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Monday, January 05, 2009

Lemonade Award















Thank you, Maria, for the very sweet award you gave to me. May God bless you and your family this year.

There are so many of you who have encouraged me over the past 9 months.

Since I've given this award out before, I think I am just going to say how grateful I am to each and everyone of you. For sticking by me and lifting me up in prayer.

I hope that I can be of some help to you when you're having a bad day. Just email or post a comment or call me and I'll be praying for you.

Thank you again, friends.

Love,
Amanda

Angry Infertile Award

Chelle nominated me for this award (kind of; I am on her blogroll and she said it was for everyone was on her blogroll :) LOL)...




















I'm an angry infertile. I am sick of the injustices of this "disease." I am sick of being a "victim." I am sick of seeing my sisters fall victim to this disease and my heart breaks with them when they talk about their losses.

Unfortunately, it appears that I have secondary infertility. Not a fun topic to speak about in real life but it is a topic that is made easier via the internet and blogging. I tend to get my (free) therapy regarding this topic right here on blogger :)

Anyway, the idea behind this award is bold any of the below statements I can relate to.
Here goes:

If you could make a little house from used pee sticks and OPKs

If you talk in TTC acronyms nobody except people on the internet understand

If you have ever been stuck with any needles in order to achieve pregnancy

If you have had to stick yourself, or your husband has had to turn into your nurse in order to do it for you

If you have ever seen a blank ultrasound screen

If you know what a cootercam is

If you have ever gotten shower invites, family photos, or birth announcements in the mail and had a good cry

If you have watched someone go through an entire cycle of pregnancy in the time it took you to even try

If you have ever heard "just relax" or "it's not your time" or "it's God's will"

If you dread holidays because you cannot announce a pregnancy to your family

If you dread holidays because there are no children to share them with

If you have ever held a baby or child and quietly pretended for a second that they're yours

If you have ever walked around the store in order to avoid the baby/toddler section

If you cannot park in the front spots of a store because they are for pregnant and expectant mothers only

If you've ever had to go IN the baby/toddler section of a store in order to buy something for someone else's baby

If you've ever yelled out during watching a movie or tv show about someone who's trying for a baby, "That's SO not realistic!"

If you've ever sat around with a group of women who shared birth stories and labor pains and felt like you didn't fit in

If you've ever told anyone you are infertile and they're response was, "That sucks. I'm super fertile! I can have all the kids I want!"

If a fertile person ever told you that they would be your surrogate because they have no problem getting pregnant

If you have ever gotten a shower invite through email while sitting at work trying to forget about TTC

If you know what an RE is

If you have ever graphed out your cycle on chart paper

If you have ever checked to see if your cervical mucus was eggwhite or clear, or could stretch 5 inches between your fingers and you know people in the next stall over are thinking, "WTF is she doing in there?"

If you were disappointed that you couldn't find any

If you have kept a HPT or OPK in your purse to use when you were at work or out just in case

If you can't wait to see the peak symbol

If you have ever spat on a microscope in order to see ferns

If you laugh when people tell you to use pillows under your butt after sex

If you have picked out crib bedding or nursery decor online and you're not pregnant

If you have ever felt panic when seeing a pregnant lady

Sorry, I am going to change the rules on this one...I nominate anyone who reads this post who is unfortunately in this club.

Love,
Amanda

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Cute Game

Kahla told me about this cute game you can play on the VW website. Try it out just for fun :)

Here's our VW baby:











Love,
Amanda

Friday, January 02, 2009

"Before His Throne" - New Prayer Blog

This is one of those "God Things" that I just had to share. Prayer Changes Everything and it's just the beginning, my friends.

Since I've done the Monday Prayer Request/Praise Lists, I feel like my life has changed. I no longer feel like I'm focusing all my energy on thinking about what I don't have and why I think my life is in the midst of storms, but now I try to focus all my energy on others and praying for them and caring for them while they are in the midst of the storms of life.

My friend Melanie emailed me a few weeks ago about an idea to start a new blog together to gather prayer requests and pray for them - like my lists - just larger :) I thought it was a great idea and my heart was blessed just knowing that her prayer life was growing also - we just needed to pray more about how to and when to physically set-up the site. I have copied and pasted our emails to each other below:

Amanda,
Ok so for your prayer request posts I am just in awe! I really think we could possibly come up with a ministry on blogger! Like maybe a new blog that you and I can both admin to??? Think about it, pray about it and let me know! I am praying as I read each request and praising the Lord at all the praises! I am reading about "Brad" it's so sad to know that her husband can go be with the Lord at anytime and it gives me so much hope for my marriage. Thank you for doing this!

Hi Mel, You are awesome! I have been wondering about something similar (now that the lists each week just continue to get longer and longer...) My heart cries each and everyday as I jot down the new requests I find or receive. I am in prayer almost constantly because I feel like this is somehow my calling. I am so busy at work and trying to be a good mommy and wife that prayer seems to be the only thing I have time for.

Then, just a few days ago, my friend Debbi blogged about or commented somewhere (sorry I can't remember where I read it :)) - about wanting to start a prayer blog. It was the coolest thing to know that others' prayer lives are growing right along with mine.

Just yesterday, Debbi sent me an email inviting me to be a contributor to a new prayer blog she set-up!! Wow is all I can say!

Now, Debbi and Melanie and I are going to update the "Before His Throne" blog when we receive prayer requests or praises. I cannot wait to work with these two women as we embark on this new ministry together.

Please visit the prayer blog and join in with us to pray to and praise Our Lord.

Love,
Amanda


Please grab the button right under my profile and join us in prayer whenever you can :)

Me and My New Hobby

Yep, had to get another hobby (besides Mommy and Blogger) so my hubby suggested photography...nice choice since I LOVE taking pictures :)

My Mom and Ron gave me my last camera (in 2003) - a nice Sony Cybershot 3.2 megapixels...

This time, we decided to make an investment in this Canon and an extra telephoto lens. Look familiar? Yep, it's the one MckMama uses. Anyway, had to show off my Christmas present from my hubby.

Love it so far!!!

Rewind: Our 2009 New Year's Celebration

On the evening of December 31st, we played "hair"until 9 and then I officially declared it to be the new year - we popped some confetti popper things I found at Walmart and went to bed! Uneventful but just the way I wanted it...

On the day of January 1st, we lounged around and cooked our dinner of honey baked ham from Fiji's, black eyed peas (from scratch by Chris), cabbage with bacon and onions, turnip greens and rolls. We invited Grammy since she was in the neighborhood showing someone a house.

Today, we were invited to MeMe and Grandpa's for dinner and dips. We had hamburgers and many dips (including two made by me: chili and cheese over cream cheese and cream cheese topped with a mixture of apple jelly, pineapple preserves and horseradish - YUMO!).

Happy New Year!
















Rewind: Christmas weekend - Silly at Big Mamma's

We went to visit Big Mamma, Missy and Mr. Manuel a few days after Christmas (or was it the day after, I just don't remember!). Cait was hopped up on chocolate (what's new?) and was just being silly :)





Rewind: Fun with our Easy Cool Bake Magic Oven (from Santa)

Well, as you know, the Easy Bake Oven was Caitlin's request from Santa this year. I did not find one, but found this instead: A Disney Princess Cool Bake Magic Oven. Very strange - you cook the cakes (which are VERY miniature) with ice!! No idea but it really worked!! Now we just have to find more magic cake and frosting mix. She loves it so I'm glad I only had to pay $10 (on sale) and don't have to be worried about her hurting herself with the hot oven :)




















It must have been good because this is Cait's "I LOVE CHOCOLATE" face!




















Rewind: Christmas Evening 2008 - Puppet Show Time

Santa left Caitlin a puppet theater - she had a million puppets with no place to put on a show! Now, we're good to go in the theater department!




Rewind: Christmas Afternoon 2008 with Family

Uncle Mike and MeMe and Grandpa rounded out our family visiting on Christmas day. They came bearing lots of gifts and food too. Thank you, Uncle Mike and MeMe and Grandpa!














Uncle Mike with Joy. For those of you who don't know, Mike picked out Joy from a litter at a breeder and gave her to Chris for an early Christmas present in 2003.














Uncle Mike and Cait played play dough for a long time!

































Cait was so excited about MeMe and Grandpa's big gift - a drum set!!














































































Cait with MeMe and Grandpa














Cait with Uncle Jared














Hi Uncle Mike!














Cait with one last Hannah Montana glitter thingy on her sweet head wearing the most soft thing I've ever felt - a Barefoot Dreams sweater from Grammy!




















Love the outfit? Get one of your own at Target (dollar section and girl's section), Old Navy, Walmart and Barefoot Dreams! :) LOL

































Everyone about to enjoy Christmas Dinner