Showing posts with label Painting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Painting. Show all posts

25 January, 2013

Time-Lapse of tree painting!!

So. . . I finally painted the a tree on my front living room wall!!! 

I love, love. . LOVE it!! 

I even made a fancy time-lapse video for you all to see my craftiness.

Hope you are all doing well!!

IVF Consult appointment is less than two weeks away (O.o) - Eeek



Photobucket

10 April, 2012

5 months already. . .


Yesterday was officially 5 months since my last miscarriage. . .

5 months already

 I feel proud of myself for being here today with a smile on my face, still pushing forward ♥

My due date would have been June 5th, which is right around the corner. I have decided to celebrate my "Little Bean" on that day. Some may call it silly, some may laugh, some may not understand, but I don't care what others think. It may have only been a 10 week pregnancy, but that was 10 weeks of my life that I believed I was going to become a mother. We saw and heard a tiny little heartbeat, there was life, and then that life was gone. I still have my sonogram pictures, pregnancy tests, and my hospital bracelet from the day I found out it was all over. I have those things tucked away in a little box and I'm going to bury them in my backyard and plant something on top of it when June 5th rolls around. We have a small tree that I literally grew from a seed, (my husband actually started the seedling) Josh found the apple blossom that dropped on the ground in our back yard, shoved it in some dirt and I took care of it for the remaining season, the summer from hell (Last year), before I knew it we had a tiny little tree growing strong. So I'm going to plant that little tree on top of my box of memories. When I look at that tree growing and changing over time, I will always remember my Little Bean and how its short life affected us so deeply. It is an Apple Blossom tree which is a beautiful tree. . . it will be perfect. I am also going to get a balloon, write a note to my " Little Bean" and send it off. It will be a way for me to say goodbye, to get some closure, to put my mind at peace and to finally let go. I have learned to be more at peace since the loss, but there are still days where I am brought to tears.

I really thought I'd be pregnant by now, I thought the IUI in March was going to work. . . I have been dealing with my anger lately and it has been difficult at times, but overall I think it is good for me - I hope it is making me stronger.

I have to admit that I am enjoying our little break more and more each day. I got the greatest feeling on the day my period came when I called Coral and she said "Enjoy the month off without having to call us", I felt like jumping for joy. You mean we can have a normal sex life??? No timed intercourse??? No peeing on sticks every morning??? No 2ww - Sign me up!!! I really needed this month break. . . more than I cared to admit in the beginning. I bought myself a bottle of Pinot Noir and it was amaaaaaaazing, it felt good to relax and let loose.

I'm still a bit frustrated that IUI #2 failed. At the same time. . . I am so very grateful that we are going to try again in May!! We've missed out on our 2012 Baby, *sigh* I was soooo hoping for a 2012 baby, I really was, lol. I used to get nervous thinking "What if the world really does end and I never get the chance to become a mother" Stupid I know, but when you're infertile crazy things like that will run through your mind at any given moment. It looks like we'll be set for an early February baby if IUI #3 works in May. .  *fingers crossed*



In the mean time. . . 
I've been keeping myself distracted by painting, taking pictures and playing with instagram.

I hope everyone has a Fabulous week!!



Photobucket

27 November, 2011

On the mend!

I find myself quite amazed at how quickly the human heart begins to mend its self.

I'm beginning to feel more, and more like myself again. I will forever, and always be changed by the experience of losing a baby, but miraculously I'm still Me, and that makes me smile each day ♥

Tomorrow marks 3 weeks since we learned our little Bean's heart stopped beating, and Wednesday marks 3 weeks since I had the miscarriage :| Tomorrow, I would have been 13 weeks - those are always going to be my hard days. It feels like the pregnancy was just some oddly distorted dream that I was forced to suffer through. I cried for 2 weeks straight, everyday - no lie. Today I am smiling and tear free! I have cried only a few short tears here and there. . . so - Go Me!!! I guess you could say that last week was it for me. . . I finally had to force myself to get up, out, and be active <--Easier said than done, that's for sure.

I woke up on Monday with tears still in my eyes, I felt angry at myself for still wallowing in my own self pity. I wanted to be happy no matter the cost. I dug out my yoga pants, running shoes, charged up the Itouch, and headed out the door to the rec center only to find out they were not open until 4pm that day...Errr. I felt slightly defeated, since It was a feat to just make it out of the house. So, I went back home and decided to walk laps around my neighborhood. It was a success!! I grabbed a hoodie and was on my way. The wind was blowing in my hair, the fresh air was amazing, the sun and cloudy sky played peek-a-boo and painted a very lovely backdrop for my walk! I felt like I was one with myself. . . I have not felt that in a while.



I worked Thanksgiving morning and was off work a little after 3pm. I rushed over to my Grandma's house, then met Josh at his parents house at 5pm; Mama was in town, and cooked a lovely dinner for everyone! I did not cry at all on Thanksgiving Day :) I felt strong!! Being around family was much easier this go around. We said the blessing before eating, and Bart said something about missing those that were no longer with us, no matter if their heart beat for 93 years or just a few weeks. *sigh* it was very sweet of him to acknowledge our little Bean. I've learned that everyone handles this kind thing differently - I appreciated his kind words<3

I finally painted the front living room! It's an awesome Turquoise color! I only painted 1 wall, a few pieces of random furniture, and the front Door! Ohh and also all of my frames for that room. I'd actually been thinking about doing it for a while, but then I got pregnant that put a hold on a few "house" things. I've now decided that I want to get all the house painting done by March. That's hopefully around the time we'll get to do our 2nd IUI, so I want the house done! I'm thankful for the time, because I do our bedroom, laundry room and finally paint ALL the baseboards. I will post a better picture of the living room when it's completely done! I have to say, it's going to look pretty neat! I was a little inspired by the website Pinterest :) It is really good for me to have these house projects right now, because it will make the next few months go by fast :) Heck Thanksgiving's over, Christmas is right around the corner. . . Then it's a Happy New Year, one that I'm looking forward to. To be quite honest 2011 - Sucked Ass!!

Photobucket

20 November, 2011

Sometimes, I'm an Artist.

Art will always mend the soul, and set free the mind


The Redhead









Photobucket

17 September, 2011

IUI & The 2ww *tapping fingers*

Soooo, Josh and I got the IUI done on Tuesday morning September 13th (Sarah's birthday) !! It was an emotional morning to say the least... even though we scrubbed the floor the day before, we were each still feeling a little tense and on edge that morning. So it was another tear filled morning of stressed emotions, hurt feelings, and overemotional-whackness, haha. I'm laughing because while we waited for his "ammunition" to be washed and counted, we sat in the waiting room of the ART's office quietly bickered back and forth. The lady behind the window closed the glass when I turned in the paperwork, I think she knew we needed a few minutes of alone time by the look on my face. It didn't even phase her, I'm sure she's seen this time and time again. Tears are streaming down my face, my nose was stopping up, and all I could think was "Good lord, I don't want them to see me like this, what if they think we can't handle this". Lucky for us no one else was in the waiting room, and by the time we were handed the "ammunition", and walked down the hall to the fertility office, I began to cease crying all together, I needed to suck it up and stop being a sap because, this was not the way I wanted to remember *The day we may or may not have gotten knocked up* - I guess either way I'll remember it. Ughhh. I hate feeling out of control, when my only response to everything is crying - I curse you Letrozole, I need you, but you are evil, very evil... hummphhh :/

Once we were in the Fertility office I started feeling better, more excited, I guess you could say. I wanted to be happy, I hated that my body was at the peak of this emotional roller-coaster, and all I could feel was craziness. Jenica was not there, which normally I would have been sad about, but since my face was all red and puffy from crying; I decided it was a good thing she wasn't there that day. Coral immediately said, "are you okay" when she saw me, I laughed, said it was a bit of an emotional morning, but that I was okay, and we were okay, just ready to get going. She's so sweet... I guess we're probably not the only "emotional" couple they've seen. I mean it is a fertility office ,and we are being pumped with drugs that cause us imbalances. Hahaha, we have nothing to worry about! (That's what I tell myself to feel better, lol) Josh and I got situated in the little room that I always seem to be in. I had to drop my drawers, and wait on the table with a little paper sheet tucked all around me, those things are never big enough. Josh just kind of sat there watching my every move, very quite, and intermittently starring at the floor. I wondered what was going through his head as he watched me tuck my panties under my neatly folded jeans, only to shove all of that under my purse, pull out a magical pair of socks, and slap them puppies on my feet faster than you could blink - My feet get really cold in those stirrups, plus my toes were looking a little rough, so it's best to just bring socks. If he understood the way's of the woman, he would have saw me as a pro that day :) Dr. Laura came in and asked if everything was okay, she knew I had been upset by my puffy face. This time Josh and I both laughed, I could feel the tension leaving our bodies, I said it sucks that I can never hide if I've been crying because, my face, and eyes stay red for at least a good 30 minutes after being tearful. We talked about my symptoms from the Letrozole, the hot-flashes, headaches and emotional craziness - She said the meds were probably working really well, since I was "feeling" so much, which made me happy... and made all of us laugh. Dr. Laura is great, she understand the emotions that we feel and she makes Josh feel just as important! In this situation men are greatly affected too, it's hard knowing how to comfort that and recognize it.

The IUI process didn't take long at all; basically it was like a long and really intense pap-smear, lot's of pressure, but completely painless. She got the ammunition/swim team ready, then asked Josh if he wanted to do the injection part! His eye's got really bright, and he said "Do I get to look", with much excitement in his voice, I felt slightly like an lab animal, lol. At the same time I was truly happy inside that he didn't hesitate to do it *sigh* - That's my Pnut! He had 2 Hands in it that day (inside joke, hehe) I stayed there on the table for a bit, then we were free to go. And...Baam!!! - Just like that we may have made a baby. *giggle* Wow... I would seriously piss myself if this works and I'm not joking... I've got a weak bladder from the Endo, hahaha.

When we left the clinic there was a certain relief that overcame both of us, it was so peaceful compared to what were feeling in the days leading up to this. The hard part was over. He could breath, and finally go home to take that nap he wanted so badly, and I could stop obsessing over whether or not I timed the LH surge right. IUI's are all about timing. Once we got home I had to do something to keep my mind from thinking too much about it. That is soo stressful and I hate obsessing. I finished painting a tree in the bathroom that I've been working on for, ohhhhh.. a few months now. Well, actually I painted the trunk part and stopped, it looked pretty ridiculous without branches. I was feeling very motivated after the IUI!! I did the tree, and also put up my painted letters in the kitchen that I'd painted the day before. It felt really nice to be crafty and to actually finish a project I had started.

I'm currently at 5-DPI (5 Days Past Insemination)!! I have to go back into the office on Tuesday to get a progesterone test to make sure I ovulated. I'm pretty certain that I did... The two week mark, is the Tuesday after that, which is also Josh's Birthday. Hehehe. It makes me giggle. I've had a few "phantom" symptoms that could point to pregnancy, but in all honesty it's waaaay to early to tell. Plus my body and mind is in-tune to any slight change, so I'm noticing everything. The one symptom I'm having, but I don't always get, is the "sore nipples", I got this with my very first round of Clomid, but never had it on the other 3 rounds. I also took my vitamins this morning and they made me feel sick for about 5 minutes. I was getting ready for work when my stomach started to feel sick, and I felt like I could taste the vitamins... but then it was gone. I've been taking these vitamins for a year now and they've never made me feel that way. Ayi yi-yi - So you see, I could totally freak out on these feelings, but I can't... until I take a HPT and get a positive line, I'm not going to allow myself to obsess over every little feeling I get. It's not healthy for me because, then my body will start producing all types of symptoms just to mess with me, that is theeee worst. I've been there, done that, felt that, and don't plan to wade in that deep just yet :)

This evening we had our first rain in months, *sigh* - It has been so long in fact, that I don't even remember the last time it rained. It was a downpour, gloriously gloomy downpour, and I loved it. When I got home from work, Josh said that Teddy also looooved the rain, that it took 2 towels to dry him off :) Teddy is fitting in nicely with our little family, and starting to look like a healthy dog once again! We are so glad he found us ♥ Tomorrow night I'm going out to Celebrate my very good friend Sarah's Birthday!! We've celebrated every Birthday together since 21.. We are only 6 months apart in age and she's the older one, lol. I can't wait to go out, and be a Designated Driver!! It's so strange going out and not having a drink. I'm totally cool with it, but it's still odd sometimes, *giggle* I feel really good about this month!
Photobucket

01 July, 2011

Helllloooh July :)

Goodbye June and Hellllooo July... I've been patiently waiting for you, for what seems like forever :)

I painted my back living room this week! I painted 3 walls with Cadet Blue and an accent wall in Burnt Chilly Pepper. I need to do one more coat of the orange and then I'm good to go. Well.. actually I need to do the trim but that can wait a bit. I still can't believe it has taken me almost two years to finally paint hahaha. The next room will be the kitchen. I'm thinking maybe an olive green or mustard yellow. Humm -well see how that goes.



I am excited to say that I will be able to celebrate the 4th of July with my friends and family!! I haven't had the 4th off in several, several years. I have to work the morning shift from 7am-3pm, but after I get off Sarah and I are headed to the lake for a few hours, then we'll head back to my house for burgers on the grille and then we'll all go down to the old football stadium to watch the fireworks! I'm super excited :)

Surgery is 12 days away. Eeek! I have been so anxious for this date to finally get here and of course... now I'm all sorts of nervous about it. Hahahha - Figures! I'm ready don't get me wrong...but just hoping that everything goes well and I get to keep my ovary...I'm a little fond of if, if I do say so myself. lol

This week was an emotional one to say the least... My brother, as some of you know, has been struggling with a serious drug addiction for several years. He had a son who he only has visitation with. He recently was sober for about 8 months and about 3-4 weeks ago he fell off the wagon and hasn't been able to get back on track since. I felt so bad for him because he was working hard, sober and genuinely trying hard to take care of things. He was unable to attain the amount of money to pay for a lawyer upfront so after several months Josh and I helped him get a lawyer so that he can get back custody of his child. Now he won't be able to pass a single drug test when he goes back to court and will probably lose his parental rights to Arthur. He was doing soo well. I think my brother fears getting him back because he doesn't think he will be able to provide for him in the right way. He is sabotaging his self and his chance to be a father. It was a waste of money and It breaks my heart every time... and it pisses me off beyond anything. I love my brother with all my heart, but enough is enough. I wish I knew what to do but I know deep down that there is really nothing I can do for him, that he has to do it for his self and his son.

Many people have asked "Why don't you take him"?!? I would love too, however, I haven't had custody of him this whole time, as a not so nice Lawyer said to me over the phone. I already gave my brother money for a lawyer, which means I'd have to come up with more money to get a lawyer for myself in order to petition for custody. We are already dealing with our own financial stuff when it comes to infertility costs. He is 2 almost 3 and has only seen me a handful of times. I'm not about to rip him away from the only mother he has really known for the past several years. He knows Teresa and loves her but you can tell that when he gets hurt or scared he goes to Judy (friend of family with custody of Arthur currently) I just wont do it!! It would be so selfish of me to just expect to get him since we are blood related and it wouldn't be emotionally healthy for him. If I did take Arthur, my brother would always hold that against me and I can't deal with the stress it would cause with my family. They already expect so much of me, and then If I were to take Arthur, they would expect me to be over there every other day with him and that's now how my life works... It probably seems very selfish to some people that I have all these excuses but you'd have to know the whole story to understand my decisions. I love my nephew and if Judy came to me one day and said she just couldn't do it anymore then I would jump on that in a heartbeat and take him in... I wouldn't let him go into foster care but right now he is with a loving family that has his happiness as a top priority and that means more than anything just to know he is in a safe and loving environment. It's more than my brother is able to offer him. I pray to the Gods that he finds peace within his soul and that he is one day able to understand his purpose in this life. It is sad to watch someone you have known all your life, completely break down. Sometimes I feel guilty at where I am in my life because I have my crap together and he doesn't. I know it's not my fault.. and I know I shouldn't feel that way but it's difficult sometimes. I think it is more sad then anything really. I don't feel sorry for him, I feel sad for his soul because he must really have some awful stuff going on in his head to be this self destructive.

Have a great weekend everyone and Happy Birthday America!!
Photobucket

20 May, 2011

Living in the funk...

Blah - freaking blah! That is what I have to say about today. Ugh...

I feel like I need to cry, scream, pout, stomp my feet, feel sorry for myself or all of the above. I'm not 100% sure why, I just know it's in there *my tears* waiting for the perfect moment of silence to unleash a flood of salty emotions across my face. I hate being in a funk like this...Errr :/ I hate when I feel my emotions have taken over the wheel and are happily playing a cruel trick on me.

I need a big fat double vodka tonic on tha fly! with a lime and maybe even a shot on the side. Yep - that would definitely do the trick today.

I'm still waiting for the results from my scans. I called Coral yesterday and she said "Dr. Laura just got back home and would be logging on to review your scans sometime in the next week". She's on medical leave so I'm playing the waiting game still. It's not her fault and it's not the worst thing in the world but good-lord it frustrates me beyond anything. It feels like July is forever away. Coral said that I probably wouldn't know anything about my scans until my pre-op visit. Unless Dr. Laura sees something of concern other than the cyst's, then she'll call and let Coral know who will then call me... My CA-125 levels were elevated to a 146 and I still don't really know whether that's a problem, I guess they really don't know either until surgery. Coral said that Dr. Laura would try and get with me before my pre-op but in all honesty it looks like I'll just be waiting till July. So I guess no news is good news in this case. I'm bummed though...I just want to get past this and move on, I feel as if I'm stuck like Chuck and my patients are starting to get thin *they weren't very thick to begin with*. The worst part is that I have no control over anything and I just have to wait it out some more! *very long sigh* In June it will officially be a year since we started seeing someone for our infertility problems and we are pretty much in the same place as before. Yes I know, we are a little bit closer, but to be honest that doesn't really mean shit to me right now... It's disappointing, seeing babies and pregnant women lately has made me feel slightly bitter inside. I've been pretty good at controlling my jealous *wanna-be-mom* feelings but it's really hard sometimes:( I know this shall pass and I won't always feel this way, but today I just have to get it all out because it's driving me crazy inside.

I feel a sad movie night coming on. Hahaha. When I get this way I usually have to watch a sappy sad movie to unleash the sadness within myself. It won't be too difficult tonight...it's been building for days and I can't wait to just leave work and have myself a personal pity party - Party of 1 please. On a side note I painted my bathroom this week and it looks pretty awesome if I do say so myself! The walls are painted in a Turquoise with chocolate brown trim :) I plan to buy more paint next week and paint the bedroom and possibly the back living room...although I'm still debating on what colors! Ugh - so many decisions when it comes to paint. Maybe that will pull me out of this bad mood I've become friends with...lol
Photobucket

01 December, 2010

A November Sunset

A November Sunset




I haven't had the urge to drag out my paint and brushes lately ( as in many..many months)..but yesterday I did and It felt deeply cleansing in some way. Peaceful..with just myself, my paint and my thoughts. I was proud that I finished. Over the last year my art has had some difficulty flowing freely..and when I would start something I wouldn't finish it.. So this is good.. hehehe. Josh was napping, the dogs were napping..and of course the cat was napping. I was extremely bored with tons of housework that needed to be done yet I didn't want to do any of it lol. So I pulled the chair up to the window of our office that faces west, I opened the blinds and gazed upon a beautiful sunset, it was as if the sun was singing an enchanting song and I was memorized by it's stunning warmth. The season is changing so fast now.. There are leaves everywhere! Just the other day when Sarah and I went on our evening walk and we were crunching as many leaves as we could along the way. It is still fun to act like a kid when every possible :) I just love the way the evening sun sets upon a cloudless sky and you see the deep hues of blue, green and orange..how there is no line between each new hue..only flawless beauty that spilled out into the sky and how the leave-less tree branches reach out to the sky to absorb the suns rays..one last time before day is gone *sigh*. Beauty is all around us