"Sure. I'd love to attend your baby shower. Is it okay if I bring my therapist?"

So...on FB, I "like" the 999 reasons to laugh at infertility page. It keeps some humor in the midst of lots of heartache. Some are so true, I chuckle to myself because I've done/thought something they mention. Others are off-the-wall (but have some merit), like the one that encouraged the most recent bachelorette to have each guy do a semen analysis before choosing her future husband, weeding out the ones with low count/motility. Others hit a little deeper, depending on how I'm feeling on a particular day. For example, I was talking to Conrad Sunday about the horror of baby showers, and then today's thought on the FB page was about baby showers...apparently I'm not the only one that dreads/avoids them.

One thing I do appreciate about social networking and the internet is that it connects people that otherwise would have to go this journey alone. I can't tell you the relief I've felt over the past year and a half when I've been able to talk about and read about infertility struggles. The first year, I didn't have any of this and can't even begin to explain the loneliness. Thank you, God, for working through technology to connect your children so they can encourage each other.

On a sad note, I just want to ask that you'd pray for my friend Lisa, who after her 4th IUI treatment, got pregnant, and just found out last week (at 14 weeks), that there was no heartbeat. She was scheduled for a D&C today. I can't even begin to imagine the pain of that loss. My prayers are with you, Lisa. Thank you for being such a strong, inspiring person, even through your painful journey.

Trip to Boise with the Girls!!

Have I ever mentioned that I have amazing friends?? Well, just in case I haven't, let me say it again, "I HAVE AMAZING FRIENDS!!!!" I went to Boise last weekend to 1)get away, 2)celebrate Steph's bday early, 3)see friends, 4)eat good food (had to throw this in there!). I was surrounded by people I've been friends with for different amounts of time: Andrea, 20+ years; Steph, Erin, Jeannie, Britt, almost 10 years!; Jenny, friendship growing over the past 4 years. We all had a blast. I feel so blessed to have such great friends...friends that I can pick up right where we left off last time we saw each other, like it was yesterday. I hate to brag, but I do have the best friends EVER.

In Boise we laughed a lot, played with Gunther (Erin's great dane, and our host for 2 nights), floated the river in a raft, ate yummy food (besides the grumpy waitress at an upscale "China Bistro"), weathered a monsoon to eat our pizza outside when we were STARVING after our float trip, went to a great church service and saw a handful of people from our Chi Alpha days, walked the botanical gardens (played with allium skeletons, dreamed about landscaping my yard), had great conversations and took fun pictures.

Money...

Money...I don't like it. Yeah, I know that Dave Ramsey says that money is amoral--not good, not bad. But...

Today our water got turned back on after 3 days. We (well, the guys we hired) had to replace tons of parts to our well...a fun part of being a homeowner:) Our bill for parts was estimated at $5,900 (this is with 15% off), plus we get to pay for their labor.

On the upside, this problem occured in the summer and not the winter, we have a 5 year warranty on the equipment (usually you get 1 year or nothing), and the pump guy said it should last 16-20 years.

On the downside, this is A LOT of money!!! Not only is it money we don't have, but it's money that we've been hoping to save up for infertility treatments. I guess I do like running water, but, REALLY?!

So now, what I'm trying to do is remind myself that God is in control of our lives--our finances, our future family, our home, etc., etc. Sometimes it's hard to remember this, but I'm trying. Okay, maybe next post will be more upbeat:) Until then, I'm going to enjoy watering my lawn and garden, showering, flushing the toilet, washing dishes, etc.