Suka vs. Superman

Mark got Septtro a fun gift from his Miracle Hill thrift store. Suka didn't care for it much. She barked at him and "guarded" us from his evilness all week. We put him on her bed. She wasn't too thrilled with him being in her space.

















We put a treat in Superman's hand to see if she'd take it. It took her about 5 minutes but she finally got it after much prodding from us. I have a video but I'm not sure how to upload it. I'll try to get it up later.

She's Here!!

Ok so it's not really a "she" but Aunt Flo arrived this morning in full force!!!! I'm SO excited! :) It's been a whole year since she's shown up on her own - without the help of medication. Almost exactly 2 weeks ago, at my appointment, I was ready to throw in the towel and take medicine. I'm SO glad I didn't! My body CAN do it on its own! I just needed to give it time and the right nutrients. I really do feel the Reliv helped accomplish this. The skin on my back, chest, and face has almost completely cleared up too.

Now I know exactly where I am in my cycle...this will help me as I continue to chart my basal temperature each morning as far as what I should be seeing and what I shouldn't. I've already seen a difference in my temperatures from last month to this month. I'll have to post the pictures to show you what I mean...later.

Praise the Lord! I don't know that I've been so excited to feel so awful! :)

Bandi-Dandi

Last month, mom, Shawna and I went to a craft fair in Simpsonville. There was a lady there selling dog clothes. Now I'm not normally one to dress up my dog (she apparently dresses her dog up every single day), but the stuff she makes is SO stinkin cute. So mom decided Suka and Tillman needed an outfit. :)

She only charges $10 and will put the dog's name and phone number anywhere on the clothes. She'll put rhinestones or any other iron-on patch anywhere you want. You can even bring your dog to her house for a fitting. She obviously loves what she does and is very talented! She can custom-make pretty much anything!

Tillman will be getting a Clemson fleece hoodie (seen in a picture below) and Suka will be getting a Woodruff sweatshirt (we will have to work with her to get right fabrics and colors). If you're interested in checkin her out, her email is bandi_dandi@yahoo.com. Her name is Susan (fabulous name don't you think?) Buckalew. She also makes all-organic dog treats but I'm not sure if she sells those.

Check out some of the clothes...they're from my cell phone so they're not great, but you get the idea. :)







Here's Tillman in his Clemson fleece hoodie. His will actually be a different pattern and he'll get an orange pocket with a Clemson paw and his name on the back. I'm not quite sure what Suka is wearing but it isn't exactly flattering.





I think this outfit is so cute but Septtro didn't like it. It's reversable - cotton on one side, fleece on the other.

I love this one!















Isn't she adorable?
:)













Susan gave us a free scarf (they're normally only 3 for $5 for smalls and mediums - Suka is wearing a medium).

Thanksgiving pics

Ok I know these are a lil late but better late than never right? First up, Thanksgiving with mom's mom - gramma Burton at the nursing home. This was the Thursday before Thanksgiving.

We had to find some ways to entertain ourselves. This was actually Septtro's idea. Notice how he's acting like he had no part in it.

Mark's mask needed a lil help - valiant effort, though. Shawna also participated in our attempt of entertainment. We should have made some for all the residents at the nursing home...how fun that would have been! Maybe next year...

This is in Pennsylvania. We used to gather upstairs but our family has grown so we now eat in the basement. This is my dad's side of the family. From left....Brooke (cuz's wife), Katie (cuz), Shawna (u know), Karla (cuz - thanks for that), yours truly, and Kathy (cuz's wife). We had a good time chattin.

Here's a picture of my Uncle John and Aunt Robyn's house. They allowed us to stay there during our visit. I love that house...brings back so many memories of going up as a kid.

"Now Connor, if you don't smile, you can't go to your other grammie's house". Ahh hahaha! This picture makes me laugh!!!

Cousin Corey and cousin-in-law Brooke with their daughter, Emma.

Cuz Kevin and Kathy with their kids Nate and Ally. Yeah, Nate is pretty stinkin tall. He's 4.

Mom with Uncle Dave and Aunt Kris

Uncle Sandy and Aunt Elly - I'm pretty sure Elly was laughing at something. :)

Auntie Robyn - playin games...

And my FAVORITE picture:

I love how Grampa played along with our silly picture. :)

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving too!!!

String of Pearls

I had another doctor appointment yesterday. She explained the results of my blood work and I had an ultrasound - which she explained to me as well. I had to wait FOREVER to see her which was pretty frustrating. My appointment to see her was at 3:45 and I didn't see her until almost 5:30. Yeah...and to make that wait worse, the nurse had given me my ultrasound papers to give to the doctor so, of course, I read them. And, of course, I didn't quite understand all that medical mumbo-jumbo. I read, "ultrasound shows slightly enlarged uterus (5 weeks)..." - I kept reading that line over and over and over. What does that mean? Could I be pregnant again? What else could 5 weeks mean? But I'm not having any pregnancy symptoms....my mind was racin!

As it turns out, I'm not pregnant. I guess the ultrasound techs just describe the size of a uterus in accordance with pregnancy weeks even if you're not pregnant. The doctor said a normal uterus is 4 weeks...don't remember the reason she gave for why mine was perhaps slightly larger.

As far as my blood work goes....I'm not insulin resistant - as some women with PCOS are, my thyroid is fine, metabolism levels normal, cholesterol good, ovaries....not so good, testosterone...not so good. :) She said my overies looked like the classic "string of pearls" - because of the cysts. She said she likes to see testosterone levels less than 35....mine were a bit over 60. My hormone levels had a PCOS flip....the number that should have been high was low and the number than should have been low was high.

Then there comes my decision to make. Initially, I figured I'd stick with Reliv for the 90 days. Today is day 67. But then I guess I'm just getting impatient. I want results! I want my period back (how many women wish for that?!)!! I realized I have almost gone an entire year since my body produced a regular cycle without medication. Of course, part of the time, I was pregnant, but that's a long time! So I've thought about starting on the medication she gave me but still taking my Reliv shakes. But if I did that, I really wouldn't know how effective the Reliv truly can be for someone with PCOS - and my type of PCOS.

My doctor is very open to me doing whatever I feel most comfortable with. After thinking more about it last night and this morning, I think I may still hold off on medication until my 90 days with Reliv are up. It was explained to me - and it makes sense - that Reliv does take time. It's a natural, vitimin-enhanced food...not a chemical like medications. Reliv won't force your body to do something it's not normally doing like many medications. It helps your body begin to get back on track...naturally...and naturally takes time. So I think I'll stick with my original plan. And I will take comfort in knowing that God will not be bound by me taking or not taking "proper" medication. He is able to accomplish His will regardless. So I'm going to make the wisest decision I can with the information I have and trust Him. I am choosing to be patient with this Reliv. All in His time.

It's a.......

The verdict is in...I shall commence to buying...

BOY THINGS!!!!! IT'S A NEPHEW!!!!! ....as you can see....guess I can't count on my dreams as messages from God after all. ;) Congrats Mark and Shawna!!




Ladies and gentlemen, we have a puffy head...




I can't wait to meet him!!!!!!!

Lots To Talk About...

First and foremost, Shawna finds out whether I'll be getting a niece or nephew this afternoon (her appointment was moved up from Wednesday). HOW EXCITING!!! We all think it's a girl. Shaw and I both had dreams it was a girl....the Lord has spoken.

Woodruff lost their game this past Friday. :( I feel awful for them just because of the way they lost. From the beginning of the game, they made several mistakes and couldn't recover. You can't make mistakes playing a team like that this deep in the playoffs. I barely slept Friday night and Saturday morning, I woke myself up by throwing my phone across the room. I guess I've invested myself a little more into the team than I thought. My heart still hurts for them every time I think about it. In all, though, they did have a great season - haven't been this far in playoffs in about 15 years. Hopefully, next year we'll go all the way (all the lineman will be seniors and the quarterback will be a senior).

We had a GREAT visit in Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving. It was so nice to see everybody again. We got back yesterday...boy was that a dramatic trip back. We ran into horrid traffic, had some awful acts of nature occur, the car broke down.....yeah...we left at 4:30 yesterday morning and I didn't get home until after 8:00 last night. I looked for flights before we left but didn't find any good deals - it will be a greater consideration for next time.

I'll try to post pictures of the above soon! Happy Cyber Monday! ;)

Woodruff Wins!!!!

Woodruff beat Abbeville last night 38-21!!! Woodruff played one of the best games I've seen them play this year. If they can keep playing like that, they WILL win state!

Now they face Pageland Central (Chesterfield County) this Friday at 7:30. Unfortunately, I won't be able to go. Septtro and I will be away from one another at Thanksgiving but hopefully, it'll be worth it. :) Death Valley, here we come!!!

GO WOODRUFF!!!

So most of you know - but maybe some don't - that Septtro helps coach the offensive line at Woodruff High School. He LOVES it there. The school is awesome and the community is even better.

The team is in the 3rd round of playoffs for the first time since 2003. They have the potential to win state. Today, they go to Abbeville.

Abbeville is undefeated this season (although some may say they don't really play very many tough teams during the regular season). They haven't lost a regular season home game since 2005. We played them earlier in the season; losing by just two points (we made a lot of mistakes - probably one of the worst games we've played). They're a tough team. But I believe Woodruff is better - and no, I'm not biased - not at all.

I can't wait to go watch the game! It's gonna be a good one! Although, either way, it will be a bit bitter-sweet for me. I want them to win, but if they win, Septtro will not be able to go with us to Pennsylvania for Thanksgiving as they'll play that Friday. As much as I'd really like to be with Septtro on Thanksgiving, you don't have many opportunities to coach a state championship team so I'd rather them win tonight. If they do win tonight, they better win next Friday - I'm not gonna be away from my hubby for nothin! :)

Check out their website. GO WOLVES!!

Disco Christmas!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Blog You Should Read

Sometimes I go from one person's blog to the next, to the next, to the next. It makes me wonder, sometimes, how many people read my blog that I'm not aware of. After all, there are several people I've never met that have blogs I read. You never know how God will use something as simple as a blog. I came across one in particular that was such an incredible story I thought I'd share.

If I'm not mistaken, this is the blog of Todd and Angie Smith's young daughter, Audrey. Todd is a member of the Christian group, Selah. The web address is: http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/

Be sure you give yourself plenty of time to read various posts. I started at the beginning. Their testimony is so incredible and her blog is such an encouragement to me. I couldn't help but sit there and read - crying, rejoicing, and hoping.

In other news, my friend, Cortney, finds out if her baby is a boy or girl today. I didn't expect the emotions this would bring. I'm so thrilled for her. I guess I can't help but miss being in that same situation. Peanut would have been 23 weeks as of yesterday. Shawna finds out whether I'll be getting a niece or nephew on December 3rd. As excited as I am, I'm finding it harder and harder to not feel sad and disappointed as these various milestones continue to pass. Not my plans, God, but yours! Not my timing, but yours! "I'm letting go, of the life I planned for me - and my dreams...." God help me to let go of what I had planned for myself and accept where you've placed me. May I be content with the circumstances I'm in and continue to trust in you.

5K Race

I decided to try it - run a 5K. I run with Suka almost every night...probably about 1.5 miles or so. Somebody at work wanted to sponsor someone for the Lungs for life 5K here in Greenville so I decided to give it a whirl. My mom went with me but she mostly walked. I came in just over 27 minutes. Although I wanted to win, my goal was just to run the entire time without stopping and I did. So yay!

There were several people there with dogs so I felt bad for not bringing Suka. She could have walked with mom but I had no idea they would allow that. There were also SEVERAL strollers....ANNOYING!!!! Not that I'm against doing that with strollers but c'mon - move to the side. It was the first year for this so maybe they'll let the runners go first next year or something. I got frustrated a little bit tryin to weave my way through the people walking or barely jogging. But hey, I got some exercise and it was for a good cause so all in all, it was a fun morning! Here are some pics...

I'm gonna be an Aunt Sue!!! :)

That's right - I'm gonna be an aunt and I'm SO excited! Shawna (brother's wife) is 15 weeks as of tomorrow. I can't wait to find out if it will be a boy or girl. Then I can commence to buying all kinds of gender-appropriate things. :)

Although I was really looking forward to being pregnant with Shawna and having our kids be so close in age, (I actually found out about it the day before we got our sad news) I know His timing is perfect. Praise the Lord for this precious gift!!! This baby is truly a blessing to all of us and I can't wait to meet him or her!

The baby is due April 22nd. Here's what I'm looking forward to with my niece or nephew:

1. holding that bundle of joy for the first time - Oh I can't wait!
2. babysitting my niece or nephew - for free (that's right, so hand em over!)
3. seeing some of myself in some way in the baby (a laugh, personality, or my oh-so coveted ability to bust a move)
4. taking lots and lots of really fun pictures
5. seeing him or her smile at me, recognize me, and reach out their arms for me
6. watching them play in their first organized sports game or dance recital (face it Mark, it might happen)
7. being able to hype him or her up and then send them home ;)
8. having them meet, become buddies, and pal around with my future kids

I'm not quite sure when the appointment is to find out the gender but rest assured, I will announce as soon as I can. :) Please be in prayer for little baby Steenback and Shawna and Mark. They've been such an encouragement to myself and Septtro. I know both of them will make fantastic parents!

Dr Appt Update

So I had my doctor's appointment yesterday afternoon. I had to wait almost an hour to see the doctor, but once I did, I realized it was worth it. She was extremely attentive and knowledgeable - willing and open to do whatever necessary to help me get pregnant again. I didn't feel rushed at all while talking to her...very nice and personable.

Basically, she further explained PCOS and told me what she would do now is get some blood work done to test my insulin levels. Apparently, my other doctor never tested for that. Sometimes women with PCOS can be insulin-resistant and this can cause health issues such as diabetes and high cholesterol down the road. She would then want to do an ultrasound to look at my ovaries herself and also check out everything else. She's a very thorough doctor and very precise and careful. Afterwards, as long as she sees what my records show (that I do have PCOS) and perhaps depending on what my blood work reveals, she would want to put me on Metformin [I knew it! :)]. She gave me several articles to read on PCOS, wants me to keep track of my basal temperature (my other doctor didn't even care to see my basal chart when I offered), and keep taking Reliv. She was very open to Reliv after I told her the success of others so that was encouraging. She said she didn't care how I got pregnant - only that I did and if Reliv helped do that, she was fine with it. I let her know I really don't like medicines but after hearing her and reading the articles, I feel Metformin might be a good option but I'm gonna try to give Reliv a chance first.

I won't see her again until December 3rd. That will be when I have an ultrasound and she'll go over the blood work results. I'll have to go to the lab for blood work in the next couple of weeks. We thought maybe I'd get to see her sooner but she's obviously very busy. That's ok with me. She pointed out some numbers on my blood work from several months ago that will hopefully change in the next few months. I'm hoping maybe my blood work I have done in a few weeks will reveal some progress after being on Reliv for a few more weeks.

All in all, it was a good visit and I feel encouraged. I'm fairly sure I'll end up switching to her as my primary doctor. I'm very thankful the Lord led me to her. I think she'll be very helpful. My weeks are still filled with good days and bad but I feel like at least physically, I'm getting myself on the right track.

Acrobatic Doggies

I've discovered a new setting on my camera and have been practicing with Suka and Tillman (brother's dog). Here are some of the better pictures...

It's almost like she was trying to pose for the camera instead of catching the ball.

I love this one

I love this one too - she's so happy! :)

Yeah sometimes she forgets to open her mouth.

Hahaha...I love her ears in this picture

Break it down, Suka!

Yes, she does actually catch it every now and then.

Tillman has some ups!
I really wish this picture wasn't in the shade because it would have turned out a lot better

I guess it helps he's a bit OCD - all he can think about is "ball, ball ball"

I kept mom in the picture so you can really get an idea of how high he's jumping.

They like to fight over who can get the ball first. They love each other so much! :)

Handsome lil devil isn't he?

She was being so frustratingly cute. I was trying to get her to lie down so I could get a good picture of her and she kept doing an army crawl towards me and then flipped over. So I gave up and just took the picture.

One Day Closer

My mom has been such an encouragement to me these past couple months. At the end of a lot of emails and phone conversations, she'll tell me I'm one day closer. One day closer to getting pregnant again. One day closer to meeting my baby. One day closer to being a mom. And you know what? I can't wait! :)

I have an appointment at another doctor's office a week from today. She's a doctor that has PCOS and has had a miscarriage and also has a young child. So I'm hopeful that she will be able to more adequately direct me down the right path towards a good, healthy pregnancy. Not that I blame my previous doctor for what happened. It's just they're more hands-off and let you decide whereas I'd rather someone with the experience guide me a little bit more. I'm not switching doctors at this point - just getting a second opinion on everything. I might end up switching but I'm just not sure yet.

I've started taking a vitamin shake twice a day. It's called Reliv and my mom has taken it for about 10 years. I guess there's been a lot of women with PCOS who've had success so I'm hopeful it will work for me as well. It actually helps with all kinds of health issues. I guess the biggest sign for me that it's working at this point will be if the skin on my back and shoulders starts to clear up. That seems to be a pretty consistent sign that my body isn't quite where it needs to be (while on clomid, it was clear as well as when I was on birth control). I don't like taking medicine so I really do hope taking this route will work. The doctor I'm going to see next week puts a lot of women with PCOS on Metformin and I'd rather not take that but we'll cross that bridge if and when we come to it.

Praise God for His never-ending grace and His all sufficient power over my circumstances. One day closer. I'm one day closer...

Kris' Wedding

So I'm a lil late posting this but better late than never right? I did take my camera but didn't take any pics...the ones below are from my cell phone. Kris looked amazing and the wedding was a lot of fun; it couldn't have been a more perfect day for an outdoor Charleston reception!

Hahahaha...I thought this was pretty funny - it's even spelled correctly!

Kris gettin all ready before it's time to walk down the aisle!

Laura and me

Cubee Crafts!!

A very fun website has been discovered and it's lots of fun. It's called cubeecraft.com and they continuously add characters. There's even a template to make your own. I made Lion-O (from Thundercats) for Septtro's birthday and he enjoyed him quite a bit. :) The Brain sits at my desk. Here are some pictures of fun we've had:

Lion-O

Mega Man

The Brain - up close and personal

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Jason Vorhees face off

Darth Vader meets another prime evil as he casually happens upon The Brain