The Dressler Family

A look back...

2011-11-28T15:55:00.011-06:00

Hello there dear readers!

As you can tell I have been very consistent with my lack of blogging. Ehh! Sorry!

Here is a look back on the past few weeks....

Jon and I celebrated our 5 year wedding anniversary on October 20th. I am truly the luckiest girl alive... and to prove it, I'll show you what he got me for an anniversary gift.....

He even painted the GMC symbols PINK! :) He loves me!!!

My oldest girl, Kasey is a senior in highschool this year.. I took her a few weeks back to get her Senior Portraits done.. Isn't she gorgeous!? ... and yes, to answer your question, we do have to beat the boys away with a stick! ;)

My Sister and I took my neices to the Taylor Swift Concert! It was so much fun! I loved watching my 9 year old neice Dayton's face as Taylor came out! The concert was late at night and poor Dayton was so sleepy she actually fell asleep in my lap for a song or two :(!

I traveled to Nashville for my neice Dayton's first competitive cheer compitetion. It was so much fun and I just adored watching all the tiny cheerleaders do their thang! Dayton's squad won 2nd place in their category and also "most entertaining" and "most spirited". She was tickled!

Here is me and her little brother watching her cheer!!

The Christmas Season is quickly sneaking up on us! I love the holidays so much! There is always a little dark cloud hanging over me because I don't have a baby to celebrate with during the holidays but this year that cloud seems a little less dark. I feel very confident that this will be our last year of babyless holidays. We have not proceded with our first IUI as of yet. We have already paid more than $500 to our fertility clinic and we haven't even started any procedures yet! :( BOOO FOR HEALTH INSURANCE NOT COVERING INFERTILITY!! My next apointment is in January and we will discuss when to start the IUI then.

I braved the stores on Black Friday for the first time this year. It was super crazy but very exciting too. I snagged some great deals and have nearly completed my Christmas shopping. I'm sure some of you have been done with your shopping for months now, but i've always been a last minute shopper so I think i'm doing good.

I would probably be able to find more time to blog if i wasn't so obsessed with...... can you guess...... yep.... PINTEREST!! Oh Oh Oh how I love it!
I've never been extremly creative but I'm very guilty of being a crafty copycat! Pinterest gives me millions of crafty ideas to copycat. ;) I've been working on creating a Home management binder... Here is a peek at it...

Iv'e got a page for Bible Verses I come across that I want to look over, Weekly Menu, Daily Goals, Calenders, Freezer Inventory, Freezer Cheat Sheet, A pocket to place bills, A Bill tracker sheet, and a Budget Sheet. I also have pages for all our important house information such as Emergency Phone numbers, Homeowners insurance info, medical and dental info, vehicle info.. ect. I catagorize everything under sections: Home, Daily, Food, Money, Holidays, and Baby --which I don't have yet but I'm working on making pages like a Cycle Tracker, Fertility Budget Sheet ect.

I hope you have a wonderful Holiday season! I'll post pics once I get all the decorations up! :) I have started but am not done yet!

Miracles.

2011-10-06T19:26:00.005-05:00

Hello Lovely Readers,

Life is moving right along over in my world...

Here are some updates:

My super wonderful hard working (and incredibly healthy I might add) Dad was having some chest pain and high blood pressure a few weeks ago. So he went for a check up and the Doctor scheduled some test and found out all 3 of his cardiac arteries were blocked. :( He has always been so healthy but apparently even the best of the best can have medical problems. The Doctors said he was lucky to be alive and he needed Triple Bypass Surgery the next morning! That was more than 3 weeks ago and he is doing WONDERFUL! I am so blessed and amazed by Gods grace. The surgery was very hard on our family and of course mostly on him, but each day he gets better and better and should be back to normal within a year! :) He is a miracle.

My girls are now in 11th and 12th Grade! WHOA!! You should see the way people look at me when i'm handling the usual parent stuff in public. I'm 26 (and am constantly told I look younger) and they are 16 & 17. With a little "Im the big Sister and have temporary custody" (or something along those lines) People usual get the picture. Kasey had her senior portraits done today and is preparing for graduation and college! I can't believe shes almost all grown up! Kristin has started driving. It makes me life easier but I worry even more. They are both my miracles.

Last week I kept my niece and nephews all week so my Sis and Brother in Law could enjoy an anniversary vacation. I loved every minute of it (well except the minutes around 3am when the baby was up). The are all growing sop fast. I know I say that alot but it is true. We took them to the pumpkin farm last weekend and they had a blast! 3 lovely miracles.

Ive also been trying to organize my home even more. I have become addicted to pinterest, as I am sure many of you have. It has so many brilliant ideas for the home. If i can get my entire home looking pinterest worthy, it will be a miracle.

Annnnnd.... for some exciting news in the babymaking category: We are gearing up for our very first IUI!!! I have been seeing a fertility specialist and have had lots of testing done. My ovarian reserve tests came back great (meaning i have lots of eggs). My HSG showed my tubes were both open. My ultrasound showed a large cyst on my right ovary, but the doctor did not seem concerned about it. So next step is an IUI. We will try one IUI with clomid first and see how well I ovulate. I'm not thrilled about the Clomid considering we have done 6 rounds of it before with less than great results, but I know going straight to injectables is risky for multiples. I will do my best to start blogging more and update on the treatment process throughout the next few months :) . Hoping for a miracle baby in 2012!!

Ya gotta start somewhere...

2011-08-23T15:12:00.002-05:00

Doing improvements and organizing my home is forever on my to do list, but it seems to never get done. Well lately I have been in serious "home improvement mode". So I started small....

First was the Laundry Room.

I like to describe it as Blah, Uhh, Bland, and just plain Uuuggg Lee!!!

(I forgot to take a picture before I took down the awful wire shelf that was terribly ugly and useless, not to mention falling off the wall. Consider it a favor.)

But a fresh coat of paint, a new shelf and some pretty containers equals:

Crisp, Clean, and Puuurr Tee! It still needs some work obviously. I'm waiting on the hubs to install the hardwood floors. (we already have hardwood throughout the rest of the home but he hasn't put them in the laundry room yet) The shelf looks pretty but unfortunatly it does not hold much weight, so I'm brain storming on how I can make it more funtional and still keep the clean lines that I love.

The Deets:

Paint Color: Glidden - Soft Sage (The pictures give it a lime green tint, but its actually more soft)

Shelf: Ikea - Lack Shelf 19.99$

Containers: ContainerStore.com

Coat Rack: Lowes

Next on our home improvement list was the Kitchen....

(oh yes, I just posted that. Don't judge! I have two teenagers folks!)

So we took the plunge and bought all new matching stainless steel appliances.

It made a huge difference in the overall look of the (teeny tiny) kitchen.

Next I'm going to start tackleing all the messy overstuffed closets throughout the home... and also work on getting a desk put in my bedroom as my "home control center". :)

The Hubs is working on turning our current attic into a upstairs bonus room to add some more square footage to our house. (and hopefully make more room for future babies) .

So progress is being made :)

Where I've Been....

2011-06-20T15:34:00.005-05:00

Well, Well. Hello There! That is if anyone is still out there. ;)

It has been a very long time since I have blogged so I thought I would stop by and give everyone an update....

Where I've Been:

Busy "raising" 2 teenagers. I use the word "raising" loosely haha. As I briefly mentioned last year, My husband and I decided to move my 2 teenage neices in with us. It has been a huge lifestyle change having a 16 & 17 year old live here. Going from a childless 25 year old to a parent of two teenage girls has been verrrry intresting. It has been a year of ups and downs but overall I think its working out well. There is certainly no shortage of entertainment here in our home, that's for sure!! ;)

Healing from my TOS injury. My arm has been a real pain in my life over these past few years, and I have had a few major setbacks, but I am finally seeing a improvement. I still can't lift much weight with my left arm, but I'm working my way towards lifting a few pounds with that arm.

Working in the yard. I've been trying my green thumb a little this spring. My wonderful husband has worked very hard to make our grass look outstanding, so I worked hard on the flower beds, which were non-existent prior to this spring.

Loving on my Niece and Nephews. My Neice Dayton just turned 9 years old in May. I can't beleive how grown she is. And her little brother are turning 1 & 2 this summer! Whoa! Time flys!

Reading Blogs. Yes, I am still reading blogs despite my lack of devotion to blog myself.

Getting close to the fork in the road. Life has thrown me a lot of major decisions lately and boy oh boy is this "being a big girl" and making "big girl decisions" a bummer!!

My husbands job has given us the opportunity to make a move to Nashville, but they are also giving us the chance to stay in Memphis. We had our hearts set on Nashville and putting our roots down somewhere new, but we are second guessing things a little. With the housing market the way it is right now, our home is near un-sellable. Not to mention the stress of finding (and agreeing) on where we want to live in Nashville. I think all the stress of moving has just gotten the best of us and we are hoping to stay put, at least for now.

A baby? Our dream of having a baby seems so distant. It has been 5 long years since we thought we were going to get pregnant and start a big family right away. God has given us way different plans. We have grown up so much in the past 5 years and I am really begining to feel like a stable adult. We have been saving as much as possible and have a small amount of savings set aside for fertility treatments (enough for a few IUI's, unfortunately no where near enough for IVF if needed). I had a check up with my GYNO last week. My insulin looks good, and although my cycles are extremely irregular at least I am still having a cycle. My doctor really wants us to see a specialist and try an IUI or IVF. We have been discussing it alot and I think 2012 will be the year for us to move forward. After 5 years I am more than ready to be a Mom, but I am still not sure if I am emotionally ready to attempt treantments that may fail. I dont know if my heart can take that.

Busy

Healing

Working

Loving

Reading

Making Decisions

and maybe letting go of enough fear to try once again for my lifelong dream to be a Mom.

I think that sums it up for now. Please leave a comment if you have any questions for me. I'm an open book.

Shutterfly Christmas Cards...

2010-12-02T15:57:00.001-06:00

FOR FREE!!

Yep, 50 Free Christmas Cards from Shutterfly for all bloggers!

Just go here to learn more.

Happy Holidays to Everyone!!

Super Late 30 Day Blog Challenge Finale

2010-11-11T22:14:00.008-06:00

Just keeping it real and being late as usual ;)

30 Day Blog Challenge Finale - Days 27-30

Day 27-Pets Day

Meet my first baby:

This is Mike.

Michael Fitzpatrick Ramirez Dressler to be exact.

(Don't ask, haha... My brother in law helped create that full name somehow)

In 2003 Jon surprised me for my birthday with a sweet baby kitten. She was so sweet and adorable. I named her Mrs. Fancy. It was about 1 week later when we discovered Mrs. Fancy was a boy. haha! Somehow Jon picked the boy name, Mike. It stuck.

We had mike for 7 years. He was the best Cat you could ever ask for. Unfortunately he became ill last month with really bad bladder stones and we had to have him put to sleep. It was THE HARDEST decision we have ever made, but the doctors said he was in severe pain and could not be cured. :( I miss him every single day! It has been one month and i still think its sinking in.

He will always be my first baby!

Here he is being such a good big brother to his little sister Maddie Lou...

Meet Minnie.

Minnie Snowflake O'Ree Dressler.
Shes Momma's girl.

We adopted her from the shelter in early 2007.

She is the wild child of the family. Shes a moody lil' thing and is very particular about who she likes and who touches her. She's extra shy around strangers and has lots of really good hiding places around the house. She was Mike's wife ;). They were so in love, and it was so sweet to watch them together. She has been extra sweet and loving since he passed, I think she knows we need her extra loving!

Meet Maddie.

Madeline Pinka Louise Dressler.

Ahhh my sweet Maddie Lou.

She is the baby of the house. More spoiled than any Pup i've ever seen.

We got her in late 2007. She has filled a small part of that void I have from being Infertile.

She's a Mommas girl alot of the time, but has her Daddy wrapped around her paw!

She weighs 4lbs and sleeps in the bed, under the covers, with us every night.

She suffers from anxiety and hates being alone. She is far from an easy dog to handle, but I wouldnt trade her for anything!

and yes, beleive it or not this is her when she was little....

Meet Marley.

Marley Tampax Kramer Dressler.

We found Marley a few months ago at my Brother in laws apartment complex. He was teeeny tiny and stuck between a stairwell. He was all alone and hungry so we took him in.

We intended on finding Marley a home, but it hasn't happened.

He is wild wild wild. Oh, and he has an obsession with tampons. Un-used, yes... but still weird!

28-Something that stresses you out

My medical issues.

Day 29-3 Wishes

1. To have children.

2. To live in my dream home with my family.

3. To live a long healthy life.

Day 30-a picture

My husband is enjoying hunting season, so he is at the farm tonight and through the weekend. When he arrived at the farm there was a stray dog there. He text me and told me it was the saddest thing he had ever seen. He said it had long hair that was matted up worse than I could imagine. I had no idea just how bad it was until he sent me this picture.

I cried when I saw this. Have you ever seen anything so sad? My heart is breaking for this dog. Jon said it is nice but scared. He has given it water and food, and managed to find a collar underneath all that fur and cut it off. It was pink so he is assuming it is a girl, but there was no tag. I called a local animal rescue and left a message. I pray they call me back tomorrow.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 26

2010-11-05T19:33:00.002-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 26
Day 26: A picture of your family.

I don't have access to all my photos on my computer right now, but heres a few that I found..

This one is from a recent Family Reunion on my Dad's side.

And this one is an old one from the late 80's.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 25

2010-11-04T16:21:00.000-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 25

Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs

1. Won't back down - Eminem (feat. Pink)

2. Burning Bright - Shinedown

3. Turn on your radio - Reba McEntire

4. Stand Still, Look Pretty - The Wreckers

5. Jesus Saves - Jeremy Camp

6. Good Day - Jewel

7. Bad Girlfriend - Theory of a deadman

8. Nice & Slow - Usher

9. Five Minutes - Lorrie Morgan

10. Lips of an Angel - Hinder

Haha that's one crazy mix of songs.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 24

2010-11-03T16:27:00.000-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 24

Day 24-Something You've Learned

I have this on my right sidebar and really love it!

As we grow up, we learn that even the one person

that wasn't supposed to let us down probably will.

You'll have your heart broken, probably more than once,

and it's harder every time. You'll break hearts too,

so remember how it felt when someone broke yours.

You'll fight with your best friend and maybe even fall in love with them.

You'll blame a new love for things an old one did.

You'll cry because time is passing to fast

and you'll eventually lose someone close to you.

So take too many pictures, laugh too much, and love like you've never been hurt.

Because every 60 seconds you spend angry or upset

is a minute of happiness you'll never get back.

I think I have learned all of these things in my 25 years on this earth. I count on a very select few people, and every now and then even those people let me down. I have had my heart broken, but I have also broken hearts. I think breaking them hurt more than having mine broken. I have had friendships go from strong as gold to non-existent, and I've also had a friendship turn into the biggest most wonderful love of my life. I have watched many important events in my life pass me by, and I have made many mistakes. I have lost someone very dear to me and will forever be changed because of it. So I try to live every moment to the fullest and I try to be the best Child of God that I can be, in hopes of being ready when God calls me home.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 23

2010-11-02T18:21:00.003-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 23

Day 23-Favorite Vacation

My favorite vacation this far was in 2006 when the Hubs and I went on our Honeymoon to ..

DISNEY WORLD!!

Magical, Magical, Magical!!

Its impossible not to be happy in Disney!

I cannot wait to return one day, hopefully with our children in tow! ;)

I'm also really looking forward to next October when the hubs and I are going to take a big vacation for our 5 year wedding anniversary. We are still debating between The Caribbean, or Hawaii. We definitely want a beachy relaxing vacation, anyone have any suggestions?

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 17-22

2010-11-01T13:39:00.003-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 17-22 : Catch Up!

*Sorry for the absence. I have been a little (okay, a alot!) under the weather.

Day 17-Something you're looking forward to

After the week I have had, I'd say I'm looking most forward to feeling better! My arm and neck have been really bothering me. TOS is controlling way to much of my life! I pray that I start healing again and am able to function like a normal human being!

Day 18-Something you regret

I could go into a long spill of all the mistakes I have made in life (and believe me, they're are plenty), but what good would it do? I cannot change the past. Whats done is done, and I've learned huge lessons from every mistake. So although I can't say if i had to do it all over again, that I wouldn't change come things, but the fact is I cant do it all over again, so I'm satisfied with my first (and only) attempt at life. ;)

Day 19-Something you miss

One thing I miss greatly is my childhood home.

My father built the home for his mother (my Granny) when I was a small child. When my Granny passed away my family moved into the home. For most of my time there I had the entire upstairs to myself (my sisters were grown and had moved out). It was my safe haven. I loved sitting by the window and staring out at the lake (yep, it was on a private lake!).

I miss the littlest things about that home, like how the bathroom light would flicker 6 or so times before finally coming on. Or how my parent's bathroom had a huge Jacuzzi tub and a heater outside the tub, so I was never cold when I got out. In the office underneath the built in desk my cousins and I had written on the wood secret messages that only we knew about... I wonder if its still there?!

My parents sold the home not long after I moved out. Have you ever heard that song by Miranda Lambert, The House That Built Me? Makes me want to cry everytime!!

Day 20-Nicknames

LOR

LORN (without the e, because my nieces couldn't say it with the e)

LIL BIT (my sister called me this as a child)

VIC (my brother in law calls me this to annoy me. My middle name is Victoria)

LORNATHAN (mine and Jon's name mixed together)

Day 21-Picture of yourself

Thought I would post a childhood photo this time... This is me with my Mam-aw.

She was my great-grandmother and the most wonderful woman I ever knew.

Day 22-Favorite city

Well, I haven't traveled near as much as I wish I had, but one of the places that I did get the chance to go to and absolutely loved was....

Lexington, Kentucky!

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 15 & 16

2010-10-26T21:33:00.000-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 15 & 16

Day 15: Bible Verse

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.

Day 16: Dream House

I'm so excited for today's post! This is something I think about ALOT! I have always dreamed of having the perfect house to call home and raise my family.

I spend WAY to much time watching HGTV, and planning my home in my mind. Every commercial that comes on TV I never pay attention to the product, I'm always looking at the house in the background! ;)

If you have been reading along since Day 1 of my 30 day Blog Challenge, then you may remember me saying I might not be living in Memphis much longer and that I would tell you more about that later. Well it's later! ;)

My husband works for a large industrial company. He is so good at what he does and has worked so hard to make his way into management. He recently helped the company land one of the biggest contract accounts ever! (yay hubs!)

Well, he came home a few weeks back and said that the company is thinking about opening a new branch in Nashville and they want him to be the Branch Manager.

This is great news because the Nashville branch would be a regional office, which means more income and more opportunity's for him to get promoted even higher.

Unfortunately with all those great opportunity's comes alot of stress and fear.

I have lived in Memphis my entire life, so moving somewhere (even if it is only 4 hours from here) that I know very little about, is terrifying. Selling our home in this economy is something I don't even want to think about :(.

Despite all the fears and stress, I'm kind of excited at the possibility though. What I do know about Nashville, I like. My Sister lives in Clarksville, which would put us alot closer to her, and My Dads office is based out of Nashville so he spends alot of time there. My parents have said if we move, they will follow us, so that takes a big weight off my shoulders.

We won't know if the move is on for sure, until closer to the first of the year. We will hopefully have at least 6 months to a year to complete the move and get settled in to Nashville. I will keep you posted!!

P.S. If anyone has any advice on moving, being relocated for work, selling our home, or picking the right town in Nashville, I would be very appreciative!!

Okay. Now back to my dream house. The potential Nashville move has got me thinking about my dream house even more than ever. Jon and I have separate but not necessarily conflicting wish lists for our home. He wants LAND, and lots of it!

He is a country boy through and through and wants land to roam around and do.. well country boy things, I guess. ;) 10-20 acres is what he is hoping for. Sounds like alot, but Nashville is filled with Rural areas, so I'm hoping it is possible.

If I could choose any home, I would choose a historic farmhouse that I could renovate to perfection! ;) I have been looking around, but historical homes on land in a decent price range.... well pretty impossible to find. :(

Im also really into Craftsman style homes with lots of character.

As far as Interior Design, I'd go Pottery Barn all the way! Of course I can't afford Pottery Barn all the way, but we are talking about my "Dream House", right?!

-A big big big front porch is a must!!

-I love big crown moldings and wide doorways.

-I know "open floor plans" are all the rage, but I would much prefer a more closed off floor plan, with lots of separate spaces.

- I want a office/craft room where I can do all my sewing.

- I want the Master bedroom downstairs and the guest/kids rooms upstairs.

-A big walk in pantry is a necessity.

- Forget the 2 ovens, give me 2 dishwashers! haha!

- Lots of windows. I love the sunshine!

Here are some random pictures that I love!!! Enjoy!

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 14

2010-10-24T10:19:00.000-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 14

Day 14: A picture you love.

This is my Nephew Colton last Christmas. This photo is special to me for many reasons. He has grown so quickly and this photo will always be a reminder of how tiny and innocent he was. It is also special to me beacuse this little boy taught me so much about life. He is adopted, and although Ive always been an advocate for adoption, I always wondered how it would actually be to love a child that was not biologically mine, or in this case even blood related to me. Well, this little guy proved to me that there is no difference whatsoever. I love him more than I ever thought physically possible. He is 100% equal to me as my other nephew and neices. He has taught me that joys of adoption and the miracles that the Lord can perform.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 13

2010-10-23T15:15:00.000-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 13

Day 13: Goals

After marrying Jon in 2006 and trying to start a family with no success, I had to reevaluate my life, my plans and my goals. I thought I had it all figured out. I had the man of my dreams, a job that I loved, and babies soon to come.

Well, God had other plans. Medical issues prevented me from doing the Job that I loved so much, and years of trying to conceive left me childless and lost.

I realized at some point that I had to make new plans and new goals. I also had to keep in mind that no matter what plans and goals I made, God may redirect them.

In May of 2008 I did a blog post about 101 goals in 1001 days. I cannot beleieve 1001 days will be over this January!! Whoa!! That list (can be viewed on the bottom right sidebar of my blog --->) consists of many small goals I have. Some of them I have accomplished, and some I have not. You can view the post about the "Goals Challenge" HERE on my old blog.

On top of all those small long term goals, I have a few more that are a little higher on my priority list.

1. Taking care of my nieces, Kasey & Kristin, until they are old enough to be on their own. Making sure that I do everything I can to help them be strong independent christian women.

2. Buy a larger home that fits our family better, and pleases myself & my husband.

3. Eat healthier and try to control my PCOS and Insulin Resistance.

4. Continue saving and preparing for Fertility Treatments OR Adoption.

and last but NEVER least:

5. Strive to be the best Christian I can be and serve our Lord the best way I can.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 12

2010-10-22T18:00:00.000-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 12

Day 12: What you believe

Be-lieve: (verb) to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that one is right in doing so: Only if one believes in something can one act purposefully.

I believe in Jesus Christ. I believe in his Life, his Death and his Resurrection.

I believe in Salvation and Redemption. I believe we were, we are, and we shall be saved.

I believe in love. I believe in relationships connected through the soul.

I believe in marriage and the sanctity that forms it.

I believe todays children are tomorrows leaders.

I believe in the innocence of a child.

I believe in Angels.

I believe in answered prayers and I believe in miracles.

I believe that in the end it is not about what you believe but more so that you believe.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 11

2010-10-21T13:00:00.000-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 11

Day 11: Favorite Tv Shows

Favorite show of all time: ONE TREE HILL

Currently in its 8th and final season :(

Iv'e been watching DAYS since I was about 10. It was my sister Angel's favorite.

TEEN MOM is addicting!

The REAL HOUSEWIVES OF OC is the only Real Housewives series I watch.

I really enjoy following this family on QUINTS BY SURPRISE!

PRETTY LITTLE LIARS is such a great show! I cannot wait for it to come back in season.

HELLCATS is a pretty new show. I really love that it is related to Memphis.

(Although it makes Memphis seem alot nicer than it really is)

I haven't seen all of THE BACHELOR seasons, but I try to catch it when I can.

THE BACHELORETTE is good as well, but 20 something guys don't have near the amount of drama that 20 something gals have!

My new fav is BACHELOR PAD. It was far better than I expected it to be.

Love watching THE AMAZING RACE!

Thank heavens for DVR! ;)

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 10

2010-10-20T15:45:00.002-05:00

30 day blog challenge - Day 10

Day 10: Something your afraid of

Like most people I have some small fears. Things such as being enclosed in small spaces, or snakes -eeeek! Or even some bigger fears, such as dieing to young, or losing another loved one.

But in the end I have to put my faith in God and he takes away most of my fears.

One fear that stays with me though....

That motherhood may pass me by.

Infertility causes fears that I never before imagined I could have.

I fear that I may never know the feeling of having a child grow inside of me.

I fear that I may never make my husband a father.

I fear that I may never be called Mom.

I fear that I may never expierence the joys of adoption.

These are fears that I live with everyday because of Infertility.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. - Isaiah 41:10

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 8 & 9

2010-10-19T16:11:00.007-05:00

30 day blog challenge - Days 8 & 9

Doubling up on days again :-/ .. I hope this doesn't become a trend with this challenge.

Day 8: A place you've traveled to

This year we went to Arizona for a family Vacation. My Mother In Law recently moved there so we were able to stay with her and save on hotel costs. We rented a MiniVan and drove the 25 hour drive from TN to AZ STRAIGHT!

We stayed in Lake Havasu City, which was oh so fabulous! The Lake was beautiful, and the city was so peaceful and friendly.

The best part of the trip was when we traveled to The Grand Canyon! It was mesmorizing!!

To see more you can check out my post here !

Day 9 : A picture of your friends

I have 2 very close girlfriends.

Meet Amanda:

(with her son Jacob)

We've been BFF since 5th grade! No one knows me like she knows me.

Here we are back in the day:
Here we are recently:

Meet Amy:

(with her son Braxton and daughter Maddison)

We met in highschool and became inseperable. We are so much alike.

Here we are back in the day:

Here we are recently:

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 7

2010-10-17T16:22:00.000-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 7: Favorite Movies

The Notebook tops the list as my all time favorite. It's the greatest love story I have ever heard!

Dirty Dancing dropped to number 2 on my list after I saw The Notebook, but it is by far one of the greatest movies of all time. Its the only movie that I could watch repeatedly and never EVER get sick of.

Girls just want to have fun was my favorite as a teen. Love love love this movie!
Fried Green Tomatoes is just my kind of movie. Idgie Threadgoode is one heck of a story teller!

Steel Magnolias is just plain Classic. Any southern lady would agree that this one always makes the list!

Stepmom is one of those movies that will make you cry everytime. It is so real and touching, and Susan Surandon is oh so fabulous!

Pretty Woman. Oh Julia Roberts, How I love you.

Fear is one of my favorite suspenseful movies. It keeps you on the edge of your seat even if you've seen it a hundred times (which I have ha!).

Walk the Line is the story of Johnny Cash. Reese Witherspoon is so phenomenal in this movie!

Into the blue and Into the blue 2 are just plain great movies! If you haven't seen them I highly suggest you check them out!

I'm sure I could name a bunch more but I won't go overboard ;)

(P.S. I am a sucker for Kids movies, Disney in particular but I didn't include any of them because then my list would be realllllllly long!)

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 4, 5, & 6

2010-10-16T21:32:00.009-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 4, 5, & 6

I tried really hard but still managed to get behind on the blog challenge, so forgive me if I play a little catch up ;)

Day 4: Your Parents

Meet my folks:

(with their youngest grandson, Trenton)

My Mom's name is Nancy. She has devoted her life to being a wonderful Mom. She stayed home with us kids over the years and made sure we were always taken care of. She is the sweetest most caring woman I know. She is the best when your sick! She knows exactly how to make me feel better, and even now at the age of 25, when I get sick I wish I had my Mommy to take care of me. :)

My Dad's name is Herold. He is the hardest working man I know. His biggest priority has always been taking care of his family, and I have never in all my years heard him make a single complaint. He is so laid back and funny. It is basically impossible to be in a bad mood with him around because he always makes everyone around him happy. I used to get so aggravated as a child when I would say: "I'm hungry" and his response would be: "Hi, hungry. I'm Herold!" .

Day 5: Your Siblings

Meet April:

(Me & April at My wedding shower- 2006)

April is the best big sister in the world. I don't know what life would be like without her and I never want to find out. She has watched out for me my whole life and has become one of my dearest friends. I'm sure she hated me trying to tag along with her when we were kids, but I looked up to her so much and wanted to be just like her. She has made me an Aunt to 3 beautiful children, and she truly is Supermom! I have never seen someone juggle 3 kids with as much grace as she does. Some things change as you grow up, but one thing that hasn't... I still look up to her so much.

Meet Angel:

Angel is more than my sister, she is my "Angel". She passed away in 2004 and I know she is watching over all of us from heaven. She had the biggest heart of anyone I knew. She was soft spoken and sweet to everyone, but could be a spitfire and the center of attention if she wanted to be. She has taught me just as much in death as she did in life. I cannot recall a single time where she left to go somewhere and did not kiss me on the cheek and tell me she loved me. She was a loving a devoted mother to 3 very gorgeous daughters.

Meet Kasey, Kristin & Samantha:

(the day samantha was born)

Samantha is the baby of the 3. She lives with her fathers family and is growing into a beautiful young girl who reminds me so much of her Mother.

Kasey is the big sister of the 3. Her and Kristin live here with Myself and Jon and they keep our home full of life and energy. They have grown into such beautiful young ladies. They are like the little sisters I never had. :)

Day 6: A picture that makes you happy

My sweet Madeline. Also known as "Maddie Lou", "Lou Lou", "Muffin", "LouLou-line".... She is the baby of the house. So spoiled rotten. She loves her Mommy and Daddy so very much and I don't know what I would do without her. She holds my heart in her paw! :)

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 3

2010-10-13T22:18:00.004-05:00

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 3 : Your First Love

As a teenager I had a few boyfriends (one in particular) that I thought I loved. Now that I'm older and know what "real love" is, I can safely say that I did not love majority of those boyfriends. Although what I felt at the time for that one boyfriend in particular was real, and I did love him, I realized quickly that he did not love me. He had everyone fooled into thinking he was a nice guy when in reality he was a controlling jerk!

So with that said , I'm going to devote this post to my REAL first love because I loathe the thought of writing an entire post about a stupid boy who I naively loved as a teen.

Meet my Mr. Wonderful:

His name is Jon. Well, Jonathan but I'm really the only one that calls him that. I was 17 when we met. He was 24. He was older than me, and the epitome of "the guy your dad told you about". I was very attracted to him, but thought he was way out of my league therefore I wouldn't say it was love at first sight for me. He says the opposite. He says he knew from the day he laid eyes on me that I was the one for him. I believe him, because he always treated me like royalty. He was your typical "bad boy" with the reputation to go along with it, but when it came to be, he was different. He was loving and compassionate.

It didn't take long for me to fall head over heals in love. After 7+ years together, I'm still so much in love with him I could not imagine being with anyone else. He is my best friend. Over the years he has become the best husband a girl could ask for. He reminds me so much of my Dad. He is so hard working and funny. He is a total family man.

This is not to say that over the years we haven't had many trials just as most relationships do, but in the end I consider myself to be the luckiest girl alive and would not want to spend a single day without Jon by my side.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 2

2010-10-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

Day 2 : Meaning behind your blog name.

Well that's pretty simple. My last name is Dressler, and this blog is about my family.

When I first started blogging I had a blog named Waiting On Two Pink Lines. For me, blogging started as a way for me to vent during my infertility journey, but over the years my blog turned into more of an everyday blog about my life. So I created this blog and kept the name simple so that it could grow with me as my blog changed.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 1 (redo)

2010-10-11T22:42:00.004-05:00

**After seeing the 30 day blog challenge and loving the idea, I started with day 1. I then started seeing more and more blogs popping up with the challenge, only they had a different schedule with different types of posts. I think these types will be more fun for me and will also help show off who I am. So in my typical indecisive fashion, here is my redo on the 30 day blog challenge- Day 1! ;) **

30 DAY BLOG CHALLENGE!!

Here is the schedule in case you want to join in on the fun!! :)

Day 1-Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts
Day 2-Meaning behind your blog name
Day 3-Your first love
Day 4-Your parents
Day 5-Your siblings
Day 6-A picture of something that makes you happy
Day 7-Favorite movies
Day 8-A place you've traveled to
Day 9-A picture of your friends
Day 10-Something you're afraid of
Day 11-Favorite tv shows
Day 12-What you believe
Day 13-Goals
Day 14-A picture you love
Day 15-Bible verse
Day 16-Dream house
Day 17-Something you're looking forward to
Day 18-Something you regret
Day 19-Something you miss
Day 20-Nicknames
Day 21-Picture of yourself
Day 22-Favorite city
Day 23-Favorite vacation
Day 24-Something you've learned
Day 25-Put your iPod on shuffle, first 10 songs
Day 26-Picture of your family
Day 27-Pets
Day 28-Something that stresses you out
Day 29-3 Wishes
Day 30-a picture

DAY 1 : Introduce, recent picture, 15 interesting facts

My name is Loren. I'm 25 years old. I was born and raised in Memphis Tennessee, where I currently still reside. (maybe not for much longer :( - more info on that in a later post!)

My husband and I met through mutual friends when I was 16, and started dating when I was 17. We have been together for 7 years and married for 4.

We have been trying to conceive our first child since July of 2006, and I was recently diagnosed with PCOS and Insulin Resistance.

I enjoy sewing, and have recently started sewing baby items to sell in a local boutique.

(Me with my nephew Colton - taken yesterday at the family farm)

15 Interesting Facts:

1. My birthday is in July. I love it! Summer birthdays are the best!

2. I actually live in a very small town on the outskirts of Memphis. I am not a fan of the city.

3. I am addicted to Raspberry Sweet Tea from Sonic.

4. I'm a night owl. I hate getting up early!

5. My dog Maddie only weighs 4lbs. She's a 3 year old toy poodle. She owns my heart <3

6. I drive an extended cab Chevy Z71 pick-em-up truck with big mud tires and camo stickers. It also owns my heart <3

7. I have never travelled out of the country. In fact I have only flown on an airplane once.

8. I love all things Christmas.

9. I had a very small wedding with only My parents, My siblings and My in laws who attended. I loved it and wouldn't have wanted it any other way!

10. I take medication daily for a minor heart condition.

11. I hate talking on the phone (unless it's with my husband) and would much prefer to text.

12. I have a ~~long~~ list of baby names picked out. I sent my sister a copy of the list when she was pregnant and told her she wasn't allowed to use any of "my names". Yes, I'm mean like that! ;) (Oh and by the way the list consist of lots of girl names and only 1 boy name)

13. I take a hot bath before bed almost every night. It is my cherished relaxation time.

14. I have been keeping up with the soap opera Days Of Our Lives since I was 10.

15. I watch way to much HGTV and am obsessed with House Hunters.

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day One

2010-10-09T23:15:00.005-05:00

Iv'e decided to join in on the fun and do the 30 day blog challenge.

Here is the schedule:

30-Day Blog Challenge
Day 1 – your favorite song
Day 2 – your favorite movie
Day 3 – your favorite television program
Day 4 – your favorite book
Day 5 – your favorite quote
Day 6 – 20 of my favorite things
Day 7 – a photo that makes you happy
Day 8 – a photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 9 – a photo you took
Day 10 – a photo taken over 10 years ago of you
Day 11 – a photo of you recently
Day 12 – something you are OCD about
Day 13 – a fictional book
Day 14 – a non-fictional book
Day 15 – your dream house
Day 16 – a song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 – an art piece (drawing, sculpture, painting, etc)
Day 18 – my wedding/future wedding/past wedding
Day 19 – a talent of yours
Day 20 – a hobby of yours
Day 21 – a recipe
Day 22 – a website
Day 23 – a youtube video
Day 24 – where I live
Day 25 – your day, in great detail
Day 26 – your week, in great detail
Day 27 – my worst habit
Day 28 – whats in my handbag/purse
Day 29 – hopes,dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 – a dream for the future

DAY ONE

"Favorite Song"

I know I am going to say this alot during this challenge, but it is so hard to pick just 1 favorite!!

Music is my weakness. My escape. My passion. Well, listening to it anyways. I have zero talent in the music department myself. So instead of picking an all time favorite I'm just going to pick a random favorite. One of many ;).

"Monday Rain - By Kate Voegele"

Lyrics:
It's the start of something brand new
It's the start of the closing line
With the door cracked an inch or two
Do I dare set my foot inside?
Do I love you then lose you
Or do I put my trust in time?
Do I let myself refuse to count on a fateful dream of mine?

Within me
It tugs on
My heartstrings
And I know
It's just a sky of silver gray
Just a narrow passageway
Just a song cut off halfway
Just another Monday rain

Would I spend a week in the heart of the city
In the center of your heart?
For a flash of fame before I'd lose the game
And be stuck on the outskirts, back at the start

There's no price I would not pay
For the superlative insured
So I'll light the candle, hope it does not melt away
But what if patience brings reward?

Within me
It tugs on
My heartstrings
And I know
It's just a sky of silver gray
Just a narrow passageway
Just a song cut off halfway
Just another Monday rain

Raining harder now - Raining harder now - Raining harder now
Within me
It tugs on
My heartstrings
My heart sings
This anthem - Of misery
Is it consequence - Or providence - I'm on the fence
Of imminence - And nothing to gain - Drenched in the Monday rain

I'm not exactly sure why this song means so much to me, or what it is about it that I love. I just always find my way back to this song. It's the perfect song when I just need a moment alone to think and let my feelings flow.

I discovered Kate Voegele on the hit show One Tree Hill. She plays a singer on the show named Mia Catalani (That's probably not how you spell it or say it but I'm to lazy to look it up). The second I heard Kate's voice on the show I went crazy, She is so amazing!!! I have all her albums and every song on my ipod! Her lyrics are so inspiring and deep. Her voice just flows and lets you drift away into the song. <3>

FINDING LIFE AFTER DEATH

2010-10-06T20:28:00.003-05:00

This post by Amy is so wonderful.

As Jon & I struggle through Infertility (4+ years now) I find many of the stories posted on her blog to be very inspiring. So as I sorted through the stories, learning and growing as I read each one, I thought to myself... "What story do I have that may inspire others?" ...

Death.
My story is about Death.
Well at least that is how it begins.
It ends with Life and Hope and Peace.

When I was 18 years old, my older sister Angel died.

She was 26 years old.

She lived a short and complicated life.

God took her too soon.

Angel left behind two living blessings on earth.
They're names are Kasey & Kristin.
They were 10 & 9 when she died.

I was a young and naive teenager.
I thought I knew everything there was to know about the world.
I was wrong. I knew nothing.

I went through all the stages of grief.

I was in denial and called her phone repeatedly waiting for her to answer.

I was angry at God for taking her away from me.

Then I was angry at her for making bad decisions that ultimately led to her death.

I was depressed and spent many of nights alone and crying in my bathroom floor.

And then, when I finally thought I had accepted what had happened and was ready to move on and begin living again....

It hit me.

The reality hit me.

I realized that she was truly gone.

She wasn't just away for a temporary amount of time.

I would never see her face again.

I would never hear her voice or feel her touch.

She would never see me grow into an adult.

She wouldn't be at my wedding, or meet my future children.

The reality of Angel's death was to much for me.

The realization that I would never see her ever again, hurt me more than anything had ever hurt before.

It has been 6+ years since Angel died.

Not a day goes by that I don't think of her.

I still hurt.

I still cry.

I still wonder what life would be like if she were still around.

But now, 6 years later at the age of 25 ..

I am no longer angry.

I am no longer depressed.

I am no longer in denial.

I am none of these things for two very special reasons.....

(Kristin-15 , Kasey-16)

These two girls are daily reminders to me that God has a plan.

They give me hope that life has meaning.

Because of them I am at peace with Angels death.

I cannot explain to you how or why or in what form, but for any and all of you who have experienced death, i hope that somewhere along the way you find your reasons to believe in life. I have seen rock bottom, and I am here telling you that someday you will find your way back up again.

Out West

2010-09-09T17:00:00.007-05:00

I miss blogging and wish that I could get back into the flow of blogging daily like I once did. It was such great therapy for me, but I guess time changes and people change. I just can't express my emotions like I used to. Ive tried. I just can't. So instead I'm going to stick with updating about everyday life things and hope I don't bore you to death.

My niece and nephews are growing so fast. Look at these 3. Are they not the cutest?! They keep me sane!!

Dayton, Colton & Trenton

Last week the husband and I took a trip with the girls (my 2 teenage nieces, that are living with us- in case your just tuning in) to Arizona to visit my MIL. We had so much fun, well minus the 22 hour road trip each way. blaah! We took a boat out on Lake Havasu, and visited the Grand Canyon. I was so fascinated by the canyon. I could have stayed there and stared at it forever.

Maddie in the care on the Road Trip. (Yes, she came too!)

Kasey & Kristin at the London Bridge Fountain in Lake Havasu City.

The clear water of Lake Havasu!

Jon & I at the Grand Canyon.

I was so happy!

Us girls hanging our feet over the canyon.
Kasey, Jon, Myself & Kristin.

Also while we were in Arizona the girls were able to meet their half sister for the first time. They never knew their father since he ran off when they were just babies, but they always knew he had a another daughter before them. So not long ago I was able to do some research online and found their half sister. She is 20 years old and lives not far from where we were visiting. They really hit it off when they met. The similarities were uncanny! It was surreal seeing them side by side chatting like they had known each other their whole lives.

Kristin (15), Kayli (20), & Kasey (16)

Sisters united at last.

Kristin, Kayli & Kasey - Sisters for life.

Have a great day!!!

Sunday Post

2010-08-22T23:06:00.003-05:00

Well so far it is a NO GO with the metformin. It made me sooo sick, I couldn't stand it!! So, I have been doing my research and decided I'm going to work on changing how I eat first. I've started a high protein, low GI diet. As soon as I adjust to the diet, I will give the metformin a try again starting with a very low dose and working my way up. I reallllly hope i'm able to do it, because I know it will help me so much in the long run.

AF has pretty much stopped all together unless forced by medication. :( Never thought I would be sad to see my period disappear. ha.

I'm kinda glad to see summer come to an end... It has been soooo HOT here in Memphis! I'm ready for a slow paced cool winter ;)! When I was a child summer was my absolute favorite season, but now that I'm an adult I think I like winter even more. I love love love the holidays and the cold weather!

Life with two teenagers in the house is certainly different. It is alot more fun (& work) !

The girls are starting homeschool next week so I am hoping that having a stricter schedule will make things flow a little better around here.

We took in a stray kitten a few weeks ago. He gives this house alot of life! He's one tiny ball of ENERGY! :)

I turned 25 a few weeks ago. It makes me sad that I am not yet a Mom. Some days I cope very well with the thought of having children in the years to come... other days my heart litter ally aches as my dream seems so so far away.

We leave for Vacation next Saturday!! We're going to Lake Havasu City, Arizona for a week to visit my Mother-In-Law and Her sister. I'm so excited. I hope this week flys by. Were driving (yites!) cross country with 3 adults (myself, the hubs, and my brother-in-law), 2 teenagers (Kasey & Kristin), and my dog. It should be an interesting road trip. We are planning to stop briefly in the following cities: Little Rock, AR - Oklahoma City, OK - Amarillo, TX - Albuquerque, NM - Flagstaff, AZ.

Were also planning on making a trip to the Grand Canyon since we will be so close.

Thanks to all my readers for stopping by. Your comments mean the world to me!

Infertility Diagnosis - Better late than never?!

2010-07-15T20:35:00.002-05:00

After 4+ years of trying to conceive with unexplained infertility, 3 Obgyns, 6 rounds of clomid, and an undetermined amount of nights in which I asked myself "what is wrong with me"?

I have been diagnosed with PCOS.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a female endocrine disorder and is thought to be one of the leading causes of female infertility.

I have stated many times through my journey to conceive that I felt I might have PCOS. I told family and close friends that I suspected that I might have it, and have asked every doctor I saw if I had it. Everytime they told me I did not. My main OBGYN that have been seeing for years told me "your not obese in the slightest therefore I don't think PCOS is a possibility".

My OBGYN moved out of state recently and I had to find a new doctor. So I went on google and started searching. I read as many reviews as I could and finally found one that stood out to me. (Turns out he was my sisters Doctor when she was pregnant with her first child, which was a nice surprise).

I went in last week for a check up and the Doctor decided to re-do all my labs and bloodwork in hopes of finding some reason why I was not ovulating. I asked about PCOS, and he said that I didn't appear to have PCOS but that he would certainly run more tests to make sure.

After all these years of suspecting PCOS but always being told I did not have it, I was in complete shock when he called with the results.

I do have it. He said my LH and FSH hormones were all out of wack, as well as my insulin and glucose levels.

I cried a little.
At first because I was happy to finally have a diagnosis. A reason behind it all.
Then I cried a little more, because I realized just how bad I did not want to have this.

It's been a couple days and I have accepted the fact that there is nothing I can do to change what is, so I will simply look at the positive and make the best of it.

I have started Metformin to control my Insulin levels, which will hopefully lead to me ovulating, and with Gods sweet grace... a pregnancy.

Only time will tell.

Tree Branches

2010-05-21T18:03:00.002-05:00

Two posts in one day, Oh My!! :)

I thought I would share my new obsession with you.

Ancestry.com!!

I have always been fascinated by family genealogy and tracing my roots, and ancestry has made it possible for me to do an extensive family tree! I'm really enjoying learning about my ancestors. I have traced my family back to the early 1100's and beyond.

Ancestry makes it possible to connect with other members trees and join your information with theirs to grow your tree. It is amazing how many distant family members I have found on Ancestry. I even located long lost family members.

Ancestry.com gives you the ability to read actual documents from years ago, such as Census reports and Immigration lists and much much more. The Census reports are so cool!

I traced one family member back as a passenger on one of the ships that discovered Plymouth, Mass. , and another I found on a Passenger Manifest for a ship called Amerika that travelled from Germany to America, which gave me all the information I needed about their immigration.
I also traced another end of my family back to Germany where they owned the Schloss Burg Castle, that still stands today.

Creating your family tree on Ancestry.com is free, but to access all the records you need to join. I paid 20$ for a month and it is well worth it!! If your interested, I highly recommend it!!!

The site is having a few cliches today, and I am having withdrawals. Haha!

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend!!

SHOW US YOUR LIFE - Hometown

2010-05-21T16:42:00.008-05:00

I just love Kelly's Show Us Your Life posts! This weeks is all about your Hometown!

My hometown consists of small towns around Memphis, Tennessee.

I currently live in Oakland Tn. A small, yet rapidly growing, town about 30 minutes east of Memphis in Fayette County. It's a former one stop light town (and yes, it was yellow and flashing!) that has since turned into a two stoplight town, with a ....wait for it... WALMART! ;)

I just love it out here. It has a wonderful small town feel, yet its big enough that every person doesn't necessarily know your daily business. It's also close enough to the city to enjoy the perks of big malls and attractions, but far enough away that you can see the stars shining bright at night!

I grew up just a few minutes south of here in a teensy tiny little town called Fisherville, Tennessee. The name says it all. Home to Herb Parsons Lake, a favorite fishing spot for many memphians. There isn't much in fisherville. Large country homes on big lots, lots of lakes, a church, a store... yup that's about it. I noticed just a few days ago that they are paving the roads and... putting LINES ON THEM! Goodness, what is this world coming to! haha!

I have a love-hate relationship with Memphis in itself. I love living close enough to the big city to enjoy the shopping, restaurants, and attractions. Yet, I hate Memphis crime. Like most other big cities it has its bad spots, and its good spots. I just get so frustrated with the nice neighborhoods that seem to turn bad. It really is a shame. Even so, Memphis is home.

Some of my favorite places in the area are:

Shelby Farms and Shelby Forest. Two large parks that really give you the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors.

The Avenue at Carriage Crossing Mall. I love that it is outdoors. It makes shopping so enjoyable. (as if it isn't enjoyable already haha!)

The Pink Palace Museum and IMAX Theater. My family and I love to go to the IMAX and watch history films.

Downtown Memphis, including Beale St. There is always something going on downtown, with great free concerts in the summer, and awesome bars and restaurants. It is a blast.

And yes, as you know Memphis is home of the king. Graceland is a large attraction in Memphis.. and don't freak out, but I have never been! Nope not once. Lived here my whole life and never had a desire to see Graceland. I'm an Elvis fan. I suppose it is just not as appealing when you live here.

Thanks For Stopping By!!!

Show us your life- How I met my husband.

2010-04-22T23:05:00.004-05:00

Everytime someone asks us this question we both look at each other as if saying "you tell them!" . Ha!

Late 2002-I was 17. Oh so young and naive haha. I had a boyfriend at the time. We had been together about 2 years, which for a 17 year old girl seemed like a lifetime. I loved him. Or at least I thought I did.

Early 2003- I was teaching after school at a Daycare. I loved my job and met so many great girls through this daycare. One girl imparticular I became really good friends with. She was a few years older than me and had a 2 year old son. We were so different, yet we hit it off so quickly.
We decided to get together with our boyfriends and hang out. So we planned a double date to Bahama Breeze. (when people ask Jon and I where we had our first date, we laugh and say Bahama Breeze...you'll understand here soon)....

That night at bahama breeze the four of us hit it off great. We all became instant friends. Our boyfriends got along just as well as we did. It didn't seem like a big deal back then but looking back I find this amusing... The coworker/girlfriend I was with and my boyfriend both happened to be left handed. So for whatever reason we decided to sit across from our significant others rather than in the same booth. I guess it worked better to have 2 left handed people next to each other rather than one left handed and one right handed. Either way I remember sitting next to Jon for the first time. I had no idea this would one day be the man I would marry. I fact I thought that man was sitting across from me.

Mid 2003- The four of us had become great friends and spent lots of time together. Yet "coworker/girlfriend" and "now mine-boyfriend" were having troubles and decided to split.
It was difficult for me at the time because I was good friends with both of them, but had honestly becoming closer with "now-mine-boyfriend" than her. Time played out and "coworker/girlfriend" became simply a distant friend.

The day after my highschool graduation- My "then current boyfriend of almost 3 years now" and I were at "now mine-boyfriends" place, hanging out. I remember thinking that the two of them were acting very strange towards each other almost as if they had been arguing... but I didn't ask. "then current boyfriend" said he wasn't feeling good and wanted to head head home early. I convinced him to just take a nap on the couch and see if he felt better in an hour or so....

So there he was sleeping on the couch, and me and "now-mine boyfriend-Jon" were just hanging out watching tv. Jon grabbed a piece of paper and began writing on it.

Ill save the details, because for one they're just icky, and two I certainly don't remember word for word what he said..

Basically he wrote on that paper and told me in the best way that he knew how that my B/F was cheating on me. I was shocked and scared. I knew that this could be true yet at the same time I didn't want to believe it! I was almost 18 and had been with him for years. I held my breath as I wrote back question after question getting as many details as possible, all while my lieing cheating scum bag boyfriend lie sleeping on the couch in the very same room.

When all was said and done Jon and I took a walk to the apartment dumpster to "take his trash out" - He apologized repeatedly as I tried to hold it together. He claimed that my B/F was meeting girls ONLINE (ewww) and inviting them over to hang out or swim in the apartment pool. To this day I don't know how I had the strength to carry on that day and not smack B/F in the face.... but I did. I decided I wanted real cold hard proof and I was going to get it!

So when B/F woke up we agreed to call if an early night and I headed home.
I remember that ride home. I didn't shed one tear. I wasn't sad. I was ANGRY!

Thank God for my big sister! She was at home when I arrived and I immediately spilled my guts about the news and my plans for proof. Jon had given me the info I needed to find B/F online and I did. I then posed as a single (stupid) girl in the area who was willing to meet up. He made it easy, really. The conversation ended with an address to Jon's apartment and a message that said bring your bathing suit so we can go swimming.

About one hour later I stood at Jon's front door shaking all over with my bathing suit in my hand. I knocked and B/F opened the door looking like he was ready for a night out on the town. Crisp button-up, gelled hair.. ugh I wanted to kill him right then and there as he said "Whh--wha--what are you doing here"...

I very calmy looked him straight in the eye and said "you told me to bring my bathing suit."

Oh the look on his face was worth a thousand words. He knew right then that he was busted. The sob story started, but I wasn't hearing a word of it. I left that relationship and never looked back. It took that piece of information to make me evaluate our relationship and it didn't take long for me to realize that it was no where near perfect to begin with.

--------WOW that part of the story turned out REALLLY LONG! But I didn't want to miss the details.----------

The second half is pretty quick and simple.

Alot of people judged Jon saying he only told me because he wanted me for himself. Heck, maybe he did..I don't know. I don't really care. What mattered to me was that he had the guts to do it.

The next few weeks were rough on me. After spending so much of my time over the past 3 years with one person I was lost. I would get off from work and not know where to go or what to do. I called Jon and sobbed and sobbed... I ended up at his place everyday that following week after the break up. He confesses now that he was madly in love with me from day one, but I would have never known. He was a pure gentleman. He was a friend and nothing more. A good friend at that.

But it didn't take long of me being a single girl before I saw what I should have seen way before. Jon was the one. Within a few weeks we were inseperable. Our relationship moved quickly, but I wouldn't change it for the world. Everyone that knew us would have made bets that we would never make it, but we have proven them wrong.

How we met or how we became a couple is not a fairytale story by any means. In fact its quite embarrassing. Yet, it proves that every love story doesn't have to be like a fairytale.

It's the love that should be perfect, not the story.

(P.S. We dated briefly before moving in together. Lived together for 3 years. Got married in October of 2006 and for the record we have never been back to Bahama Breeze. We both really hated it HA! )

Heartbreak and Devastation.

2010-04-15T17:23:00.002-05:00

As you may already know I am a huge supporter of International Adoption, Russia in particular. Though we are no where near ready for that process, Jon and I do dream of one day adopting a child of our own from Russia. The actions of Torry Hansen disgust me.

I just wanted to make it known that my heart goes out to all Potential Adoptive Parents, and the children and babies that are waiting in orphanages for their new Mothers and Fathers.

My prayers are with them all and I ask you to pray for them as well.

I owe it to you..

2010-04-12T15:51:00.005-05:00

Here is an update on my life, because well- I owe it to you!

The Medical Update:
The past 12 months have been filled with lots of medical issues for me, but I think things are finally calming down. My heart disorder is now completely controlled by medication and I rarely ever have tachycardic episodes where my heart rate gets to high! :) .
My TOS (My soulder and arm issues that you can read about by clicking the link) is slowly healing. I have flares where my arm and chest ache and throb and pretty much puts me out of commision, but those flares only last a few days and are becoming less common. For the most part I think it is healing and I pray it will "dissapear" one day. I still cannot lift any weight with my left arm, or raise my left arm up.. but sadly i'm used to that.
Infertility , well is just that, infertile. No pregnancy, No baby, therefore still Infertile. Blah! Whatever!

The Husband update:
No offense to others, but I so beleive I have the most hard working husband on the planet!!! Seriously, the guy has been working his tail off these past few weeks! I'm talking 13 hour days, 7 days a week! He has not had a day off in over 3 weeks. He gets up at 4:30am - gets home around 8:30pm - eats dinner - showers - sleeps - and does it all over again the next day! It is sooo hard to watch him work himself to the bone, but he is a tough cookie! The (lots of) extra pay he is making has gotten us out of debt and we are happily scratching lots of big To-Do's off out list! (One of those being hardword floors throughout the whole house, next week!! YAAYYY!!) I miss him soooo much, and it is so hard to be alone allll the time! I have learned to be very independent during these past few weeks, which is something new for me. I fixed the broken vacuum, the broken washing machine, measured and sampled new hardwood floors... okay- so none of these were that hard, but I have been very spoiled to never have to do these kinds of things. So anyways, Work for thr hubs will slow back down around the begining of May. I can't wait to have him around more.

The Household update:
3 - 1 + 2 = 4
As you may remember my Mother In Law moved in with the hubby and I in January of 2009. It was a difficult decision but one that had to be made. She is widowed and not in the best of health. She is unable to work, but recieves a small monthly pension. I think I mentioned in a previous post that she was considering moving and.....she has. She decided to make the move to Arizona to live with her sister. All in all it just made sense for everyone. I never wanted my MIL to stay with us forever, and it helps to know that she rally wanted to go. She has been there a little over a month now and seems very happy! We talk lots on the phone and plane to make at least one visit a year, as well as her coming here once a year.
So when she left it was back to being just the hubs and I. OR NOT! :) ...
Rememeber those to gorgeous young ladies? My nieces. Well my parents have had custody of them since the death of my sister in 2004. My Dad works out of town and my parents have basically lived apart for the duration of this time since my Mother cannot travel with two teenagers. So after 6 years of them living with my Mom, and lots of disscusion... they are going to move in with us! I'm really excited about this because we are very close with the girls and they spend alot of time here as it is. They always had a "room" here for when they stayed on the weekends, but now they wil each have their own bedroom! My Mom will have the freedom to travel with my dad and will not have to struggle through the tough teenage years that have already begun. Yet she will still be around and a constant parent figure in their lives. Move in date is may 29th after school lets out for summer. I'll update you on how the transition goes.

The Family update:
My niece Dayton is going to be 8 years old next month! WOW! She has grown up so quickly. She certainly isn't a baby anymore. Still my baby, of course though.

My Nephew Colton is 8 months old and growing like a weed! He started crawling a week ago. He has the biggest baby blue eyes and sweetest little grin you've ever seen!

My 2nd Nephew is due to be born this July. His name will be Trenton. I cannot wait to meet him!! Oh I love all my nieces and nephews so much!!

Here are some random pictures:

My sister and her kids - Dayton & Colton( & Trenton coming this summer!) ;)

Colton - 8 months. Me and Kristin at the farm this past weekend. What great weather!!!

Kasey and Kristin at the raquet ball court.

So there ya have it. Lots going on around here. I'll try to blog more... or not. haha! No really, I'll try!

My Cardboard Testimony

2010-02-08T23:02:00.003-06:00

After reading this post by Kelly, and watching the following video, I was encouraged to post my own Cardboard Testimony. If you have a moment I strongly recommend watching the video. It is truly touching how God is working in all of our lives.

Mine

FRONT:

BACK:

Are you watching??

2010-01-28T17:55:00.003-06:00

The Bachelor??

This is the first season in a long time that I have actually watched, and I am hooked!!!

My favorites are:

Corrie has not made the connection with Jake that the other girls have, but I think her time is coming. She seems to be less drama filled than the other girls, and a real sweetheart!

Ali was my favorite in the begining but I must admit she is losing me. She seems a tad childish and very much involved in the drama of the other girls. Maybe it's just me, but I don't see the reason to gang up on Vienna and insist she go home... It is a show afterall.

Tenley is too cute for words, and I love her sweet personality. Although her bubbly voice and giddy attitude can annoy me at times, I think she is genuine. It does bother me that she seems to jump on board the "we hate vienna" ship that Ali is driving.

Vienna is the underdog in my opinion. The girls seem to hate her, and although I can understand that she is outspoken and sometimes comes off as rude, I think that is what makes her real. I didn't like her at first, because all the other girls seemed so perfect, but I am realizing they were just acting and she was real from the begining.

So are you watching?? Who are your favorites??

READY OR NOT, HERE THEY COME.

2010-01-22T01:54:00.004-06:00

They're coming back.

Those crazy insane feelings of desperately needing a baby NOW!

I don't mean to sound like I have been trying longer than anyone else out there or that my Infertility hurts more than anyone elses, because I know that is not the case. There are many Infertiles out there whom having been trying much longer than me, and even so it doesn't matter whether you have been trying for 6 months or 10 years. Infertility hurts! None the less I do sometimes feel like an Infertile Pro, or an Upperclassman for lack of better words. I have recently surpassed the 3 year mark in my TTC journey and am inching closer and closer to 4 years. FOUR YEARS! EEEEK! ....

I know some may feel like I don't have room to whine about the time ticking on, because we have not done any fertility treatments in over a year, but that is not because we don't still want a baby or that we aren't trying anymore. Trust me, we're still trying. I just couldn't emotionally cope anymore. I was going truly insane with the month to month let downs of fertility treatments.

I am since much more relaxed, and my mind is far far away from the TTC lingo. You will find no counting CD's or planned BD in my home. Nope, no charting BBT or OPK's for me. Just good ole fashioned Sex and Prayer! (whom those two words seem awkward so close together, ha!)

For the past year I have been very at ease with being Infertile and not YET being a mother. I have put all my trust in the Lord and I know that his plan is bigger and better than my plan.

Since having my MIL move in with us, I wasn't sure I could handle having a baby right now. I love her to death, but am just not the type to have a live-in Grandma. Not to mention our financial position has not been the best since my medical conditions are preventing me from working. But, my MIL recently announced she is considering moving in with her sister in Arizona. It's not definite yet, but I think its looking like a real possibility. Maybe, it is the thought of living alone again, or maybe it is my sisters pregnancy, or maybe it is just a coincidence but all of my baby-wanting-dreaming-contemplating stealing (just kidding!) feelings are coming back!

I spent alot of the day today visiting websites that I haven't visited in some time. Babyzone, iVillage, Yahoo! Answers TTC group and more. Fertility treatments have not been the topic of conversation for me in a long time, but all of the sudden lately I have been thinking about it again. alot. I'm not willing to try anymore Clomid only cycles, but I can't stop contemplating IUI and wondering if the doctors will need to do more tests first. Is it bad that I want to just skip the diagnosis part, and jump straight into the treatment part?! I use to want answers so badly, I wanted to know exactly why I was not ovulating and why I was not conceiving... now, I just don't give a gosh darn anymore. I just want it fixed, so I can have a baby dangit!

Maybe these feelings are due to the fact that my Sis is having her 3rd and final child, and I desperately want my child(ren) to be close to their cousins. I feel like if I could have a baby soon, then it would be very close in age to Colton and Peaches (that's my nickname for the baby haha! -- Sissy I'm sure your laughing at this).

Yet, I don't feel like Sissys adoption or pregnancy has really made that much of an impact on me. When most friends tell me their pregnant I congratulate them while secretly sulking and crying inside. I am truly happy for them, but I'm angry that it is not me at the same time, you know the typical "infertile finds out a friend is prego" kind of reaction. With my Sister it is different. I don't get those angry "wish it was me" feelings. Its almost like finding out I am pregnant, because her children are in some way my own. I love them like their my own. I get to love them and spoil them, and rather than hurting my infertile ego, they actually are what keeps me going, and smiling!

The reality of all this is that I have accepted not getting pregnant on my own, the natural way. I know it is a possibility and God performs miracles all the time, I am simply not counting on it. So In the average persons mind, conception consists of one thing, sex! In my mind conception consists of one of two things, IF treatments or Adoption. You may find that sad, but for me it is simply my reality, and I am okay with that. (Did I just say that?! I am O.kay. with tha.t! I am? hmm Okay, Loren whatever you say.) So the next question is WHEN? When will I (we) be ready to attempt treatments again? When will we be able to afford it? Will it even work? Oh goodness. It has been so long since I have thought these thoughts or felt these feelings. I am not sure where they are coming from but I suppose I couldn't expect to be "Okay with waiting" forever.

I guess it is back to "not so patiently waiting". :(

Bikini Baby!

2010-01-21T17:16:00.005-06:00

I am so ready for warm weather so I can get off the treadmill and outside to the walking trails. January is more than half over and I know Summer is going to be here before I know it. I have already been browsing for this years bathing suit, and let me tell you this body is NOT bikini ready! Yites!! But with so many cute options out there like these.. I better get to getting!!

I love the first two, but there pretty pricey (swimwearboutique.com). The last one is a little more reasonable and still adorable (buckle.com)! I also love this cover up, and these sunglasses to go with the pink and black one.

Since my TOS has been flaring up so much it is not looking like I will be riding my Jetski much this year :*(, but that won't keep me away from the Lake. I live for those weekend trips to the Lake!

On my bookshelf..

2010-01-12T02:15:00.008-06:00

Did you know I love to read??

Yep, I do.
It's my outlet!

It's no surprise.
I am a Cancer after all.

(ya know, my zodiac sign)
A dreamer.
A homebody.

Although I keep that little Shelfari widget on my blog..
(see it? way done there at the bottom of the left side bar)
I don't update it very often, and I doubt many of you see it.

So for fun, I thought I would post some of my recent (and not so recent) reads.
In case you're a reader too, and looking for a good book to bury yourself in.

I should mention that I am a very picky reader. I have a long list of books that I read the first chapter of, or even some that I read halfway into and then stopped reading because I lost interest.

I'm not one to finish a book just because I started. If it doesn't keep pulling me in, I toss it out!
(not literally, but you get the gist)

So in no particular order, here are some of my recent (and not so) reads:

Lavender Morning: This was my first of Jude Deveraux, and I fell madly in love. Hands down one of my new all time favs!! It is the first of the Edilean series. An excellent love story, and I really enjoyed dreaming that I lived in the huge manor. ***** 5 stars from me!

Days of Gold: The second of the Edilean series! It just came out a few days ago and I am so excited to read it!! I passed my Lavender Morning book down to my "little sis" Kasey, and she beat me to the punch and ran out and purchased Days of Gold right away! So as soon as she is done reading, its all mine!!

The Shack: I have seen this book all over the place. Although it never sounded like the type of book I would enjoy I finally gave in to temptation. I'm currently about half way through with it, and even though it is not keeping me completely roped in, i'm determined to finish it. For once, i'm allowing myself to be intrigued by the unknown.

Your Best Life Now: Speaking of the shack reminds me of my favorite religious author. Joel Osteen. The hubs and I are huge fans of the Texan Pastor. We love to watch his sermons on T.V. and I have been known to download his podcasts onto my ipod for workouts. So when he began publishing books the hubs and I ran out and purchased this one. We read a chapter every night before bed for the first year of our marriage. It brought us much closer to each other and opened up conversations we would have never had otherwise.

Baby Farm: As a wanna-be Mom I am drawn to books about babies and children. My first love was mysteries, so this was a mix of the two. It was creepy and exciting and a must read for any Mystery lover.

The Baby Trail: As a TTCer I searched and searched for books that I could relate to. This was an excellent read in the beginning of my TTC journey, but looking back I am not sure I would feel the same way about it now. Lets face it, I'm bitter.

The Accidental Mother: Another one driven my my insane desire for motherhood. Sweet. Good. Not Great. It wasn't really worth remembering but still a good read to pass the time.

Covenant Child: This book was not at all what I expected, but turned out to be fantastic. The author in this book does not hide the sad reality that life is filled with heartache as well as joy.

Shopaholic & Baby: I'm not a Chick Lit kinda girl, but I figured I would give it a try, and I heard Sophie was the queen of Chick Lit. It was fun read but did not change my mind about Chick Lit books. For the record I actually hated the Shopaholic Movie! (Sorry Sissy, I know it's your fav, but booo!)

Remember Me: This one by Sophie was much more my style. I little mysterious but still amusing.

Where are the Children: Oh Mary Higgins Clark, how I love thee. She tops the chart when it comes to my fav authors. Her stories keep my staring at the pages on the edge if my seat.
This was definitely one of her bests!

Two Little Girls in Blue: Alot like the one above, this is just a good read. period.

Remember Me: Okay, I told you, I love MHC. This is another one of my favorites by her.

Mr. Perfect: Linda Howard certainly gives MHC a run for her money with these next two. They will make it a little tough to sleep at night ;) ..

Open Season:

Multiple Bles8ings: I also went through an "autobiography/celebrity" type phase. I picked up this book because I loved the show Jon & Kate + 8... It was a great read, but I am not sure it would have the same effect now that we know about their very public divorce and drama..

L.A. Candy: In my "autobiography/celebrity" phase I attempted to read Lauren Conrads book... attempted being the key word. This book was left unfinished by me. Maybe I don't relate as much to the young 20's crowd as I thought I did, ha!
I think you single ladies might enjoy it more than I did.

Stori Telling: Tori Spelling has many critics, but I am not one of them. I adore her and adored her books just as much! This was a hilarious read!
Mommywood: This was just as good and just as funny as her first book! Looved it!

So those are some of my suggestions, Now here are the books I am looking forward to reading soon. If any of you have read one of these I would love to know what you thought! Also, feel free to suggest some of your favs! :)

Love Your Life: If Victoria is anything like her Pastor husband Joel, this is sure to be an inspirational read. Probably one I will read over a long period of time when I need a pick me up!

This is one I found will bouncing around on Barnes and Noble. Sounds very Intriguing and may even be my next purchase.

If Tomorrow never comes: This one screams "my life". Here is a quote from the description:

"Childhood sweethearts Kinna and Jimmy Henley had simple dreams–marriage, children, a house by the sea…everything they needed for happily ever after. What they didn’t plan on was years of infertility, stealing those dreams, crushing their hopes."

That is all it took and now It's on my must have list. I only hope it turns out good.

Vanishing Acts: I have seen Jodi Picoults name all around but never read one of her books, so this sounded like a good one to try.

Happy Reading! :)

I'm one of "those" bloggers

2010-01-12T01:13:00.003-06:00

Yes, I know. I have become one of "those" bloggers.
One of those that draws you in and gets you addicted and curious, then stops blogging nearly all together.
What can I say. It's me. It's the way I am. Not just in blogging, but in all aspects of my life. I go at something with full force for a long time, and then WHAM, i just hit a wall and take a nice long break.
But as I read your sweet comments on all my posts, I am reminded that there is such a peace about blogging. I'm reminded that I have an entire support system out there (and possibly an entire group of critics) rooting for me.

2010. Wow. Really 2010 already! Geez the years went by fast!
This New Years the hubs and I traveled to my Sissys house to celebrate with her and my BIL. We rang in the new year in a calm family kind of way and it was quite perfect! I wish so much that they lived closer so we could spend more time together! On the 1st our hubbys disappeared to the farm to go hunting and Sissy and I had plenty of girl time. I had forgotten how much I missed curling up on the same bed and gossiping with her. It makes me miss my teenage years.... okay really, not so much. ha. But I do miss having her close. Not to mention I have the most gorgeous, imaginative, adorable, seven year old niece and the most precious, lovable, kissable, five month old nephew in the entire world!! They are such a joy to be around!

So far 2010 has been pretty bland. The hubs has been home a lot due to the cold weather making work slow. I enjoy having him around so much, but those small paychecks s.uck.

My TOS has been much better and very tolerable lately. I have some pain in my arm but can function normally for the most part. I still cannot lift anything with my left arm, or raise it above my head without pain, but that is no comparison to the constant pain I was in for so long.
I will have my CTA Scan this Wednesday to check for clots and/or aneurysms, so I'm hoping the results come back good!
Ever since I discovered that my allergic reaction in the hospital was due to Phenergan and not Morphine I have been doing LOTS of research!! I requested my records from the hospital and looked over them very carefully. I have come to a conclusion that I was not technically overdosed on Phenergan but was given the medication improperly. First and foremost I do not understand why they gave me the medication to begin with. It is given to patients whom are nausea, which I was not in any way. Secondly everything I found online about the medication stated that it had caused major tissue and nerve damage to patients when given improperly, therefore new recommendations had been made and printed on the prescription back in 2007. Those recommendations were to give 25mg of the medication in 2 doses. One 12.5 dose, the the second 12.5 dose 30 minutes later. (My records do not state if this was done, it simply says 25mg was ordered) It also says the medication should be diluted with 10mg of saline if given through an IV, and if the patient complains of any burning (WHICH I DID, REPEATEDLY) the medication should immediately be stopped. (again my records do not state if this was done *surprise surprise*) and last but CERTAINLY not least... it says that Phenergan should NEVER EVER be administered through a hand or wrist IV, but only through a central IV line. Now, in my records it states that I had a central line IV, which is correct, but what it doesn't say is that I complained of the central IV because it was hurting and they replaced it with an IV in my wrist, which is where the phenergan was given. Basically I have no idea if my problems are due to any of this, and even if I did know there is no way to prove it. BLAHHHHHH!!!!

Some for you may be wondering if we are still trying to conceive, because I do not talk about it often. The answer is *always*. I will never give up, although we are currently only trying naturally. (No complaints from the hubs ;) One day I think we will step back into the world of fertility treatments, but I'm just not ready yet. It was so overwhelming and really took so much out of me.

I hope all of you are enjoying the new year so far. Thank you for all your sweet comments, they always put a smile on my face!

(LOTS OF) Christmas Pictures!

2009-12-27T00:18:00.006-06:00

ME AND MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND

MY PARENT'S WITH ALL THEIR GIRLS

ME AND COLTON

SAD BABY

BUT OH SO CUTE

CHRISTMAS PRINCESS

ME AND KRISSIE

ME AND MY MOMMY

KRISSIE AND COLTON

KASEY AND KRISSIE WITH THEIR NEW JEEP

KASEY AND KRISSIE WITH THEIR COUSIN BEN

COLTON PLAYING WITH HIS TOYS FROM SANTA

AND ONE MORE OF THAT SWEET BABY

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Another one.

2009-12-20T22:13:00.004-06:00

*Reminder: I DO actually have a life outside of TOS and Infertility! It's just not a very intresting one!

A little bit of exciting news to share.

You may remember this post where I announced the birth of my new nephew...
or this post where I showed of lots of pictures of my new nephew...
and you may even remember this post where I announced that it was a BOY!

So you know that my Sis and her hubby overcame their secondary infertility by adopting this precious little one and became a family of 4! ....

Aren't they cute?!

But I bet you didn't know....
THEY ARE GOING TO BE A FAMILY OF 5!!!!!

Thats right! My sis called last week and announced that she is PREGO!!! WHOA! Total surprise to all of us!! I'm so excited! I love my nieces and nephew oh so much and would enjoy lots lots more. Although somthing tells me I won't get very many more after this haha! I think 3 is enough for them.

Who knew that annoying comment about "a friend of friend of mines adopted and then got pregnant" would actually happen to someone I know, much less my sister!!

P.S. I STILL do not recomend that you suggest I adopt in order to get pregnant! I am still a crazy bitter infertile woman here!

"Don't Worry Bout A Thing."

2009-12-20T15:01:00.002-06:00

:sorry for the delay in the update. It was an exhausting trip and I needed to rest up:

Dr. C (The Knoxville specialist) was very caring and knowledgeable. He spent a good amount of time talking with Jon and I. Here is the breakdown of the conversation we had:

*I do have TOS. Neurogenic and possibly Arterial.

*He does not think I need surgery at this time. Hallelujah! He says, Surgery is not a "fix" but more a last resort to attempt to make things better. Unfortunately there is no "fix" for TOS. Because I appear to be getting better and have minimal pain, he said I should continue to take it easy and pay close attention to what aggravates my arm, and avoid those activities.

*He suspects that my Scalene Muscles and Pec Minor Muscles are enlarged or deformed and causing compression on my arteries and nerves. If things go down hill and I get much worse, Surgery may be a possibility. He would then remove parts of those two muscles and repair the damage. It is NOT a minor surgery and I pray it never comes to that!!!

* He is sending me for a CTA Scan to check for Clots or Aneurysms in my chest. (Please pray these come back negative!!) If I were to have one of those, surgery would be necessary right away!

*When I explained to him about my reaction to the Morphine, he asked if I had taken Phenergan also. Turns out I took Phenergan at the same time as the Morphine and all my symptoms (such as the involuntary movements, convulsions, and hallucinations) are symptoms of a severe allergic reaction or overdose to Phenergan! WHOA! So I may not be allergic to Morphine afterall. (I am requesting my records from the hospital to find out how much Phenergan I was given)

So basically my current conclusion is to take it easy and pray I continue to progress. TOS is something I will have for life. You cannot change the way your body is built and unfortunately my thoracic area is just to small for all the parts that need to fit in there.

I going to try to avoid stress and enjoy the Holidays, and hopefully my TOS will not flare up.

"Life is funny, life's a mess

Sometimes a curse, sometimes a blessing

Don't worry 'bout a thing,

don't worry 'bout it

Life gets sticky, life can bruise

Sometimes you win sometimes your losing

No matter what it brings

Don't worry 'bout a thing"

Nerves and Anticipation!

2009-12-16T20:03:00.002-06:00

We leave tomorrow for Knoxville, to visit the TOS specialist. I'm nervous. Litterally. The nerves in my left arm have been acting up alot in the past few days. I think it is stress. Overall my condition is still pretty good, and I'm grateful to not be in extreme constant pain anymore.

The plan is to leave tomorrow afternoon and go to Nashville (We live in the Memphis area, if you didn't know) and stay with my Dad overnight :). Then proceed Friday morning to Knoxville. My apointment is at 1:30pm. We will return to Nashville Friday evening and either make the drive home if were up to it or just spend another night there and come home on Saturday. It mostly depends on how I feel after testing.

I have very mixed emotions about the apointment. Im trying to keep hope that I will get some answers and possibly even good news, yet I'm trying not to get my hopes up really high. Lately I seem to get nowhere with the Doctors I have seen and I always leave my apointments disapointed and feeling as if I took 2 steps backwards. So I don't want to set myself up for disapointment. But, I must remind myself that I'm driving 6 hours to see a SPECIALIST for that specififc reason. He specializes in TOS and should be the one person whom can help me.

Lets just hope he can.

Thanks again for all your prayers and support.

The Lord is my shepherd!

2009-12-01T18:41:00.002-06:00

I just wanted to make a quick post to let you know that your prayers are working!!
For now, the pain has subsided. My arm/chest has been aching a little but the severe throbbing and shooting pains are gone. I'm trying to take it easy and make sure I don't do anything to bring on symptoms or make my arm worse. Im still overwhelmed with stress and am very nervous about the upcoming doctors appointment in Knoxville... but ya gotta do, what ya gotta do! Right?!

Thanks again for all your support and prayers!!!

Short & Sweet

2009-11-24T22:11:00.003-06:00

I'll make this short. I'm typing one handed because my arm is really hurting today.
I finally got in touch with a TOS specialist in Knoxville Tennessee and made an apointment for December 18th.
My pain is unreal these days and i'm overwhelmed with stress. I keep asking "Why me?" and "What if they can't cure me? Will I be in pain forever?"
Who knew such a small area of your body could cause so much pain. You can only imagine how difficult everyday tasks are when using only one arm.
Hopefully I will get some answers soon and a plan for treatment!

I could really use your prayers.

Much Love, Loren

I will not settle, I want the best!

2009-11-16T20:39:00.006-06:00

*SIGH*

My appointment with the Vascular Surgeon did not go to well. I have come to expect this. As I mentioned before TOS is very rare and difficulty finding a Doctor comes along with this. Here is my appointment in a nutshell:

I arrived 30 minutes late for my appointment, because I got lost and had trouble parking due to serious construction in and around the medical buildings.

Once I arrived I found out that my previous referring Doctor did NOT send my records over as he claimed he did last week! UGH! So I had to sit and wait while they had my records faxed over. I later found out my digital X rays were not sent over either. Figures.

Fortunately the wait time was minimal (I guess arriving 30 minutes late was a good thing). Once the Doctor came in he sat down and listened very carefully to my history and symptoms (something not all doctors due and I am appreciative of). He asked a few minor questions and briefly checked my pulse and mobility in my left arm. At one point I asked him to look at the difference between my collarbone on my right side VS my left side... his response was "I do not see a difference". To myself and anyone around me that seems absurd because the difference is very clear! My left side is sunk in and swollen, where as my right side appears to be "normal". I was annoyed by this but carried on...

Dr. B said he thinks 100% that I do have TOS, and that he is pretty sure I have the nuerogenic form (complete opposite of what the doctor last week said..hmmm). He then said he wants to send me to see his surgical partner, a Neurological Surgeon and that if he agrees with the diagnosis we can schedule surgery to remove a rib.

----------------------------------HOLD UP, WHAT?!---------------------

"Lets slow down a bit, doc!" is what I was thinking! The questions started rolling off my tongue:

Aren't you going to run more tests? His response, No. The Nuero Surgeon may get an MRI, but we'll see.

Well how do you know I need a rib removed? He says: Well, We won't know for sure until we get in there, but removing the rib will open the area up and therefore uncompress things. (This I understand but please keep in mind removing a rib is a major surgery and should not be taken lightly and certainly should not be done without proper reasoning)

What if something else needs to be removed or if there is damage to my arteries or veins? His answer to this was vague, but basically consisted of we'll cross that bridge when we get there.

Um NO THANK YOU!

I was very blunt with him and explained that I had done an extensive amount of research and am fully aware that TOS is rare and that very few doctors are familiar with the surgery. I asked openly how many TOS surgeries he performs and he replied honestly....

2-4 A YEAR!!!!! Call me crazy, but thats not enough for me!!

I mentioned to him that I had looked into two other Doctors, one of which is from Knoxville and has performed over 500 TOS surgeries in the past 5 years. And another in the Denver area whom has seen over 5000 TOS patients and performed over 2000 TOS surgeries. (I found out this evening while reseraching that the Denver Doctor retired in August of this year)

After a surprised rude look, his response was something along the lines of "Well I think they do more surgeries than are needed, and you can't believe everything you read on the Internet. I assure you myself and Dr. M are fully capable of doing the surgery."

Soooo......

I do not understand how he can be ready to cut me open and remove parts of my body without so much as seeing an xray or performing any tests. This is absurd to me!

I'm not saying that this doctor is not smart or that he is not capable of performing this surgery, but I DO NOT feel like he is the doctor I want to trust my life with. So I will not be scheduling the next appointment with him or the Neuro surgeon.

Instead I have decided to contact the Knoxville Doctor and proceed with a consultation with him. Traveling will be difficult, but I will not settle for mediocre care. This is my life and I want the best when it comes to cutting me open! ;)

More to come, i'm sure...

TOS & the long road ahead.

2009-11-11T16:54:00.004-06:00

This is going to be a long drawn out post, and if you would like to skip to the end for the point you may! ;) Just look for the RED!

As you may remember from previous posts I was always struggling with tonsillitis and chronic throat infections. Well... I FINALLY HAD SURGERY!! That's right, I sucked it up and had a tonsillectomy/adnoidectomy in September. I must say I DO NOT recommend this surgery. The surgery it self went great and I was in and out of the hospital within a few hours. Recovery on the other hand.. Hor. If. Ick.!!!!
On top of the usual recover issues, I also had a bad reaction and ended up back in the hospital due to major swelling in my mouth and around my lips. I was unable to eat, drink or sleep for over 72 hours. Once admitted into the hospital things improved dramatically. The doctor was able to get the swelling under control and give me fluids because I was extremely dehydrated. I felt 10,000 times better and was finally going to get some sleep after 70+ hours. I was still in a decent amount of pain and needed some form of pain meds, but the nurses insisted that all I could have was morphine. (They said it was the only thing the doctor approved me for) Despite the fact that I did not think i needed such a strong pain medicine, I went ahead and took ONE SMALL DOSE of the morphine. I was desperate and just wanted to sleep! .....
Turns out, I am allergic to morphine! Yites!! I began to twitch and convulse after the first dose. Hours passed and the morphine began to wear off, but the damage was already done. I finally convinced the nurse to give me a xanax so I could sleep and I was out like a light within minutes!
Jon watched me carefully throughout the night and said that my arms twitched numerous times. By morning the twitching was over, thankfully.
All in all I recovered fine and have been free of throat infections since.

BUT....
Along with my chronic throat infections I had also been suffering with severe pain in my left shoulder. This is something that has been occurring for years and I had procrastinated in seeing a doctor for. I would get sharp shooting pains in my arm as if my nerve were being pinched. For the past 2 years or so I had learned to function using my right arm more and my left arm less. I refused to lift my left arm high up or to swing or jerk my arm in any way because it would cause severe pain later on. Well, the morphine incident after surgery seemed to ruin that. All the extreme jerking and twitching did a number on my arm. Within days after it began to hurt more and more until it started to become unbearable. I'll skip the details, but basically I got my butt in gear and scheduled an appointment with an Orthopaedic Doctor.

On my first appointment with the Ortho Doc he said he suspected I had Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and that my nerves and arteries could be compressed and causing the pain. I didn't question and him and at the time didn't really know what questions to ask concerning this. In my mind I simply thought "yay! he knows whats wrong with me and can fix it!" ... BOY WAS I WRONG! He started by scheduling tests such as Xrays, and an Electromyogram and Nerve Conduction Study. (basically they electrocuted my arm and stuck tiny needles in it to see how it reacted! Ouch!) Then I had an ultrasound done on my arm to determine how much blood flow I was getting in that arm.

The results were devastating. I was getting little to no blood flow in that arm with even the slightest bit of movement. My Xrays appear to be normal and the Electro test proved I do not have a nuerogenic problem... So what does all this mean?? I was wondering the same thing.

My doctor called last Friday and explained to me that he suspects I have a rare form of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (arterial) and that I am going to need surgery to fix the arteries and nerves that are being compressed in my left chest/arm. He continued by telling me that Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) is rare in itself and very few doctors are familiar with it. He said that he is referring me to a vascular surgeon for more tests and a second opinion on the diagnosis, but if it is Arterial TOS I will need to travel to one of 5 locations in the U.S. to have surgery.

I was and still am confused & overwhelmed. I have spent every waking hour I can researching TOS and learning everything I can.

To make a long story short, TOS can be limb or even life threatening if not taken care of. Yet the surgery is difficult, rare and risky. So I am now at the beginning of a long and scary road and I am asking for you to please keep me in your prayers. Please pray that God grants me the strength I will need to get through all of this and get back to living a normal life again.

I will try to keep updating my blog as I continue to get answers. My appointment with the VS in on Monday.

If your confused and want to read about TOS and what it is CLICK HERE !

Because I Can

2009-11-03T19:22:00.006-06:00

Although I don't have much desire to blog lately, I thought i'd still give those of you that are stopping by something to look at... so here are a few random pictures.

Jon & I.

More of my handsome nephew, whom is growing like a weed!

New bedroom furniture! :) Oh how I love this KING size bed. 16 inches can do miracles for your marriage folks! heehee! (New Bedding should be arriving anyday now)

My adorbale Little Nieces/Sisters.

and our Jack O Lanterns ;)

I hope everyone is enjoying the fall festivities!

My heart aches. PLEASE PRAY!

2009-09-22T21:46:00.002-05:00

Kelly from "Kelly's Korner" posted about the Sullivan Family who is in desperate need of our prayers. If you have not already been to this blog and prayed for this family, please do so now!

I have not had time to get the entire story, but from what I understand the Mother was battling cancer and gave birth to a beautiful baby girl a few days ago. After coming home and living happily as a family of 3, something went terribly wrong and the Mother was rushed to the hospital, and passed away at 11:00am this morning. Please pray for the strength this Father will need during this difficult time of grieving the loss of his wife and caring for a newborn miracle.

Cuteness Overload!

2009-08-17T19:10:00.007-05:00

I give you (In absolutely no particular order, thanks to bloggers pain in the butt uploading system) the worlds cutest baby boy! (okay, so i'm a little biased!) ;)

My New Nephew!

2009-08-07T18:32:00.002-05:00

My Nephew Colton was born this afternoon at 1:16pm! He weighs 6lbs 2oz and is 18in long! I can't wait to hold him! My Sister and her family live about 4 hours away so I will be traveling to see them next week once baby comes home!!! :)

SHOW US YOUR LIFE - Wedding Dress

2009-07-24T15:30:00.005-05:00

I'm excited to finally participate in one of Kelly's Show us your life posts.

Ahh. My wedding dress. I loved it and it was well worth it but it does come with a story. ;)
Jon and I wanted a small quaint wedding, but the one thing I wanted to splurge on was the dress. I searched the magazines and websites until I found "the one". I wanted to take advantage of my size 0 figure that i knew wouldn't last long. (I was right by the way!)
So I chose a tight fitting sleek style dress. It was a Demetrios designer dress and I was in love!

First I went to every wedding dress store in the tri state area. I found the dress at one store but it was in an off-white cream color, and I was set on having white! Being able to try the dress on, only made me want it more! So next I started calling dress boutiques all over Tennessee. Then Mississippi, then Kentucky.. and so on. I finally found a boutique in Illinois that said she had the dress IN WHITE, in one size over what I needed. I spoke with a local seamstress and she said it would be no problem to make the dress fit me.

I paid for the dress IN FULL with my debit card and was told the dress would ship "overnight" with the next 2 business days.

Days went by and my dress didn't arrive. I skip all the crazy details, but the woman I was communicating with was constantly unavailable and unable to give me answers when I spoke with her. She FINALLLLLLY admitted that she had ORDERED my dress from the warehouse and was still waiting on it to arrive to her store before she could ship it! Needless to say, I was FURIOUS! My wedding was less than 2 weeks away and I had no dress, and no money for another dress! I did everything I could including threatening to sue the boutique (ha! like I really had the money for that!) ...

The dress finally arrived at the boutique and was suppose to be shipped the next day. 5 days later, still no dress. By this point as you can imagine my stress level was through the roof! Luckily my husband had family in the Illinois area, and they saved my wedding by driving to the boutique, picking up the dress for me and shipping it to me overnight!

All in all it took more than 5 weeks to get my dress, when I was told it would take 3 days max!!

Of course with all the drama I lost my appointment with the seamstress and had to find another one at the last minute. 2 days before my wedding my dress was made to "fit me". By fit me, I mean crappy seams that a 5 year old could have done better, and straps that dug so deep into my shoulders it left bruises! The back of the dress was ruined and no longer looked like it was suppose to with a deep V in the lower back, and the front straps looked horrid.

I sucked it up and my wedding day was fabulous, but looking back I should have just found a dress I liked that was local and fit me, because all the drama was just to much!!

So here it is, the famous dress! :
(Since all of MY pictures are on CD's since my laptop crashed, I am having to make due with the photos Jon has here on his laptop...I'm also to lazy to fight with blogger and arrange the photos, sorry!)

You can see in this next one, the V is in the middle of my back when it should be in my lower back!

In this next one you can see how bunched up the dress is around my butt! :(

It was obviously to long, as you can tell....

So there ya have it. My wedding dress and the story that goes along with it! I hope you enjoyed! Leave a comment if you participated in this Show us your life, I would love to see your dress!!

-Loren

Boredom Strikes

2009-07-22T16:06:00.004-05:00

Yes, I have been slacking in the blogging department. I don't have a good excuse other than the fact my life is BOOOR. ING.!

My laptop is officially gone. I took it to my dad to look at and he says it is beyond repair (or rather not worth repair). I was able to get my photos and files off my hardrive thank goodness!

So since there is nothing new to report here are a few more photos from our recent vacation that I haven't shared yet:

These were taken before we went horseback riding in the Ouachita Mountains.

and one of me that I edited with PSP...

I hope you are enjoying your week! -Loren

Good Reads

2009-07-15T16:56:00.004-05:00

I highly suggest you read these, they were fantastic.

Vacation Recap.

2009-07-06T22:52:00.005-05:00

Our vacation didn't go exactly as planned, but I was in such a desperate state for some "getaway time" that it didn't seemed to matter. I had fun as did Jon and the girls.

It started with a campground nearly full due to reserved sites (I DID call about reservations, and was told they only had first come first serve sites... from talking with other campers I found I wasn't the only one who was misinformed about reservable sites) We were able to get 1 site for the first night, and the had to stay on watch for another site to open up and snag it before someone else did. Luckily it worked out and we only had to move sites once, unfortunately the first day of vacation seemed wasted because we couldn't set up camp and get settled in.

Next issue was that "Downtown" was alot further than I anticipated. By looking at a map I assumed (yes, I DO know what you get when you assume something LOL lesson learned) that downtown Hot Springs would only be a few minutes from out campground. Instead it was a 30 minute drive down a long windy mountain road. It wasn't a major deal, but did put a small damper on our schedule and resulted in us not getting to do everything we planned.

Gas was outrageously priced, which made it difficult to keep filling up the jetskis and limited our time on the water.

I also came down with strep throat two days before we left, but was able to get antibiotics and felt pretty good by day one of our vacation... until.... the antibiotics caused me a Y infection (come on ladies, you know what I'm talking about.. the dreaded "y" infection, down there)... which was totally not fun while camping.

Magic Springs/Crystal Falls amusement and water park was a huge bummer! After spending 150$ on tickets, we still had to pay 10$ for parking and 10$ for a locker, only to find out there were numerous rides closed down, and the rides that were open were so incredibly disorganized it was barely worth riding. For instance "complimentary floats" were given for each of the water slides. You stood in line and waited for someone to come down the slide and pass there tube along. Only they wouldn't pass there tube along. They would rudely take there tube and ride again and again. No one was there to stop this from happening therefore making it impossible to wait in the lines for the slides. In the end we rode 1 roller coaster (in which I never opened my eyes and am pretty sure I didn't breath through 90% of), 2 water slides and floated down the lazy river once before deciding to leave. We couldn't even bring ourselves to wait around for the Craig Morgan concert.

Saturday night big storms came through (im a big huge scardy cat of storms, ex specially when i'm sleeeping in a tent surrounded by giant trees) and the weather channel was predicting even bigger storms for the following night. We all discussed it and agreed to come home a night early.

The vacation wasn't a complete disaster. We did get to enjoy the gorgeous views and huge lake. We had an adventurous trail ride on horseback. We watched a great fireworks show and all in all spent lots and lots of quality time just goofing off and enjoying our time away from the stress of everyday life.

I did not get near as many pictures as I wanted to, and I still need to develope the water cameras and get the pictures of the girls cameras... but here are a few of my favorites from my camera. Enjoy.

Stairway leading to Vista Lookout

Vista Lookout

Krissie & Me

Me :) & Ricky & Lucy (yes, we named our jetskis) in the background.

My Handsome Hubbz!

Jon & I.

Oh yes, we had AC for the tent.. and It was a lifesaver.

Sisters loving each other :)

Me hanging out at the campsite.

Kasey roastin' a marshmellow for smores.

Beautiful Lake Ouachita

More to come later this week....

Abandoned Baby.

2009-06-27T23:39:00.005-05:00

Well my not so wonderful laptop decided it was done dealing with me yesterday. I cannot get it to boot in anything but safe mode, so until I can take it to my Dad to be looked at I will be without my cute little headers and signature.

Now, talk about a "You won't believe this" story... have I got one for you.

Yesterday morning a friend of mine was driving through Memphis when she spotted a baby carseat on the side of the road. She said no one was around and there was a blanket tucked over the carseat, so she pulled over to make sure there wasn't actually a baby in there (surely no one would leave a baby there, right?!) WRONG! When she pulled back the blanket there was a baby girl probably a few months old laying in the carseat sucking on her pacifier. She said the baby was thin but didn't appear to be injured. There were some clean diapers and clothes stuffed in the carseat with the baby. So of course my friend called the cops and they came and took the baby.

Did I mention it was around 98 degrees outside when this happened?!

I have so many questions, like HOW? How could anyone leave a poor innocent child on the side of the road in the heat. WHAT IF? What if no one stopped to see if there was a baby in that carseat. WHY? Why would anyone do such a horrible unthinkable thing? WHY NOT? Why not leave the baby at a Church or Hospital or Police station??

It just blows my mind that this could happen. My heart ached for that baby girl all night and all day. I pray that she is safe and fed now. It angers me that people in this world are given children and chose to abandon them or abuse them. My husband and I could give a baby a wonderful life full of love and nourishment, yet God gives "these" people babies instead??!!

I just don't get it. I just don't!

8 DAYS & COUNTING

2009-06-23T15:37:00.004-05:00

There is no better way to forget about my upcoming TTC anniversary (3 years on July 1st) than to take a 6 day vacation! :)

Jon, Myself and My 2 oldest nieces Kasey & Kristin will be leaving for Hot Springs Arkansas/Lake Ouachita on July 1st!!! I am so super excited! I have been in major need of a vacation & I know my hubby could use one too.

So for 6 days/5 nights we will be CAMPING (that's right, tents and lawn chairs.. no TV or running water for us!) at Brady Mountain Campground on Lake Ouachita. We will also be visiting Hot Springs to shop and tour the town, as well as spending 4th of July at Magic Springs/Crystal Falls amusement and water park! Country singer Craig Morgan will be doing a concert at Magic Springs on the 4th, How cool is that?!

I have heard of a fabulous place in Hot Springs called Garvan Gardens, that I am hoping to get a chance to go to and take some gorgeous photography shots!

SO LET THE COUNTDOWN BEGIN... ONLY 8 MORE DAYS!

Lake Ouachita:

Magic Springs:

Crystal Falls:

Garvan Gardens:

" Be jealous, Be very very jealous! heehee! Just Kidding! "

Manic Monday

2009-06-22T21:23:00.002-05:00

" It's just another manic Monday

I wish it were Sunday

'Cause that's my funday

My I don't have to runday

It's just another manic Monday "

This weekend was fun, yet tiresome and stressful. On Saturday Jon and I and some friends too the Jetski's to the lake for the day. It was incredibly hot but very fun! Unfortunately my friend Brittany ended up injuring her leg while riding, and we had to take her to the Emergency room. I felt so bad for her because she was in alot of pain, but luckily her leg was not broken and should heal rather quickly. So Sunday was spent lounging around the house recovering from soreness (if you have never ridden a jetski for 5+ hours straight, trust me it is a major workout) and tiredness (after 3+ hours in the ER and a 2 hour drive home, we didn't make it to bed until 2am).

Today I received a call from my BFF, Amanda that her younger sister was in a serious car accident this morning. At first Amanda didn't have alot of information and so we were pretty scared her Sister could be seriously injured. Luckily as the day progressed and she received more information (her sis was out of town in TX when this happened) I was told her injuries were not extremely serious and she was released from the hospital. There was a large semi-truck involved in the accident as well and unfortunately the driver did not survive. My heart goes out to his family and I pray for them during this difficult time, as well as for Amanda's Sister and her family during this time. The lord was watching over Amanda's Sis and I am grateful for that.

Tragedy and Grief keeps hitting all around, I feel as though I am standing on the outside looking in on a world that I cannot help. It is difficult to watch the ones you love in pain. I pray that things improve for everyone and that tragedy stays away.

I was tagged by Courtney for this great award!!

Here are the Honest Scrap stipulations:

1. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find interesting and engaging

2. Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog and leave a comment informing them that they have won the "Honest Scrap Award"

3. List at least 10 honest things about yourself

Here is the list of blogs that I am awarding for their honest and truly inspiring posts:

1. Just Caz
2. Katie
3. The Angry Infertile
4. Courtney
5. Tabitha
6. Kelli
7. Megs

10 honest things about me:

1. I try really hard not to hold grudges, but I secretly fail everytime.

2. I buy lottery tickets often, in hopes of one day winning.

3. I sleep with a pillow or blanket in between my legs everynight.

4. I really don't know what my hair would look like if it was all natural.

5. I never miss an episode of Days of Our Lives, although I sometimes fast forward through the episodes just so I don't miss anything.

6. I would eat off the Mcdonalds dollar menu everyday of my life if I had no self control.

7. I try to hide it, but I still smoke cigarettes.

8. I am determined not to be a smoker ... I just haven't gotten there yet.

9. I cried while watching Jon & Kate + 8 tonight, as they announced their divorce.

10. I love my husband and enjoy spending time with him more than I enjoy blogging. (no really, it's true!)

Sorry those were so random!

The best a girl could ask for..

2009-06-21T15:27:00.003-05:00

"I could not ask for a better Dad than this one!"

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

God Is Good!

2009-06-16T20:19:00.003-05:00

I apologize that I have not given any further updates on Angela's Mother. The truth is I am not getting very many updates myself. My BIL and SIL are handling the situation almost completely alone, and are overwhelmed I imagine. (We are hundreds of miles away from them and are doing our best to support them from the distance). I have heard that Judith is awake and responsive. She is unable to see or speak (not sure if that is because she has a breathing tube down her throat or if she isn't physically capable), but is moving and making noises, which I think is a good sign. I do not doubt for one second that all of our prayers made a difference and I cannot thank you all enough!

My BIL must return to work on Thursday (he works on a towboat on the Mississippi river) and I will see him briefly tomorrow so I will try to get more specifics and let him know that many people are praying for his Mother In Laws recovery.

A visitor.

2009-06-15T23:15:00.004-05:00

This evening I found this hanging around on the back door. :)

(Please excuse the filthy window, I'm certain the frog made those spots *ahem*)

IMMEDIATE PRAYER REQUEST UPDATED

2009-06-11T14:30:00.008-05:00

I'm hesitant to write this post, but I cannot help but remind myself of how wonderful all of you are when it comes to prayer and asking the Lord for miracles, so here I go...

My Sister In Law, Angela (Chucks Wife) has had a huge tragedy in her family today. I do not feel comfortable giving details, so I will simply say her Brother (my brother in law Chuck's Best Friend) has lost his life, and her Mother is fighting for her life.

No one deserves to go through this kind of tragedy. Please pray for Angela's Mother and her family. Specifically please pray that God can perform a miracle and save Angela's Mother. Pray that God can give Angela the strength to get throughout the next few days, and beyond.

If there is anything I have learned from blogging, it is that there are hundreds upon hundreds of bloggers out there whom are willing to take a moment out of their day to pray for a total stranger, and I believe it works. So Thank You!

*UPDATE* 5:45pm: I just recieved a call from my brother in law. Doctors have given Angela's mother a 50/50 chance of living IF she makes it through tonight. Angela is dealing with so much. She lost her Father to cancer when she was a teenager and now lost her Brother this morning, and is so close to losing her Mother. Please lift them up in Prayer. I am still hesitate to give many details, because Angela reads my blog from time to time and I do not want to offend her in any way or invade her privacy, but I have gotten word the news has released a story, so if/when I see that story I will try to give details as I feel approriate. Thank You for your Prayers!

*UPDATE* 7:00pm: My BIL just called. Doctor's do not expect Angela's mother to survive through the night. I know God has a plan, so I am praying that Gods Will is done and that he will grant Angela and her family peace during this extremely difficult time.

*UPDATE* 3:00pm Friday: There is not much to report. All I have heard is that Angela's Mother (Judith is her name by the way) made it through the night and has been having little movement, which I beleive is good news. God is good. Prayer is powerful. Thank You!

April Rose

2009-06-09T18:36:00.003-05:00

I would like to give my quick and simple response on the April Rose Saga.

(If you are unaware of what I am talking about here is a super brief rundown... "B" @ http://littleoneapril.blogspot.com/ began blogging about her unborn child "April Rose" whom was diagnosed with a serious illness and would most likely not live out of utero. I prayed for this woman and her child many times, and followed her blog. It has now been "proved" (for lack of better wording) that "B" was faking the whole thing in order to make money. It is being said that "April Rose" did and does not exist) "B" has now removed her blog as well as all her other sites. (myspace, facebook, other sites..)

Now with that said... I pretty much have to agree with my bloggy friend Katie over @ http://ttcfun.blogspot.com/ on this topic. (Go on over to Katie's blog to see her opinion and links about April Rose, and while your over there take a look around Katie's blog, she's a sweetheart and really could use your prayers)

I admire what Katie said about being grateful for "His Will Wednesdays". ( a blog carnival started by "B") I too was featured on there and despite everything I am grateful for the prayers I received and the Prayers I gave to others. I'm disgusted that this was possibly a hoax. I can say I don't regret praying the prayers or crying the tears... but I regret falling into her trap. SAD! Truly SAD!

The blogosphere is a safe haven for so many like myself, but people like "B" remind us all that, just like the real world, their are bad people out there.

My life is like a puzzle.

2009-06-02T20:00:00.003-05:00

Tick Tick Tick.... Do you see it? That cute little lilypie ticker over on my right sidebar? Tick Tick. It just keeps ticking away. Reminding me that yet another day has gone by and I am still babyless. I hate that ticker. I don't know why I keep it around. Tick Tick..2 years 11 months 1 day. 2 years 11 months 2 days.. it just keeps ticking!

3 years is rapidly approaching! I just wish I could make time stand still. Then again I wish I could speed time along. 3 years! That's 1,095 days!!! 1,095 days trying to have a baby. UGH!

I'm not sure what I hate more, that it has been 3 years and we still aren't pregnant, Or that after 3 years I have lost all control and don't even feel comfortable trying to have a baby anymore. 2 years ago I was in complete control. Jon and I had it all planned out. We bought this perfect home in a family oriented neighborhood. We immediately painted the nursery and placed a rocking chair in it, just waiting for baby. We knew what we wanted and set out to get it. Only time drug on, and ruined all my plans. This house is a constant reminder of the dreams that are unfilled. The neighborhood is filled with children that are not mine. Oh and that nursery! The nursery isn't even a nursery anymore. It has turned into a Work Out/Catch All room. I hate that room! Our finances have gone to crap! We have one vehicle. I have no job. My MIL is living with us. I HAVE LOST CONTROL!

My life is like a puzzle. 2 years ago I had my puzzle all layed out and "baby" was the only missing piece. Now my puzzle is lying on the floor in a million pieces. I feel as though I don't have the strength to start my puzzle all over. Even if I did, I'm not sure I can handle starting all over and getting every piece back in the right place, only to find I'm still missing that one special piece called "baby". What if I never find it? What if my life is like one of those dollar store puzzles you buy, only to end up throwing away half way through because there are pieces missing!

I pray every night:

"Heavenly Father, hear my prayer. Please give me the strength and courage to carry on in this journey. Please help Jon and I to achieve our goals and make our dreams come true. Don't give up on me Lord, please don't. In Jesus name I pray, Amen"

Back with a Vengeance!

2009-06-01T16:53:00.003-05:00

After 84 days I had pretty much convinced myself that AF wasn't coming on her own and I would need medication.... but just when I think I have figured things out, my body proves me otherwise. AF showed up yesterday after a 84 day cycle. She is making up for lost time too. I might need to take blood donations by tomorrow haha! The cramps are minimal but I am incredibly weak! It is times like these that I am grateful I am out of work and can lay around in bed most of the day. Oh how I love this life as a barren woman with a screwed up uterus!
So here we go again... CD2 and counting.

Highschool here she comes...

2009-05-27T22:39:00.002-05:00

Kristin & I at her 8th grade graduation:

Kristin receiving her diploma:

Oh and my phone survived! I thought for sure it was a goner because the speakers wouldn't work, but I placed it in a bowl of rice overnight and VOILA like magic it works perfectly! :) Whew!

Darn Rain!

2009-05-26T18:43:00.004-05:00

+ = NOT GOOD!

Birthday Celebration

2009-05-24T16:20:00.006-05:00

I have been staying very busy lately which is nice for a change. There are days that go by when I feel like I did nothing productive, So when I have 4-5 days in a row where I fall in bed with exhaustion at the end of the day, It is quite nice.

Jon is leaving to go out of town for work tomorrow, so I'm trying to get all the hubby time I can, while I can.

Yesterday we decided to take a trip to the Tennessee River to put the Jetskis in the water for the first time this year. It was COOOOLD and it rained 85% of the time we were there, but it was still well worth it. I love love love being on the water.

Earlier last week we celebrated my niece Dayton's 7th birthday. (WOW! Where did the time go?) We had a small family get together at Chuck E Cheese before Dayton and her parents caught a flight to .... DISNEY WORLD! How exciting! She gets to spend 5 days in DW for her birthday! I can't wait to see all the great pictures when they get back. Here are a few of the pictures I shot for Dayton's Birthday..

Birthday Girl being silly as usual!

Kasey & Dayton before we left for Chuck E Cheese.

Dayton woke Poppy up from his nap to tell him it is time to GO! :)

Sissy, Krissie, Dad & Day playing Skee Ball.

Me & Day (She couldn't reach the petals on the race car game, so I was her feet!)

Mom & I on the Roller coaster Simulator.

Dad & I on the Roller coaster Simulator.

Krissie looking so grown up! (She graduates 8th grade on Tuesday, Oh Dear!)

Me & Kasey.

Me & Krissie.

Birthday presents! She was so excited!

Soooo Excited!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Memorial Day!

They Grow So Fast

2009-05-19T18:28:00.000-05:00

Swimsuit Mission Accomplished

2009-05-18T21:53:00.003-05:00

I found a large IN pink! Yay! The last store in my area happen to have one left! Whew! I was so excited! The suit fits great and I'm glad I was patient and persistent, It paid off!

Swimsuit Mission Accomplished

Swim Suit Saga Part 2

2009-05-17T22:49:00.002-05:00

I want to thank all of you for your feedback on the two swim suits I was debating. I agree with most of you that the 1st one (from Buckle.com btw)was totally me, and too cute to pass up! The second one (dillards.com) is nice, but im not certain I want to spend what they want for it, not knowing if it will fit perfectly. So as I went to order the Black/Green one I find devastating news (seriously, I loved this suit!)... SOLD OUT! Yep, all they had left was XS Tops. Which lets face it, wasn't going to cut it! So... I decided the best thing was to just get out there and try suits on.

So Friday I went with my BFF to the mall and tried on swim suits. The first few stores left me disappointed as usual. Then we went in Victorias Secret (as suggested by my great bloggy friend Erin -Thank You!!) and I found the perfect one! Well, almost perfect. The top is a solid color with lighter colored stars, and the bottom is all one color. The size Large fit perfectly :). The only problem was they didn't have large in Pink. No Pink?! What is a girl to do?! Wear Blue? They had blue, which is the color I tried on, but the pink was to die for. So I walked away empty handed. I checked on the website but did not find that exact suit, So tomorrow I'm going to run by a few other VS locations and hopefully find a Pink one in Large! Wish me luck! I'll let you know what I find!

Saturday was my Godson Jacob's 2nd birthday party! I can hardly believe he is 2. He has grown so fast. He is a total mini version of his Mom. :) The weather was perfect for his party at the park. Afterwards Jon and I went back to his house to play.

Today Jon and I ran some errands and did a little yard work, and then cooked burgers on the grill. It was was a great way to finish a great weekend.

Swimsuit Season

2009-05-14T22:47:00.005-05:00

Oh dear, It's that time again. Swimsuit Season. Since Jon and I are huge water fans, and spend 75% of our weekends at the lake during the Summer..Swimsuit shopping is unavoidable. I used to be one of those girls that could fit my 100lb self into just about any itsy bitsy teeny weeny string bikini. Used to be, as in no more! I'm still pretty fit at 135lbs, but I have some serious areas I would like to hide. One being my tummy, which is pretty much unavoidable because I'm not a one piece kind of girl. Second is my boobs! Seriously, I despise them. All you girls out there complaining about your A cup size... I envy you! These girls are barely fitting into a C these days. So, this years mission for a swimsuit, is to find something that holds the girls in, and doesn't show too much cleavage. I'm not the "If you got em', Flaunt em'" kinda girl, sorry.

So the obvious answer would be to get out and try suits on, which I plan to do... but I'm a fan of online shopping so I have been browsing constantly for suits that fit my criteria. I have narrowed it down to two. I'm willing to purchase on line and return if it doesn't fit. I just need advice on which one...Oh and they are both right about the same as far as price.

The first is my current favorite. Its cute and funky but not over the top. The top is a triangle style top but looks like it gives a decent amount of coverage. (It is a slider top, but I have been known to sew the sliders together so they don't separate, and would probably do that with this one) The bottoms are a little nontraditional with a fold over skirt style on them. I really like the thought of camouflaging my hips, :)

TOP

BOTTOM- FRONT VIEW

BOTTOM- BACK VIEW

The second option is animal print with a bandeau style top. I like the fact there is no dip in the middle for cleavage, yet I'm not sure how that slit in the center would look...The bottoms are basic and would work.

So lets hear it, which do you like better? Or do you dislike them both? I would love to hear your opinions. Have you picked a swimsuit for this year? Where did you shop?

The Doctors

2009-05-13T16:44:00.003-05:00

I just finished watching today's episode of The Doctors that I recorded on my DVR since I heard Aimee & Adam Freeman were going to be on the show. It made me cry like a baby. What the Freeman's have been through is a true tragedy, yet they seem to stand strong, knowing that God is in control. I have never spoken directly to the Freemans, but the simple fact that I read their blog and have been keeping tabs on Kayleigh for the past few months, made me feel so connected to them. It was like watching one of my friends on TV. My heart breaks for the Freeman family as they continue to struggle with finances and even worse, mourn the loss of their sweet Kayleigh. Please keep them in your prayers.

SWEET KAYLEIGH

2009-05-12T04:56:00.002-05:00

How selfish I feel to be basking in my sorrow when there is a family out there dealing with a pain far greater than mine...

PLEASE DROP TO YOUR KNEES AND PRAY FOR THE FREEMAN FAMILY!
BABY KAYLEIGH HAS GONE TO HEAVEN TO BE WITH THE LORD!

My heart breaks for them. Sweet Kayleigh touched so many lives and will continue to do so!

Click HERE to visit the Freemans blog.

I'm not strong enough to deal with it.

2009-05-12T02:14:00.002-05:00

Mother's Day was bitter sweet as usual. I put on a happy face and went to lunch at my Moms, then came home and had dinner with my Hubby and Mother In Law, but truth be told I wasn't really there. I was in my own world. A world of sorrow and pain. I am living a childless life, and I hate it! I want things to be different! I desperately want to be a Mom!

Here is a portion of my blog post from last years Mother's Day...

"So here it is, the day i dread! A day that is suppose to be full of happiness and joy...but for me it is filled with emptiness and sorrow! Last year i told myself "this is the last mother's day before you become a mother", little did i know.. I'm still not a mother."

Reading that feels so REAL! Those words are even more true today, than they were then. Only this year I don't feel as though this is my last Mother's Day that will be filled with sorrow and pain. I feel like this is my new normal. Like this is the life I am stuck with. Destined to be childless. Destined to dread Mother's Day for ever. I no longer find myself questioning "Will I be a Mom soon?".. I simply have accepted that I will not be.

I have my days of Hope, where I feel as though my dreams will come true and I will finally have my chance to live the life I dream about...But this is not one of those days. Truth be told, those days are few and far between. I can see my dream in the distance, but It seems impossible to get to. Like I'm enclosed in a locked cage and someone just threw the only key into the ocean. I feel hopeless and alone and tired.

Sunday was an entire day devoted to the dream I can't seem to reach.

I should be sorry. I should be happy. I should try to be possitive and hopeful. I should be grateful.

I am simply not.

Tree Thief

2009-05-07T03:12:00.003-05:00

My mother has a tree thief. A few weeks ago she woke up to find her 2 (small, expensive, ball-looking things) trees that sit on each side of the garage door, were gone! You could see where somewhere dug them up and drug them down the side walk and then into the road, where I assume they loaded them into their vehicle. Well angry and annoyed as my mother was, she decided to just replace them (her house is on the market and she wants everything to look perfect), so she went and bought two more trees. I think she said it cost her around 400$ for the two of them (wow!). She replaced them and that was that.... Until last night! She woke up this morning to find her trees... GONE! Yep, The tree thieves struck again! This time you could see where they drug the trees straight down the driveway in into the street (meaning the parked right in front of the house while they stole the trees). My mom was shocked and seriously angry! What kind of world do we live in, when your landscaping gets stolen right out of your front yard?! She hasn't said what she will do about replacing them, but I will keep you posted!

Also, I have a small prayer request. My BFF Amanda and her family are going through a difficult time. Amanda's Uncle Jeff passed away this pass Sunday in a very tragic death. The funeral is today, so if you could say a quick prayer that God will be with them, and help them through this difficult time! Thank you!

Mothers day is coming...

2009-05-06T19:35:00.002-05:00

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-29T18:17:00.011-05:00

Is it just me or does this squirrel need to go on a diet??

Me & My Bestie @ The Rodeo:

The best thing about rodeos... The bulls of course ;)

Just for fun I wanted to show you the SOOC (straight out of camera) shot VS. the PSP (edited on paint shop pro) shot:

Gotta love paint shop pro, right!? :)

NIAW

2009-04-27T22:11:00.007-05:00

When I started this blog more than a year ago, it was an "Infertility Blog". All about cycle days and home pregnancy tests. I poured my feelings out in every post. As my journey grew longer and harder my blog faded into an "Everyday Blog". Sure, I still post about Infertility and my struggle to conceive, but it is not the constant topic of conversation.

There is in fact a reason behind the transformation of my blog. In order to keep my sanity I refrained from living the Infertile life. I decided I was going to be an "Infertile" living a "Normal Life". I still wake up every morning with the desire to be a Mom in my heart, and I still go to bed every night with a prayer to make my husband a father. The dreams and desires are still there, I simply no longer wear them on my sleeve. Maybe it is my way of protecting and guarding myself. Maybe it is just a way of coping.

But, This week of all weeks, I feel as though I should stand up and shout from the roof tops "I am Infertile and I want children!". I want the world to know that just because I do not tell every person I meet that I am struggling with Infertility does not mean that I am ashamed! I am not! I have embraced Gods path for me and am following it with my head held high!

I have "watched" so many of my friends become parents and ooed and ahhed over there children, I have "read" more infertility turned parenting blogs than I care to count, but I am not bitter. They simply give me hope. Hope for tomorrow. Hope for my future. Our future, Our future as a family!

So in lieu of NIAW here is my Infertility Update :)

We began trying to conceive in July 2006.

We have been trying for 2 years, 9 months, 3 weeks and 5 days.

I have been diagnosed with anovulation and do not ovulate on a regular basis. My cycles have a mind of their own and are anywhere from 30-50 days long, and sometimes even nonexistent.

We have done 6 rounds of Clomid, with no success.

We stopped fertility treatments in September of 2008 due to overwhelmed stress and financial issues. We plan to resume fertility treatments in the late Fall 2009, or sooner if possible.

We plan on giving IUI a try (my silly husband just leaned over to read this and says "look, your a poet and didn't even know it"..because IUI and TRY rhyme... I love him! ) and will consider IVF, but hope it doesn't come to that. We are also interested in International adoption from Russia.

I am currently on Cycle Day 51 of this cycle. Yes, I said 51.

My heart goes out to everyone who is directly or indirectly affected by Infertility. Please remember we are not alone.

Trip to the ER

2009-04-22T22:53:00.005-05:00

I have been super lazy (with a good excuse) and not wanting to post, but when I saw Danielle's Giveaway I just had to post about it! (not just because it gets me 2 extra entries :] ). So go on over and take a look , and you could win a free blog makeover!! Yes, I'm serious. Free.

Here is a quick rundown of why I have been lazy, and what I have been up to these past few days.

Saturday: Went to my BFF Amanda's Horse Show and watched her ride in the Grand Entry. (Great Job by the way man!) Afterwards, went out with the hubby and some friends. Had a great evening but started to feel a little sore throat coming on. (Totally NOT unusual for me)

Sunday: Spent a relaxing day around the house with my hunny. My throat was getting gradually worse despite my attempts to "shew" it away. Salt water. Tylenol. Chloroseptic spray. No use.

Monday: Woke up bright and early and gave the hubby a ride to work so I would have the truck and could take myself to the Doctor. Came home, took a shower and watched my soap (what?! I couldn't resist), then slowly made my way to the Doctor. I explained my symptoms to the doctor and since he knows my situation with my throat having serious problems lately and my surgery to have my tonsils removed in July he ran a quick strep test that came back negative and prescribed me Antibiotics for the infection. I was in and out in minutes and on my way.

Later Monday: After getting my scrip filled and coming back home I got in ed to relax. The pain was minimal but i knew rest was the best thing for me. Then... BAM! Within 30 minutes the pain went from 0 to 10! It kept getting worse and worse until I thought I was gonna fall out on the floor! One look at my throat in the mirror and I knew I was in trouble. My throat was swollen with whelps and blood was running down the back of my throat. (gross I know) I called my doctor who told me to go to the ER. So my mother in law drove me and away I went.

I arrived at the ER, sat in the waiting room crying in pain, then was moved to the hallway in the back to sit on a bed and cry in more pain. I sat for 20 minutes before anyone even acknowledged me. I begged for pain meds. With hand gestures of course because at this point speaking is next to impossible. The nurse agreed to get me meds, then disappeared. 20 more minutes later the doctor comes by and says let me take a look. She shines a light in my throat, says "Wow, that's bad, we will get you something for pain", then walks away. 10 MORE minutes later the nurse comes back and says they need an EKG before giving me meds, since I have SVT (a heart disorder, that causes fast heart rate).

So even though, I knew my heart was fine I had to tolerate the EKG just praying she would hurry and get me something to stop the pain. By this time I am in the worst pain of my life. It feels like someone sliced my throat open and the air is burning my open wounds. After the EKG I am put back in the hallway to wait yet another...no not 10 but 15 minuted before someone finally brings me some Tylenol with codeine. I was a little suspicious that this medicine would do the job, but took in because I was desperate for some relief.

Within 5 minutes of me taking the meds, a woman is telling me to sign here, and here, and here. (discharging me) I'm telling the woman i'm still in pain and what if this medicine doesn't help? She just says, "It will now sign here". So I sign and then they take my 150$ Copay, OUCH! After that (as i'm waiting for these meds to kick in) I am basically shoved out the door. They kept repeating to me "there is nothing more we can do". I ended up leaving the ER in more pain than when I came (Even though I didn't think that was possible).

Okay I'm getting really tired so I'm gonna rap this up rather quickly.

On the ride home the meds begin to make me very sleep but do not take away any of the pain. As we pull in the drive way and I go to get out of the truck, I begin to black out. (Sooo scary) Jon gets me inside (Oh did I mention Jon left work and met me at the ER) and places a cold rag on my face which relieves the dizziness and and begin to feel better. He puts me in bed and runs to get my pain meds from walgreens. I count the seconds until he gets back, just begging God for some relief. Jon arrives and gives me more pain meds which finally relieve enough of the pain for me to sleep. I slept for hours and hours and woke up feeling much better.

Tuesday: I basically slept the entire day away. Jon took off work and cared for me. What a sweetie!!

Today: (today is Wednesday right?!) I am drowsy and totally stopped up, but at least have little to no pain.

It has been a long and difficult last few days. I'm sorry I'm not doing the best job at explaining the events and what happened, but I'm really half out of it. So there ya go, a brief (or not so brief) look into the last few days of my life.

Pray for the Motorcyle Man

2009-04-16T00:17:00.004-05:00

I wanted to share this frightening story with ya'll.

Jon and I went to visit our Godson today and on the way home we saw a really tragic accident. We were sitting at a red light and saw a man on a motorcycle gas on it and head down the street ahead of us at a pretty high speed. A few seconds later we heard a loud Click type sound. We briefly looked at each other like "hm that was a strange sound". Jon even said "sounded like that motorcycle crashed", but I didn't really think to much into what he said because it wasn't really a BOOM, more just a click, and the motorcycle way to far away for us to hear if it crashed...

Boy, was I wrong. When the light turned green and we proceeded down the road we saw the motorcycle in thousands of pieces, and a car thats front end was totally smashed. When I say the motorcycle was in a thousand pieces, I am NOT exaggerating! It was seriously shattered. All that was left was 2 tires and the engine. It looked as though the car turned in front of the motorcycle and they hit head on some how. We estimate he was going at least 60mph.

We then saw the man. He was laying in the grass in front of Joes crab shack (the resteraunt) nearly 50-60 feet away. He had to have flown that far. He was stomach down on the grass completely unresponsive. His helmet was a good few feet away and looked like it came off during the accident. There was a nurse leaning over him, the driver of the other car I presume. My heart sank and Jon and I immediately started praying out loud for him. It was aware that people had already begun calling 911 and there was nothing we could do, so we continued home. We couldn't get it out of our minds and just kept praying! Nearly 4 years ago Jon and I were in a motorcycle wreck. Luckily no one was to seriously injured. We both had some road rash, and I messed all my fingers up pretty bad, but we healed. The scars remind me daily of how blessed we were. Please pray for the "motorcycle man on ridgeway rd."!

Added: Just a reminder to everyone. Motorcycles are seriously dangerous, please avoid them. If you DO choose to ride on one, please take the necessary precations to be safe. Wear leathers and a good helmet!- God Bless!

The Dressler Family

A look back...

Miracles.

Ya gotta start somewhere...

Where I've Been....

Shutterfly Christmas Cards...

Super Late 30 Day Blog Challenge Finale

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 26

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 25

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 24

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 23

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 17-22

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 15 & 16

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 14

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 13

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 12

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 11

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 10

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 8 & 9

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 7

30 Day Blog Challenge - Days 4, 5, & 6

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 3

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 2

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day 1 (redo)

30 Day Blog Challenge - Day One

FINDING LIFE AFTER DEATH

Out West

Sunday Post

Infertility Diagnosis - Better late than never?!

Tree Branches

SHOW US YOUR LIFE - Hometown

Show us your life- How I met my husband.

Heartbreak and Devastation.

I owe it to you..

My Cardboard Testimony

Are you watching??

READY OR NOT, HERE THEY COME.

Bikini Baby!

On my bookshelf..

I'm one of "those" bloggers

(LOTS OF) Christmas Pictures!

Another one.

"Don't Worry Bout A Thing."

Nerves and Anticipation!

The Lord is my shepherd!

Short & Sweet

I will not settle, I want the best!

TOS & the long road ahead.

Because I Can

My heart aches. PLEASE PRAY!

Cuteness Overload!

My New Nephew!

SHOW US YOUR LIFE - Wedding Dress

Boredom Strikes

Good Reads

Vacation Recap.

Abandoned Baby.

8 DAYS & COUNTING

Manic Monday

The best a girl could ask for..

God Is Good!

A visitor.

IMMEDIATE PRAYER REQUEST *UPDATED*

April Rose

My life is like a puzzle.

Back with a Vengeance!

Highschool here she comes...

Darn Rain!

Birthday Celebration

They Grow So Fast

Swimsuit Mission Accomplished

Swim Suit Saga Part 2

Swimsuit Season

The Doctors

SWEET KAYLEIGH

I'm not strong enough to deal with it.

Tree Thief

Mothers day is coming...

Wordless Wednesday

NIAW

IMMEDIATE PRAYER REQUEST UPDATED