Snow Pictures

We got SNOW!!!! It started Sunday evening. Septtro and I left the house to get a newspaper and when we left, it was raining with some snow mixed in. Once we got about two miles down the road, it was all snow! Somehow, the more South you went around Greenville, the more snow there was - crazy! I'd say we got at least 5 inches.

This is our front yard when it first started snowing.

This was when it had already covered the grass...it was beaaauuuutiful! :)

I guess Suka didn't like the flash in her eyes. Haha.

She started shivering so we put on her Woodruff hoodie. :)

This was Monday morning - Suka was all warm on her bed - little did she know the winter wonderland that awaited her outside!

Family picture! :) Suka didn't wanna sit on the cold snow.

This is in our backyard.

The view from the back of our property.

This is our lil road.

We went for a walk and Suka played with her friend Zip. They both loved the snow!

Not a water dog but very much a snow dog.


She loved it when I would throw a stick into the snow. She'd go pounce on it and most of the time she came back with snow all over her face.

Of course, we built a snowman. It wasn't the greatest snow for snowman building (it wouldn't roll - you just had to pack it). I gave up almost halfway through. I was tired, I needed food, and I was ready to go back home.

Yay for snow!! :)

Preteen stands up for rights of unborn

Abortion is an issue that's very important to me. I can't seem to fathom it. Especially now, after losing one child and now having another precious life inside me (which by the way, now has 4 distinct chambers of the heart -which has beating for about 2 weeks now, there are eyelids, elbows, a nose, lungs, liver, nerve cells....I could go on and on) - I've become even more heartbroken knowing others purposefully kill an unborn child. Granted, I don't do as much as I should to stand up for these unborn souls. Here's my feeble attempt to educate - with the words of a young girl.

"Do we only call them humans if they're wanted?"

Take a look.

Updates

So I figured I would give a few updates on how I'm feeling and what's been goin on. I'll try to use this same format throughout so some might not apply for a while. Here goes:

Week and day: 8 weeks 0 days (to be confirmed at next appointment)

Belly Button in or out: definitely in

Wedding rings on or off: on

Food cravings: sour cream and onion chips (5 oz. bag gone in 2 days), sour cream and cheddar chips (most things salty), fruit, old ones - hot sauce, blue cheese

Food aversions: cookie dough along with most other sweets, mac and cheese (very upset about this one), and I have a hard time taking my Reliv sometimes- which I will not avoid because it's such a huge part of why I'm where I am

Nausea: every so often and at varied times - the chips help me feel better and taking a brisk walk around the warehouse at work :) It seems when I eat very heartily let's say, it helps me not feel as sick. When I feel hungry, that's when I start to feel bad.

Energy level: fairly good, ready for bed around 8:30 or 9:00 every night

Weight gain: I feel like I'm huge because I feel like I eat all the time and eat much more than I used to

Mood: all over the place - happy then annoyed then sad then happy again...

Maternity clothes: not yet but my baggy jeans aren't so baggy anymore

Size of baby: kidney bean

Changes of baby: a lot is going on, heart is beating now and has 4 distinct chambers, fingers and toes forming, eyelids practically cover eyes, nerve cells in brain connecting

Next appointment: March 25th - the 1st ultrasound!!

Other: my heart seems to be beating faster sometimes, almost like when you get nervous and you can feel your heart beating more noticeably and I feel like I burp a lot now

Birthday Pictures

So my birthday was almost 2 weeks ago (Feb 7th) but here are some pictures - they were held captive on my mom's computer and I'm finally over here to retrieve them. :)

The family at Cracker Barrel - mmmm, mmmmm!!!

This random kid came over and started showing all of us his Pokemon cards. He's gonna be a darn good salesman.

Sunday, Septtro and I went with my mom and the two dogs to the mountains - Twin Falls. It was such a GORGEOUS day - 70 degree weather!

mom and me

Septtro was tryin to get Suka to go for a swim but she wasn't too thrilled about the whole thing. He threw her in anyway - poor lil lamb. :)

Um, I think I might be pregnant?!!

Those are the words that woke up my sweet husband on January 27th. That's right - remember that pregnancy test I took several weeks ago that was negative? Well, as it turns out, it was a false negative. I spose I took it too early (I really had no idea when I was actually "late"). So, yes, and wow and holy smoly I can't believe it - is this real?!! I kept thinking I was reading it wrong or I misunderstood. I only had one test - last time I took two. Blast the Dollar Tree for not selling digital pregnancy tests!! :)

That morning was one I will never forget. Septtro and I were able to have a moment together - sitting on the edge of the tub, smiling, crying, and praying. We immediately lifted up this new blessing to the Lord. Oh how I'd longed for the day when I could see two pink lines again, not one - two, wonderfully straight, pink visible lines. And it's finally here!
Sometimes it still doesn't seem real. The few people I told that day - I couldn't even bring myself to say the words "I'm pregnant". My words were, "I took another test and it was positive". Seriously, what if I somehow read it wrong - how stupid would I feel. I thought maybe because I wanted it so badly, I made myself believe it. Thus, the reason for me waking up Septtro the way I did.

So I went to the doctor Tuesday (Feb 10th) for my first appointment. Just being there made me nervous even though I knew they weren't going to do an ultrasound. It was just a consult and bloodwork. They were very nice - explaining everything to me and even went over insurance coverage; took some bloodwork and I was done. The nurse said I was 7 weeks and 5 days. I very graciously informed her that I was not. :) If that was the case, that first test I took would have shown up as positive. I obviously don't have a "typical" 28 day cycle. According to my calculations from keeping my basal temperature - along with the help of an online site - I was exactly 6 weeks at my appointment this past Tuesday. They said they don't do the first ultrasound until you're 10-12 weeks so I asked to wait later because I felt I was earlier than they thought. And so, I go back March 25th - the big day!

At first I thought I'd keep the pregnancy a secret for a long time - maybe until my next appointment. But that's a long time! And as far as I'm concerned, there's no safe week to spread the good news. I am so incredibly overjoyed and extremely humbled to be carrying this tiny life inside of me! God is so good.

If you think of me, please pray for my thought life. I get nervous and worried...some days more than others. It's a continual process...every minute of every day - to take my thoughts captive and make them obedient to Christ. And it takes strength and grace I don't have - I need His. And please pray for all those women who wish to be where I am...where I was not so long ago. For those who have lost babies and for those who haven't yet seen those 2 pink lines. His timing is perfect but it sure is hard to wait.

Praise the Lord for the gift of life! Oh how sweet it is!!

Huh?

I came across this picture again today....one of my favorites. It was obviously a few years ago - Tillman is just a lil fella. But I love this picture for several reasons. One being both dogs are looking at the camera - and that's pretty hard especially when one of them is a puppy. Plus they're sitting on a bench - and they both stayed there long enough to snap the picture (mom took it). And of course, I absolutely love Suka's face. Most of the time, when you use a questioning tone, this is what she does. She tries so hard to understand what you're sayin - gotta love her! :)

Random

Here's a few random things you may or may not know about me:

1. I've always wanted to be a teacher. I have a picture of when I was very young where I sat my stuffed animals in chairs, sat in front of them, and began teaching however I knew how.

2. When I was about 3 or 4, I fell out of my parent's moving car. All I remember is them (hospital people) picking pieces of pavement out of my skin and putting a jelly-substance on that stung. If I get pressed up against a car door, I may very well have a panic attack.

3. I love learning about medical things and could watch medical shows all day long - the graphic nature of it doesn't bother me. But if I so much as get a scratch myself, I get light-headed.

4. I have nightmares at least once every two weeks about my teeth falling out. I guess it's a hidden fear of mine.

5. I would love to have a big family - lots of children.

6. My husband's name - Septtroplex - is made up. He was born in September (first part) and was born in the Mettroplex (second part) hospital. I call him Septtro because every time I introduce him as Sep, people think I'm saying Seth.

7. The crunching sound from squishing a bug makes me want to hurl.

8. I have to wear sunglasses or goggles to chop an onion.

9. I am a reality TV junkie. (yes I know most of it isn't real)

10. I've never owned a Barbie doll. I had a Skipper doll and a GI Joe.

11. I have a huge place in my heart for children who aren't loved and cared for.

12. My favorite fast food restaurant is Chick Fil A. They treat the customer right.

13. I get huge highs from saving money at grocery stores, drug stores, and Walmart.

14. There aren't many people I feel comfortable crying around...probably enough to count on one hand.

15. I consider myself a self-taught volleyball player. My freshman year in college, my coach taught me how to pass. That's all I learned from a coach.

16. I played baseball with the boys until I was 13.

17. In high school, I felt labeled and extremely misunderstood.

18. If a recipe has more than 6 or 7 ingredients, I get overwhelmed and look for something else.

19. I've realized these past few months that there are a lot of hurting people I come into contact with directly or indirectly every day and I need to be more sensitive.

20. I still sleep with Septtro's shirt he let me borrow (not to wear) when we were dating.

21. I couldn't tell you the actual date when I finally repented of my sins and became a child of God. That used to bother me but not anymore.

22. I've tried to quit biting my nails many times. I've been bribed with money and gifts and I've tried fake nails and the nasty stuff you put on your nails - nothing has worked.

23. The only food to this day that I cannot eat and barely even smell or look at is meatloaf. Thanks mom and dad! ;)

24. My least favorite house chore is dusting. If I can ever afford a cleaning lady, that's what she'll do.

25. I can't watch horror movies.

You're turn!!! :)

Goin Swimmin

There have been so many thoughts going through my head lately. I can't even begin to explain them all. Here I am, 5 months after losing my baby, and I still can't believe it happened. I still wish it was a dream.

All the things true about God, I know in my heart. He is good. He is sovereign. In His time. I guess sometimes you just need to let it all out. I was explaining to my dear friend, Kris, the other night about how this grief has felt. Somebody explained it very well on their blog and I'm so sorry I can't give them credit for their analogy (as I browse blogs of people I don't know - never to find them again). The grief is like swimming in the ocean. You don't wanna go out there alone. You don't want to be completely submerged in your emotions. But every day, it's like you're standing at the edge of the water, feet gradually giving way in the sand as the waves beckon you to surrender.

I took a pregnancy test this morning. It was negative. Maybe I'll go swimming today. I think I'm due for one. I'll grab my Life Preserver, swim out, and let go.

New Haircut

Last Tuesday, I got my hair chopped again. It's very similar to how I got it done this past May. I kinda like it - not the best picture of me, but you get the idea. :)

I admit...

Hello, my name is Susan Lynnette Sene and I am addicted to couponing.

Even after my trips to Bloom last weekend for triple coupons and saving over $30 at Publix on Tuesday, I decided we should visit Kmart for their double coupons. I had several coupons that were $1.00 and a few that were $2.00 so I decided beforehand that I would only get an item if it's free or less than $1.00. Septtro came with me and we were both so excited at our finds - although 2 of the things I wanted to get that would have been free were gone.

Take a look at what we got:

I was pretty excited about the Quaker chewy granola bars. They were marked down to $1.50 a box and I had a $1.00 of two boxes coupon (that was doubled) so they were $0.50 each! AND I had two of that same coupon so I got 4 boxes of em.

Total before coupons: $39.77
Total after coupons: $12.30

We bought 18 items so that's about 66 cents per item! PLUS, Kmart had a promotion on their cereal so since we bought 5 boxes, we got a $5 Kmart gift card. So that's really $7.30 out of pocket for all our goodies!

Another plus, I think my math skills might be improving - with all the calculating of coupon prices with sale prices.

So, yes, I admit. I'm addicted to saving money.

P.S. Please don't stare and laugh at those of us with coupon books in the stores. It's not very nice.

Boldness

While reading through Acts 4, the Lord revealed a truth to me that I thought I'd share. Have you ever read Acts? It's pretty powerful.

Peter and John were preaching the gospel and healing in the name of Jesus. The rulers did not appreciate this but also could not deny evidence of Christ's power through these men. Because of the large amounts of people who were following Jesus as a result, the rulers really had "nothing to say in opposition". I would like to think they were scared. :)

So the rulers came up with a plan - threaten these men, not once, but at least twice - as verse 21 says "when they had further threatened them, they let them go" and here's the cool part - "finding no way to punish them, because of the people, for all were praising God for what had happened."

Who knows what the rulers threatened them with...their family's lives, friend's lives, money, food, house, slavery....we don't know. But Peter and John told their friends and instead of getting angry for being treated unfairly - for being persecuted - they prayed. Here's the part of their prayer that spoke to me:

"And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness (verse 29)." They didn't pray for deliverance. They didn't pray for revenge. They prayed simply for boldness to continue the work of Christ. Wow!

So that made me think. Have I been praying for deliverance? For revenge? (ok, so I might not word it like that but you know what I mean) God help me...help me to have the trust of your people in Acts. Give me boldness.

Coupons!!

So I've gotten swept into the world of couponing. I know what you're thinking..."Oh you're one of those annoying people that always seem to be in front of me fumbling through their coupons and none of them seem to scan correctly and it takes FOREVER for you people to check out".

Guilty!

Haha, ok well I try not to tie up the line and normally, my coupons do scan just fine and I don't need to fumble through them because I'd like to think I'm pretty organized. Below are some pictures of my notebook I have in my car at all times.
This is in the very front of my notebook. I have my calculator because I'm pretty needy in the area of math as well as my pen and a pair of scissors for any impromptu coupon clipping.


I have several clear sheets to store other important items. Here I keep my grocery list as well as any coupons (mostly store or competitor coupons) that I want to make sure I use before the expiration date.

Here's what the inside looks like. I have tabs separating each category and have kept grocery and non-grocery items together. I use both sides of baseball card protectors for my coupons. It took a while to get it put together but now it's so much easier for me to keep track of everything.

Many grocery stores will double manufacturer coupons every day. Bilo will double up to 55 cents every day and Publix will double up to 50 cents every day. Most will also take other store coupons but I'd check with your specific store as this may vary. AND, this week, Kmart is doing double coupons - which they do periodically - up to $2.00!!! That's right, so any coupon with a face value of $2.00 and below, they will double! Plus if you sign up to receive emails on their website, they'll automatically send you $10 worth in coupons. Here is their weekly add and here is where you can sign up for coupons via email.

Just an example of how helpful couponing can be to your finances, I have listed what I got this past weekend at Bloom during their triple coupon weekend. Any coupon that has a face value of 99 cents or below, they will triple - it's fantastic! They do this about once a month.

First trip - Friday, January 9th:

3 packs of Kraft shredded cheese
6 cups of Yoplait yogurt
1 tub of Smart Balance butter spread
10 cans of Campbells Select soup
1 box of Luzianne tea bags
Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting
2 canisters of Quaker Instant Oats
2 boxes of Pillsbury Toaster Strudels
2 tubes of Crest toothpaste
2 boxes of Quaker Instant Oatmeal

Paid - $24.79
Saved - $44.98 - this includes sale prices Bloom already had


Second trip - Sunday, January 11th:

Palmolive dish soap
Dawn dish soap
2 tubes Colgate toothpaste
2 boxes of Pillsbury Savorings - LOVE these! :)
1 bag frozen Pillsbury biscuits
Coffee Mate creamer
2 jars Smuckers all-natural peanut butter
2 jars Frank's hot sauce
Johnsonville turkey sausage
Bisquick pancake mix
6 cans Chef Boyardee canned pastas - takes me back to middle school days
2 six packs of Jello pudding
1 gallon of milk
2 jugs of Juicy Juice
1 bag Green Giant vegetable steamer

Paid - $25.12
Saved - $40.25

If you wanna learn more about how to do couponing, there are several websites. One I check regularly is www.couponmom.com and I'm a member of www.upstatecouponers.com - they are VERY helpful and have classes sometimes to help newbies learn. It's free to join and I highly recommend it! :)

Places to find coupons:

• Sunday newspaper (majority of coupons found here)

• "blinkies" in stores (those automatic coupon dispensers that blink)

• "peelies" (the manufacture coupons taped to products - most you don't have to buy the product to get the coupon. For example, there might be a coupon for kielbasa on a can of sauerkraut. You don't have to buy one to get the other unless the coupon indicates you do.)

• catelinas - the coupon strips that print out at the register when you pay. As long as it has "manufacture coupon" on it, you can use it at any store although some stores to also take competitor coupons so you could use a Food Lion store coupon at Publix.

• flyers in the store - Publix has a lot of these as you walk in, there's a turn-table with various publications that many times will have coupons

• wine tags - draped over bottles of wine but be sure you don't have to purchase the wine to get the coupon...these are hard to find!

• tear pads - on outside of display for product

Once you start keepin your eyes peeled for coupons, you'd be surprised at how many you can find. And if any of you are reading this and live close by and don't use your coupons - esp Sunday paper coupons - please allow me to take them off your hands...any or all you don't use!! :)

Care free

I love this picture. It kinda makes me jealous...I wanna feel as care-free as that.

Don't Waste Your Life

I've been doing a lot of thinking - especially over the holidays. What really matters? I mean, that sounds like a ridiculous question...rhetorical to most. I guess it's pretty easy to give a good, Sunday-school-type answer. But it's a whole different thing to actually live it out. I can't tell you how many times I feel like I've prayed the exact same prayer - for God's strength and patience as he carries out His will for my life. I feel like as soon as I get a grasp on what really matters, thoughts come creeping back and I forget again and slide down towards despair.

What matters is my relationship with Christ and living it out with complete joy. I've been reading a good book lately by John Piper called Don't Waste Your Life. I would strongly recommend it to anyone - no matter your background or current situation. Here are a few quotes from the book that have helped get my thoughts back on track:

"Pursuing God's glory [is] virtually the same as pursuing my joy...if you life gladly to make others glad in God, your life will be hard, your risks will be high, and your joy will be full."

"Enjoying and displaying [His supreme excellence] are both crucial. If we try to display the excellence of God without joy in it, we will display a shell of hypocrisy and create scorn or legalism. But if we claim to enjoy his excellence and do not display it for others to see and admire, we deceive ourselves, because the mark of God-enthralled joy is to overflow and expand by extending itself into the hearts of others."

"The wasted life is the life without a passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples."

"If you don't point people to God for everlasting joy, you don't love. You waste your life."

"No thing can satisfy the soul...all heroes are shadows of Christ. We love to admire their excellence. How much more will we be satisfied by the one Person who conceived all excellence and embodies all skill, all talent, all strength and brilliance and savvy and goodness?"

"He is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."

I hope perhaps one or more of these has encouraged you. I've been realizing I can't focus on what I don't have or what I can't do. I refuse to let other people and various situations steal the joy I have in Him.

What about you? Are you wasting your life?

Christmas Pics

Yeah these are a week late but I think I do pretty good for not having Internet at home. :)


This was our Christmas with Mark and Shawna the Sunday before Christmas (since they went to Seattle).

Gramma thought Superman was very handsome.











Shawna with her LL Bean slippers.

















Mark sportin his new Clemson hat. It looked like a piece of burlap...but I must admit, I almost kept it for myself. :)











I think mom really liked her present. We went in together and got her a digital frame.












Tillman and Suka in their Clemson and Woodruff apparel....so stinkin cute!

















This was Christmas morning. One of his players got him that Woodruff beenie. Mom and dad got him a griddle...that we've used a TON already!












Santie Claus even brought Suka a present...she just needed a lil help opening it.












Here's everybody after brunch on Christmas morning.













Suka givin some lovin.

















Suka givin her dad five. :)

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! ;)