FoF: the most random things!

[O N E]

Yesterday before my appointment my mom and I had a breakfast date. It was SO yummy! My very favorite local hidden gem with the best coffee in the world. If only I could have that coffee every single morning!

[T W O]

I had a massage last week that was so heavenly. I couldn't stop thinking about it all week st I'm getting another one today after work! I think I freaking deserve it ;) Can't wait for an hour and a half of silence and stress relief.

[T H R E E]

I have been contemplating buying a juicer for a long time. I love fruits and veggies but I never get enough in a day. Juicing would make that so much easier. I recently picked up some juice from a store that makes it fresh daily and I loved it. My favorite flavor has kale, strawberries, pineapple, spinach, and a few other veggies and it tastes so yummy and it is so healthy! Do you have a juicer and if so, do you like it? Need advice on the best brands that are reasonably priced.

[F O U R]

I spent the past 3 weeks thinking I had lost my semi-new Ray Bans. Y'all, I searched high and low for those things. It was tearing me up because I NEVER lose things!! I had finally convinced myself that I left them at a restaurant or something and I was going to buy a new pair when I found them sitting on my sister's counter. I go to my sister's house every single day and she never thought to tell me they were there. Whew, so relieved!

[F I V E]

I am dying for one of these robes ever since Sarah posted about them last week. How pretty and comfy do they look?! I need one!!

Linking up with Amanda, April, and Karli

IVF: an update

I can't believe that I am almost done with 3 weeks of shots, and 1 full week of stims. Time is flying by! The two new medications I added last weekend brought with them all the dreaded side effects. I knew they were coming but UGH. I am trying so hard to remain positive and keep my eyes on the prize. However, my poor husband is probably sick of me telling him how tired I am and how bad my head hurts. I feel so bloated and can't sleep. I am waking up almost every hour and then for good at 5am. He woke up to go to the bathroom and saw me scrolling through my phone at 5am and said, "why are you awake?"... GOOD QUESTION.

I mentioned in a previous post how sensitive I am to medicines and how I get headaches so easily. Well I have had a headache almost every single day since starting stims. There is nothing more crippling that a pounding headache while trying to see patients. However, I've talked to multiple ladies that went through this and they said the Menopur caused awful headaches for about 4-5 days then it stopped so I am praying the headaches will resolve soon. The Menopur also burns like a biatch! It feels like fire going into my skin... not the most pleasant feeling. I have come to dread 8:00pm because that's shot time. I keep reminding myself that I only have a few more nights of shots, as egg retrieval will be some time next week! So crazy!

I had blood work on Tuesday and my hormone levels had skyrocketed since Saturday so my doctor decreased the dosage of one of my medicines. Probably the reason for the crazy bad hot flashes I've been getting. I feel like I'm 50 years old and going through menopause! I go back again this morning for an ultrasound and bloodwork to see how big my follicles are growing (grow eggs, grow!). After this appointment they will likely tweak my dosages again then I will come back for another monitoring appointment this weekend. IVF is such a fine balance. They literally have it down to a science and the smallest changes in injection dosages can make the biggest difference! I sure am glad they are experts because this stuff is CONFUSING!

Despite my complaining, overall I am doing great. I realize how blessed we are both physically and financially to even be able to attempt IVF. It absolutely crushes my heart when I hear about couples that cannot attempt IVF due to the financial aspect. If I ever win the lottery you better believe all that money is going to fertility clinics to give everyone a chance at having a babe of their own.

When I think about all the hormones I am pumping in my body, I realize that I could be feeling a lot worse. So for now we just continue shots until all my levels and ovaries look just right. Praying for perfect little eggies!

National Infertility Awareness Week

If you are getting sick and tired of hearing me ramble on about infertility and IVF, then now is the time to unfollow me. It won't hurt my feelings! I know it's probably boring 99% of my readers to death but hey!, this is where I am in my life right now and I want to document it so that I can look back when I am [hopefully] on the other side of infertility.

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Did you know that this week is National Infertility Awareness Week? Probably not, unless you are battling infertility yourself. How ironic that we are in the middle of IVF during this week. 1 in 8 women are currently suffering from infertility or mourning a miscarriage. I guarantee you that multiple women you know are struggling with this and you have no idea. One of the hardest parts about this whole thing for me has been the elephant in the room when I'm around people that know what I'm going through. There has been an overwhelming amount of support from most people and an underwhelming amount from others. When it comes down to it, people just don't know what to say or do. It's awkward and uncomfortable. So in honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, here is my list of 5 Ways To Support Your Friend Struggling With Infertility:

1. Ask how she is doing.

Check in every few days with a quick text and ask how she's doing. That simple question isn't asked nearly enough. It's all about "how are the shots?", "how many doctors appointments do you have this week?", "when is your egg retrieval?". I very rarely get asked how I'm feeling physically and emotionally. It means so much when someone asks me this... It makes me feel like they truly care about ME and aren't just intrigued about the whole IVF process. This process is incredibly taxing, both physically and emotionally. It's lonely and most of the time I feel like I have no one to talk to about it. By asking how she's doing, you're letting her know that it's ok for her to open up and vent to you.

2. Take action.

If you are anything like me, hell will freeze over before you will ask for help. Never in a million years would I text even one of my best friends and ask them to bring me dinner or run an errand for me. Rather than saying "please let me know if there's anything I can do for you", say "I am bringing you dinner, is Wednesday or Thursday night better for you?" She will be forever grateful and won't feel guilty about having to ask for help.

3. Keep up with her appointment dates and ask how they went.

Yes I know, IVF requires a million appointments [tell me about it!] but when she texts you and says her baseline ultrasound is next Monday or her egg retrieval is next Friday, write those dates down in your planner so you can remember to ask how they went. It shows that you truly care and are walking this road with her.

4. Get her out of the house.

Sometimes we all just need a good, old fashioned girls night. Plan a small get together like dinner or a mani/pedi date and ask her when the best day is. Getting out of the house to spend time with my best friends is the greatest therapy. It gets my mind off things and reminds me that I have an incredible support group rooting me on.

5. Pray for her.
If you don't feel comfortable talking to her about it or asking how she is, at least pray for her. Pray for her health, her future baby, her marriage, her nerves, her doctors, her peace of mind. This is by far the greatest thing you can do for her. I truly believe in my prayer warriors and no prayer is too small for our God. I believe in His plan for us but having a few extra prayers sent up doesn't ever hurt!

If you have any questions about infertility or the IVF process, feel free to shoot me an email. I'm so very passionate about this and want to break the stigma that surrounds infertility.

Weekending: casting workshop and date nights!

This weekend was filled with equal parts work and fun. As a PA I have to get a good amount of continuing education hours each year so I decided to attend a casting workshop about 2 hours from home. Since work was paying for everything including hotel and food, hubs and I decided to make a fun weekend out of it. We headed out of town Friday after work and stopped at our favorite mall for shopping and dinner at the spot we had our very first date. Our meal was amazing as always and I scored some cute pieces from Anthropolgie including this adorable kimono that I'm obsessed with. Because my shots for IVF must be given at the same time each night, I had no choice but to do Friday night's shot in the restaurant bathroom. That was interesting…

Saturday I had to be up early for the workshop. Though it isn't ideal to spend your entire weekend in a continuing ed course, it was actually really fun and informative. Most orthopedic PA's don't do their own casting but I want to put every cast on my patients by myself so it was great learning new techniques and tricks to make the most effective (and aesthetically pleasing) casts! While I was working, hubs met up with some of his former teammates and best friends that live in the area. I was so glad he got to catch up with them!

Saturday night we headed to a different mall for more shopping. I indulged a little too much buttttt I deserved it right?!? ;) We had dinner at the best steak house in the area (hello, my work was paying so I was treating myself to a darn good meal). It was SO yummy and I was in a serious food coma. Then it was back to the hotel for my first night of stims! More on this to come but basically I started 3 shots a night to grow my follicles/ovaries huge. We are really in the thick of IVF and I am equal parts excited and scared shitless (sorry for the language mom).

Sunday was spent at the workshop then driving 2 hours home and prepping for the week ahead. Why do weekends have to fly by?? I'm not ready for Monday!

Fof: more shots, pizza, and Lululemon

[O N E]

I'm done with week 2 of injections! I have an appointment this morning for an ultrasound and bloodwork. I am praying for tons of follicles in my ovaries and perfect hormone levels in my blood. And I start stims tomorrow!!! This means I add 2 more injectable medications every night. Their job is to grow the follicles and mature the eggs. My ovaries are about to be on serious overdrive. So excited and scared and anxious and every other emotion. Hubs and I are going out of town for the weekend because I have a continuing education orthopedic course. My work pays for everything, including hotel and food, so it was hard to pass up. However, I am having serious anxiety about having to take all my shots in a hotel room. And some of them have to be refrigerated so we have to pack a cooler and be super organized. Stay tuned…

[T W O]

I recently posted this picture on my snapchat and had a lot of questions about where my workout tank top was from. Lululemon, duh! I am a tried and true fan… it's the only workout gear I wear. The built-in bras provide so much support and all of their clothes feel like Heaven. Definitely worth the hefty price tag.

[T H R E E]

A few of my best friends were in town recently so we had a mid-week girls night. It was so good for my soul! And I am still dreaming about this pizza!

[F O U R]

I'm not a huge NASCAR fan and honestly can't say that I've ever watched a race but Kyle Busch's wife documented their IVF journey on her blog and it made my heart so happy. I love when people in the public eye are open and honest about their infertility journey. They are helping to break the silence of this "taboo" topic and helping to bring more awareness. They are NC peeps too and donated $25,000 to one of our state's fertility clinics to help other couples who can't afford IVF. And I am officially a Kyle Busch fan!

[F I V E]

I snagged this adorable Karlie maxi at my local Monkees for 50% off!!! It was only $60 and I will get serious wear out of it this summer. I live in maxis all summer long and Karlie is my very favorite brand... the clothes fit great and the prices are so reasonable. I wish I had a picture of the back because it's low cut and to die for!

Linking up with April, Amanda, and Karli

Blogger Spotlight | Stephanie Spring

I am SO excited to introduce an amazing lady to you guys today! My favorite thing about blogging is the ladies I have met and the friendships I have formed. Though I have only met some of my blog friends IRL, I feel like I have formed SO many friendships through this blog! And Stephanie is no exception. I found her blog a few months ago and have so enjoyed getting to know her. She is such a beauty and her recipe posts are killer. Enjoy getting to know a little bit more about her then head over to her blog to learn a little more about me!

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1. What made you start blogging?

Blogging was honestly something I prayed about for a long time. I have followed several blogs for a few years now, and I felt as though it would be a fun and creative outlet to share my recipes and every day life! I hope people feel inspired and refreshed as they read my blog.

2. Tell me about your occupation.

I'm a fifth grade math teacher. Teaching is A LOT of work, tiring, fun, and rewarding all wrapped into one! It's perfect for right now. :)

3. What does a typical day look like for you?

My day starts and ends pretty early. You can read all about a typical day in my life, here. A typical day in the summer is an entirely different ballgame though. ;)

4. How did you and your hubby meet?

Eric and I knew of each other in college and had a ton of mutual friends. We were dating other people at the time though and surprisingly, never really crossed paths. In the Fall of 2013, two of our mutual friends set us up, even though I was in denial and wanted to be single. But a month later we started dating. Eleven months later we were engaged, and 8 months later we were married. :) If you missed other posts about Eric and I...

9 months

Let's Talk...Guys

How To Win My Heart

Hand Stamped Just For You

Couples That Read Together, Stay Together

Happy Two Months!

5. What advice would you have given yourself 10 years ago?

I would tell myself to read my Bible more, travel more, don't use tanning beds, eat real food, exercise for health purposes and not just to be skinny, read more, and keep those standards high. We are always able to choose our choices but we don't get to choose our consequences.

6. What are some of your hobbies?

I love traveling, reading, cooking and being with the ones I love. :)

7. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In five years I picture Eric and I in a farmhouse, with a baby running around and possibly another one on the way. I plan on staying home with our kids, continuing to blog and maybe in the process of writing a cookbook?! You can find all of my recipes, here!

First week of shots

I have almost completed my first week of shots! Let me just give you a glimpse into how the very first shot went…

So all day I was contemplating whether I wanted to give the shots to myself or give up control and let hubs do it to me. Let's see… I'm a PA and I give joint injections all day every day. Husband has never given a shot before. I'm not scared of needles and don't mind shots however, I just wasn't sure I would be able to give them to myself. These shots are subcutaneous so not super deep and go in my belly. However, in a few weeks I will start intramuscular injections which have to go in my booty (which I obviously can't do myself). So after much back and forth I decided to let him start practicing now.

So, how did he do?! He did great! He is quickly becoming a professional shot-giver. And I'm pretty sure he secretly enjoys stabbing me with a needle...

Right now it is just one shot of Lupron a night. Next weekend we add two more a night for a whopping 3 shots every night. Who wants to join our shot party?!? (If only they were shots of tequila and not shots of Menopur and Follistim)

How am I feeling? No real side effects yet, thankfully. The medicine burns for about 15 minutes and makes a small welt at the injection site but I put a heating pad on my tummy and it seems to help. My tummy is already covered in small bruises! Battle wounds I like to call them. I was worried that I was going to get terrible headaches because I am SUPER sensitive to medications and really any changes with my body. Knock on wood, I haven't had any headaches yet and I am praying it stays that way! Next weekend when I begin the Menopur and Follistim is when my ovaries will really start growing from the size of almonds to the size of apples and I will begin experiencing the dreaded side effects. That is when I have to stop exercising or doing any physical activity due to the risk of ovarian torsion. So for now I am continuing to go to the gym every day, drink lots of water, and get as much sleep as possible.

Baby Davis, we are coming for you!

Linking up with Annie and Jess

Off the shoulder dresses

I have completely jumped on the off-the-shoulder bandwagon. This fashion trend is all the rave this spring/summer and I have SO many dresses that I am eyeing. Maxi, mini, solid colored or printed, I am loving them all. I am hoping that a few of the dresses below make their way into my closet soon. What are your thoughts on this style?!

Cynthia rowley dress

$505 - shopbop.com

Rebecca Taylor shift dress

bergdorfgoodman.com

Alice Olivia beige dress

aliceandolivia.com

Amanda Uprichard long sleeve dress

$245 - neimanmarcus.com

Amanda Uprichard smocked dress

revolve.com

Blue dress

$18 - newchic.com

Flying Tomato white dress

housershoes.com

Charlotte Russe champagne dress

charlotterusse.com

VILA evening dress

$42 - very.co.uk

Linking up with Jenn today!

FoF: meds and wine and babies!

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Most of my IVF drugs came in the mail this week. It was definitely bittersweet opening this package. Filled with $4,500 worth of needles and medications that I will be injecting myself with every night starting THIS weekend. Knowing that it is for our future babe makes it all worth it. It's finally happening! Let's make a baby people!

[T W O]

One of my sweet friends that lives 1,300 miles away knew I was struggling last week. I got home from work and found a new book (my favorite) and a sweet, encouraging note.  Nothing beats snail mail, especially when it's a thoughtful gift.

[T H R E E]

Obsessed with my new shirt from The Light Blonde. It needs no explanation! Now pass the wine ;)

[F O U R]

One of our best friend couples had a baby last week. We took them dinner in exchange for lots of newborn baby cuddles. A fair trade off if you ask me! They are coming over for dinner tomorrow night and I just cannot wait to get my hands on her again. Isn't she perfect?!

[F I V E]

This week one of my patient's brought me the sweetest gift: tulips and a Starbucks gift card. This seriously made my week and truly reminded me that I am exactly where I'm supposed to be. I love my job and the ability to make people feel better!

Linking up with April, Amanda, and Karli