Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Happy June ICLW and the sweet smell of sunscreen on little boys

Welcome new readers and frequent fliers. I am looking forward to finding some new blogs and connecting with some other amazing women this month. I am currently on Lupron for my first IVF in June/July. I have my next appointment on July 1st, and as long as everything looks good I will start stims then.

My crazy journey to date has included 2 failed IUI's, 2 laparoscopic surgeries, a lost left tube due to a cyst/benign tumor, and an early miscarriage (8 weeks). It's been a crazy year, but I am starting to realize that I wouldn't be the person I am today had I not gone through everything up to this point. I am learning to be a much more compassionate and patient person.
Most recently, I have started yoga for fertility and acupuncture and absolutely love them. I am feeling much more at peace with this process and my journey. I am doing everything I can that is in my power, and leaving the rest up to chance/luck/modern medicine. I can only control so much, so I am trying to let the rest go.

In addition, I am cutting dairy out of my diet. So far it has been a challenge. I am definitely missing cheese.

I have to note that the highlight of my day involved a little boy I work with snuggling up on my lap and smelling like sunscreen. He smelled so great and extended his love to me. What a great feeling!

So to keep the conversation from being one-sided I am going to ask you some questions. Get ready...
1. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer? BTW, HAPPY SUMMER!!
2. What is your favorite song you recently heard?
3. What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing?
4. What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
5. Do you smile more or frown more?
6. What are you currently reading?

My answers:
1. swimming, boating, waterskiing (what, I can't list more than one?) They all involve the lake.
2. I recently heard a song by Civil Wars called I've Got this Friend. I love Sirius radio!
3. I am a speech-language pathologist and work with children aged birth-five. My job challenges me regularly, but I love that I can help others and empower children to communicate rather than become frustrated.
4. I went repelling down waterfalls in Costa Rica. One was 180 feet and it was a total rush. I would love to go sky diving.
5. I try to smile more and have been working on this. It is challenging since my patience is tested regularly, but I love the effect of smiling at kids and the reaction I receive.
6. I just started reading Fully Fertile. I was reading a novel on my kindle, but decided I needed to fully commit to this cycle on IVF.

15 comments:

  1. Great ICLW post! I've of course been following for a while, but I'll chime in... these are fun!

    1. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer? BTW, HAPPY SUMMER!!

    jet skis, baby... preferably at high speeds!

    2. What is your favorite song you recently heard?

    For the First Time by The Script

    3. What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing?

    Grad student (working toward being a professor) studying International Relations and Political Methodology with an emphasis on ethnic politics and human rights... love it. Making a difference one step at a time, just like outside of work. I'd also love to be a Mom... working toward that one, too!

    4. What is the craziest thing you have ever done?

    I'm not really a risk taker, so it's hard to say. Maybe traveling to conflict zones alone? That one may be a thing of the past now though, since hopefully children are on the horizon.

    5. Do you smile more or frown more?

    In all honesty, probably frown more these days. But I try to smile and definitely do more than I used to.

    6. What are you currently reading?

    Lots of research proposals... I'm at an academic conference for three more days.

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  2. 1. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer?
    bike riding, camping, swimming (sorry. I could not pick only one either)

    2. What is your favorite song you recently heard?
    I do not really listen to new music. I listen to a lot of old music and there are to many songs to count. Mostly jazz, blues, and funk.

    3. What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing?
    I am a massage treapist and I LOVE what I do. I can not work in Germany because I do not have a work permit, but when I was working in the USA, I like to think I was making a difference.

    4. What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
    I got married in Mexico and I decided to go skydiving with my brother the day before I got married. I don't think that is crazy though, I think that is fun. I love adrenaline!

    5. Do you smile more or frown more? I definitely smile more. I am truly an optimist.

    6. What are you currently reading? I am reading a book about meditation, The Secret, and a book about herbs and natural remedies.

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  3. 1. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer?
    I live in Phoenix, where it is generally >105 degrees every day, all summer long, so I go outside as little as possible in the summer. ;-)
    During our "winter," I hike almost every weekend. We also love taking our two golden retrievers for walks and to the park.
    2. What is your favorite song you recently heard?
    I really love Adele's new album 21. All the songs on it are awesome!
    3. What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing?
    I am an attorney, currently working at a private firm. I love being an attorney but do not necessarily love being in private practice. I'm sure I make a difference for some of my clients, but in the greater scheme, I feel I'm just a cog in the wheel.
    I would love to practice law for a non-profit but am not prepared to take the >50% pay cut that would entail. I've also thought of becoming a kindergarten teacher (random, I know).
    4. What is the craziest thing you have ever done?
    Hmm. I don't generally do crazy things, so I'm hard-pressed to think of anything.
    5. Do you smile more or frown more?
    Frown, but not out of anger or unhappiness; I frown when I'm concentrating, which is often, given what I do for a living.
    6. What are you currently reading?
    I just started reading Mansfiled Park by Jane Austen. I loved Emma, Pride & Prejudice, and Sense & Sensibility, so I thought I'd give it a try.

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  4. Thank you for stopping by yesterday!
    Good luck with this cycle!

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  5. Good luck with your cycle! SOunds like you are in a really great state of mind! :)

    Answers to your questions:
    1. Love, love, love to go camping
    2. The Foo Fighters new album is great...have been listening to it non-stop
    3. I work in advertising and it's fun/creative/I'm good at it but don't really feel like I'm contributing much to the world. Feel like I make that impact in other ways...
    4. This whole process trying to have a baby is pretty crazy...
    5. Smile for sure...
    6. Go Tell it on the Mountain. Loving it...it's the first book I've enjoyed (and will actually finish) in a long time

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  6. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer? Walking, swimming, just being outside.

    What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing? I am an elementary special education teacher. I love my job and most of the time feel like I am making a difference.

    What is the craziest thing you have ever done? Starting IVF out of state is feeling pretty crazy at the moment.

    Do you smile more or frown more? Smile

    What are you currently reading? A Lee Child book--I don't remember the name at the moment. It's a good mindless read.

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  7. Happy ICLW!

    One of my favorite things about the summer is lightening bugs Summer is the only time you see them.

    Enjoy your summer and ICLW!

    ~Suzy
    ICLW #53

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  8. Hello as a follower and from ICLW: --- LOVE that song you posted. I googled it and it's fantastic!!

    1. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer? Swimming, barbecuing, four-wheeling, camping...

    2. What is your favorite song you recently heard? Hmmm...I love music...been listening to Straight No Chaser a lot on Pandora while doing homework

    3. What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing? I am a stay-at-home mom and yes, I LOVE it! I am making an impact, absolutely. If I was not doing this, I would be working in advertising.

    4. What is the craziest thing you have ever done? Well, when I was 15 I was an exchange student, so that whole year was pretty crazy...

    5. Do you smile more or frown more? Smile

    6. What are you currently reading? Chronicles of Narnia

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  9. Hi there! I'm also cutting milk out of my diet and IT IS SO HARD. I have been a heavy milk and cheese consumer for a long, long time.

    1. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer? I would say camping definitely. Although we've not been able to do that much, so my next best is riding my new bike :)

    2. What is your favorite song you recently heard? Rolling in the Deep - Adele

    3. What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing? I work in college admissions and I love it. I love feeling like I am directly helping people improve their life.

    4. What is the craziest thing you have ever done? Blogged about my period on the internet :)

    5. Do you smile more or frown more? Definitely smile.

    6. What are you currently reading? In between books right now, but I'm going to the library tonight to fix that.

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  10. 1. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer? BTW, HAPPY SUMMER!! swimming

    2. What is your favorite song you recently heard? Drops of Jupiter by Train

    3. What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing? I am a stay home wife and mother (after a long struggled with secondary infertility/rpl). I love being able to be here and support my boys and I know I'm making a difference.

    4. What is the craziest thing you have ever done? I refuse to answer on the grounds I may incriminate myself.

    5. Do you smile more or frown more? definitely smile more

    6. What are you currently reading? I'm getting ready to read The Strange Case of Finley Jayne by Kady Cross. It's the first book in a brand new Steampunk Romance series.

    If you love to read, you should stop by and sign up for my reading challenge. You can sign up until the end of the month.

    ICLW #10

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  11. Hi there,

    Happy ICLW to you too.

    And I hope IVF #1 will firmly put you on your path to parenthood.

    I was listening to Father Figure by George Michael a little while back. I am a teacher and like being one.




    iclw #36

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  12. Swimming is definitely my favorite thing....just being in the water.

    Hoping that this IVF cycle works for you guys! I'm curious as to where in upstate NY you are :-)

    Thank you for your comment on my blog.

    Life in the White House
    http://nothingshallbeimpossible2005.blogspot.com

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  13. HI!! Im coming to you new from ICLW--

    1. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer? BTW, HAPPY SUMMER!!
    going to the pool! :) I am a fish I swear! I love to swim!

    2. What is your favorite song you recently heard?
    Rascal Flatts:
    I Won't Let Go--such an awesome song for my IF journey! You have to listen to it! :)

    3. What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing?
    I am a unit clerk at a hospital. I hate it! :) I dont think im making much of a difference right now. I am building my photography business and hope oneday to do it full time! I think I make more of a impact as a photographer--its my true passion and when I get that really special photo between 2 loved ones or freeze a time in newborns growing stages of life,and I hear someone say that my photo brought such joy to their lives,it makes me heart melt! :)

    4. What is the craziest thing you have ever done?--hmm,not much of a risk-taker,sooo-maybe when I was 9 I stole this pink flamingo earrings from a store and felt so guilty about it that 10min later I showed my mom what I found on the "street" and she knew immediately that I took them and made me go back in and apologize and write a letter to them! :) Again-not a risk-taker! lol


    5. Do you smile more or frown more? Honestly before we started TTC I smiled all the time--last year was def a more frowning year,but this year I am determined to be more happy and smile more! :)



    6. What are you currently reading? Blogs! I am new to this whole "IF blog society" so Im SO excited to learn about others stories with struggling,both the bad and the good! :)

    Thank you for this fun survey! :)
    Wishing your well on your IVF cycle! Look forward to following your journey!

    Tristan at:
    http://kimerlingjourneytoababy.blogspot.com/
    ICLW#141

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  14. Hey Liz! Thanks for commenting on my blog. I just saw on your profile that you are from Upstate NY...me too! Since there are not that many clinic in this area we probably go to the same one. Primate message me at bringonthebabies@gmail.com Can't wait to hear from you!

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  15. Hi! I just found your blog and so happy I did as I am going through very similar issue and recently started blogging too (6 IUIs, laparoscopy, tubal adhesions, onto my 1st IVF). My blog is at http://adinadout.livejournal.com/
    Here are my responses:
    1. What is your favorite outdoor activity in the summer? Tennis and gardening!!! Love the summer!
    2. What is your favorite song you recently heard? Jar of hearts - a sad one!
    3. What do you do for work? Do you love it? Do you feel like you are making a difference/impact? If not, what else would you love to be doing? I am a financial analyst and I am not crazy about it at all mostly due to the fact that I do not feel I am making any impact. I would love to do something related to arts.
    4. What is the craziest thing you have ever done? Married in Vegas and then divorced in 3 weeks. Haha! Was so crazy and oh so dumb of me!
    5. Do you smile more or frown more? Smile!!!!!!!! :)
    6. What are you currently reading? Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet - highly recommend!

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