Monday, October 31, 2005

a "get to know you" email

I don't normally do these, but thought it would be fun to post here.


1. What time is it? 2:13pm
2. What's your full name? Brenda Jean
3. What are you most afraid of ? not being able to get pg.
4. What is the most recent movie that you seen in a theatre? Nothing, I haven't been to a movie theater in at least 5 yrs!
5. Place of birth? Milwaukee, WI
6. Favourite food? pizza
7. What's your natural hair colour? Medium brown
8. Ever been to Alaska? No
9. Ever been toilet papering ? no
10. Love someone so much it made you cry? yes
11. Been in a car accident? yes
12. Croutons or bacon bits? croutons
13. Favourite day of the week? Sunday
14. Favourite Restaurant ? Famous Dave's
15. Favourite Flower? lilacs
16. Favourite sport to watch? Football (go Packers!)
17. Favourite Drink? root beer
18. Favourite ice cream? turtle (favorite brand is Kopp's)
19. Disney or Warner Brothers? Disney
20. Favourite fast food restaurant? Burger King
21. What color is your bedroom carpet? Blue
22. How many times you failed your driver's test? 1
23. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail? fertility friend
24. What do you do most often when you are bored? watch tv
25. Bedtime? 10pm
29. Favourite TV shows? One Life to Live, Another World, Law and Order CI, Grey's Anatomy
31. Ford or Chevy? Don't care.
32. What are you listening to right now? Ryan talking about his sippy cup.
33. What are your favourite colours? Blue
34. How many tattoos do you have? none
35. How many pets do you have? 1 cat named Cally
36. Which came first the chicken or the egg? the egg. The egg was around long before chickens were....dinosaurs laid eggs.
37. What would you like to accomplish before you die? To have many children, and to love and serve the Lord to His pleasing.

Saturday, October 29, 2005

A poem

This is a poem I wrote when I was in college.

Laughter

Known only to those
whose heart smiles,
the hand of the soul
reaching to grab moments
beautiful to God.

It's the wish
in a child's eye,
hidden by tears of apprehension.
When they dry,
only silence can disturb it.
It's the dance of a comet,
leaving a trail of smiles,
softening even the hardest of faces.

It's the only medicine
we take for granted.

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Presentation and other things....

It has been a crazy week and I haven't had much of an opportunity to post anything.

My presentation went....well, it didn't! I was a little peeved actually because I got there, lugging my 2 huge poster boards full of pics plus a large bag of stuff as "show and tells" (in which the handles on the bag broke), in the rain no less! The lady asked me what all that stuff was for and then she realized oh yeah, your presentation! She said we had a special guest speaker that night and wouldn't have time for the presentation, would it be ok if I did it at the next meeting? aug. A phone call letting me know ahead of time would have been appreciated. But oh well....life goes on. So now I have more time to rethink, prepare, and get nervous again. At least it gives me more time to go through some old stuff I've been meaning to go through for ages now.

I took my last clomid pill last night and all is good! Not bad..only had some very slight hot flashes (if you can call it that...it was just enough to make me kick off a blanket). Today I'm having some slight cramping on my left side...hoping that's the follicles growing! I'm hoping I O from my left side this month, since that is my "good" side!

I talked to my childhood best friend yesterday. I was reading some old letters she had written to me way back in Jr. High. Made me think about her so I gave her a call. I haven't talked to her in about 6 months. She seems to be doing well...busy as always...working 2 jobs with combined hours of about 60-70 hours! She works way too much! But she enjoys it, so I guess I can't complain. It would be nice to see her one of these days....hopefully soon.

Speaking of looking at old letters...I have a huge container in the basement storage of old letters from my high school and college days. So I started rummaging through them. Oh boy does it take me back. I'm reading some of these and wondering what were we thinking? It was good to read...taking me back to those days.
I sure do wish though that I had been better about keeping in touch. There are so many letters I received during my first year in college (when I went away to school) from my friends back home, and I don't think I talk to any of them anymore. It's so sad. I wish I had kept in touch. Now I would feel almost silly or desperate if I went and tried to find them. There was a few in particular I'm wondering what on Earth made me not stay in touch with? Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I hadn't gone off to school and stayed home with my friends? I know I changed a lot during college years. But I try not to think of things that way....since I will never know. Plus, if I hadn't gone off to college, I'm not too sure I would be married to Bob, and I certainly wouldn't have met my current best friend, since we met my sophomore year in college.

At any rate, this is where things are right now. I'm too involved in reminincing about old times. Time to start obsessing about ttc again! LOL I guess it's one or the other! ha ha

Monday, October 24, 2005

Presentation

Tonight is my "all about me" presentation. Wish me luck on this!! I'm getting nervous about it...standing in front of everyone talking about myself for a half hour! But I think I have everything worked out that I want to talk about so all is good, I hope!

I will write about how it went tomorrow!

On another note: I am half done with my clomid pills this month! So far no s/e (or very little) so I'm pretty excited about that! I can't wait to see what it does for me!

Thursday, October 20, 2005

Brenda...the author?

The day my presentation is due is coming up faster!! I'm really starting to get nervous about all this. I'm still rummaging through pictures and papers and such, trying to find things about my life that are interesting.
I did find many notebooks and papers and such full of poems, stories, ideas, and chapters of a few novels that I had been working on. I literally have a huge tote full of notebooks! I'm wondering why I ever stopped writing? I used to want to be an author when I was younger. I even majored in Creative Writing my freshmen year of college. Then I changed my major to English Lit....a little more vague so I supposedly could do more with it. Little good that did me! ha! At any rate, writing has always been my true passion. But for many years I stopped writing. I had writers block or just lost the passion to do it. Now I'm really thinking of getting back into it. I have so many ideas, so many unfinished stories, so many things to tell. One of these nights instead of turning on the tv I should sit down and write. I sometimes wish I hadn't changed my major. I sometimes wish I hadn't listened to my family that told me I wouldn't make it as a writer, that I wouldn't make any money and wouldn't get a job, and couldn't make a living at it. I felt so inferior, that I wasn't good enough, that I dropped out of school for a semester and changed my major completely. That's when I pretty much stopped writing too (except for papers for school). I wish now I hadn't listened to them, that I had gone on to prove them wrong, that I could make it as a writer. I even applied to the Children's Writing Institute (I think that's the name) and was accepted for their 18 month course. By the end of the course I'd have a completed manuscript ready to submit to a magazine or publishing company. But I could never afford the tuition. Maybe I should start a new blog for my writings..my stories I want to complete.

I've also been thinking about the soap opera my childhood best friend and I made up. I've been thinking about revisiting that again too. Ages ago we made up a soap opera....I still have tons of stuff from that. Still know all the characters....I won't go into detail at the moment, but that's been on my mind lately too. I think I will go through that stuff and see what I can dig up. Have I ever mentioned I wanted to be a soap opera writer? LOL Back then I would have been good at it! Now I'm not so sure....most of today's soap operas are not exactly very "Christian". I think writing for one would compromise my faith. Maybe I could start the first Christian soap opera?

Maybe I will be an author when I grow up.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

New cycle begins

Well, af has shown her face this morning! I'm disappointed, yet happy! Never thought I'd say that about my good ole aunt! Of course I'm always disappointed when she shoes up at my doorstep, with her suitcase and says she plans on staying for 5 days...and depending on her mood it may be a pleasant stay, or she may make my life horrible for those 5 days! So far she seems to be in a good mood, so let's keep her that way!
I really believed I was pg this past cycle. I had tons of symptoms that were very different for me, that I normally don't get any other cycle. I felt it in my heart that I was pg. I think I had what's called a chemical pregnancy....but alass...I did not test (since I'm stubborn and really hate seeing BFNs) so I won't know for sure, but I know my body so well that I'm positive it was a chemical.
Now I have something to look forward to! I will be starting my first round of 50mg of clomid on Sat! I went and got my prescription filled today. Now all I have to do is wait! I'm excited to be trying something new this cycle, and with any hope it will be the thing I needed to get that BFP!

Sunday, October 16, 2005

Pure Joy

Today I'm feeling much better than yesterday. Spending time with God though always does that for me. The songs we sang at service today were all about the joy of God. Do I have joy in my heart? Do I know the pure joy of God? Answer: sometimes. Sadly I don't always, but then no one does since we are all sinners. I know certainly the last several months I have been working on that..learning to see all of God's goodness through everything, including my trials in ttc. Sometimes though life gets in the way! Today I was reminded to continue to do that...to continue to remember God's joy and love, and that He ultimately is in control. So if I'm pg, great! If I'm not, that's ok too. He is in control and in His timing, I will see the plan He has for me.
There was a song we sang today that really made me think:

Trading my sorrows
Trading my shame
Laying them down
for the joy of the Lord.

Trading my trials
Trading my pain
Laying them down
for the joy of the Lord.

How awesome is that?!

I'm definitely going to keep that in mind in the next few days to keep my mind off of whether I'm pg or not. What does it matter when you know the pure joy of the Lord? I love Sundays!

Saturday, October 15, 2005

Fish

Anyone ever notice how expensive having 6 tiny little fish is? How can such a small pet cost so much? We just recently (I say recently when I actually mean last week) got Ryan some fish for his birthday. The tank and just about everything needed for the start up came from my brother as a birthday present for Ryan. We just needed to ge the fish. So we decide on 6 fish, a pair of 3 different types. That itself was $20! Then we had to get a filter sponge for the filter...that also was $20! Now we think we are set. We've been feeding and watching, and amazingly no fish have died yet! But today we notice the water is getting cloudy. So off to the store again to find out what we can do. We pick up a chemical that is supposed to help...$5. Not bad this time. But if that doesn't work it maybe our filter...possible $40 for a new filter! Are these tiny little fish really worth it? We could get a new cat for that price!!
However, seeing the look on Ryan's face when he feeds the fish, watches them swim, or talks about them, I'd have to say it's worth it.

What if?

I'm freaking out today! I know I shouldn't be...and I've even prayed about it this morning, but I'm really freaking out! I've gotten better about stressing out during the 2ww, especially since I've only been having 10 day lp's. But today I just "feel" it. Something is different. Or maybe I just want something to feel different, therefore I think it is. I keep running to the bathroom to check for spotting. My temp is up today which is unusual....I'm having some symptoms though they could just all be in my head. aug. I promised myself I wouldn't do this to myself again. I think I'm honestly afraid to NOT be pg...what if I'm not, what if I can never get pg again, what if I'm having all these symptoms for nothing. But I'm also afraid TO be pg...what if I actually am pg...what if I have another m/c, or something else happens? I know I shouldn't be thinking what if's.....and if I didn't have some symptoms plus my temp up, I wouldn't. But this is the closest I've come in quiet a long time to a possiblity of getting that BFP. I have prayed for a calm heart, and normally it works, but today I'm just too strung out I guess. I'm trying to keep my mind off of it...and I really don't want to get disapointed about this. If I'm not pg, so what? I get clomid next month right? We just keep trying...keep trucking along. So quite honestly what am I so worried about? My symptoms most likely aren't real anyway. I had spotting yesterday...well, I have spotting just about every month at 8 DPO. I had frequent urination..well, that could be from nerves. I have cramping...I get cramping every month. Even my temp today isn't much different...I have previous months where my temp was up at 9DPO. So realistically this month isn't any different than any other month. I need to hold on to that so I don't freak out too much and then get disappointed when af comes in a few days. Yes, I'm crazy! :)

Thursday, October 13, 2005

More about me

Last night I decided to go through some old (I mean old) pictures to prepare for this presentation I have coming up. Talk about walking down amnesia lane! First off.. most of these pictures were from my high school days....and wow....talk about the hair!! I still can't believe I was seen walking outside the house with my hair that high and that much haispray! If a flame got anywhere near my hair it would have gone up like Michael Jackson! too frightening to say the least! Anyway, as I was looking back at these pictures, it just reminds me of all the fun times I had back in high school. It was, for the most part, fun and exciting. However, it's not really high school I care to talk about (at least not right now). I had so many pictures of my best friend at the time. The two of us hanging out at my house or hers, the two of us on a trip to Chicago with her family, the two of us having a great time on various New Year's Eves, and the list goes on. We were so close back then. Now, not so close. We still talk once in a while, we are still friends, but nothing like it was back then. We are in different seasons in our lives right now. She is single, living with her boyfriend, working 2 jobs, enjoying a busy, spontaneous lifestyle of going out on vacations frequently and movies and such. I'm in the married and motherhood season. I am now a Christian, married, have a child (with hopefully more to come), no longer spontaneous, no longer having the money to go anywhere! Our lives are just so different now that I think it's hard for one to relate to the other. I still love her, don't get me wrong. And there are times I really miss our traditional New Year's parties, or our long talks on the beach, or our crazy giggle fests! Maybe someday we will rekindle that deep rooted friendship.
Not sure though how many of those high school pics I will use for my presentation though...those were some nasty hair days!

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Jealousy

So I finally did my Bible study for the week.....it's due tomorrow! This week's lesson is about jealousy. Oh boy do I need a lesson on that! Not that I'm overly jealous mind you....in fact, I've gotten better the last several months. Every time I used to hear about a pg woman or hear anything about pregnancy...I would get so upset and jealous, thinking it's not fair..it should be me, I deserve it too! But the last several months I've been learning to lean more on God in this aspect. I've pretty much let my jealousy go, for the most part. Of course, we are only human, so sometimes some slip out a bit, but mostly I'm rather happy for them; because I know that in God's time I will also have a pregnancy announcement and talk about my pg.

This lesson had me thinking back to last year. It was just a few months after I had my m/c and was desperately trying again. My good friend (whom I saw several times a week) announced to me that she was pg. They were sort of trying, but nothing too serious. I was just devastated. I was so completely jealous I was seeing green!! I thought, "how could you get pg while I sit here and suffer after a m/c? Can't you tell I'm suffering? You already have 2 kids!" Boy was I horrible! She actually told me I had to get over myself because she's happy about her pg and will not disguise it in front of me. Of course, later on she apologized for saying those things, but I look back on it now and I think I should have apologized to her too, for being so jealous. I had no reason to be. If she was such a good friend as I thought her to be, I needn't be jealous of her. After all, as the saying goes, the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, but just imagine what their water bill is! I suppose you need to be careful of who and what you are jealous of....like the phrase be careful what you wish for. After all, not only does she have 3 children, but she is also fighting breast cancer. Is her side really the better side now? Thank the Lord Jesus that she is fighting a good battle and winning, but all I'm going through is nothing compared to her.

It was a good read and good lesson for me this week. Definitely something to work on.

All about me

When I was at my MOPS meeting Monday night, the ladies there came up with a great idea! Since we are a small group, they thought it would be great to "spotlight" a mom at each meeting. We could sign up and the day we sign up for we'd give a presentation of "who we are". I was so impressed with the mom's presentation that started it off, that I thought sure, I can do this! Before I knew what I was doing, I signed up for the next meeting. What was I thinking? Apparently I wasn't. How do I put my entire life's experiences into a half hour presentation?? I'm not even sure where to start. I guess I need to figure out who I am. So exactly who am I? Well, I'm a child of God, a wife, a mother, a friend, a daughter, a sister, a cousin, a support system, a kisser of boo-boos, a shoulder to cry on, etc. Maybe start with that?? What pictures do I want to show? What experiences shaped who I am today? Boy...this is tough. I only have a week and a half left to do this. Next time I should think before I sign up for anything!! So for the next week and a half I'll be writing about "who I am". I need to think some more about this!!!

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

CLOMID!!

I can barely contain myself this afternoon!!! My OB has prescribed clomid for me next cycle!!! I'm just so thrilled...I haven't been this excited since...well, since I can remember! (clomid is a fertility drug). My appt went very well. She discussed everything she found during the lap and HSG...even showing me pictures. Grant it, I like knowing my body, but the picture thing was a little more intimate than I cared to know! At any rate, all looks good. She can't say for sure whether my right tube is blocked or not. She said the dye didn't spill out and it could be either because of a blockage or a spasm. All I can do is hope for the best right? I asked if I could take clomid now to treat my LPD that I have. And sure enough, she writes out a prescription for 50mg clomid for next cycle, along with a blood draw on CD 21. Then she said if the clomid doesn't work by the 4th month, we can do clomid and progesterone together!!! Have I mentioned how much I love my OB!! I could have hugged her on the way out, but I refrained....didn't want her to think I was some weirdo and then taken back the prescription!!

So now I'm just waiting for af to show...which should be next week sometime, provided I'm not pg...which I don't believe I am anyway. On to a new phase in my ttc journey!

first time here!

Ok...this is my first time ever writing in a blog. Grant it, I'm not totally computer illiterate...I've been learning a great deal over the last several years, but I've spent the last half hour trying to figure out how to edit, delete, add, etc!! I'm still not quite sure how to add links yet. I guess I'll get there eventually!

I'm debating on getting Ryan up shortly from his nap. From the sounds I am hearing in his bedroom (knocking on the wall and talking) he hasn't fallen asleep. Normally I'd leave him in his bedroom for a while until he eventually fell asleep or time was up, which ever came first. But I need to leave today at 1:30pm to go to my OB appt (yay!) and don't want to wake him up from sleep. He is the hardest individual person to wake up! Then he'll be crabby all afternoon. I guess I'll finish this up and see if he's asleep or not!

Speaking of the OB appt...I'm so excited about it! I had a lap and HSG done a month ago to find out what's going on with this whole ttc thing. Today I finally get to see my OB to find out exactly what she found and where to go from here. I feel like I've been waiting forever for this day to get here...and it's only been 4 weeks!

Well, now that I started my first post, I will get ready to leave. Hopefully Ryan won't be too crabby this evening!

Saturday, October 01, 2005

100 Things About Me

100 Things About Me

1) I have 2 older brothers that are fraternal twins. They are 11 years older than me and I always felt like an only child since they are so much older than me.
2) I was in gymnastics when I was younger and wanted to be an Olympic champion. When I was in 7th grade I had to quit because I was too old to be a champion (I wasn’t at that level yet) and it cost too much to continue.
3) I loved horses when I was little- had tons of horse figurines- even wanted to own a ranch someday. Now I’m not too keen on them. Don’t know why either.
4) I had my first boyfriend at age 17 (senior in high school) and he was 15. (We’ll call him MC). After 1 month of dating I was head over heels in love- until after the second month he broke up with me because I wouldn’t sleep with him. (good thing I had morals!).
5) I have a thing for my best friend’s boyfriends. In high school my best friend at the time had a boyfriend I ended up liking. (We’ll call him ME). We never dated or saw each other while they were together (I’m not that kind of girl), but did have a fling (sort of…didn’t sleep with him either) just 2 weeks after MC and I broke up.
6) I do consider ME to be my 1st love.
7) I also consider ME to be the one that got away.
8) Relating to #5- a year later my other best friend had a boyfriend I was also interested in but never acted upon. They broke up and a month later I started dating him. I ended up marrying him!!
9) I have been to Disney World 3 times in my life- the latest was my honeymoon in 1999.
10) I have only gotten drunk twice in my life- both times were not very fun.
11) I have a BA in English Literature from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, WI. I still have yet to use my degree!
12) I spent my freshman year of college at Lakeland College in Sheboygan WI. I had a great time and learned independence. I don’t remember the classes at all!
13) I was so homesick I dropped out at the beginning of my 2nd year at Lakeland.
14) I only took 1 semester off, then started at Cardinal Stritch University.
15) I have 2 books full of poems I have written, mainly in high school and college.
16) I have several novels started but never finished any of them.
17) The best year of my life was my senior year in high school.
18) I grew up Catholic and always knew and believed in God, but didn’t become Christian until after I had a miscarriage last year.
19) I passed my drivers license test on the 2nd try. The first try the instructor told me I was too cautious.
20) I had severe post partum depression after Ryan was born. I was on Prozac for a year. I still feel guilty for not being there for Ryan the first few months of his life.
21) I’ve always been interested in Mozart’s music and life. I love the movie Amadeus and would love to go to Salzburg and Vienna to see where he lived and the museums of his work.
22) I am not interested in politics or news at all.
23) I’m addicted to soap operas. At one time I used to watch Another World, One Life to Live, All My Children, Days of our Lives, and As the World Turns. Now I just watch Another World and One Life to Live.
24) I tried out for cheerleading in high school but didn’t make it. I was a cheerleader though at both colleges I went to. Go figure.
25) I have never been out of the country.
26) I lived in Wisconsin for most of my life, with a year and a half in Omaha, Nebraska from 2000-2002.
27) I am a Green Bay Packers fan, even when they lose! I think Brett Favre is the best thing to happen to the team and hope he never retires!
28) A friend of mine and I made up a soap opera when we were in Middle School and High school. We named it Dynasty II, and it lasted about 3 yrs.
29) The characters we made up for this soap are so much a part of me and so important to me that I felt the way they did; when I heard a certain song on the radio I would cry or be angry or think of a certain character. It was like family to me.
30) The songs Beautiful in My Eyes by Joshua Kadison and Butterfly Kisses by Bob Carlisle always make me cry.
31) I wanted a big wedding with lots of people, a big white dress and all the trimmings. After it was all done I wished I had eloped! (Though I’m very happy I did have my big wedding!)
32) I have never smoked, done drugs, or skipped school.
33) I hated cats for most of my life, until I got married. We got a cat for our 1st anniversary and I have loved cats ever since! I love them more than dogs now.
34) I hated computers many years ago- when I was in high school and college. I never saw a need for them except to type out papers. Now here I am 10 yrs later, checking my email several times a day, a Community Leader and Moderator at a message board, I have a blog, and you can’t tear me away from the computer!
35) I have weird phobias- I am afraid of things floating in water. I refuse to take a bath for fear of dirt or hair in the water, and almost gag when I do dishes.
36) I am afraid of deep water- I cannot swim and refuse to learn. I refuse to go in water that’s deeper than 3 feet.
37) My first real job I had was at a local store the summer before my senior year in college. My mom made me get it. I worked there for 3 weeks before I had a breakdown and quit on the spot.
38) Most of my jobs I’ve had dealt with accounting and money; yet my degree is in English Lit.
39) I started going to school for Accounting, but I got pregnant the first month of my first semester, so I quit school after completing the first semester.
40) I can’t stand music boxes. I love to look at them, but can’t stand listening to them. They make me cringe and cry when I hear them and I have to leave the room.
41) I have the same reaction to baby toys that play lullabies. I had a very difficult time when Ryan was a baby since he would fall asleep to a lullaby toy.
42) My favorite book in the Bible is John. My favorite verse from John is 16:33; “In this world you will have trouble; But take heart! I have overcome the world!”
43) I’m thankful that I had a miscarriage in Feb. 2004. It was the single most horrible experience I’ve ever had, but I’m so thankful to have gone through it because that one experience brought me to Jesus.
44) When Ryan was 9 weeks old, he had a hernia with a distended bowel and had to be flown via medic helicopter (Flight for Life) to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee. I am scared of heights and flying, but I braved it so I could be with him. It was also the turning point in my recovery from ppd.
45) My favorite job was working at a bank in Omaha called Pinnacle Bank. By the time I left that job I was doing the work of a Head Teller without the recognition or pay.
46) I never did read Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. I tried many times but can’t seem to get past page 50. Too boring for me!
47) My favorite movie is Back to the Future. I have the whole movie memorized.
48) I’ve always been very good at remembering numbers and dates, but always hated math and history.
49) My best subject in school was English; my worst subject was Social Studies/History.
50) I collect My Little Ponies- I have at least 30 of them- mainly from when I was a child. I try to get them now but don’t have the money for them at this point.
51) I didn’t have a Ken doll so I used one of the barbies I had and cut off her hair, dressed her in a jogging suit, and used her as a boy. I named him Jim. (Do you think I’m weird yet?)
52) I took 3 yrs of Spanish (2 in high school and 1 full year in college) but can only remember a handful of words now.
53) I’m really interested in learning sign language- I have taught Ryan about 30 signs.
54) I tend not to be motivated at all unless I have a goal or deadline. I like to do things (like write) but it won’t get done unless someone gives me a deadline to do it in.
55) The hardest professor I had in college was also my favorite.(at Cardinal Stritch). I learned more from her than anyone else. She was tough because she made me read the books and gave study questions, and on exams or papers I would have to “prove” what I said- back it up with quotes from the text.
56) My last semester in college (at Cardinal Stritch) was the worst semester I ever had. The President of the college had decided to fire half of the English department (my dept.) my last semester. So instead of looking forward to graduating, I was protesting on behalf of my professors. They all ended up being let go, but not without a good battle!
57) I’m very close to my parents. I call my mom almost everyday.
58) I have a huge phobia of thunderstorms, especially at night. I always have to check to make sure it’s not a severe storm, and if it is I am glued to the weather channel to make sure I am informed on when I would need to take shelter!
59) I’m a closet teenie bopper drama fan! I like teen shows like Degrassi- which happens to be my favorite. My best friend and I have Degrassi nights almost every week.
60) My kitchen is done in a strawberry theme.
61) I had a fantasy when I was younger to be a famous singer, even though I can’t carry a tune to save my life! I wanted to be the world’s youngest singer to win a major award.
62) Since I was 14, I’ve had a major crush/infatuation with Michael Lardie from the rock group Great White. I’ve had fantasies and dreams of us dating, getting married, etc. To this day I still really like him.
63) To go along with #62, one of my dreams has always been to meet Great White. Mainly Jack Russell and Michael Lardie. Still haven’t done that.
64) I’d much rather be hot than cold. If I’m cold at night I can’t fall asleep.
65) Christmas is my favorite holiday. I go all out for Christmas with decorations, presents, and I even start my Christmas cards in early Nov.!
66) My favorite family tradition on Christmas is opening presents and anticipating who gets the joke gift that year! We have a joke gift that goes around my family every year, and it’s a great surprise and fun to see who gets it! It’s just a potato peeler, but it sure gets a lot of laughs!
67) I didn’t know anything about football until I started cheering for it at Lakeland. Even then I just clapped when the others did without knowing what was going on. I had no idea what a 1st and 10 was! Now I love football and watch it almost every Sunday.
68) I got pg pretty easily with Ryan- only 6 months of trying. This time around is much more difficult- 20 months and still counting and on clomid.
69) After I finally do have a baby, I will be using the FAM method to avoid or achieve pregnancy. (Fertility Awareness Method). This is a natural method using charting temperatures and cervical mucus to detect fertility.
70) My favorite book is Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler.
71) I’m a pack rat. I never throw anything away. I keep everything from pictures, cards, and letters. It drives Bob crazy!
72) I love to make lists of things- list of 100 Things about me, list for the grocery store, list of things I need to do, things I would like to do, etc.
73) I used to dye my hair. I started it just after high school, dyed my hair blonde. I stayed that way for quite a few years. Then in 2001 I decided to try red. It was awful! It started as a very bright red, then changed to a purple, then finally faded to a lighter shade of red. I let it grow out and haven’t dyed my hair since! I’m thinking of going blonde again someday though.
74) New Year’s has always been a special night for me. My high school best friend and I used to spend New Year’s together. She would have a party every year and then I would spend the night after everyone left. We had a blast. That ended though when I went away to college.
75) I was at my heaviest weight in high school (outside of pregnancy). When I went to college I dropped 5 pounds, and have been the same weight since. I only gained weight when I was pregnant, in which I gained 27 pounds, but lost it all by the time Ryan was 6 months old.
76) Most of my closest friends I have met online- and I’ve never even met them!
77) My username for everything online is pookeybear2823, or just pookeybear. I got it from Bob. His nickname/pet name for me has always been pookeybear. I thought it was cute and it stuck.
78) I’m the only one that has EVER given Ryan a bath. It was part of my recovery when I had ppd. Bob encouraged me to bathe Ryan as something that would just be him and me. It helped me a great deal, and to this day I’m so proud to say I’m the only one that gives him a bath.
79) I have worn glasses since 3rd grade, and have been wearing contacts since 8th grade. Without my glasses or contacts I’m legally blind.
80) I’m very petite- only measuring at 4’ 11” and 94 pounds.
81) I’m not a morning person. I am almost always crabby in the mornings and don’t usually “wake” up or cheer up until a few hours later.
82) I’m not much of a jewelry person. The only ring I wear is my wedding ring. I have my ears pierced twice but only wear earrings twice a year. I rarely wear a necklace, and never a bracelet.
83) I have a tendency of losing my purse. I only bring a purse out with me if I don’t have pockets, otherwise I just carry a wallet. I always leave my purse behind somewhere.
84) I’m completely addicted to simplymom.com. It’s my home away from home, and I love the ladies I have met there! (If you are TTC you should check us out!!)
85) I love to shop Black Friday (Day after Thanksgiving), though I have avoided it the last several years. I don’t like to go alone and the deals haven’t been that good. I did go this past year in the afternoon for a few things.
86) I tend to be rather anal- I like things in a certain order or things done a certain way. If something is out of place it bugs me and I have to put it back the way it should be.
87) My favorite restaurants are Famous Dave’s Barbeque and Outback Steakhouse.
88) I am very pro-life.
89) Bob (my husband) is the ONE and ONLY man I have ever slept with. I’m very proud of the fact that I have only been with one man.
90) I hate coffee. I don’t mind the smell if it’s the flavored type, but I can’t stand any type of coffee, not even cappuccino or latte, or even coffee flavored ice cream.
91) I love to dance. I used to go to dance clubs when I was in college. Unfortunately Bob hates dancing, so I rarely ever dance anymore.
92) When I was little I would dress up in a leotard and skirt and make up routines to popular songs.
93) I love hot showers! So hot that my skin turns red!
94) I can’t stand taking a shower with anyone else. I tried it once…never again! My shower time is ME time!
95) I will NEVER wear anything orange. I don’t like the color orange at all.
96) I tend to get nosebleeds in the winter when it’s dry out, or when I get sick.
97) When Bob and I first got married I was sick all the time. I was in the doctor’s office several times a month for something or other. Bob used to tell me he wanted to trade me in for a newer model!
98) I secretly like to watch Ryan’s tv shows. (I really like Higglytown Heroes and Little Einstein’s).
99) I don’t like clowns. I’m not afraid of them…I just don’t like them.
100) When I was pregnant with Ryan I craved strawberries. I ate a pound of strawberries a day for 3-4 months. Good thing they were in season!
101) I drive a 1989 Oldsmobile Cutless Cierra. Not my favorite, but it still works!
102) I’ve only had 3 actual boyfriends before I got married, and each of those relationships only lasted 2 months.
103) My favorite car used to be a Dodge Neon or a Volkswagen Jetta. Now my
favorite car is a Honda Odyssey.