It's All About Me

Kinda Cute...

Apparently, I got my bear called Hope one year ago because Hope just got a "bearthday" card from Build a Bear.

Darn it!

I just learned from reading this website that Janet Evanovich was in Seattle on Tuesday night promoting "Twelve Sharp". I might have gone had I known. Actually, probably not since my support group is on Tuesday nights. And it was only a signing - not that exciting.

I've only read the first 4 (I think) of the Stephanie Plum books, but I did manage to get the others at the library book sale or at Half-Price Books (except for the latest one). Perhaps I'll read those next. Maybe.

Apparently, she has a book coming out in September called "How I Write:Secrets of a Serial Fiction Writer" in case anyone is interested.

Hmm...o.k.

Apparently, someone came across this blog when searching in google "I hate blogs about infertility". I'm kinda curious why they hate such blogs.

Another Observation

I was just in the restroom, and these two women walked into the restroom in front of me chatting away. One woman went into the end stall, and the other woman actually waited until the stall next to it was open so they could continue talking side by side. Oh, and she brought her drink in with her.

I know everyone was dying to know this information.

Just want to complain for a bit

One of the temps working in my department right now is so annoying - he's a big know it all. Some of you know how much that irritates me. He was here maybe a day and he thought he knew everything there is to know about how our department works. He went to the same law school I did, just graduated, and is taking the bar later this summer.

And he just went through someone else's mail because apparently all mail should go through him and he should designate who does what. UGH!

Everyone in my department feels the same way that I do, so it's not just me. Thank goodness he will only probably be here until one of my coworkers comes back from FL.

Anyway, just felt like complaining for a bit.

The Weekend & Book # 20

This weekend was a good weekend - though I didn't get to sleep in at all this entire weekend. Friday night, we just hung out at home - which was nice. Then Saturday, we got up early to go to a doctor's appointment. After the appointment, Jon and I went up to Richmond Beach for a little while for a picnic. Even though I put sunscreen on me, I still manage to get a sunburn on the back of my legs. OUCH!!!

Then on Sunday, we again went to the doctor's office for an appointment. After that, Jon, Adam, and I drove up to the Ice Caves and hung out there for a few hours. It wasn't nearly as cool (temp. wise) as I would have liked, but it was still nice. And there weren't many caves this time either. I took pictures, but it is too hot in our "office" for me to stay up here much longer.

When we got back from the Ice Caves, we went to go visit Paul in the hospital, then we went to dinner.

And for the third day in a row, we went to the doctor's office again this morning. Gotta love going to the doctor 3 days in a row. When we came back, I tried to find a nice cool spot in the house to lay down and finish the book I was reading. I did end up finishing it - it's called Good Grief by Lolly Winston. It is a book about a woman who just lost her husband to cancer and her grief following his death. It was a good book - there were parts of the book that hit really close to home in that the main character was trying to get pregnant for 2 years with her husband (before his cancer came) with no success. That was just a small part of the book. There were other things that the author wrote that I connected with - like with the main character wishing she could go back in time and fix things - going all the way back to the 2nd grade. Isn't there part of each of our lives that we wish we had done differently? I know I wish I would've known about my fertility problems earlier and done something about it sooner. Though part of me has always felt that there would be a problem.

Then there's this other part that the main character says she wishes she could see what's in store for her in the future - another thing that I'm sure a lot of us would like to know - at least about some things. I would love to know if any of these fertility treatments will work. Will we ever have children? Will they be biologically ours or will we adopt our children? Yes, I know that my thoughts are all about having children - it's a big part of what I think about - especially today.

Anyway, it was a good book.

New Music

Some of you may know that I'm not a big fan of country music; however, I will listen to artists deemed "country" if they don't have that twang in their voices or their music. Though, I do sometimes listen to some songs with twang because they're just so catchy!

Anyway, the point of all this is after listening to the song I mentioned the other day by the Dixie Chicks, I listened to a few of their other songs off their newest CD Taking the Long Way, including "Not Ready to Make Nice", which is all about their feelings after the big controversy about 3 years ago (see more below). It seemed from listening to the songs off of iTunes, that I would probably like the whole CD, so I went ahead and bought it on iTunes. I do enjoy most of the songs - there are a couple that are a little twangy for me, but overall, they don't seem very country to me.

So, in the end, I recommend this CD. :-D

In the "Not Ready to Make Nice" song, I really like this part of the song (it really is amazing how crazy people got over this "controversy")...

"I made by bed, and I sleep like a baby,
With no regrets and I don't mind saying,
It's a sad sad story
That a mother will teach her daughter
that she ought to hate a perfect stranger.
And how in the world
Can the words that I said
Send somebody so over the edge
That they'd write me a letter
Saying that I better shut up and sing
Or my life will be over"

Movies & Book #19

Yesterday, Jon and I met with a few others and watched "The Heart of the Game" - it's a documentary about a Seattle high school coach and the players on that team over several years. It was a good documentary - it actually made me tear up a bit. I always seem to get emotional with these type of films. The only gripe I have with the film is that I wanted to know more of what happened to some of the girls other than the one girl that the film focused on - though I appreciate knowing what happened with her.

Today, Jon and I went to go see "Cars". It isn't the best animated movie I've ever seen, but it's a cute movie. I found it kinda funny that even the flies in the movie were even little cars.

And along with all the movies I saw and the yardwork I did, I finished reading "Strange Fits of Passion" by Anita Shreve. This book is about a woman who was abused by her husband and runs away after one brutal beating with her child.

It was an o.k. book - though I don't think the ending was all that exciting. Maybe it was because you knew from the beginning that the wife is in jail for killing her husband, so the only thing to learn is what happens to her and her child? I don't know. It was still an o.k. book - though I liked "The Pilot's Wife" more.

Add another to the list

I was just reading some infertility blogs and a couple of them mentioned a song written by two of the members of the Dixie Chicks that is about their struggles with infertility - it's called "So Hard". Both of the women did eventually conceive with IVF.

Here's an article about it. I cannot believe someone actually said to one of them "'Oh, so you took the easy way' after that person found out they conceived from IVF. How the hell is this the easy way? Yep, all that medication, including some received from shots; ultrasounds; pain (both physical and emotional), not to mention the cost = an easy way to conceive. These are probably the same people who think adoption is easy too.

Anyway, here are the lyrics... (italics mine)

Back when we started
We didn't know how hard it was
Living on nothing
But what the wind would bring to us
Now we've got something
I can imagine fighting for
So why is fighting all that we're good at anymore

And sometimes I don't have the energy
To prove everybody wrong
And I try my best to be strong
But you know it's so hard
It's so hard

It's so hard when it doesn't come easy
It's so hard when it doesn't come fast
It's so hard when it doesn't come easy
It's so hard

It felt like a given
Something a woman's born to do
A natural ambition
To see a reflection of me and you

And I'd feel so guilty
If that was a gift I couldn't give
And could you be happy
If life wasn't how we pictured it

And sometimes I just want to wait it out
To prove everybody wrong
And I need your help to move on
Cause you know it's so hard
It's so hard

It's so hard when it doesn't come easy
It's so hard when it doesn't come fast
It's so hard when it doesn't come easy
So hard

I can live for the moment
When all these clouds open up for me to see
And show me a vision
Of you and me swimming peacefully

Last night you told me
That you can't remember
How to feel free

It's so hard when it doesn't come easy
It's so hard when it doesn't come fast
It's so hard when it doesn't come easy, easy

It's so hard

Movies

I watched a couple movies the other day, so I could at least give 2 movies back to my parents...

I watched Bewitched and Flightplan

"Bewitched" was cute, but it wasn't a great movie.

"Flightplan" was very predictable, so I don't think I liked it too much.

Yet another Spokane Weekend

After working a hard day at work on Friday (I left at 9:30), I drove over to Spokane. Most of the way, it was a nice pleasant drive until I got about 10 miles outside of Spokane when it started to pour.

I drove over to my parent's house, hung out for a while, then we went out to dinner (I was a nice daughter/sister and paid for my parents and brother), then my mom and I went over to my grandmother and aunt's place way up there in North Spokane. We hung out for a bit - they asked about my fertility treatments and I told them what's going on. Another aunt called while we were over there, so I talked to her for a bit as well. For a while, I wasn't sure if I wanted people asking about the treatments, but it was really nice that they asked.

After that, we went over to my sister's for a bit to drop off the books she's borrowing from me. We didn't stay there too long though - it was kinda late and my mom was hurting (though she is done with all her radiation now!!!).

On Saturday morning, my aunt and her husband came over and my dad, Ryan and I joined them in walking around the neighborhood looking at all of the garage sales. Every year, Liberty Lake has a big garage sale day, and today was the day. I didn't find anything worth buying. I did find it interesting that someone was selling these rare antiques at a garage sale for $300 or something like that - I would think you'd want to sell them on eBay.

Anyway, after that, we had some lunch and went over to my other grandmother's to visit with her. We stayed there for a while until my dad couldn't stand being around Jack, the dog. That dog causes such an allergic reaction with my dad. I talked to my grandmother about fertility treatments, but apparently she thinks all I need to do is "just adopt" - apparently, there is a newswoman in Spokane who was adopting from China, then got pregnant! Gosh, I do love to hear those stories - especially when people think that this happens to everyone when this kind of story happens to very few couples going through infertility. It drives me crazy!!! And as if adoption is that easy - and believe me, I told her too. My hope of trying to get her to loan me money for IVF is not going to happen. I just hope that this next IUI cycle will work - 3rd time's the charm, right?

Later that night, we went to go see my brother, Chad, in a play called Bullshot Crummond. He was the title character. It was a funny play, and there were bits that I couldn't stop laughing - I was actually crying because I was laughing so hard! This weekend, he's going to be in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, but I'm not driving back over there. He seriously needs to do some plays in Seattle!

The next day, all of us met at Chuck E. Cheese's for Morgan's 4th birthday party. I got her some new clothes including this cute Hello Kitty shirt

and a pink plaid skort to go with it. I think all of the kids had a good time.

Here's an adorable picture of Morgan holding some of the clothes I got her...

2 hours after the party began, I started my drive back home. Again, the drive was pleasant until I reached 10 miles from the pass where it was POURING. Everyone slowed down to about 20-30 mph until about 20 miles later or so, the rain went away and it was nice again. I finally got home about 6:30-7.

When I got home, my sister-in-law was at our place, so I chatted with her for a bit while Jon made me dinner. After she left, we turned on the tv to watch the 2nd game of the NBA finals. I don't think Jon is going to get his wish of Miami winning the series...

Anyway, that was my exciting weekend! I hope this weekend is nice because I really have a LOT Of yardwork to do.

Book "Review" #18

Over the weekend, I finished reading "Shopaholic & Sister" by Sophie Kinsella. I enjoyed the other 3 Shopaholic books, but this one, I found myself incredibly irritated by the main character and how exactly can her husband stand being with her. She just spends and spends and spends without thinking of the consequences. I'm not saying I'm that great either, but she just goes overboard.

However, in the end, even though I was irritated by the main character, it was an o.k. book. The other 3 were better though.

The next book I'm reading is a bit more serious - it's called Strange Fits of Passion by Anita Shreve - it's about a woman who flees with her daughter to get away from her abusive husband. So far, it seems like it will be a quick read if I just sit down and read it.

Read below only if you've read the book or you don't care about spoilers with the book...

And, of course, after only being married a year and without even trying, it was hinted at the end that the main character and her husband are expecting their first child. I'm assuming a "Shopaholic & Baby" book is next.

Book "Review" #17

I finished reading "The Undomestic Goddess" by Sophie Kinsella last night. It was like any other "chick lit" book - predictable at the end, but a totally cute story. It was kinda slow in the beginning, but it started to pick up about 40 pages into it.

The book is about a woman who knows nothing about cleaning or cooking or anything domestic as her whole life is consumed by her job as an attorney for the largest and best law firm in London. Things happen and she ends up working as a housekeeper for this couple.

If you like "chick lit", you'll probably like this book. Next up is another Sophie Kinsella book - the latest in theShopaholic series - "Shopaholic & Sister"

Bracelet & Stuff

A mentioned a while ago that my support group got together to make bracelets with beads that each of us brought to represent ourselves. This is the bracelet I made...

I should have put them in a different order, but it will be a nice reminder of the support I get from them. One of the girls brought a bead that had the first letter of our first names on it - which I thought was a nice idea. I brought my bear, and the other women brought various other beads.

So, regarding the whole infertility stuff, I've actually been o.k. except this morning when vanpool girl talked about her pregnancy. I don't know why it bothers me so much, it just does. I'm so glad I have an iPod.

Oh, and finally, this is my 500th post. Isn't that just super exciting? ;-D

Jury Duty!

Some people may not find this exciting for whatever reasons, but as a law school graduate, I'm excited. I got my first jury summons in the mail today!!! Woo Hoo. It's at the beginning of July (right after July 4) at the King County court downtown. I'm kinda curious if my boss will let me go since we are so incredibly busy right now with 2 people gone, well, actually 3 but we have a temp right now. Supposedly, we have another one coming on Tuesday. That won't make me less busy though, unfortunately.

On a different note, Jon was just taking a nap and Sophie was in there with him. Everytime, Jon is in the bedroom reading or sleeping and I'm not in there and I come around the corner toward our bedroom, Sophie quickly jumps off the bed and runs out the room as if she thinks she's done something wrong - "I wasn't doing anything. Promise. I wasn't giving Jon love. I was just sleeping in there. I wasn't giving Jon love when you weren't in the room - really!" It's so funny and so cute!

Books # 12-16 for 2006

I finished the Spiderwick Chronicles series. I'm counting them as 5 books even if the books are really short and considered a children's book - I need to catch up to be on track with my goal of reading 52 books this year. :-D

I enjoyed the series - it was a fun story. The books are about the Grace children who had to fight different creatures (including ogres and goblins) and interact with elves and brownies while living at the Spiderwick estate.

I thought I had read a while back that they were making them into a movie - and imdb seems to think they are. That movie should be interesting. I would go see it.

After reading the series, I'm kinda curious about Spiderwick's Field Guide now.