The Royal Wedding

I know I'm not the only one that has watched the wedding and coverage today!  Apparently 2 BILLION people watched!

My sister has been obsessed with Prince William since she knew who he was.  She was going to marry him.  I was NOT surprised when I saw on Facebook that she had set her alarm for 3 AM.

Me?  I just set my DVR.  No way was I going to be up before the sun, as excited as I've been to see this wedding.

Prince Charles and Princess Diana got married in 1981, but I was only about a year and a half so I, obviously, do not remember that Royal Wedding.

So, for me, this Royal Wedding is a Once In A Lifetime experience.  NO way was I going to miss it!

I had my DVR set to one of the local news stations that was going to cover it as well as E!.  When I got up this morning I turned it on and grabbed my coffee.  I did my make up on the couch so I could watch.  Then I had to leave for work!  I was gone for about five'ish hours and I turned it back on as soon as I got home and have had it on since.  I've watched nothing else today!

Aside from the wedding itself, there were some strange and interesting hats there!  I'm sure my sister was dying over them because that is totally her thang, but seriously?  What WERE some of those things?  Most were gorgeous, but some were seriously outrageous and so not cute!  For instance, Fergie's daughters! 

What. The. Heck?!

Anywhooo...

{Here's a timeline of the day.}

I loved this wedding!  So beautiful!  Everything about it!

I LOVE Kate's gown and I'm not a fan of lace.  But it is so classically elegant, so HER!

{There's been a partial transcript released from a forensic lip reader for police forces and media outlets, if you missed any of the whispers that weren't caught by microphones during the day.}

I love that Prince Harry snuck a peak as Kate was walking down the aisle and whispered to Wills, "Right, she is here now!" since he had his back to her till she was standing beside him.

When Prince William saw Kate, he told her that she looked "absolutely beautiful" and the way he was looking at her?  So sweet; so in love.

And then Prince William joked to Kate's dad, "We were supposed to have a small family affair."

Loved that Kate's brother did a reading from the Bible.

Pippa looked pretty amazing!  Some say that she almost over-shadowed Kate, but she didn't, as beautiful as she looked!

Loved the sermon that was given by Lord Bishop of London.

"A spiritual life grows as love finds its center beyond ourselves," the bishop told the young couple. "Faithful and committed relationships offer a door into the mystery of spiritual life in which we discover this; the more we give of self, the richer we become in soul; the more we go beyond ourselves in love, the more we become our true selves and our spiritual beauty is more fully revealed. In marriage we are seeking to bring one another into fuller life."

"Marriage should transform as husband and wife make one other their work of art. It is possible to transform so long as we don't harm our ambitions to reform our partners. There must be no coercion if the spirit is to flow. Each must give the other space and freedom," the bishop said, quoting Chaucer as saying "when mastery cometh, the god of love anon beateth his wings and farewell he is gone."

During the sermon the little whispers and looks between Prince William and Kate...LOVE!!

I enjoyed seeing them not quite as reserved while they were in the carriage ride back to Buckingham Palace.  They were certainly in the spotlight still, but they were having some private conversations between themselves, too.

Then, once they were out on the balcony and had not one but two kisses!  Surprising and unexpected and perfect!

Their Royal Highnesses Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace after their wedding.

Ahhhh....so perfect!

Did you watch?  What was your favorite part?  Do you think it was all it was cracked up to be?

Photo credits: Google Images and The Associated Press.

Just Relax!

{Courtesy of Resolve.org}

As I previously mentioned, this week is National Infertility Awareness Week.

Bloggers around the world are joining together and busting myths that us infertile's are faced with every day.

Myth: If you just relax, you will get pregnant.

{Courtesy of Google Images}

If only this were the truth!

If only it were that easy!

Those of you that have read my blog for a long time or those of you that have read Our Story know that my husband and I have been trying to add to our family for eight years.

That's a long time to have no relaxation thrown in there, don't you think?

I am here to tell you that no amount of RELAXING is going to get us pregnant and I resent anyone that suggests that that is all that we need to do.

Not only have we gone on vacations to the mountains and to the ocean to RELAX, we have also done our fair share of alternate methods including fertility drugs and IUI's.  If we had the money, we would've done IVF by now, too.  Or adopted for that matter.

Those individuals that suggest that we just need to RELAX have no idea what they're talking about.  It's usually those people that get pregnant by just looking at their significant other and have no idea what it's like to TRY to get pregnant or those that have no children and have yet to try.  Sometimes it's the older generation that just doesn't understand, too.

If it were all as easy as JUST relaxing I'm sure we'd have a houseful of crazy, rambunctious kids by now!

People have no idea how hurtful those words can be.  Or maybe they do and just have no filter and don't care as much as they'd like you to believe they do.

Either way, infertility is a disease. It's not something that can be resolved by JUST relaxing no matter how much those people would like to believe!

It's not going to take a vacation.

It's not going to take a vacation to a tropical island or the snowy mountains.

It's not going to take getting a dog and treating it like your child {because yes, people have suggested this to me}.

It's not going to take a massage by the best massage therapist in the world.

It's not going to take a fruity drink while sun-bathing and having someone wait on you hand and foot.

There is NO amount of RELAXING that is going to get an infertile pregnant no matter how much they wish it would.

Infertility is a disease and there is something more going on within the inner workings of the body that needs to be dealt with.

If THAT happens, THEN maybe pregnancy will be achieved.

Until then, those of you that get pregnant so easily, or those of you that just haven't tried yet but know of someone that is having trouble getting pregnant, PLEASE be sensitive to the infertile's in your life and don't suggest they JUST RELAX.

If you're an infertile and don't know how to share this fact with your family or friends, or if you're someone that knows an infertile and are wondering how to relate or communicate with them, here is a GREAT video to watch!  It really gets to the heart of what we're feeling and dealing with.

To find out more about Infertiliy visit Resolve.org.

NIAW: What NOT To Say To An Infertile

On Saturday evening we got together with some friends.  It was a PERFECT day.

For me, the day began in the morning with getting together with my three childhood best friends.  One of them is here visiting from California, for Easter.  She's here with her three month old baby girl and hubby.  It was so great to get to spend the morning visiting and catching up with each other, sitting in the sun on this friends parents deck.  The first sunny day, that included warmth with the sun, in months!

And I got to snuggle her precious little bundle.  Throughout the day, there were some emotional stings, but that's just because of my situation, not because of anything any of my friends said or did. 

When I left there, I knew that I was going to see my other {high school} best friend and other really good friend, as well as their hubs and kids, for dinner.

It's been so, so, SO long since the six of us have gotten together with each other so that was going to be fun catching up with them all as well.

My best friends hub recently brewed his own beer so the guys were going to have fun with that, anddddd they definitely did!!

The kids and dogs played outside in the yard and that was fun.  One of the little guys cracks me up.  Every time we walk in the door to their house, he's the first one to tell me he has something to show me and ask if I want to see it.  This day, he wanted to show me his new Easter shirt and pants.  I always indulge him because he's just too cute to say no to.

While we were outside playing, I got to play with my best friends little guy.  I helped him swing and go down the slide.  He's so smiley you can't help but fall in love with him!

After awhile dinner was all fixed up and eaten and then the kids were all running around like the characters they are.  It was SO LOUD!!  All the adults had to yell to be heard.  And there was only five kids there.  As Kyle pointed out, it was hard to believe that five kids could make all that noise.  It sounded more like it was 12 kids running around.

At one point, my best friends husband looks at me and says,

"And you think you want all of this loud chaos?"

I just looked at him, looked at the kids, looked back at him and said, nicely,

"Don't ask me that question."

He responded, "I guess that's a yes."  

He was apologetic for saying that to me.  I'm sure it never occurred to him that there are some things that just shoudn't be said.  I mean, there's not very many people, that I'm aware of, that he knows are infertile.  I think maybe Kyle and me and one or two other couples that they've been close with over the years that have dealt with infertility in one way or another.  It's hard to know what is ok to say and what isn't, I get that.

I couldn't hold it against him that he didn't know the correct etiquette in speaking with / to an infertile, but I also couldn't just let it go.  That's why I answered him as nicely as I could.  I wasn't mad, it just stung because more than anything, I would love to have a house full of my own kids making a bunch of racket.  Those that are able to get pregnant so easily just don't know what that feeling is like though.

What I wouldn't give to have that chaos.
What I wouldn't give to be woken up in the middle of the night, multiple times, by my crying baby.
What I wouldn't give to have a house that is child-proofed and child-friendly for more than just the occasional visitor that has young kids.
What I wouldn't give to have to change diapers multiple times a day.
What I wouldn't give to be spit up on.
What I wouldn't give to do all of those things that are required when you have children in your life.

What I wouldn't give to have a baby of my own to love and cherish like all of those around me.

April 24 - April 30

This week is National Infertility Awareness Week.  Learn more about what infertility is here.  If you're looking for some books that deal with infertility, you can find my recommendations here.

Worship and Praise Sunday: Redeemer

Redeemer

Kutless

Oh Lord, you're beautiful
Your face is all I see
And when Your eyes,
are on this child
Your grace abounds to me

There is a redeemer,
Jesus God's own Son
Precious Lamb of God Messiah
Holy One

Thank You oh my Father
For giving us Your Son
And leaving Your Spirit till
The work on earth is done

Thank You oh my Father
For giving us Your Son
And leaving Your Spirit till
The work on earth is done

Hallelujah...

~~~~~

This past week I've had this Kutless cd playing in my car and I just really love the whole thing.  This song inparticular has been sticking out to me, though, especially with Easter coming up and now here.  I've just been so thankful for what the song says...for God giving us his son, Jesus.  For having him die on the cross for our sins, yours and mine and for loving us so unconditionally that he was willing to show his abundant love for us in this way.  And then what we've been celebrating today, Jesus rising from the dead three days after his crucifiction.

Praise the Lord!  HE IS RISEN!

I hope you all have had a great Easter celebrating this greatest gift from God!

 

~~~~~

If you'd like to see previous Worship and Praise songs, you can do so here.

Worship and Praise Sunday: Held

Held

Natalie Grant

Two months is too little.

They let him go.

They had no sudden healing.

To think that providence would

Take a child from his mother while she prays

Is appalling.

Who told us we’d be rescued?

What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?

We’re asking why this happens

To us who have died to live?

It’s unfair.

Chorus:

This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we’d be held.

This hand is bitterness.

We want to taste it, let the hatred NUMB our sorrow.

The wise hands opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

(Chorus)

This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we’d be held.

Bridge:

If hope is born of suffering.

If this is only the beginning.

Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

(Chorus)

This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we’d be held.

~~~~~

Today, I have a heavy heart.

Elizabeth, a friend that is from the Seattle area, whom I met first online but then in person back in November, lost her infant son last night.

Elizabeth is also one that has had to deal with infertility.  She was fortunate enough to be able to do IVF and get pregnant, with twins, on her first go-around.

Elliot and Vivian were born on March 30th.

At a week old, Elliot stopped breathing while nursing.

Elizabeth's MIL was able to do CPR and revive him and he'd been fighting for his life till last night when his little body could no longer hold on.

As you can imagine, Elizabeth and her family are completely devastated during what should be the happiest time of their lives.  Completely heartbroken.

If you wouldn't mind, please keep them all in your prayers while they deal with a death, and a funeral for their baby, as well as still needing to be there and present for their little Vivian.

Elizabeth, if you see this, please know that I'm praying for Jesus to comfort you during this time and to wrap his loving arms around you and your husband and the rest of your family.  I'm so very sorry that you had so little time with your little miracle boy.  I wish more than anything that the clocks could be turned back and that this nightmare you're living would never have happened in the first place.  xoxo

 

~~~~~

If you'd like to see previous Worship and Praise songs, you can do so here.

Weekend Wordle / Six Word Saturday: Kitten Love

 {I haven't done this in SO long so thought I would jump back into it today.  We'll see if I stick with it or not.}

To create your own Wordle, go here. And then download MWSnap to save the image. Easy peasy!

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Six Word Saturday:

Pioneer Woman on Food Network?! Awesome!

Did you hear about this?  Do you read The Pioneer Woman's blog?  She announced this yesterday.  I LOVE her and I can't wait to see her show that's going to take place on her ranch!  Sounds like we still have to wait a little while though.  You better believe that when it does come on, my DVR will be set!

Join Cate at Show My Face for more Six Word Saturdays. She's got lots of groupies that like to play along!

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Starting right after Easter I'm going to be working with a girl that fosters cats and kittens through a rescue group.  It's kind of a pet therapy thing for her, too.  Through this group she always has a rotation of kittens coming through her house and a couple of weeks ago I went to her house to meet her to make sure that I was going to be a good fit for her.  While there, I got to spend some time with three week old kittens.  Oh. My. Gosh.  I was in love!  Now, Milo is enough cat for this household, but it's still fun to see and spend time with such itty-bitty kittens.  Here's some pictures from that day.

This little guy spent a lot of time climbing up my leg.

All the kittens were piling around myself and my purse.

This one was my favorite.  Is she not just precious?!

All fighting for a spot to eat.

Finally, all settled.  SO sweet!!

Fur Twins Turn Four!

Yesterday was my baby's and his sisters fourth birthday!

We didn't have any plans but sometime during the day, our friends {the parents of Chewy's sister, Molly} sent me a text asking if we wanted to go over to their house for dinner.  Of course we couldn't say no to celebrating our baby's birthday with his sister!

While we were getting dinner ready, the pups were waiting outside watching our every move, wondering when they were gonna get to come in and beg for our food.

 

Olivia and Emily wanted to show me some of the faces that they make.  They crack me up!  So goofy!

After we were done eating, then the pups got to have some steak, in celebration of their birthday, too.  They scarfed that down so fast if we had blinked we wouldn't have seen it on the plate!

Setting the plates down and telling them to wait.

Chewy is the biggest dork and won't walk on hardwood floors so he wouldn't eat until Ryan moved his food closer to him.  And THEN it was scarfed!

Much better. ;0)

Ryan LOVES Chewy.  He loves his own dog, Molly, too.  But he LOVES Chewy so he was giving loves and scratching Chewy in his sweet spot.

Guys and their dogs.  Four years later.

Here, you can see what a complete dork Chewy is.  This is how he is around hardwoods.  He slips and slides and appears to not know how to walk!

 

Getting a sample taste of their cake...licking frosting off my fingers.

I made a human cake {and started cutting it before we sang Happy Birthday}.  I made it vanilla/vanilla so that the pups could have a little piece.

Getting ready to sing Happy Birthday.  Yes, we're dorks and sang Happy Birthday to our dogs. LOL

 

And the cake was gone even faster than the steak!

Must. Get. Every. Last. Crumb.

After all the excitement, the kids watched a movie and the adults played a game.  The dogs wrestled in the living room and when we left, Chewy was asleep in the car before we even got to the main street.  And these friends live three minutes from us. LOL

Happy 4th Birthday Chewy and Molly!  

Thanks for filling our lives with happiness!

Photobucket Doesn't Like Me

As you can see, something is going on with Photobucket right now.  Not sure what it is but it sure makes my blog look like crapola, huh?!

Hopefully whatever they're working on will be fixed asap because the way it looks now is certainly not very inviting. LOL

On another note, today I took a class that allows nurses to delegate different tasks to me that I wouldn't normally, legally, be allowed to do such as administer medications or take blood glucose levels.  It's only for the home healthcare type setting but it was an {almost} all day thing.  I took the test to get my certificate and got 100%.  Woohoo!  Go me!

Now, I'm trying to figure out what in the world I'm going to make for dinner.  I really don't have any motivation to make anything but we need to eat and I need to use up some ground beef before it goes bad.  Hmmm....

Anywho, not a lot to say right now so I'll just keep this short and sweet...and hope that Photobucket gets its act together so my blog can be pretty again!

What's On Your Bookshelf?

Recently I've been reading a lot.

A WHOLE lot more than I was last year.

I think in the first four months of this year I've read more than I did the entire year before.

I blame school for that one.  All I had time to read was textbooks.  {And I can promise you, that was NOT fun.}

So I think that I'm making up for the last year and reading all I can this year.  Although, admittedly, I'm also addicted to the tv so I guess I'm not reading AS MUCH as I can, but a heck of a lot more than before.

Plus, now that I can get free books for my Kindle, I'm reading and downloading more books than I can count!

I thought it would be fun to list the books that I've read recently and have you tell me what you've read and if you recommend it.  Whatcha think?  Good idea?

Another question real quick, do you judge books by their cover?  I totally do.  Now, I'm not really picky, but if the cover doesn't pull me in, I most likely won't read the book.

Ok, here's my list.

 1. One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

2. Two Kisses for Maddy: A Memoir of Loss & Love

3. The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels--A Love Story

4. Winter Garden

5. Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas

6. Beachcombers: A Novel

7.  Always the Baker, Never the Bride

8. Chosen: A Novel

9. Sheet Music: Uncovering the Secrets of Sexual Intimacy in Marriage

10. I'm currently reading this one...

House Rules: A Novel

What's on your list right now?  What do you recommend?

Another thing.  

I love it when I can offer useful information and when I find useful information from others.  So I have some information to share with you about getting HUNDREDS of free books.  

I'm assuming that you could use these instructions with any e-reader, but I have a Kindle so that's obviously what I'm used to.  The instructions are detailed and long but I PROMISE you, once you have it all set up, it's a CINCH!  You will love me for introducing you to this website because I love whoever set it up and runs it. LOL  So, don't let this scare you from doing it because you will get FREE books if you follow these instructions!

Here ya go!

You're going to need a zip file unloader, I recommend 7-zip:
http://www.7-zip.org/download.html

You're going to need another file downloader.  This is the most common one used on the website.  To make it faster to download books, I highly recommend spending the $9/month (or whatever other option there is). WELL worth it!
http://www.filesonic.com/

Lastly, where you get the books from is FreeBookSpot:
http://www.freebookspot.co/

Ok, so you've got all that set up.

Hook your Kindle {or other e-reader} up to your computer via USB cord.

Either manually or automatically {when it's plugged in}, you need to go to your Kindle on My Computer (or whatever it's called on your computer where it shows the Removal Storage Devices).

Click on Kindle and it should bring up four different folders.  You're going to put the book files into the one titled 'documents'.

Go to FreeBookSpot and search by book title or author, I personally prefer by author because it then brings up all the books by that author that's on the site.

If you've paid the $9 then you will be able to download books FAST as well as multiple books at once.  Again, I HIGHLY recommend paying the small price to do this!

Once you've found the books you want, I recommend opening each one in a different tab/window.

Then, go to each book and download the one by FileSonic  (there's also another file that works...I think it's called multi-something, you can try it, if it's not the same thing it will bring up a different website}.  It will bring up the 7-Zip folder.  Extract the files.  Choose MOBI and drag it to your folder titled 'documents'.  Repeat as needed. 

Sometimes there's not a MOBI option.  I've chosen PDF instead.  I don't have a lot of PDF's but I do have a few.

SO, there's a lot of info here, but hopefully it's cohesive.  Let me know if you have any questions!

~~~~~

Adding this, also, as part of Kelly's Korner: Show Us Your Life series.