Progress on the Project

Although the first few days of our project drug along very slowly and without much headway, we are now beginning to see progress. Keep in mind that before the project started, we were told that it was going to take a week. Today is day 9 of constuction. Day 9. I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I am pretty sure that is more than a week.

The first few days involved a skeleton crew only a few hours a day. Although the retaining wall got poured in the first week, I began to get very worried about how it was all going to turn out - or if it was ever going to turn out. But, things are really starting to shape up. We have had to make a few changes to the plans. The original plan called for a 27 foot retaining wall. The end result is 39 feet long. That is 12 extra feet. Thankfully, there haven't been a whole lot of added cost for us.

We think that it is going to be beautiful when it is all completed.

Here are some pictures of the progress...I have more, but I get too impatient with how long they take to upload to blogger and 4 was all I could stand tonight.

Front Stoop Before Picture

Front Stoop and Driveway Area Under Construction.

Here are the beginnings of a new Front Stoop.

We also have quite a few plants that weren't there before...

The Old Railroad Tie Retaining Wall

The New Poured Retaining Wall covered in Stone.

Note the massive rock steps.

There are more of these where the wall meets with the driveway.

So, there is still a lot of work to be done and the contractor is promising that they will be done by tomorrow afternoon. I am not quite sure HOW they will be done by tomorrow afternoon. However, I will say that they did get a lot accomplished today so it isn't completely out of the question. I guess we will just have to wait and see.

Long Time, No Post

OK, so I know it has been a while since I last posted. I am a bad, bad blogger. It isn't that I haven't had anything to say - I have started to post several times - but I just haven't put my thoughts down on paper, er, Internet...This post will be a conglomeration of thoughts and subjects...

First of all - perhaps the biggest news in our lives right now - Cancer. About 7 or 8 weeks ago, my mother in law was diagnosed with Cancer. Luckily, it is a very slow progressing cancer. During the first PET scan, a second suspicious spot was noted in her chest area. Rather than beginning treatment, she was asked to have a second PET scan 6 weeks later. This PET scan was completed last week and the spot in her chest has disappeared. This means that the mysterious spot was not cancer and that she does not have to undergo the more rigorous treatment. The treatment would be localized radiation. She also has the option to "do nothing" at this time since the cancer is so slow growing. We are waiting to hear what her decision is - but knowing my MIL, she will choose to have the radiation and err on the side of caution. I do not intend to influence her decision in any way, but I think I would take the treatment if it were me. At any rate, Derek and I (and his family) are dancing a happy dance over this wonderful news.

The second biggest news - the "project" we have going on at our house right now. Derek and I have lived in our house for 3 years now. Over this time, we have remodeled quite a bit. We noticed that our front stoop - the area outside our front door that is covered - has been sinking. We decided it was time to make this update before the covered portion broke off. We also are trying to deal with some water leakage in our basement and needed a small retaining wall installed. So, we knew that this was not something we could DIY and we called in the pros. We had several quotes - found out that our large retaining wall was failing and it also needed replaced - and long story short, this has turned into a hefty project. Work commenced last week. Our new retaining wall is in and has been backfilled, our front stoop is out and is being rebuilt. They found termite damage behind the old front stoop. Typical project for us. But, things are starting to shape up and I am excited to see the changes that are happening. Maybe I will post some pictures later.

I have been having a lot of headaches lately and have a migraine, so I stayed home from work today - called in Sick. Not that I could sleep much after the work outside started...Bang, bang, back up beeping noise, etc...But at least I took my meds and the pain has eased up. (I am not feeling the need to vomit anymore and the pain is only a dull roar at the moment - which probably explains why I am posting). However, I took my last migraine pill this morning. I called for a refill and the nurse says they won't refill it unless I have been seen by the Dr. recently. Say WHAT? So I asked (as calmly as possible since my head was throbbing and I was fighting nausea at the moment) just WHY I had to see the Dr. Her response? For a check up. To have my BP and such tested. Really lady? I have been in a Dr's office and had more than my share of visits in this last year. I have been put to sleep 2 times for egg retrievals. My BP and every other freaking part of me has been tested, poked, and prodded. I think I am fairly healthy - other than the fact that I am infertile. But I guess that doesn't all count since it wasn't my PRIMARY physician. So I am going today to see the Dr. at 4 so that I can get my freakin' refill. I think I will try to make my visit worthwhile and get her to review my allergies and make sure there is no infection brewing in there. I think I might also explain to them that this type of visit is possibly why HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE OUTRAGEOUS!!! Anyway...

In TTC news, I personally have nothing to report. I do have some wonderful news in regards to a friend of mine from the BBC - after over 3 years of trying, Katie and Jake are expecting their first child/children!!!! Congratulations!!! Although it seemed touch and go at the beginning, their IVF was a success. I am hoping and praying for a happy and healthy pregnancy for them. I have another friend from the BBC who also just completed her first IVF - Lau. I am sending her all of the good vibes that I can for her to get positive results as well. Good Luck Lau!

Caving In (Or Not) & other randomness

So, if anyone read Katie's comment on my last post, you would know that I caved on Monday and bought a test. I didn't waste any money on an expensive name brand test. I only bought a cheap on at the Dollar Store. I paid a whole dollar for it. (Damn, testing gets EX-PEN-SIVE and I didn't feel like spending 10 or 15 bucks to be told no)

Anyway, I bought the test while I was talking to Katie about her fertilization report while on my lunch with the intention of using it the next morning with FMU. By the time the end of the work day finally rolled around, I was feeling crampy. So, I didn't test Tuesday morning as I had originally planned. And by late Tuesday afternoon, AF had arrived in full force. Sucks. I guess that is enough about that. 1 month of waiting down. 1 month to go.

The rest of this post is probably just going to be randomness...

An interesting thought/comment - while on our trip to Michigan, my MIL said "I don't know why you don't just put in your order..." (referring to adoption). Sometimes I don't know why we don't either. It seems like that might be much easier than all of this waiting and watching and hurting. Sigh...

A form of the IVF law that was attempting to get passed in Georgia was passed and became effective on July 1, 2009. So, now, an embryo is considered a "person" (loosely defined) in Georgia. This was a back-door abortion law. But, this has managed to make our next step - embryo adoption - possibly a much more time consuming and expensive process (as if it wasn't difficult enough) AND we will have to go through steps similar to adoption to now receive these embryos. THANK YOU GEORGIA RESIDENTS. The good news? We will possibly be eligible for a tax credit for adoption.

The Twilight series is addictive. I have already read New Moon and I am now reading Eclipse. I never thought I could be addicted to a book about Vampires and Werewolves.

I am going to be logging off soon - I have a migraine and my meds are kicking in and I feel quite funny.

To my friends and family who are not BBCers, please keep my friends Katie and Lau in mind as they both had Egg Retrievals this week. They are both in the stressful place of waiting for their transfers and worrying about their embryos. And after the transfers the stress of the wait begins. They could sure use your thoughts and prayers.

We're Back... Vacation Update and TTC update

**Sigh** Unfortunately, our vacation has ended. So, here is a recap of our time away from home.

• Friday - We got up EARLY on Friday morning and drove straight through to Michigan. The trip took us about 13 1/2 hours but the ride wasn't too bad - we listened to some great music on the way up.
• Saturday - The fun started. We walked the pier and went for a nice bike ride from Rothbury to a dairy, had an ice cream, and rode back. Perhaps you have heard of Rothbury - they had the second annual music festival there this year - but it didn't start for a few days later. You can read about the Rothbury Music Festival here: http://www.rothburyfestival.com/
• Sunday - We were scheduled to go fishing on Lake Michigan so we got up really early and headed for the docks. When we arrived, the captain told us that the waves on the lake were 5 footers and that we should probably postpone our trip. So, we rescheduled for Thursday afternoon. We drank coffee on the beach, had breakfast for a second time, and watched the high speed ferry roll out headed to Wisconson. We took a quick nap and then Derek's sister arrived to join in the fun.
• Monday/Tuesday - We headed out a 3 day trip "Up North". Derek's sister's husband says that trips with his family are like trips to nowhere - you just drive and drive and don't really end up anywhere in particular - which is true but is also a lot of fun. We stopped in several cute towns and I can't name them all, but it was a lot of fun. We went through this Tunnel of Trees which was really neat, saw a lot of beautiful houses, ate at some great restaurants, and went wine tasteing. We laughed A LOT. It was cold and rainy. I didn't pack very well and I wore the same jeans and sweatshirt for several days in a row.
• Wednesday - We headed back to his parent's house after a late breakfast. Derek and I went to a concert together that evening and saw Counting Crows (it was our first concert together). It was the coldest July 1 on record and the concert proved to be cold and rainy. Washed said sweatshirt.
• Thursday - We walked on the beach, gathered driftwood, walked through the dunes, and went on our postponed fishing trip. The fishing was good - we caught several Salmon and a Stealhead Lake Trout. Still wearing said sweatshirt but changed jeans.
• Friday - We hiked a little and then spent the afternoon at the beach. It was the only day that we had weather nice enough to make it to the beach in anything less than a sweatshirt. We didn't stay that long, but we both ended up with nice sunburns.
• Saturday - Left Michigan for Indiana. Derek's grandparents were unable to join us in Michigan, so we cut our days short in Michigan to swing by and see them. It was a nice visit.
• Sunday - Drove the rest of the way home to Georgia.

So, now that you have had a recap of all of the fun activities, here is the rest of the story. Being on vacation is wonderful. It gives you a chance to get away from the misery of your every day life. The one that consumes you. For the most part anyway. I found that my days weren't filled with sadness over our IF. I could breathe. The panic stayed at bay and the sadness was banished (OK, for the most part). I had my moments - when shopping in a little store and seeing the cutest little baby shoes, I was hit with the thought that the child I lost could be wearing those shoes today. At the beach, watching a father and his son brought tears to my eyes, but the sound of the crashing waves helped to soothe the pain...
To top all of this off, AF was due to arrive towards the end of our vacation. On Wednesday, I had some slight redness when I wiped, but nothing later. I thought AF was about there. But, when by the end of the day no more redness had appeared, my mind started wondering if this was implantation bleeding. I pushed the thought away.
On Saturday morning, some more bleeding and I was sure AF was there. But, the flow has been almost non-existant. I have none of my normal AF symptoms. I repeat. NONE. No cramps, no sore BBs...And again my wheels start turning and the success stories of my IF friends started to plague mind.
I think of my friend Kerri who had spotting and thought it was AF but she was PG and just found out she is having a boy. Of Ellie who said that her first PG syptoms were NO symptoms. Of Alie who got PG the month after meds to her surprise.
Thank goodness my Mother in Law gave me the first book in the Twilight series. I know it probably wasn't fair to Derek, but I started reading it during the long drive home. I didn't want to burden him with the thoughts that were spinning around in my head - and losing myslef in a fictional world of vampires helped to keep me sane. Unfortunately, I finished the book in Tennessee, long before we reached home. Every time I wasn't reading or keeping busy, I found myself wondering if this lack of symptoms & spotting meant something, IF THIS WAS THE MONTH.
The closer we got to home, the more that I could feel the weight of all of our stress from home settling in around my shoulders. The panic creeping back in. The utter desperation that had seemed to evade me while on vacation.

Ugh. And it isn't even Monday yet.

I am all out of HPTs - I used the last one for our last failed IVF cycle. And I honestly don't feel like having another digital NOT PREGNANT staring back at me. I am fairly certain that this lack of symptoms just means that AF is coming and is just playing games with me. I will not be testing unless AF evades me for a few more days. Don't hold your breath.