Blogward

A while back, my dear blog friend Anxious Mummy presented me with the Versatile Blogger Award. To show my appreciation, I will answer the call.


1. Thank the person who gave you the award.
2. Tell 7 things about yourself that readers may not know.
3. Pay it forward by nominating 8 bloggers you’ve recently discovered.

Seven things about me you don't already know huh? This should be fun.

1. I don't think I am transitioning well to going off the meds. I have been very lethargic, have a major case of apathy regarding most things, and have been generally cranky, but mostly while at work. Now that I think about it, the lack of meds may have nothing to do with any of those symptoms at all, since they only seem to be present while at work. Hmmmm....
2. Since I can no longer spend money willy nilly, due to finally combining finances with my husband in an attempt to rid ourselves of debt, I have replaced my need to spend with a need to clean. Instead of getting a high off of buying something, I now get a high off of cleaning a space or decluttering. My house has never been so constantly clean, and DH likes the decluttering.
3. Despite my newly found lethargy and apathy, I am extremely excited to start BDing with a cause in the next couple of days. It has been so long since we were able to do that, and I am really looking forward to it. I feel as though a gate has been opened, and my horse has been cleared to race after a long stint in the stall due to injuries.
4. I hate Texas summers with a passion. I was totally over this summer the day summer left last year. I have honestly been dreading this summer since last October when things finally cooled down, and enjoyed each and every day where the thermometer didn't get over 85 between then and May of this year. These 100 degree temps have my permission to make a very early exit.
5. Infertility never affected anyone close to me until I moved to Texas. Now I have two friends, one of them a best friend, who are fighting the good fight.
6. I like plants. I can't always keep them alive, but I love having them around. I have 7 plants on my desk at work and 9+ plants at home. I think that is why my house doesn't smell like dogs, because the plants scrub the air. I am always on the lookout for new plants.
7. My husband and I are relandscaping our back yard, and he is putting in a fish pond just for me. He knows I love the idea of having a fish pond, so he is willing to spare the expense of time and money to give it to me. He's the sweetest.

There you have it, my 7 things. This is where my lame apathy comes in. I am just going to say that if you feel like being presented with this award, leave me a comment stating as much, and I will pass it on. :)

There is Value

A while back, maybe last week or the week before, ~Ifer, from The Mind of ~Ifer, generously bestowed upon me the Valued Blogger Award. I was very touched by what she had to say about me and my value as a blogger. I find her every bit as valuable as she finds me. Thanks ~Ifer! (I even put the squiggly!)



This award is not like all of the other blog awards because we all want to not only know about you, but your opinion of your fellow bloggers. So, without further ado, I present you with the rules.

1. Tell your readers how your journey into blogging began. Be as verbose or shy as you like.
2. Pick 3-5 fellow bloggers whom you adore and write what exactly it is you value about that person or their blog. The more you write about them the better. This is a chance to really appreciate your blog friends who have been there with and for you through thick and thin.
3. Let the blessed winners know they have been awarded.

That's it. Those are the rules. Now, before you think you can give the old line, "I don't want to pick anyone to pass this award onto because I don't want my readers to feel hurt if I don't pick them, so consider yourselves all tagged" I want you to realize that excuse tells all of your blog friends that you are wimping out, amongst other things. ;)

Don't feel bad that you can't award everyone, the award will make its rounds and eventually everyone will get it. If you feel bad enough, you can always award more than 5 bloggers.This award was started in December because it is the season of giving and bringing cheer to others. What better way to do that than to let the people in our lives know that we cherish them.

I seriously love this award. I have yet to find a recipient who hasn't been touched to receive it.

So, here is my reason for blogging!

As I have mentioned before, this blog is my secondary blog. My primary blog is more of a chronicle of my day-to-day life where I fight the battle against infertility and bite my thumb in its face. However, all of my family and friends in real life know about that blog and there are things going on in my personal life that I don't want them to know about, but that I am completely okay with sharing with complete strangers. Thus began the birth of this blog. It is my secret little hiding place from everyone IRL. The outlet I need to express feelings I don't need everyone knowing. This blog is more about the battle against the thoughts in my head and with the feelings and emotions I no longer want to deal with. This is their dumping ground. But like my primary blog, I choose to use my experiences to not only benefit me, but also to help uplift others. Let them know that they are not alone in their struggles. I have an almost completely different set of blog friends here, and you all serve a different purpose, just as I serve a different purpose for all of you than I do those on my primary blog. I feel warm and cozy here and safe in my little cocoon.

Now for the fun part - passing on the award! I hereby bestow this golden award upon (in the order of who updated last):

1. Noelle, from The Desire of My Heart - Noelle came into my life during my first time participating in ICLW. I remember her first comment was so sweet and sincere. I instantly felt a warmth toward her. She is a very strong woman who has been through the ringer this past year. Through her blog I have watched her try to pick herself up from a very tough situation and try to turn things around so she can move forward. It hasn't been an easy journey, but she keeps on pushing forward. I am very proud of her and glad that our blog paths crossed. She is a very sweet girl with so much to offer.
2. AnxiousMummy - I seriously love the ever adorable Anxious Mummy! She is an absolute trooper on my blog. She reads every mundane post and leaves the most beautiful comments that always make me smile, and always make me feel better when the going is rough. She and I are in somewhat similar situations. We both overcame infertility and are mothers trying and waiting for our next, and we are both scared to try for the next due to our histories in baby making. I think she found me during an ICLW, and once again, I am glad she did. She has made this journey easier to bear and I appreciate all of her words of encouragement.
3. Sass, from Secret Life of Sass and Lex - How anyone could come across Sass and not be an instant follower is beyond me. She is so stinking adorable and perky. Even the posts where she seems to be having a rough go seem upbeat to me. Perhaps she doesn't feel that way, but with the picture of her sticking her tongue out in her header, I can't help but take her posts any other way. I love her posts about her dog, Moo, and their relationship. There is nothing like a good dog! Sass, I'm glad you're in my blog world!
4. Hannah, from Life Happens When You're Making Other Plans - Hannah is a sweet, gentle woman whom I came across during ICLW. The first time I set eyes on her blog I was hooked. She is so cute, and once again, I feel like her posts are always so positive. I was following along as she underwent her first IVF. I couldn't believe how quickly she picked herself back up when it didn't work out. She is a wonderful example of endurance. Not to mention she is a wonderful aunt to two gorgeous little girls whom she adores so very much. I feel blessed to have stumbled across her blog.
5. Jill, from Hubby, Baby and Me... Would Make 3 - I kind of feel a little bit bad about awarding Jill right now because she just lost a loved one who was very close and dear to her heart. I don't want you to think in any way that I am trying to diminish your pain. I rather hope that it helps boost your spirits a little. Don't feel bad if you don't pass on this award Jill. Just know that I am thinking about you. Jill is another amazing woman who has overcome her battle against infertility and after a loss. I was lucky enough to join her on her journey to motherhood just as it began. I wish you all the best of luck with your pregnancy and look forward to following along with your symptoms over the coming months.

All right ladies, you have all been awarded. It is now your turn to pass on the award and warm fuzzies to some of your valued blog friends.

Blog Awards Abound!

I have been nominated for two blog awards by the very beautiful Hannah at Life Happens. Thank you so much! I have to say, one of the reasons I love Hannah is that she is an incredibly strong woman in the face of infertility. She has been though soooo much, including a recent miscarriage via IVF, yet she is determine to pick herself up and move on to the next round. She took her setback very well, which is incredibly admirable. Not only that, but she is a very thoughtful blogger. I enjoy her friendship very much.

The first award is this little ditty:



All we need is a little LOVE! This blog is about sisters uniting together and giving others some love because life is hard and who couldn't use a little love? The rules for this award is simple.I LOVE YOU=8 letters which gives you 8 rules :)

Here are the rules:

1-Thank the person who nominated you for this award and write a little bit about why you love them.
2-Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3-Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4-Nominate no more than 17 people (why 17?) who you love or you think could use some love.
5. Write one word (you can only use a word once) about what you love about their blog.
6. You cannot nominate someone who has already been nominated-the love has to spread to all.
7-Post links to the 17 blogs you nominate.
8-Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they’ve been nominated.

I don't follow 17 blogs, but I'll pass this on the best I can.

~Ifer - Endearing
Sarah - Real

That's all. I'm lame, I know. If you want this award and come across my blog, consider yourself awarded.

The second award from the same beautiful Hannah is this little ditty.



Here are the rules for this award:
1.Thank the person who nominated you for this award.
2.Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3.Link to the person who nominated you for this award.
4.Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know.
5.Nominate 7 Kreativ Bloggers.
6.Post links to the 7 blogs you nominate.
7.Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they've been nominated.

Seven new things huh? Well, here goes:

1. I am staying up really late to write this post. Its almost midnight, and I have to work tomorrow.
2. I am afraid to start TTC #2. I was excited until I realized how close we are to being able to try again and realized what we are really up against, and now I'm scared.
3. My dad has a friend who is a psychic. This friend said that I would have a baby girl, but that the road to her birth would be long and hard. I did, and it was. No one told him we were struggling to get pg. He recently said I ovulate late in my cycles, which is part of our problem TTC. I do. He had never been told that. He told my mother during a reading that I was not yet healthy enough to conceive, that my body was still healing from my last pregnancy. This is true and correct. We are not allowed to start TTC again until Feb to give my body time to heal. He said we would have two more children. He also said that I would not get pregnant in the next year. I hope he is wrong about the latter, but he has been spot on with everything else.
4. I am not a judgemental person. I don't care who you are, what you look like, or anything else as long as you are a good person. It is rare I come across someone I don't like, and if I don't like them, there is a very good reason.
5. I love to get people who don't smile at anyone to smile at me in passing. I work with four people who for the longest time would not smile at anyone in passing in the halls. They seemed jaded by life and not polite or pleasant people at all. They smile at me and say hello now. I broke them down. :D
6. I love to give. I am a very giving person. I love Christmas and any opportunity I have to give gifts. Giving is more fun to me than receiving. It is truly all the gift I ever want.
7. I married a true blue native Texan, and just gave birth to one a few months ago.

Sass Gave Me an Award!

The ever fantastic Sass from Secret Life of Sass and Lex has wonderfully bestowed the following award on me. Thanks Sass!


The rules are that I must write 10 things about me that my readers don't already know. This ought to be juicy! Here we go:

1. All right friends, the cat is out of the bag. I've been wanting to admit this for some time, since I am crap at keeping secrets. This is actually my secondary blog. I created the Return to Innonce blog because everyone IRL has my other blog address and there are some things going on in my life that I don't want them to know about, like my PPD. I hide it well on the surface, but needed an outlet that didn't involve me confessing going to a shrink or taking antidepressants to people I know. I never post the same post on both blogs, and I don't follow any of the same blogs on either site, but my posting content does criss cross. If you figure out which other blog is mine, I will definitely let you know it is me. :) (It also participates in ICLW.)
2. I played trumpet for 10 years and was really good at it. I played because my grandpa played for 40 years during the Big Band Era, and had his own dance band. My dad played for 7 years, and my little brother played for 4. I was pretty decent at it, and it was actually how I paid for most of my college education. I LOVED it. I AM a band geek.
3. I love the TV show Skins. My husband got me hooked on it half way through the current season, and now I crave it. The bummer is the season finale is this week. I've contemplated buying it on DVD.
4. I think my husband is the most incredible, intelligent man in the world. He is so caring and compassionate. His memory retention astounds me. I love watching him interact with our daughter. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about how grateful I am I was able to make him a daddy.
5. I have trained 8 dogs in my 30 years of life; 4 Shelties, 1 Australian Shepherd, and 3 Border Collies.
6. I love cats and grew up always having cats. One day in my early 20s I was all of a sudden allergic to them. I had two cats before I got married, and they still live with my parents. I live thousands of miles away from them now, but my boys still love me when I do get to go home.
7. My husband taught me how to cook after we got married. I don't claim to be a gourmet yet, but I do make some mean enchiladas, stuffed shells, and chicken. I get great pleasure out of DH telling me how delicious my meals are. If he says its good, it was good.
8. I love to vacuum. It brings me a sick sense of pleasure. I recently mowed the lawn and discovered it feels just like vacuuming. Only it's harder, takes longer, and makes me sweat more. But I get the same sense of pleasure out of it.
9. I put my foot in my mouth more often than I would like.
10. I love Tex Mex and guacamole. I make some seriously awesome guac, and I just can't get enough.

Now it is my turn to tag a few people. If you're up to it and you read this post, I tag:

1. Jill at Hubby, Baby, and Me... Would Make 3
2. Life Happens
3. Anyone else who feels like being awarded!