Monday, April 30, 2012

Surgery Follow Up/Adoption Seminar tomorrow

CD20
Follow up:
Well, the Surgery Follow Up appointment with Dr Love seemed sort of like a huge waste of time.  It is kind of a pain for me to get to his office, of course they were running behind schedule.  In the office I decided I would be positive-thinking and read part of a parenting magazine - yikes.  I was getting too emotional, I had to put it down to read nonsense about movie stars.  I was worried the secretary would call me and I'd have tears in my eyes!

Dr Love didn't really say much.  He recommended taking a cooking class for endo diet food, and I was like "yo, I got that covered"  (well, in so many words).  He seemed not impressed with how Dr A didn't do a trigger shot.  I asked him if it was possible I was having LUFs cycles, and he sort of shrugged and said "Yeah".  I asked if yoghurt was OK, and he gave a non-committal answer.  He did mention my fibroid was so big they had to cut it up to get it out of my stab wounds - gross.  Hahaha!  In summary:  my most fertile time is NOW.  Move with haste!  He said he didn't see why I wouldn't get preg, since my ovaries are good and my tubes are ok.  He also said I shouldn't wait too long before having the next kid - whenever I hear that kind of talk, I want to focus on having at least a second line on a pee stick, everything else we can worry about later.

I have booked an appt this week to talk to Dr A, so we can get started on IUI #3 next cycle.  I think I will be less shy about Cl.omid (aka, take more).  I also want to inquire about trigger shots and LUFs.

Adoption Seminar:
There is an Adoption Seminar tomorrow for my City put on by Children's Aid.  We are finally hoping to go (I tried calling the # I had for registration, but it was a fax number, so I emailed the lady instead).  "The How to Adopt seminar is a 2 hour seminar that covers all areas of the adoption process in [our province]. Provides detailed information on the requirements to complete an adoption in [our province] touching on the difference in process between public ( CAS) Private and International adoption."  This is exactly what we need - we've decided to go local public, but it doesn't hurt to hear about the differences again.  I even made the comment to DH (since we just spent the day with our friends great 2 and 4 year olds) - "You know, if we get a 3-4 year old CAS kid, they won't be nicely adjusted like little A", and he says he knows, but I don't know if he really knows.

I've been feeling a little cool towards adoption lately. I don't know.  DH has always been pro adoption, which I love.  He says ideally he'd like to have two bio kids and adopt one.  He says even before he met me he always felt he'd like to adopt.  :)  Which is so cool.  And I agree.  And it's not like my kids will really look that much like me anyway, since my husband and I are of different ethnic origins.  (Unless we have like 10, then statistically maybe one would look like me a lot?)  Sure, it would be GREAT to have a baby - but there are other things in the world.  It would be great to have a perfect life filled with rainbows and unicorns, but sometimes you have to work with what you got.  There, see, I just talked myself back into it.  :)

What a fertility-related week!  Holy moley am I back in the game or what?  Post-op appointment today, adoption seminar tomorrow and IUI#3 discussion appointment with Dr A on Wednesday (of course at an annoying time of day so I have to miss work).

Sunday, April 29, 2012

This week in Endo-Diet Cookery

We've been away, but haven't done toooo badly.  I did have a beer at my cousin's - and a glass (+) of wine at my other cousin's the night before that... but overall I didn't cheat very much.

It was REALLY fun hanging out with my cousins.  Friday night we went over to my cousin's and his new wife (to play cards!  it was fun!) - she has bad endo.  Like  terrible, awful, controls-her-life endo.  I feel so bad having relatively pain-free endo while she is destroyed every month.  So since it was just us chickens, I told her about my surgery and endo, and we hugged, being officially endo-sistas.

I sort of dodged an "are you guys TTC" question.  They said they weren't, but then cousin let it slip the next day they were.  I suspect they have a tough road ahead, I hope it isn't so hard for them.

I also really tried to emphasize how I was on the endo diet now.  Cousin's wife knows if she follows it she is pain-free, but it is hard for them to folllow it.  They said 2 moths of chicken + rice + veg was too much.  But I was like - it is so much more than that!  Hopefully they'll buckle down and keep her endo under control.  I tried to say again the next day (without being naggy) (cousin's wife wasn't there) they have to act like she's flat out allergic to non-endo foods, and he agreed (being allergic to nuts, he knows about it).

We brought some Kombucha tea with us, and surprisingly my Dad was willing to try it, and he LIKED it - undiluted!  :)  I mean - it sort of tasted like vinegar, right?  I was spreading the Kombucha love this weekend.  :)

Sat night we went to our best couple friends, and we're actually still here now (waiitng for dinner, playing with the kids).  My friend is super chill with her kids, I think she sets a good example for me.

Without further ado, this week in Endometriosis friendly cookery:  (We went shopping together, it was fun)

Sun:  We're here at our friend's, we went shopping with the girls (they are about to turn 2 and 4 in June), that was interesting - a bit crazy.  My friend kept saying it was such a treat to have another adult along, it was so easy - hahah.  We're having lamb tagine with quinoa and a salad tonight.  It smells heavenly in here.  And I'm going to have a glass of wine, so there.  ;)

Mon:  Mexican night - some of those refried beans I made last week (I froze some - they turned out SUPER good), guacamole, organic corn chips, mexican rice, and Oaxacan Lentils.  I am particularly excited about the lentils -I can always use more lentil recipes added to my repertoire.  I have my follow up with Dr Love tomorrow, so I will be working from home, which means I can start a slightly more complicated dinner than normal.

Tues:  We are out at the adoption seminar (whole post to come on that), we'll just grab something.

Wed:  Greek smorgasboard!  (yes, I know I am mixing metaphors).  This is fun - we eat some (store bought, sorry) dolmadas (which is olive leaves stuff with rice and spices), hummous, roasted cauliflower and cabbage with lemon, drizzled with olive oil and lemon and salt (the magic of all greek food), and olives.  Yum!  Easy!

Thurs:  Well... being at a friend's house and having to get going, I didn't actually plan this far ahead.  We'll wing it with leftovers, I suspect!  :)

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Here I am Whining about CM

CD16
My CM is terrible.  WTIF!

I've now taken two bottles of Fertile.CM, have started on my third.  I eat (I think) super healthy.  I drink plenty of water and green tea (decaf - no caffeine for me) (Internet has suggested that).  What gives?  Any further CM tips out there?

I didn't see any EWCM this month at all.  Poot.  Normally I don't have a ton of CM, but I at least see a little bit when I go looking.

I guess I will go back to Royal Jelly.  Ugh.  I really hate that stuff - I think it tastes like death.  I didn't think it was doing much, but maybe...?  And Dr Nora had me on a herbal tincture to improve lung phelgm, maybe that did help a bit?

I also haven't tried guaifenesin (cough syrup) yet, I guess I can try that next month.  Can't hurt. 

Maybe I will try Evening Primrose Oil?  It is also supposed to help with breast soreness, which Goodness knows I have (and will have in about 3 days).  And maybe grapefruit juice?  Seems a bit crazy, but can't hurt.  I can mix it with my Kombucha.  :)

Ah...back to actively trying.  So much to do!
_

In other news - I checked LH with test strips this month - haven't done that in a while.  CD14 - nothing.  CD15 - faint line.  Today - super faint line.  What gives?  I used to have a VERY solid line.

Whine, whine, whine.... sorry ladies!

___

We're off to visit my Dad this weekend in my hometown.  Should be fun.  And we're visiting our most optimal couple friends - I am high school friends with her, and her husband and DH are good friends, so it is optimal for everyone.  And their kids are cute, and call me Auntie CS.  :)

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Mrs. Jessica Fletcher was Infertile!

This is my post for NIAW (National Infertility Awareness Week).  There are plenty of wonderful and very serious NIAW blog posts out there, I thought I'd walk on the lighter side this year.

___________________________________________________________

While we get comfortable here with my crackpot theories, there are two songs to accompany this post, if you like.  First, let's get relaxed.



I have come to really love Murder, She Wrote.  Particularly during my convalescence after the laparotomy, it was such a daily comfort to me.  I love how polite Mrs Jessica Fletcher is in all situations - when others are crass, she merely frowns.   She always seems to know the right thing to say in all social situations - even when, say, confronting dangerous murderers.

I love how she has classic old-lady hair that is never mussed.  She is always so put together - shoes matching purse!  Always elegant yet modest.  And how do they fit all those fancy clothes into those tiny 1980s suitcases when they travel?  I love that mystery too!  And how they all have matching dressing gowns to throw on over their night gowns/pyjamas (ladies always in night gowns/negligee) if the murder happens at night and they need to rush out to the hallway.

She is an avid runner in her Keds in the opening credits, and I like running, and think it would be neat if I was still running in my 60s.  She does not tolerate bullying, and never lies, even if it means gently hurting someone's feelings - that takes really lady balls.  The goody-two-shoes of it all soothes me.

Then it came to me - why do I love Mrs Jessica Fletcher best?  Feel a kinship with her?  Because she and Mr Fletcher must have been INFERTILE!  She doesn't seem like your Grandma, she seems like your Aunt.



Think of it - she was sixty when the series started in 1984.  So she and Frank were probably married just after the war.  This was not a time when couples chose to be childless so they could do more partying, or have more "me" time.  Also, they had that BIG nice old Victorian in Maine.  Any way you slice it - they were infertile.  Jessica has nieces and nephews only, no children.  Now, maybe it was Frank and not Jessica, I suppose we'll never know, but it doesn't really matter.  It could have been they had some losses as well - poor JB.

Mrs Jessica Fletcher must have been through the pain and finally acceptance of childlessness.  She is an IF sista.

Mrs Jessica Fletcher taught high school English for years (not sure if this was before she was widowed in her 50s or just after), then as we know became a successful mystery writer with all sorts of friends and family in all sorts of places.  Besides the whole solving murders thing - she really did have a full and happy life.  Even when not travelling, she was friends with the Cabot Cove doctor and Sheriff.  Although she had numerous offers of engagement, Frank Fletcher was the only man for her.

In short - she certainly doesn't mope about all day like I picture myself doing if we ever fully decide to go childless.  She takes life by the horns and lives it fully!



I urge you to your Netflix ladies, and check this lady out in action!  :)
Our final song.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Endo meal plan for this week

Hello Ladies!

My Kombucha was going so well I decided to start batch number 2 tonight!  W00t!  This time I made jasmine tea with black rock sugar.  Let's keep our fingers crossed!

I drank a half glass of my own Kombucha today.  I mixed it with apple juice.  Um... it was like drinking vinegar mixed with apple juice.  Hahahah.  Ok!  We try again, with maybe a little less fermenting.  :)  I put up two bottles, each with more sweetness to further bottle ferment.  One I added the last of the apple juice, and the other one raisins and a bit of white grape juice.  I am planning on leaving them on the counter 1-2 days to get fizzy.

Last night we played "Guess who's coming to dinner?" with DH's sports team.  It was pretty fun.  As guests, we just had an address to go to.  The host only knows how many people are coming, not who is coming!  Well, DH organized, so he actually did know who's house we were going to, but the concept still holds.  :)  I ate a smidge of non-endo foods.... but again, what can you do.  I didn't have desert (cream puffs), so that is ok.  I even had a wee glass of wine. Shhh.  Good chance for me to get to know a few people from his new team.  And the hostess was an architect, that is cool, I liked her a lot.



We have Guess Who's Coming to Dinner with church coming up in a few weeks, which is how we got the idea.  I'm really looking forward to that!

With further ado, this week in endometriosis friendly cookery:

Sun:  We ate at DH's parents.  Chicken curry.  Rice noodles.  Chicken wasn't fancy or organic... but what can you do.

Mon:  Golden Mushroom Pot + br rice..  This would normally have tofu, but we'll put some wild fish.  It will have mushrooms (three kinds), napa (again with the cabbage to help with estrogen), bean thread noodles and garlic as well.  Yum!  This is all about DH, it is a specialty of his.

Tue:  I will just eat some frozen food.  The freezer is full of yummy frozen leftovers, and DH has practise, so.... an easy night it is.

Wed:  Cashew chicken + br rice.  This will be fancy organic local chicken, and raw cashews.

Thurs:  My version of heuvos rancheros, in which I poach eggs in my favourite all time jar salsa, Herdez Salsa Verde.  Goal is to make it with some sort of veg refried beans that I make (recipes?).  I am skipping choir this Thursday because we are out of town next weekend, and our normal choir director is out of town so we have a sub (I MISS our choir director!  She is amazing!), and we won't be practising music except for the upcoming Sunday.

Fri:  We are taking the day off work and leaving bright and early (6am?!) for my hometown (3-4 hour drive) to visit my Dad!  Fun!  We'll bring breakfast with us and eat on the road.  Hard boiled (organic free range) eggs anyone?!

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Your other Mother

Your kombucha mother, that is!

I have been soooo excited by my growing Kombucha mother all week.  DH has even been interested in all the action.

The mother is looking excellent.  You may think being IF I wouldn't use the term 'mother', I would prefer 'SCOBY' or 'mushroom' - but hey, someone/thing should get to be a mother around here!  ;)   I used most of a jar (so I probably used ~800mL) of store-bought Kombucha (Tonica - cost $10/jar!), I added about half of the pitcher below of sweet tea.

For my sweet tea I used 2 black tea bags (good ol' caffeinated Red Rose that is old and I might as well use up) and 1/2 cup white sugar (you heard me!).  I figured making the first mother I don't want to fool around, the Internet definitely says Kombucha finds white sugar easiest to digest.  It also says Kombucha likes green tea best, but I only read that after I had started this whole thing.  I plan to try with black rock sugar and rapadura after this - I don't care what they say, even if it is harder for the mother to digest, you will still end up with B vitamins in your drink, versus a lack thereof with the white sugar.

I did help to speed 'er up a little by adding in my special autowarminator to the cupboard as well.  To make an autowarminator, simply add boiling water to a hot (from running it under hot water tap, so it doesn't crack with the boiling water) jar and putting the lid on.  Presto!  Cupboard stays warm for a long time - it takes a jar of hot water with a lad AGES to cool down, since glass is such a bad conductor.  I kept it underneath the towel next to my kombucha pitcher, so it was a bit warmer in there (our daytime house temp can get down to like 63'F because I like to be frugal with such things).   Every morning/night I would refresh my autowarminator.

I covered it in a tea towel with an elastic on top (not that there are flies this time of year, but still), and put it in the cupboard.  I'm not sure if it needs dark or not, but again, since this is the first mother, I thought I ought not to fool around.  We tried not to disturb it, and held back from looking at it ALL the time.  ;)

I did find a website that said you weren't supposed to start a mother from a commercially obtained Kombucha beverage - but I think that is bunk (*cough* selling mothers online *cough*).  Clearly it works fine.  They also said it has to be unflavoured - but they don't sell the big jars in unflavoured at my store, so I used blueberry - seems to be fine.  It has only been a week and I have a decent mother going.  The youtube vid I mostly took the idea from took 5 weeks to get going - he needed an autowarminator, man!

I think I want it to be a little thicker, so we'll let it go a little while longer.  Then I can make another batch and start giving mothers away (hello JB!).

I tried it this morning - well, yeah, it tastes like apple cider vinegar.  My plan is to bottle ferment a little to make it fizzy.  I think I will add some grape juice or apple juice (since I have both lying around) to the bottling jars and then add the kombucha, hopefully they will turn out a little sweeter and fizzy! The commercial one certainly tastes sweet and not like vinegar - I suspect they don't ferment too much so it still tastes nice.  For bottling I am planning to use those beer bottles you get that are re-cap-able.


Hahah - in my head I am planning to bring my tasty Kombucha to work and drink it at lunch - will they think I'm drinking beer?!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Moms

My Mom called me this afternoon.  Which is weird (she doesn't normally call when I'm at work) - I was worried there was a death in the family.  But she just was having trouble with her phones, she needed some tech advice.  Fine, no prob.  But then she's all - When you don't call for a few weeks, I get worried about you, are you mad at me?  So I give my standard reply - if you are worried about me, why don't you just call me?  And then she's all - I want my daughter to be worried about me and miss me and want to talk.

This is sort of heavy stuff for mid-afternoon at work conversation.  Because I am not worried about her and I don't miss her.  I call her out of a sense of duty, not because I miss her.  And it hasn't occurred to me to worry about her (I'm not into worrying about things that don't need worrying about).  She's fine.

I just don't have that great a relationship with my Mom.  I worry - how will I be able to have a good relationship with my supposed future daughters if I can't have one with my own Mom?  In general, while my Mom wasn't terrible (its not like she was a drug addict or hit me), I don't think she was that good.  I have a lot of resentment.  We're just not going to see eye to eye on this.  Of course I don't miss her - when I do call she just talks about herself.

I mean, she's not a terrible ogre - she's just made some big life decisions that benefited her alone.  And she's not empathetic at all.  And she's crazy.  No WAY can I tell her about IF - the whole world would know about it, and it would be trivialised.

Will I be cursed with a daughter that only remembers the bad things?  Bah.  I have a pretty good relationship with my Dad - we fight occasionally, but we make up.  And I do call him every few days.  So I'm not a terrible child.   I just don't like my Mother.  Sigh.  I am much closer with one of my Aunts than my Mom - she's sort of a stand-in Mom.

I don't have any grand conclusions, I am just sort of... I don't know, I was thrown off this afternoon at work by all this.

Sunday, April 15, 2012

This week in Endometeriosis Friendly Cookery

I hope everyone is had a good week!  I am finally off all painkillers (for a while I was thinking I was keeping the Ty.lenol people in business), so that is good.  I've been a bit sore in the evenings, so I'm still taking it easy.  I was back at Church today - turns out my fav alto midwife also had endo - she said "they only found it because I was having a hard time getting pregnant" and I was like "me too!".  AND I DIDN'T CRY.  Small victories!  :)

She has two children now - I think they are university-age.  I really like her and her husband (her husband and I are on a committee together), so that is sorta cool that she is also a former IF-er.  Not 'cool' like I'm glad she went through that, but you know what I mean.

Let's get down to business - this week's meal plan:

Sunday:  We're going out for dinner with DH's family (it will be ~Chinese).  For lunch we're going to have some defrosted lentil soup with some guy-lian (chinese broccoli) and I'll have a slice of buckwheat toast.  I looove weekend lunches - time to put out a (fermented) pickle tray - yum!

Mon:  Daal with spinach and Bok Choy (I know I am mixing ethnicities here, but we have to use up the bok choy - and of course, the brassica family is good for endo, I am trying to get it in there often as I can)

Tue:  Thai yellow curry - we bought some paste, I made sure it was only real ingredients, no MSG or other dodgy bits.  We'll probably put mushrooms, eggplant, lentils, onions and cauliflower in it, and have it with brown rice.

Wed:  Chicken cabbage salad.  One of DH's specialties.  Also low GI since there is no 'carb' with it - just the cabbage.

Thursday:  Chili (we didn't end up making chili last week, so this is it)

JellyBelly emailed me about Kombucha this week, and I got really excited and spent many hours on Saturday reading about the wonders of Kombucha.  We shall see!  I am trying to grow a mother from a bottle of Kombucha I bought at the store (for like a million $).  Wish me luck!  Even DH is kind of excited, and normally he's against all this hippie stuff.  I think it will take about a month to grow the mother (also called SCOBY, but I like the term mother), so I am trying to be patient - but man, I want it NOW!  hahahah.



Kombucha update:  there is a thin film!  (Good sign - that's all I can hope for in week 1, the Internet seems to tell me).

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Raw Pad Thai

This one is an Endometriosis dream dinner - even DH really liked it!  Not only is it vegan and raw, but also super low gylcemic index (good for candida reduction, since candida is also linked to endo).

Ingredients:
  • A couple of zucchinis - use a mandolin or veg peele'r to make 'noodles'
  • Carrots - same as above
  • 1 chopped green onion
  • Shredded purple cabbage (which we forgot to buy at the store, but would have increased the healthfulness since cabbage is good for lowering estrogen)
  • Cauliflower florets (about half a head) - good for lowering estrogen
  • Sprouts (mung bean or radish) (optional)
Sauce:
  • Tahini
  • Almond or peanut butter
  • lemon or lime juice
  • tamari (wheat free)
  • raw honey
  • garlic grated
  • grated ginger
Wisk sauce ingredients in a bowl.  I kept tasting to adjust until I was happy.  Don't worry, the sauce will be a bit thick.  Pour sauce over noodles and gently toss. (Sauce will thin)



YUM! (Shown above with hot sauce drizzled around the outside)

I am going to experiment with adding a little homemade ketchup instead of honey, since somehow 'pad thai' should be red in my mind.  And my ketchup is kickas$.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Commencing post-surgery cycle....

AF here!
Good, good, we can commence "first cycle after surgery"!  (Natural, but for over the counter supplements.  Not sure I am totally healed yet, not really expecting anything)

And she's just here - no calling cards for 3 days, she just suddenly arrived.  Interesting, right?  I wonder if TEBB will be gone?  Is that linked to getting endo removed?  Or I wonder if she came because I forgot my progesterone cream this morning?  That would be so interesting too.

And here is a question - is your first AF post-surgery worse, better, or same as usual?

I was thinking to myself "what is the average amount of months I can expect to get pg in" (if endo was the last problem) - survey says - 10.6 months.   (Well, I was actually thinking - is it possible to get pg first month after surgery, or are things still healing in there - anyone know?).  Then I stumbled across these lame stats.  50% chance of pregnancy after 5 IUIs?  Only 5% chance per month naturally?  Boooourns.  (Up from 2% pre-surgery - are you kidding me?!)

I think I will put those from my head.

So I have definitely been noticing my lymph node in my R armpit is always sore before my AF visit.  Is that usual?  Dr Google is not clear.  I will bring it up with Dr Love when I see him next (in a few weeks).  Could my dear progesterone cream be doing this?

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Endometriosis-Friendly Meal Ideas - post Easter edition

This week in Endometriosis friendly cookery is somewhat limited to what we can buy at the big Chinese grocery store, because the grocery store I'd like to go to will be closed because we left this until Easter Sunday.  I feel like this week is sorta lame.... so it goes sometimes.

Sunday:  That green lentil dish we had planned for last Friday - but duh, it was Good Friday, I had fish and chips instead!  Kind of a lame Easter dinner.  Hopefully we'll make up for it when (/if?) we go home next weekend. UPDATE - I take it back, this was actually quite good.  :)

Mon:  Steamed fish, Chinese greens, quinoa

Tues:  Thai green curry with fish (wild), leftover brown rice.  This is just about defrosting and leftovers, since we made this ages ago and froze the curry leftovers.  I have a council meeting and DH has practise, so we need this night to be fast.

Wed:  Raw Pad Thai - I am quite excited about this!  If it is good I will post recipe.

Thurs:  Veg chilli.

Prayer Buddy Reveal!

Happy Easter everyone!

I was praying for His Essence is Love this lenten prayer buddy cycle.  It was really fabulous - best thing ever - H.E.I.L got pregnant this lent!  Yay!  I was so so happy for her when I found out.  I have been dying to post on her blog, but wanted to keep on the down-low, of course.  Right away when I was assigned I felt a kinship to her because we are both in our church choirs.  I don't talk much about choir here on the blog, but I LOVE it, so I felt closer to her already.  She also seems to have done some major diet changes which I really respect and admire.  In fact, she seemed so much like me - but  a year earlier.  I prayed she did not have to go through that additional year of sorrow - and it came true!  :)  (So far I have a pretty good track record with lenten prayer buddies, if I do say so myself).

As for me, I'm back to work tomorrow (booooo).  I'm actually feeling quite sore today, don't know what's up with that.  I was hoping to be back wearing jeans by tomorrow, but I gave it a shot yesterday and it wasn't comfortable - so I have no idea what to wear tomorrow.  I think I need to run out and get leggings/large tops type of clothing, but everything is closed for Easter!  Ah!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Thankful on this Maundy Thursday

Sorry, this post turned a bit long and ramble-y....

My week has been going pretty well.  I thought I was doing amazingly, went for coffee on Wednesday with a friend, and felt sore since then, so I'm taking it easier than I had planned today.  This starts me worrying a little how work is going to go, since it is 8+ hours of just sitting, but we'll see (I can always leave early the first few days).  The pain isn't that bad, it just makes me worry I ought to be resting and not pushing through it.  How do you know if you're not healing well, but forming adhesions?

All week I have just been feeling so thankful.  The surgery went well - he got rid of the endo.  And as silly as it sounds, I'm almost glad I have endo - at least there is a name for what was going wrong, it isn't so mysterious, there are things to do to hopefully prevent it from returning.  But not only that - I am very thankful the surgery caused us no financial burden as well.  I am receiving full pay and the surgery is free - no paperwork to do even.  I feel very well looked after!  Prayer buddy, please pray that was the last hurdle we have to jump!  I know in many cases a lap isn't the answer, and in many cases it is.  Who knows?

I have really enjoyed the luxury of staying home and doing nothing but recovering.  Going back to work on Monday is a looming cloud on my horizon - I thought maybe I would become bored and miss work.  Nope.  I love love love being at home.  Maybe I wouldn't love it in a month, but for now it is SO RELAXING.  All I really have to do is make dinner.  Mr CS has been getting some fancy salads along with dinner because I have so much time, which is nice.

I've even started to enjoy watching silly TV shows like L.IVE with Kelly (she's just so chipper!) and (shhh, don't tell, dirty secret) Rachel R.ay (I think she's none too clever and cooks horrendously unhealthy food while often calling it healthy, but it's like a train wreck I can't look away).  I could really get into housewifery.  :)  Alas, it is not to be at this time.

I learned a new word today - Triduum.  (I love religious words that I previously did not know.)  I am only recently returned to the church as an adult, so there is much to learn.  I am planning on going to a committee meeting at church tonight (with potentially a tour of the roof!), but sadly I don't know if I will be able to handle the Maundy Thursday service as well, and I think choir practise after is out.  Too much sitting seems to make me sore later.  This is only the third committee meeting, and there are only 3 of us, so I don't want to bail.

Have a blessed Easter Triduum everyone! (woah, that is suddenly a lot of 3s)

Appleseed grows

Lilypie Maternity tickers