Vitamin D!

My mom sent me an e-mail a few days ago full of information when it comes to Vitamin D, or lack there of.

This triggered my own googling fanatic where I found oodles and oodles of information where Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to Infertility. {Everything has been linked to infertility for goodness sakes!}

After much reading, I decided to pull out my incredibly large file I keep on all stuff related to Infertility. I found my previous blood work results and sifted thru.

I then came across all the Thyroid testing I had done back this past Summer.

Ah-ha! I found it! I had been tested for Vitamin D serum levels!

According to the lab it went to, normal levels are 30-100. Everything I had read online says 50 is the lowest normal.

Mine came back at exactly 30. So either way, I am either borderline deficient or very deficient. In learning this, I went straight to the store and picked up Vitamin D along with a Calcium/Magnesium supplement {These are needed for the Vitamin D to absorb properly} and started popping pills!

Do a google search yourself or just check out these links that I found!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/women_shealth/3434420/Vitamin-D-can-aid-fertility.html

http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/reprint/110/8/1573.pdf

http://hometestingblog.testcountry.com/?p=191

http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/vitamind.html

http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/vitamindmiracle.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000465_vitamin_D_infertility_womens_health.html

http://www.purehealthmd.com/womens-health/pregnancy/nutrition/vitamin-d-in-fertility-and-pregnancy.html

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62381.asp

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1084673/Vitamin-D-boost-fertility-women-ovulation-problems.html

http://infertility.suite101.com/article.cfm/vitamin_d_deficency_and_infertility

http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/news41.html

http://engineeredforhealth.com/2009/09/01/boost-fertility-with-vitamin-d-and-opc-3/

http://www.gettingpregnantnow.org/Articles/The_Fertility_Nutrient__Vitamin_D.html

Interesting huh??? :-)

Too many thoughts!

Ever had too much going on in your brain to post about just one topic??? That's about how I feel right now. Which is really why I slacked so much over the last couple of weeks. Honestly.

So much I want to say yet I just do not even know where to begin!

Topics include...

Adoption. Fertility treatments. Vitamin D. Diagnosis'. Diets. Birthdays. Traditions. Christmas. New Years. 2010. Houses. Dogs. Weather. Church. Lost Stork Foundation. Family. Friends. Heartless statements of '09. Impending births. 20 yet not quite 30 but feeling the clock tick. IVF. Surrogacy. Thyroid. Doctors, in particular Dr. S and Dr. P. Insurances. Financial Savings Account amounts. Infertility support group. Books. Photos, yet lack of. Names.

Wow. Now that the topics are written out I feel better that I hopefully will not forget to blog about anything {but I just know I'm forgetting something or a few off that list...} yet overwhelmed by the amount and feel confident in saying that by the time I even get half way thru the list will evolve into more and it'll just grow!!! AH!

So, where to begin? With Adoption? ABC's? Names and just go backwards? Randomized?

I am just putting way too much thought into this so I'll just start.

Hi. My name is Meghan and this is my list of topics on my mind. Any thoughts?? :-)

For All Children.

I came across this video today. So powerful. So amazing I watched it twice back to back. I have worked with children for a very very long time. I am currently a nanny for twin one year old boys. Although only one, their temperaments are already blooming right along with their sweet little personalities. I have a huge impact on them. I do not take it lightly, that is for sure, because I have seen first hand what children do and say when their parents/caregivers do not realize the impact they have on the child. Everything from learning the words they say to the actions they have. This video is just one of the many reminders that they do, and will, absorb every single thing you do and say. Like it or not.



I have been told numerous times that I lived a "sheltered life". That may be so from others perspective but I believe it was the best like for me.

I did not hear curse words from my parents, other family members, or TV. The occasional slip up occurred but we knew better than to repeat it. I did not see alcohol but a few occasions. I was shown only love for others, regardless of our different backgrounds. We were expected to use our manners, at all times. My parents did for others what they could- Made dinners. Helped fix items. Opened our house for others to have a roof over their heads too. Watched others children. Whatever my parents could do to help out, they would. My home was filled with lots of laughter. Lots of love. And lots of fond memories. Every child deserves this.

And for this reason, I want to do the same for our children. People will talk. People will disagree. People will put down. That is okay. As my mother in law says, Charles and I have the right to make our own decisions and mistakes for our children just as every other parent has had the same right.

I love seeing Charles go out of his way to help an elderly or disabled person in the grocery store reach an item, open a door, or load an item. Charles is very polite and has great manners as well. Why yes, I do not believe myself or Charles is perfect, I try to find the positive aspects that I love and hope are passed right along to our children. I know the good and bad go together but hope that our children get mostly the good from each of us.

So for anyone and everyone that has any impact at all on a child, please remember that they are little sponges and absorb every single thing you do and say!

Photos. Some. From Thanksgiving 2009!

And here are a few of the photos from Thanksgiving in Georgia! I stop here as Blogger is acting stupid and taking WAY too long! Lost my patience. :-)

My mother-in-law with four of her Grand daughters.


Me, Casey, Hannah, Erin, and Tiffany at Erin's baby shower. We're missing Shelby and we'd have our 'group' together again. {Notice my shirt? Not really. But mom and Ray got us embroidered Lost Stork Foundation shirts! More on that all later...}

Caitilen, eldest niece {of these three anyways}.

Tori, second oldest niece {of these three anyways}.

Payton, third oldest niece {of these three anyways}

Charles with his Aunt Virginia.

Us with A's boys, Cole and Caleb.

Me and A.

Aren't we just the most affection family you've ever seen??? :-)

Matthew, Me, Mom, Ryan, and Daniel. Except for mom, oldest to youngest. And in case you were wondering, I'm 5'8". I have some TALL brothers.

Us with mom and Ray the first day we saw them. My first trip to Hobby Lobby. :-)

Taking it back, Thanksgiving style!

Since I never updated how our trip to Georgia over Thanksgiving went, I'm taking it back a week to do just that!

{Oh yes. I didn't tell you. We went to Georgia so we could be with family over Thanksgiving. Let's just say that 8 days of family is wonderful yet overwhelming!}

Let me start by saying that it was one emotionally draining week!!!!!

We spent the first evening with my Aunt J and Uncle J. It was so lovely seeing them as they are always such great company! This year was particularly hard though as it was the first time we were to see my Uncle J since he had been diagnosed with lung cancer a couple months back.

We spent time with my parents, brothers, long overdue friends, and Charles' family... {next post will be 100% photos as it is just way too many to add here!}

The emotionally draining part of the visit was everywhere we went, BABIES were there! Literally!!!!

I went to a dear friend's baby shower. My mom has u/s photos of "Little Guy" up on the fridge {Ray's daughter-in-law is expecting their miracle after IVF and m/c in Jan I believe}. My dad has u/s photos of "Savannah" on their fridge {Jodi' daughter's baby to be in late Feb I believe}. My oldest brother made talk about adopting a child from India come early 2010. {WHAT???} Spent time with my dear friend A who not only has two children but is pregnant naturally with twins. Newest niece, six month old Allyson, was there. It was asked of us from Charles' elderly Aunt and cousins when we were going to have 'that boy' and on and on and on. {They were too old to get into the discussion of WE HAVE BEEN TRYING THANK YOU VERY MUCH! so you just grin and nod and plaster that fake smile.} BABIES, BABIES, BABIES!!!!

Not to mention the heartless comments made by others during this week who all KNOW our history and our desires to become parents. Some people... ARGH! I guess it comes with the territory of letting people in, you have to risk having them be heartless and hurt you.

Hence why this post debuted. Smack dab in the middle of it all and not a soul to talk to. Not a soul that understood. Or so I felt, while in the middle of it all... But you all that left comments brought such great comfort to me that I am NOT alone and you DO understand! I cannot thank you enough for that encouragement when I needed it the most!

I even got drunk. My first {and last} time. I broke. I resorted to the only thing I thought would take away the pain. That would stop the world from turning for just a moment so I could catch my breath, compose, and move forward. Unfortunately, all it did was make me greatly ill and miserable physically.

I cried so hard and so long on this trip. It was supposed to be all enjoyment. All wonderful spending so much time with family and friends. And it was. Don't get me wrong. But now I am ever so grateful that we do not live back in Georgia in the midst of all this. I am grateful that we could 'escape' back to our home and only enter back into all this when we picked up the phone at our will to do so. I became so grateful that we love everyone we saw yet space is so wonderful too...

One of my most favorite parts of the entire week though had to been spending time with our nieces! How I love and miss those girls dearly!!! We crammed on the couch watching movies. Walked around the acreage the in laws have. Had girl talk. Played games. Laughed. The stories. The fun. Just had an amazing time with them!

It was so sad saying bye to everyone yet after 8 days, I think we were all ready to part ways for a bit. Maybe we'll stick to shorter visits that happen more frequently... :-)

Two freaking minutes!

The new RE, Dr. P, that we have had scheduled since October to see has a waiting list. Once all your paper work is turned in, they put you on a list and when a cancellation comes up, you are called in order on the list as a first come, first serve basis.

Today, just like any other day. Babies {it's the last day I can call them babies as they turn 1 tomorrow! WOW!} were down for their morning nap. 11:45am came, they woke, I went to get them. After trying to {what felt like} catch two greased pigs {AKA- change and dress two extremely mobile boys}, we headed back downstairs.

I heard the alert beep from my cell. Check it. I had a voicemail from an unknown number... They had called at 11:47am {TWO FREAKING MINUTES!} The voicemail was from a very sweet sounding lady from Dr. P's office saying they have a cancellation for this Wednesday at 3:15pm and if interested to call back ASAP as it is a first come, first serve basis and the list is incredibly long...

Needless to say, I immediately called only to find out that they had 'just filled the spot' and 'better luck next time'! ()$*(@*(!&(*~^(^~(*$)* ARGH!

So instead of only having TWO days until my appointment, I have TWO months still! :-(

*And I even tried to call Dr. S today to set up an appt to go ahead and discuss doing a December Femara/Inject cycle along with talking about IVF but they are booked out at least two weeks as well, and not convenient times might I add...* Bummer!

After wallowing in the 'what ifs' I have come to two good things about this phone call.
1~ They do actually call when a cancellation comes about!
2~ I must be getting pretty close to the top of the list in order to even get a call!

So needless to say, my phone will now be glued to me during all business hours as I dare not miss this phone call again! hahaha! February 3 just seems so far off...

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Today, reflecting on what we are Thankful for seems to be so important for me. It is not only a reminder to be ever grateful for our health, roof over our heads, great jobs we love, family and friends that always are supporting us but to also be thankful for this path God has led us down. The path of Infertility. As hard of a pill as that may be to swallow...

Infertility has brought me relationships I would have never otherwise had. Infertility has opened my eyes in dealing with situations where the up most compassion and empathy is needed. Infertility has brought about a new sense of caring for others that I have never experienced before. Infertility, although never something I would have chosen for us to endure, has brought us many blessings.

I am thankful for all the support, encouragement, and love that has been shown to us from people I know as well as I do not know! Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you take a moment to be thankful for those things in your life that are 'blessings in disguise'.

Thank You!

I cannot even begin to express the overwhelming support and encouragement I received from you, my blogger friends!

Don't you just hate how those low days come, sometimes without warning?

Anyways. I have LOTS of thoughts but for now, I'm off to spend some time with my nieces!

Gingerbread Houses + Nieces = FUN MESSES!

I love, just about more than anything else, spending time with my nieces! This evening we {Three nieces, Charles, and myself} made mini Gingerbread houses. :-) Mine is the one without a ceiling... Fun stuff! I think they turned out pretty good though!

C, the oldest niece, tasted a bit of the 'house' and informed us we would not want to eat this at a later date so who cares how long they sit out.

How I love our nieces... I miss having them around like crazy! So now I'm off to play a family game and enjoy the craziness!

Lowest of the lows.

Ever want to talk to someone that truly understands? The aches and pains infertility brings. That common bond is amazing and in a selfish way comforting.

Well I need someone. An infertile. Someone that has not moved 'to the other side'. Thankfully everyone I personally know that has delt with infertility is now a mommy. I find encouragement when I talk to them that miracles still happen. This I am thankful for.

However this is not what I need right now. Tonight. Tonight I need someone who still has fresh wounds. Still has the deep heartache to be a mommy. Someone that finds themselves crying with both happiness and sadness with the news of a new baby coming into the world.

I need an infertile sister. Someone that I do not need to bring strong for but instead I can cry too for my own pain.

I just want to feel like I am not indeed the only woman on the face of the planet left childless.

Sorry to be depressing. It has been a very emotionally taxing day. Off to bed now thankfully.

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