then why get so upset actin when I said/asked about 'trying'? Why did that get the bigger reaction??

June 3rd was the last entry in that journal... I couldn't stand to write in it anymore... couldn't stand to document any more of the hurt I was feeling until I picked back up writing on here...
June 1st is fast approaching and every day my heart feels more and more unsure of where I stand... I can read the words I wrote then now and my eyes stay dry, but just barely... J asked me what I was doing and I handed him the letter, I watched him read the words twice then he handed it back silently - what are you thinking love?? Why won't you talk to me still after almost a year... I still need you, need your support, need your love and communication on this, but still you are silent...

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Today's Headlines..

Have you noticed how often recently the news shows/papers are reporting people killing/kidnapping small children these days?? Just so strange.. there are so many people that wish they could have a child, and here is someone killing theirs or kidnapping someone elses child... tragic!!

I wonder sometimes if there is a chance that I could ever be that type of individual who could be driven to stealing a child from someone else?? or kill a child?? And what is in the minds of these individuals that are doing these things?? I would like to think that I'm above them, that I'm better... that I could never harm a child by taking it from it's loving parents, or killing them... but then I think how hard I struggle some days with my despair over losing a child via M/C. Is there a possibility that at some point I could just snap and suffer a mental break down to the point where I lose enough of my moral compass and do something so horrendous?? I pray every day that I see something like that on the news that I never go that far into my grief, but there are days like yesterday and today were I struggle so hard to not HATE individuals that have children without dealing with some form of struggle.. those that are children themselves having children, or drug/alcohol dependent individuals that seem to fall pregnant just being in the same room with a male, or even those that are good people but just seem to have such easy pregnancies... I hate them all some days, and what's worse is I hate myself and my husband right along with hating them...
I watched an episode of Private Practice the other night where one of the characters is pregnant, she had been in rehab for drugs prior to this episode and was questioning whether what was wrong with her baby was because of what she'd done. Her child was perfectly normal physically, but had no brain... I wanted to cry, scream, rage at the TV when one of the other actors told her that it wasn't her fault!! No, technically it could have happened regardless of the drugs, but it could have been because of her drug usage as well... we'll never know the why's of any problem like that.  People are just so damned irresponsible... every single thing you do has an effect, it has a consequence... that effect, that consequence may not show up immediately, might not show up ever or it could appear in the worst way imaginable...

Anyways all of this has been weighing so heavy on my mind/heart/soul that I don't know what to do with it... So many of my friends are having children or have already had all that they want, family is getting older and we're slowly losing more of them to old age and death... I'm frustrated with waiting for my child, and frustrated seeing others have them but totally disregard that precious life... I'm tired of living life seemingly half-fulfilled...