Just to toot my husband's horn- he finished the Pittsburgh Great Race (a 10K) and was the 1,475th person to cross the finish line. He finished in the top quarter of racers with a time of 47 minutes, 45 seconds. Not too shabby at all!
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Why 1475th place is great!
Just to toot my husband's horn- he finished the Pittsburgh Great Race (a 10K) and was the 1,475th person to cross the finish line. He finished in the top quarter of racers with a time of 47 minutes, 45 seconds. Not too shabby at all!
Thursday, September 21, 2006
End of September
Welcome fall! Okay, it might be a few days early, but the weather has been down right chilly here in Pittsburgh! I thought I'd post today since the next few days are going to be hectic. I am going to be traveling to Long Beach, CA next week for the CA_Women_&_Family_Conference which looks to be amazing. Some of the speakers include Martha Stewart and the Dalai Lama whom I personally can't wait to hear speak! Plus, there will be work-shops from the TLC "What not to Wear" crew, and I am secretly hoping that I get chosen as a volunteer and get my wardrobe made over - that would rock!
This weekend we're having some friends over for the Steeler game and I'm also getting my hair cut short. Dave and his friend Mike are going to be running in the Pittsburgh_Great_Race
Finally before I close, just wanted to wish a very happy birthday to a few people today - my dad, our step-mom Kathy, and our sister-in-law Karlene. They are all very special to us, and we hope today is the start of a wonderful year for them!
This weekend we're having some friends over for the Steeler game and I'm also getting my hair cut short. Dave and his friend Mike are going to be running in the Pittsburgh_Great_Race
Finally before I close, just wanted to wish a very happy birthday to a few people today - my dad, our step-mom Kathy, and our sister-in-law Karlene. They are all very special to us, and we hope today is the start of a wonderful year for them!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Bathroom Beginnings
Last night the plumbers started the work to add the rough-ins for the basement full bath. The pictures say it all except the smell of dirt and sewage pipe- ugh. Hard to believe that this will look like a bathroom before the end of the year!
Monday, September 11, 2006
Weekly update
Just wanted to post to say hello to family and friends. We had a nice weekend, and it is great to have football showing again! Friday night a few couples came over to our house for dessert and drinks on the deck. It was a great night to sit out by the fire, under the full moon, and just talk and laugh. I met the ladies in the group on line while planning our wedding; we've stayed in close touch the past 2 years and have lunch once a month, and it's gotten to the point where I think even the men in the group no longer find it weird that we're hanging out with people we met in that great, mysterious place known as the internet!
Saturday was a lazy day and we did some house work and watched football. Notre Dame sure put a stomping on PSU! (sorry Mark!) Sunday we went to Ruby's birthday party as she turned 3. The party was at a small zoo where the kids (or adults too!) could feed and pet the animals. We watched some more football and made a great dinner and relaxed even more. Agh - weekends!
This week the plumber begins the work on the basement bathroom, we get our DVR hooked up, and my one-day-to-be-sister-in-law Kelly turns 30 (don't worry Kelly, no one reads this blog so we'll keep it our little secret in the family!!) so we're looking forward to seeing the kids and David & Kelly this weekend.
Before I say good bye in this little update, I just want to ask anyone reading this to take a moment and reflect today, September 11th. While so many people are remembering the tragic events of what happened 5 years ago, I'd ask that you remember the good that came from that day as well. I know that this day means different people to everyone, and it is a deeply personal feeling. Wishing everyone peace and many blessings...
Saturday was a lazy day and we did some house work and watched football. Notre Dame sure put a stomping on PSU! (sorry Mark!) Sunday we went to Ruby's birthday party as she turned 3. The party was at a small zoo where the kids (or adults too!) could feed and pet the animals. We watched some more football and made a great dinner and relaxed even more. Agh - weekends!
This week the plumber begins the work on the basement bathroom, we get our DVR hooked up, and my one-day-to-be-sister-in-law Kelly turns 30 (don't worry Kelly, no one reads this blog so we'll keep it our little secret in the family!!) so we're looking forward to seeing the kids and David & Kelly this weekend.
Before I say good bye in this little update, I just want to ask anyone reading this to take a moment and reflect today, September 11th. While so many people are remembering the tragic events of what happened 5 years ago, I'd ask that you remember the good that came from that day as well. I know that this day means different people to everyone, and it is a deeply personal feeling. Wishing everyone peace and many blessings...
Monday, September 04, 2006
September 4th
Every September 4th I think of my Gram. It's her birthday, but also the day she passed away. It's been 4 years now, and I think of her very often. On Sept 1, 2002 as I was driving to my new apartment to unload my things (my old apartment was heavily damaged in a fire the month prior) I received a phone call that changed my life. It was my brother, and I could tell something was very wrong. My brother is like my dad - stoic. But this time his voice was so full of emotion I couldn't even hear what he was trying to say. He relayed that he found my Gram in the basement slumped over and the ambulance was taking her to the hospital. She wasn't moving and they thought she had a massive stroke.
I had to tell me mom who was driving in the car behind me, on her way to help my move into my new place. How fast things changed. Minutes earlier it was a beautiful day and I was so full of hope and anticipation. I was ready to start my life again after living somewhere that wasn't home for 30 days. I'd finally put my fire tragedy behind me. Now I wasn't even aware that I was still driving, and I didn't know how to tell my mom. I pulled over into some gravel and don't remember what I said, but somehow I told her. She took off to the other side of the county, to the hospital where they were taking my Gram. I continued to my apartment to sign some paperwork, but I felt so lost and scared.
I think that phone call changed me on some deep level; the rug had been pulled out from under me. Where I had once been so confident in my nature, I now felt frozen. To this day it affects me - when Dave isn't home late at night, or I can't get in touch with someone, I tend to assume the worst. I think I wait to hear that something has happened like it happened that day with my Gram. I wait for my world to shift again, like I can't let myself get too comfortable because it could all change. I've talked to therapists about it, and I struggle to work through it at times.
Gram lived for 3 days after her stroke. Apparently she had suffered a few milder strokes at home, and never said anything, or maybe didn't even know. When I saw her in the hospital she had great difficulty talking. She'd communicate by writing things on scraps of paper; to this day I still think she had the most beautiful handwriting. I still remember how she said "You're still my angel Bethie" like she used to call me when I was little. But in the end I think she knew it was time to let go, and the last day in the ICU she wasn't really conscious. We said our goodbyes, and told her to go to the light. We went home to wait for the call that she'd passed, and when the phone rang 30 minutes later, we all knew. I don't remember who picked up the phone, I guess it was my mom. I don't remember much from that day given my state of emotion. But the one thing I do remember, that I'll never forget, was how blue the sky was that day; there wasn't a cloud in the sky. To this day when we see a sky that color, my mom and I will comment how the sky looked like it did the day Gram died.
My Gram was an amazing women. She helped raise me, and I lived with her for some time. She never said no to anyone, and always put others before herself. She was one of 8 children, and while not the eldest, she went first probably to help see the others to the other side. That was her nature, and I am proud that I have some of those qualities from her. This picture is my favorite one of her; it's from her wedding day, and she was so beautiful! We didn't have this picture until after she died. Her maid of honor at her wedding had this picture all these years, and thought that my family would like it. God bless the kindness of strangers. I never knew how much my mother looked like Gram, and because I look just like my mother, it is a comfort that an ever bigger part of my Gram lives on in me. My only regret is that she never got to meet Dave. She wasn't at our wedding, though I wore her wedding band (as my something borrowed) and carried a hanky she had (my something old). And when my Aunt sang the "Ave Maria", I could honestly feel her presence. I miss her greatly, and today more so. Happy Birthday Gram! I love you!
I had to tell me mom who was driving in the car behind me, on her way to help my move into my new place. How fast things changed. Minutes earlier it was a beautiful day and I was so full of hope and anticipation. I was ready to start my life again after living somewhere that wasn't home for 30 days. I'd finally put my fire tragedy behind me. Now I wasn't even aware that I was still driving, and I didn't know how to tell my mom. I pulled over into some gravel and don't remember what I said, but somehow I told her. She took off to the other side of the county, to the hospital where they were taking my Gram. I continued to my apartment to sign some paperwork, but I felt so lost and scared.
I think that phone call changed me on some deep level; the rug had been pulled out from under me. Where I had once been so confident in my nature, I now felt frozen. To this day it affects me - when Dave isn't home late at night, or I can't get in touch with someone, I tend to assume the worst. I think I wait to hear that something has happened like it happened that day with my Gram. I wait for my world to shift again, like I can't let myself get too comfortable because it could all change. I've talked to therapists about it, and I struggle to work through it at times.
Gram lived for 3 days after her stroke. Apparently she had suffered a few milder strokes at home, and never said anything, or maybe didn't even know. When I saw her in the hospital she had great difficulty talking. She'd communicate by writing things on scraps of paper; to this day I still think she had the most beautiful handwriting. I still remember how she said "You're still my angel Bethie" like she used to call me when I was little. But in the end I think she knew it was time to let go, and the last day in the ICU she wasn't really conscious. We said our goodbyes, and told her to go to the light. We went home to wait for the call that she'd passed, and when the phone rang 30 minutes later, we all knew. I don't remember who picked up the phone, I guess it was my mom. I don't remember much from that day given my state of emotion. But the one thing I do remember, that I'll never forget, was how blue the sky was that day; there wasn't a cloud in the sky. To this day when we see a sky that color, my mom and I will comment how the sky looked like it did the day Gram died.
My Gram was an amazing women. She helped raise me, and I lived with her for some time. She never said no to anyone, and always put others before herself. She was one of 8 children, and while not the eldest, she went first probably to help see the others to the other side. That was her nature, and I am proud that I have some of those qualities from her. This picture is my favorite one of her; it's from her wedding day, and she was so beautiful! We didn't have this picture until after she died. Her maid of honor at her wedding had this picture all these years, and thought that my family would like it. God bless the kindness of strangers. I never knew how much my mother looked like Gram, and because I look just like my mother, it is a comfort that an ever bigger part of my Gram lives on in me. My only regret is that she never got to meet Dave. She wasn't at our wedding, though I wore her wedding band (as my something borrowed) and carried a hanky she had (my something old). And when my Aunt sang the "Ave Maria", I could honestly feel her presence. I miss her greatly, and today more so. Happy Birthday Gram! I love you!
Sunday, September 03, 2006
Good News & Bad News
The bad news: Roethlisberger won't be in our season opener due to emergency surgery to remove his appendix. I fear Tommy Big Gun Maddox will be back!
The good news: We won't be the last people on the Earth to get Tivo! Hurray!
TiVo arrives later this month at the Sprague house hold. I guess we can use it to pause live TV and skip over Maddox being sacked!!
Wake me from this bad dream
I woke up crying this morning from an awful dream. Have you ever cried so hard in your sleep that you woke up still crying? In my dream, I was at a baby shower for an old friend I haven't spoken to in years. I wasn't doing well emotionally, and no one could understand why I was so distant. They told me to lighten up and have fun. Then they got mean and wouldn't let up. I finally confronted one stranger and asked her why she was saying those things, and she said because they were true. I then asked her if she ever suffered from infertility, and she said no, and proceeded to say how awful she felt, and how she understood better. And while it felt good to defend myself in my dream, I still felt empty inside because we still suffer from this bad dream of unexplained infertility.
All of this was brought on by finding out an hour earlier that this cycle was again, another bust for us. I felt like a fool for allowing myself to have hoped so much. Without going into details (that probably don't interest you anyways) all last week signs pointed to it having worked. I dared to dream again, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Days like today are when IF can hurt the most- it's almost like a loss that I have to grieve before I can move on. And today will only be tougher because we get to meet Andrea who is our newborn niece. Now, don't think for a moment that I don't love her already. But there is something gut-wrenching about holding a newborn baby while your own cycle is crashing within. Days like today, IF hurts the most.
I am fortunate enough to be a member to an infertility chat board. This place is an amazing source of strength to me. Here everyone is supportive, dreams with you, celebrates the little victories. No one is cruel or says things like "you're just trying too hard". I logged on to talk about my bad dream, and how this cycle was a bust, when I came across a post that reduced me to even more tears. I wanted to share it with you - my dearest friends and family - because I could really relate to it:
I see posts all the time about women feeling crazy for thinking that this was their month. They had symptoms of pregnancy, different than their usual monthly routine, their timing was perfect...all of it. Then their period comes and they start to doubt their sanity.
These women (we) are on emotional roller coasters during the dreaded two week wait. Every temperature dip, spot, cramp, twinge, pain and nap has a deeper meaning all of the sudden. Sometimes the woman is lucky enough find out she is pregnant, but many times, though the signs point to "YES", Aunt Flo has already made her plans to come and stay for a while.
I read all the time posts where the women are saying "I feel so silly" or "Why did I allow myself to hope?" But still waters run deep for many of us.
Many of us spent our childhoods as little mothers. I, for one, took very good care of my bears, dolls and monkeys. I read them stories, tucked them in, fed them, bathed them (sorry about the fur in the bathtub mom) and rocked them to sleep while singing sweet lullabies. I placed them in their seats in the car and made sure they were buckled in right beside me. I taught my floppy children to read, to color and to be good boys and girls. I kissed their wounds before bandaging up their little arms and legs. I was a mother before I knew what being a mother meant.
Time passed and the stuffed animals were packed away. You grow up a little but you still think about what kind of parent you'll be when you really grow up. When your mom grounds you for being 15 minutes late or for not living up to your full potential (I think we ALL got that one once or twice, no?) you swore "I will NEVER do that to my kids, I'll be a cool mom." You don't really think about being a parent at this point, but in the back of your mind, it's something you always know Eventually...Somentually...Some day
One day you meet the partner of your dreams. You fall in love, maybe get married and a little thought pops into your head - "Hey, I could be a parent with this person!"
You get your hopes up every month because before your little one is even conceived you are in love with them. In love with their little fingers and toes, in love with their drool filled smile, in love with their snuggly noises they will make when they sleep. You're in love with what they can be, what you can teach them, what part of you they will have, what part of your partner they will resemble.
You can already picture them taking those first few steps, their first birthday party, riding their first bike without training wheels and hopping on that big yellow bus for the first time with their little hand waving from the big window inside.
Before they are even conceived you look forward to macaroni necklaces, finger-painted handprints on construction paper and mother's day gifts made truly from the heart. You see their big brown/blue/green/hazel eyes filled with hope, love and laughter. You can almost hear their giggle and feel the warmth of their little body as they snuggle up on your lap to read a book.Your love for them already runs so deep that you've thought about what they will be when they grow up.
You chose a name that will ensure them success in their lives. You are careful to take care of your body in order for your body to take care of theirs. You're excited because you have the potential to be a mom and within 2 weeks or days or minutes you could know just how quickly that dream could be a reality. You have been training, thinking and dreaming about this day since you can remember.
All of this was brought on by finding out an hour earlier that this cycle was again, another bust for us. I felt like a fool for allowing myself to have hoped so much. Without going into details (that probably don't interest you anyways) all last week signs pointed to it having worked. I dared to dream again, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Days like today are when IF can hurt the most- it's almost like a loss that I have to grieve before I can move on. And today will only be tougher because we get to meet Andrea who is our newborn niece. Now, don't think for a moment that I don't love her already. But there is something gut-wrenching about holding a newborn baby while your own cycle is crashing within. Days like today, IF hurts the most.
I am fortunate enough to be a member to an infertility chat board. This place is an amazing source of strength to me. Here everyone is supportive, dreams with you, celebrates the little victories. No one is cruel or says things like "you're just trying too hard". I logged on to talk about my bad dream, and how this cycle was a bust, when I came across a post that reduced me to even more tears. I wanted to share it with you - my dearest friends and family - because I could really relate to it:
I see posts all the time about women feeling crazy for thinking that this was their month. They had symptoms of pregnancy, different than their usual monthly routine, their timing was perfect...all of it. Then their period comes and they start to doubt their sanity.
These women (we) are on emotional roller coasters during the dreaded two week wait. Every temperature dip, spot, cramp, twinge, pain and nap has a deeper meaning all of the sudden. Sometimes the woman is lucky enough find out she is pregnant, but many times, though the signs point to "YES", Aunt Flo has already made her plans to come and stay for a while.
I read all the time posts where the women are saying "I feel so silly" or "Why did I allow myself to hope?" But still waters run deep for many of us.
Many of us spent our childhoods as little mothers. I, for one, took very good care of my bears, dolls and monkeys. I read them stories, tucked them in, fed them, bathed them (sorry about the fur in the bathtub mom) and rocked them to sleep while singing sweet lullabies. I placed them in their seats in the car and made sure they were buckled in right beside me. I taught my floppy children to read, to color and to be good boys and girls. I kissed their wounds before bandaging up their little arms and legs. I was a mother before I knew what being a mother meant.
Time passed and the stuffed animals were packed away. You grow up a little but you still think about what kind of parent you'll be when you really grow up. When your mom grounds you for being 15 minutes late or for not living up to your full potential (I think we ALL got that one once or twice, no?) you swore "I will NEVER do that to my kids, I'll be a cool mom." You don't really think about being a parent at this point, but in the back of your mind, it's something you always know Eventually...Somentually...Some day
One day you meet the partner of your dreams. You fall in love, maybe get married and a little thought pops into your head - "Hey, I could be a parent with this person!"
You get your hopes up every month because before your little one is even conceived you are in love with them. In love with their little fingers and toes, in love with their drool filled smile, in love with their snuggly noises they will make when they sleep. You're in love with what they can be, what you can teach them, what part of you they will have, what part of your partner they will resemble.
You can already picture them taking those first few steps, their first birthday party, riding their first bike without training wheels and hopping on that big yellow bus for the first time with their little hand waving from the big window inside.
Before they are even conceived you look forward to macaroni necklaces, finger-painted handprints on construction paper and mother's day gifts made truly from the heart. You see their big brown/blue/green/hazel eyes filled with hope, love and laughter. You can almost hear their giggle and feel the warmth of their little body as they snuggle up on your lap to read a book.Your love for them already runs so deep that you've thought about what they will be when they grow up.
You chose a name that will ensure them success in their lives. You are careful to take care of your body in order for your body to take care of theirs. You're excited because you have the potential to be a mom and within 2 weeks or days or minutes you could know just how quickly that dream could be a reality. You have been training, thinking and dreaming about this day since you can remember.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Good bye August!
Before we say goodbye to August and summer, we want to wish our niece Karyne a happy 4th birthday today! This picture of Karyne is from last summer when she was just about 3; she's grown so much since then. She's a big sister now! We're looking forward to your birthday party on Sunday.
I know that most of the posts recently have had some kind of mention of fall in them, and it isn't that I am struggling for material to write about. It's more that Dave and I are anxiously awaiting fall - our favorite season. I thought I'd put together a list of things we're looking forward to about fall:
- Cooler weather and crisp breezes
- The colors on the trees and short hikes in the woods to view nature's grandest show!
- The smell of burning wood drifting through the air
- Picking pumpkins at Trax farms and hayrides
- Hot apple cider (or caramel apple cider from Starbucks if you are like Dave!)
- Our 1st wedding anniversary on Oct 7th (Dave is planning a big day of for us but he won't say what he's planning just yet)
- Football season!! Go Steelers!
- Speaking of which, I'm looking forward to Pitt kicking some WVU butt this year on 11/16!
- Pumpkin flavored anything - coffee, ice cream, pies, cheesecake
- Wearing big soft sweaters and faded jeans - and boots! (for me, not Dave)
- Perhaps finding out that we'll be parents in 2007 ?!?
- Starting our monthly couples' dinner get togethers
- New seasons of TV shows like Lost and Scrubs
Summer was full of great memories and we thank God for all the blessings in our life. So long August!
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Is it fall yet?
We're so ready for fall - today the hot and humid August that is all too familiar in western Pennsylvania came back and will be sticking around for a bit. Things had been going too well with our lower than expected electric bill from not needing the AC! But if that means that things will get back to what they are supposed to be, then the Steelers may finally win a game. Pre-season or not - Dave isn't bothered by the losses, but I am worried just a bit.
The plumber called a few days ago and postponed this weekend's project on putting in the rough-ins for the basement bathroom. So now ETA is mid-Sept.
Today while Dave was on call, I spent the day doing much needed landscaping around the house, which included planting fall mums. Otherwise we are just relaxing. Mike & Molly came over last night to watch the football game and we all just vegged. Hopefully we'll be able to catch up with the family tomorrow at church and afterwards. It's a lazy weekend for certain, but those are often the best!
The plumber called a few days ago and postponed this weekend's project on putting in the rough-ins for the basement bathroom. So now ETA is mid-Sept.
Today while Dave was on call, I spent the day doing much needed landscaping around the house, which included planting fall mums. Otherwise we are just relaxing. Mike & Molly came over last night to watch the football game and we all just vegged. Hopefully we'll be able to catch up with the family tomorrow at church and afterwards. It's a lazy weekend for certain, but those are often the best!
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Positive Thoughts
I was waiting in my RE's office this morning to get some blood work and ultrasound done. As I paged through a magazine there, the letter from the founder caught my attention, because it was something that I could relate to...
Waiting - or at least, waiting patiently- is not something I do well. I've always had the notion of not wanting to waste my precious time on earth, and I've had a tendency to be impatient. But now I realize there's a big difference between being patient and being complacent. Being patient means allowing the proper growth and timing for something to happen. Complacency, on the other hand, is plain powerlessness, waiting for life to happen to you. I can see that the most difficult part of infertility was facing the unknown without being able to take action. Now I look at uncertain times as opportunities to think about what's possible, and what I can do next.
I started to think about what I'd do differently if I didn't have infertility as my constant companion. Maybe I'd finally start to plan our trip to Alaska. Maybe I'd try sky diving like I've always wanted to try. And maybe I'd take a clue from Dave's Aunt Ruth and just go get that tattoo or belly ring, Buddha belly and all (me, not Ruth!). Call it an attitude shift. Call it a bell that went off. Whatever you call it, I thought about really making an effort to not be complacent. And then I went to CafePress and bought myself a tee to remind myself of just that.
The good news is that the vacant supervisor job at Dave's work that we've been waiting to be posted, finally posted. So Dave will be applying - please send your positive thoughts his way! He certainly deserves this promotion and works hard. We'll keep you posted!
Waiting - or at least, waiting patiently- is not something I do well. I've always had the notion of not wanting to waste my precious time on earth, and I've had a tendency to be impatient. But now I realize there's a big difference between being patient and being complacent. Being patient means allowing the proper growth and timing for something to happen. Complacency, on the other hand, is plain powerlessness, waiting for life to happen to you. I can see that the most difficult part of infertility was facing the unknown without being able to take action. Now I look at uncertain times as opportunities to think about what's possible, and what I can do next.
I started to think about what I'd do differently if I didn't have infertility as my constant companion. Maybe I'd finally start to plan our trip to Alaska. Maybe I'd try sky diving like I've always wanted to try. And maybe I'd take a clue from Dave's Aunt Ruth and just go get that tattoo or belly ring, Buddha belly and all (me, not Ruth!). Call it an attitude shift. Call it a bell that went off. Whatever you call it, I thought about really making an effort to not be complacent. And then I went to CafePress and bought myself a tee to remind myself of just that.The good news is that the vacant supervisor job at Dave's work that we've been waiting to be posted, finally posted. So Dave will be applying - please send your positive thoughts his way! He certainly deserves this promotion and works hard. We'll keep you posted!
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Our First Post
We wanted to create a way to keep our family and friends updated on our lives. It's hard to keep since everyone we love are spread around western PA and then even further (Providence, Denver, Baltimore, etc). Thank goodness for technology...
This summer has just flown by! We had Angie_&_Matt's_Wedding , Dave's marathon and then Mark_&_Kacey's_Wedding and our trip to Rhode Island. This weekend we're starting the construction on our basement bathroom. The weeks in between have been marked by both nice quiet times at home as well as family functions and gathering of friends.
This past weekend we watched my niece Kadence (who is 1 year old) for the night. It was an interesting adventure, but luckily Kadence took it easy on us.
We think it was a great opportunity for us to get a preview of what it will be like when we have our own kids, though we're thinking Kaddie-bug's good behavior will have us fooled into thinking it is much easier than it really is!
Speaking of having our own kids... most of you know that we've been trying to add to our family in the past year. It's been a year to be exact. The journey has been filled with learning, frustration, and hope. The good news is that our doctors (both regular OBs and Reproductive Endocrinologists or "REs" as they are known in the infertility world) have said that we are fine. We're trying some new things now - medication and acupuncture for Beth- and that may or may not change things. We're lucky to have such a supportive network; some of our own family know all too well the ups & downs of infertility. And luckily we've learned to ignore the well intentioned "oh, just relax / dont' stress / plan a vacation / look into adoption and you'll get pregnant right away!" comments. (side note - studies show that stress does not cause infertility, though the opposite is true!) We're confident that we'll be parents one day and in the mean time, just appreciate the prayers and love from you. And of course, we'll share news when things change!
Especially with the approaching start of football season, we're looking forward to fall (Big Knob Fair anyone??) in all its glory. Sending our love to everyone!
Dave & Beth
This summer has just flown by! We had Angie_&_Matt's_Wedding , Dave's marathon and then Mark_&_Kacey's_Wedding and our trip to Rhode Island. This weekend we're starting the construction on our basement bathroom. The weeks in between have been marked by both nice quiet times at home as well as family functions and gathering of friends.
This past weekend we watched my niece Kadence (who is 1 year old) for the night. It was an interesting adventure, but luckily Kadence took it easy on us.
We think it was a great opportunity for us to get a preview of what it will be like when we have our own kids, though we're thinking Kaddie-bug's good behavior will have us fooled into thinking it is much easier than it really is!
Speaking of having our own kids... most of you know that we've been trying to add to our family in the past year. It's been a year to be exact. The journey has been filled with learning, frustration, and hope. The good news is that our doctors (both regular OBs and Reproductive Endocrinologists or "REs" as they are known in the infertility world) have said that we are fine. We're trying some new things now - medication and acupuncture for Beth- and that may or may not change things. We're lucky to have such a supportive network; some of our own family know all too well the ups & downs of infertility. And luckily we've learned to ignore the well intentioned "oh, just relax / dont' stress / plan a vacation / look into adoption and you'll get pregnant right away!" comments. (side note - studies show that stress does not cause infertility, though the opposite is true!) We're confident that we'll be parents one day and in the mean time, just appreciate the prayers and love from you. And of course, we'll share news when things change!
Especially with the approaching start of football season, we're looking forward to fall (Big Knob Fair anyone??) in all its glory. Sending our love to everyone!
Dave & Beth
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