25: Goodbye Pain

We’ve been with the chiropractor for about a month now and I think I can truly say that it’s working.  No, we’re not pregnant (we didn’t even try this past cycle), but I feel a huge difference in my body…

I used to go to bed at night with my lower back and hips just aching.  It would take me a while to fall asleep every night because of it.  Nothing really relieved it.  A couple weeks ago, I noticed that I was getting into bed at night and falling right asleep.  I didn’t have any more pain in my hips or my lower back.  I’m not sure when it happened, it might have been gradual, but I definitely notice it now.  It’s great. 🙂

I felt myself ovulate this month.  On my own.  On day 14.  On my own.  I felt it.  On day 14.  On my own.  Did I mention it was on DAY 14?  Not day 19 or 17 or 21.  14.  Plus I had a host of other fertile signs that I’ve only ever read about.  Winning.

Finalllllyyy, my period started today.  Making my cycle last exactly 28 days.  What the what?!  Maybe this is all coincidental, but I’m feeling confident that Dr G and Dr G are really helping me.  Plus the plethora of vitamins they have me on has my skin SO clear.  More clear than it’s been on any medication.  We’re feeling good.  We’re feeling hopeful.

Until someone else announces their pregnancy that they just sort of thought about having…  Or didn’t think about.. I hate people.

They’ve officially told us not to try, but to not prevent anything either.  25 months and counting.

In other news, grad classes start in 2 weeks, my ESL class starts back up (hopefully) in 2 weeks, and tutoring starts in a week and a half.  I’m so ready for things to get going again.

I plopped my application to start substitute teaching in the mail on Wednesday.  Super exciting, right? 😉  My spring is shaping up to be nice and busy.

I’m also desperate to start gardening again… And since it’s supposed to be in the 40’s next week, I’m wondering how long we’ll have to wait. 🙂

Winter Break and Chiro Updates

Welll, finals are over and winter break is finally here.  I’m more than ready for this chance to relax and work on some projects around the house that have been put off since we moved in.  Our goal over winter break is to get the pantry/laundry room put together.

I LOVE my laundry room.  It’s right off the kitchen and makes doing laundry so crazy convenient.  BUT, the room itself is poorly utilized.  There’s a built in desk, a shelf above the washer/dryer, and a couple cabinets sitting on the floor.  There’s a TON of wall space just begging for shelving.  While we don’t necessarily need the extra space, it’s silly to not use it.  Hopefully we’ll need it eventually.  We’re also going to put a door up.  Right now, you can see right into it from the dinning room.  The water softener is not the most attractive appliance we own.

I’m hoping to start working on that as soon as we get home from Christmas — we’re going to my mom and step dad’s cabin on the 24th and staying until the 26th or 27th.  I was originally apprehensive about going away for Christmas, but the idea is growing on me.  I haven’t woken up on Christmas morning with both of my sisters in 8 or 9 years, so it will be special.  That was one of the things I missed most after I got married, but I wanted Jeremy and I to do our own thing Christmas mornings, to start our own traditions.  Throw in the fact that my birthday is on Christmas and things get all kinds of complicated. 😉

Which brings me to… 25.  A week from tomorrow and I’ll be turning 25. It’s my golden birthday.  I’m feeling better about my birthday this year than I did last year.  I’m assuming it’s because life is more on track and has the potential to be so much more.  I still have no desire to celebrate.  I used to love my birthday and planning birthday events, but it seems like a waste of time now.  It’s a reminder that someone is missing.  Maybe I’ll change my mind next week and plan a belated birthday party, but maybe not.  Last Christmas was excruciating.  I’m crossing my fingers that this year will be better.

Some new news on the chiropractic front.  I met with Dr. G’s wife — Dr. G 😉 — and I think she’s becoming my primary chiropractor.  Which is fine with me.  She’s super sweet and is obviously a wealth of knowledge.  She’s got me on a crazy overload of vitamins because she thinks I’m horribly deficient in almost everything.  I’ve been taking a prenatal vitamin for more than 2 years now, but she’s doubled that on top of everything else she prescribed.  She thinks she can help me sleep better at night, help with my digestive problems, lower my stress levels, heal my pelvis, and help me get pregnant.   I’m hopeful.  I’m willing to give it time to work.  They checked Jeremy out over the weekend, assuming he would have some kind of contributing factor to all of this.  No.  They actually said he’s perfect.  It’s just me.  Of course.  But they think they can fix it, not just treat it, so that’s really all that matters.

Our real concern now? birth control… fml.

COME ONNNN, WINTER BREAK!!

I was listening to the radio this morning while I was running errands and they were talking about the best places in the world to be pregnant and have a baby in terms of comfort, safety, and cost.  Not surprisingly, the US didn’t even make the top ten.  At the top of the list was Switzerland followed by Australia.  Bébé Suisse and Laughing Promises, I’m coming to live with you when we get pregnant. 😉

Nothing new here.  I’m taking advantage of feeling good this cycle by getting things done around the house and finishing all of my final projects (aka consuming lots of caffeine).  I’d forgotten how good it is to feel normal.  Not injecting myself or popping pills all month has been glorious.

I’m waiting anxiously for my period to start now.  If it starts before Friday, we should be able to go ahead with our 3rd IUI in December.  If it starts anywhere from December 8 through December 12, we will probably have to wait until January.  As much as I’ve enjoyed this month off, I would like to get this show on the road.  Especially because I’ll be on winter break for December’s IUI and won’t have to worry about getting things done.  I can be free to obsess about my angry uterus.

I am 1  2 minute movie creation about community and school politics, 1 power point on the same topic, 6 final lesson plans, 1 two page paper about school observations, 1 essay annotation, 4 tutoring hours, and 1 final exam away from winter break.  I am so ready for this.

We took advantage of Chicago’s 60 degree weather yesterday and put our Christmas lights on the house.  It looks so pretty. =)

Also, I finished Skill Set’s Christmas jacket.  Although, since it’s supposed to get to 70 degrees today, I’m not sure he’s going to get to wear it this year..

Release the Hounds!

Life feels full right now.  It isn’t dragging.  It’s full enough that I’m able to ignore the ache in my heart that something is missing.  Is that good?

We did the right thing adopting Snow White.  She’s more stubborn than Skill Set (which I didn’t think was possible).  She’s more strong willed.  She’s more affectionate.  She’s more of a puppy.  They work so well together.  They compliment each other nicely.  He has become her older brother.  He’s her protector, her playmate, her teacher.

If we never have kids, I think I could feel some form of contentment with my four-legged family.

I’ve been thinking more lately as well that becoming a teacher mean being responsible for hundreds of kids on any given day.  Kids who are smart and mouthy, shy and nervous, broken and unloved.  Teaching allows me to be involved in the lives of children, even if they’re not my own.  It allows me to make a positive difference in the world, even if it’s indirect.  Teaching makes me feel like I’m accomplishing something, even if I can’t ever be a mom.

This is why I’ve chosen this profession.  This is also why I love it more and more everyday.  I still ache for our children, but my life is finally moving forward.

CD13? Maybe?

It’s kind of the same old, same old around here lately.  I think I’m around CD 13.  Maybe.  I don’t even care.  I’m doing really good about not thinking stressing out about it think month. 😉

I’ve been working out and am feeling sore, but good. =)  We’re doing ok with our dieting.  A lot more fresh foods and WAY less processed and sugary foods are being eaten.  I’m counting calories again, not so stay under a certain amount necessarily, but to really keep an eye on what I’m putting into my body.  Sweet and greasy foods are starting to sound bad.  They also make me feel noticeably worse if I do cave and eat something bad for me.  All in all, I think things are going well.  In another month or two, I think I’m going to be looking and feeling really good. 🙂

We’re still waiting on news from the house with the blue kitchen.  The seller accepted our offer right away, but the seller’s bank is taking their time.  I’m told this is normal for short sales, so I’m trying to be zen about it.  Our offer got sent to the bank’s negotiator last week.  I’m hoping that’s a good thing.   I really love that house.  I’ve decorated and redecorated 50 times.  In my head. 😉

I finalized my graduated classes for the fall.  The feeling is so bittersweet.  I always knew I would go to grad school.  You can’t do much with an English degree on its own.  I just hadn’t planned on it being so soon.  I enjoy school.  I enjoy the environment and the learning.  On some level, I think I even enjoy homework because it keeps me engaged.  This is probably another reason teaching is a good profession for me.  I’ll never have to leave.  BUT, my classes sound interesting and I’ve already purchased half of the books.  I’ll get a nice head start.

I’ve been in the garden a lot lately with the nice weather.  There are little, green tomatoes, peppers, and pickling cucumbers growing in, and the chamomile is getting ready to bloom. 🙂  I re-mulched my walking rows yesterday and am really happy with how it turned out:
I’m also seeing lots of praying mantises every day.  I was really worried about them, but they’re hanging in there.  They’re a whole week old and already catching lots of bad bugs.  I watched this guy catch a little fly yesterday:

I’m taking the rest of the week to get ready for the Aurora Green Festival.  Our store is going to beast this festival. 😉

Couch Monkey

I hate being sick.  I know, who doesn’t?  But it’s not the actually feeling sick that I hate, although that’s a bummer too.  I hate not being able to do anything.  I came down with a cold 3 weeks ago and ‘lo and behold, it’s officially turned into bronchial pneumonia… and a sinus infection…  Therefore, both Jeremy and my doctor have pretty much forbidden me from leaving the couch or bed for the next 5 days…  No school, no Stitch and Bitch, no working out, no errands, no cleaning (oh darn 😉 )…  I. am. a. Couch Monkey.

I hate sitting still.  I’ve been a knitting maniac already and I’m sure before my 5 days are up I’ll have lots of pictures for you.  My Flying Saucer socks are almost done and they’re AWESOME!

Other than my current 5 days of vacation, school is going well so far.  I’m really enjoying my classes and professors.  I’ve recently decided to apply to Roosevelt’s Sociology graduate program.  Yikes, eh? 🙂 I never thought I’d be going to grad school so soon.  Crossing my fingers that 2 years from now I’ll have 2 degrees and a job. 😉

Meanwhile, I’m exhausted and am going to take a nap.  More later.