Make yourself at home . . .

It's been a very long time since I've posted on this blog. Honestly, I've been in a pretty serious funk the last several months, but I'm trying to work my way through it. I started a new recipe blog, Dining with the Davis', and have been spending more time working on it.  But, that's not what this post is about.

I'm so excited that Kelly has started up her "Show Us Your Life" series again. This week it's "Show Us Your Living Rooms." Well, since my living room is relatively clean today (company is coming soon...ha ha), I thought I'd share. Our house is pretty small and the living room definitely has that cozy feeling. It's not my dream house or dream living room, but it's comfy for me. Welcome to my home . . .

Since we live in a bi-level home we technically have two living/ family rooms but only use the one upstairs.This is the view of our entryway from upstairs.

At the top of the stairs are our bookcases, which I am almost embarrassed to show you. By the way, we do not have children (yet) but do have four animals. This is the reason for the baby gate.

Here is another view. The bookcases are seriously in need of re-decorating. This is on my project list. The plan is to remove most of the books and movies. I’d like to add some more “decorative” things but nothing too knick-knacky. If you have any great ideas for bookcases let me know! Looking into our living room from the top of the stairs. It looks like a Lifetime movie is on TV.

Here’s another view. Notice the ledge in the background. We added that about five years ago. It  certainly makes the once-empty space more lively.

This is a view from the kitchen. Oh look, Haylie Duff is on today’s Lifetime movie.

 

Another view of the ledge and my comfy recliner, which my husband hates. Oh well, he doesn’t have to sit in it. We picked that rocking horse up at a garage sale, and that’s my Raggedy Ann doll. I look forward to snapping a picture of our “someday” child sitting next to these. The other stuff on the floor belongs to the dogs and cats (our “now” children).A view from the living room looking into the kitchen. This is not how our couch normally looks.

My husband’s friend used to work in a cigar shop. When the shop went out of business his friend bought this shelf. My husband acquired it when his friend moved out of the country.

The items on the shelves in our living room have significant meaning. Here are just a few of the special things. . .

Our wedding album. We’re coming up on two years.

Our cake topper

Our toasting flutes and wedding certificate (inside silver holder)

Our hourglass from the sand ceremony on our wedding day. I just love being able to turn it over and over again and again and watch the sand flow.

I discovered pottery painting a few months ago (great therapy). The plate is the first thing I painted. The bottom two items have to do with our hopes and dreams for a future child.

Well, I don’t think it’s fair to give you a tour of our home without truly keeping it real. So, here are some “behind the scenes” pictures of  what you would truly see when walking in to our home . . .

 
Brandie making herself at home on the couch . . .

Autumn cleaning out the empty peanut butter jar . . .
 and Archie and Sophie wishing they were outdoor cats.

So, there you have it. That’s my living room. And, if you made it to the end of this post then i should offer you a great big slice of this . . .

Where Do I Apply?

From the time I was a little girl, I used to play "mommy" and "wife." I would cart my dollies around and speak with my imaginary husband. I know that I was just emulating what I saw when I looked at my mom and her adult friends. I wanted to be just like them when I grew up. I never had younger siblings and was never around babies, with the exception of a few friends that had their own younger siblings. Oh how my sister and I tried to beg my parents for a baby brother. I wanted a real live human being to "pretend" with.

I always knew that I would be a mommy someday. Of course, I didn't know when that someday would come. I am quickly approaching 34 years old (as of August 6, 2010), and I'm still not a mommy. I really wish I did not dwell on this so much. It's like it has become this disease that has overtaken many parts of my life. I'm trying to cope but only going through the motions. I am feeling restless because I feel like I'm standing in the wrong line to fill out a job application that I may never be "hired" for.

About a year ago, I was feeling restless. At that time, we had been trying for a baby for approximately four months. I was still hopeful and optimistic that our time would be soon. That is not to say that I am not hopeful and optimistic now. It's just that now we are well past a year of trying. Not to mention,we know the "numbers" in relation to our bodies. Anyway, back to "about a year ago" . . . I had approached James with the idea of becoming a semi stay-at-home wife. We both knew that we were trying for a baby and didn't know when that time would come. We also knew that things in our household were unsettled due to our busy schedules. To get right down to it, I was (and still am) tired of the corporate work world. I wanted a break. I wanted the opportunity to run my household as a business. I wanted to be there as a support system for my husband, the main breadwinner in our family. I had dreams of keeping the house clean, putting food on the table, keeping our money in line (with savings all around), and just not being tired. I was going to give my self until March 2010 to figure it all out.

Obviously, March 2010 has come and gone and we are now here in July. I am still restless.I don't mind my job, but there are several things that make me feel uneasy when I go to it every day. I would actually love it if I had the opportunity to work from home. Even better, I would love it if I could work from home on a part time basis. Call me a homebody...yes, I know I am . . . but I'm just tired of it all. I'm tired of driving 30+ minutes to work (one way) every day. Blame it on my small town roots. Everything in a small town was do-able. Even when I lived in a mid-size town I didn't have to plan around the long commute and/or being away from my house the entire day.

So, what do I do? Where can I apply to be that SAHW? Of course, I'd love the opportunity to be a SAHM. I am doing my best to trust God for that time. For those who think I'm whining and don't want to put in my share in the work force, you are wrong. I do want to contribute to society. I just don't want to keep going about it the way I have been. It's wearing me out. I love to be creative. Perhaps I can find my niche somewhere else. But, i need the chance to refuel so that I can find the drive and ambition to set out on following my dreams. For now, I will continue to stand in line for the job I want while putting my time in at a job that pays the bills, puts food on the table, allows me to buy the things I need. . . all while zapping my energy, my time, my spirit, and my creativity.

God is my GPS

I haven’t written for a long time. To be honest, I really don’t know how to put my thoughts into words these days. I feel like everything is a jumbled mess of emotion. To paint a picture in your mind, imagine a big well with someone falling down it, desperately grabbing for any type of life hold. That’s how I feel these days. No matter how positive I try to be. No matter how many bible verses I read. I still worry and stress over the unknown. Why is it that I can’t just let go and let God.

Since it’s been so long since I’ve updated my blog, I guess I should filll in the back story. It was in May 2009 when we finally made the decision to try for a family. I had my worries back then and had a feeling that it would take us some time. Of course, I naively thought that 2010 would be the year for baby Davis to arrive. That isn’t going to happen for us. My dreams of a “perfect 10” baby born on 10/10/10 have gone out the window. Now, seriously, I wasn’t aiming for a 10/10/10 baby, but the thought did cross my mind...until cycle 9 (January) when I knew it wouldn't happen.

In October (Cycle 6) of last year I finally went to my regular nurse practitioner to ask questions. Of course, she recommended I wait until January (Cycle 9) to see a doctor. She thought for sure that I would be pregnant by the time my appointment came around. Flash forward to February (Cycle 10) when I went to see the regular OB-GYN. She was optimistic and told me she had a “positive feeling” about our situation. That led to some blood tests and eventually led to having my hubby tested. In March and April (Cycles 11 and 12), my hubby graciously did his part of the testing. And, in May (Cycle 13) we made our first visit to the RE (reproductive endocrinologist).

While visiting with the RE, he introduced my hubby to all of the famous acronyms. I had already done so much reading so nothing was a surprise. He used the acronyms IUI, IVF, and ICSI. It was enough to give me hope but also caused our heads to spin. Then came the fun part. . . discussions about money. This was pure HELL! I will keep the details surrounding this to myself, but let me say that we had some serious valleys in our relationship for a couple of weeks. And, things aren’t perfect now. Financially speaking, infertility is a very VERY hard pill to swallow.

We made a decision to try our first IUI on Cycle 14. Leading up to the IUI, I took 50 mg of Clomid on cycle days 5 through 9. The actual IUI took place on Wednesday, June 9th. With much anticipation and lots of prayer, we went in and “did our thing.” James’ numbers were very pleasing to say the least. I had one good follicle and we were in the middle of perfect timing. Well, our one shot for that cycle did not work out. Thus, we did not see a positive sign on the pee stick.

Last Friday, we had a follow-up consultation with the doctor. He too is pleased with hubby’s numbers because they are up from the first sperm analysis. He also told me I had good eggs and that they weren’t old. Yay for good things! He wants us to try a few more IUI’s before looking into anything else (ie, IVF). So, here we are. Given our schedules for the next two cycles, we’ve decided to just take a little break. I really hope I can start to relax. The stress is not good when you’re trying to create a new life. Come September, we will see where we’re at.

Now. . . on to the emotions I have been carrying for so long now. Envy, anger, bitterness, and sadness are like these huge weights that constantly leave me in a negative place. I want to climb out of this pit, but I’m so scared of the outcome. It’s so sad, I know, to live life in such a down mood all of the time. I know that people don’t know how to approach me. I feel like the world is moving on around me. I just go through the motions. And, did I mention that I’m fat? I’ve gained so much weight that I don’t even know who I am anymore. Sure, I could gain some control of my life by just focusing on getting rid of the weight. I agree. And, that’s the very same conversation I had with the Oreos and milk this evening. I am getting ready to head back to my hometown for an all class reunion. That means all graduating classes will be making their way back. I want to look forward to it, but I am truly dreading it. I am going back to face all my friends who have families and have moved on with their lives. I’m just stuck stuck stuck.

I know this is a complete whiny, vent-filled post. But, that’s pretty much how life has been going lately. I do know God that you have a plan for me. I do love you. And, I do believe you have my best interest at heart. I’m sorry I whine and complain. I’m sorry that I feel like giving up/in almost every second of the day. Please just continue to walk beside me through this journey…this infertility road that I really don’t want to be on. I know that you are my GPS and will get me where I need to be. But, maybe you can keep the Oreos on your side for awhile. ;-)

Smalltown Nebraska girl takes on Denver

It's been a long time since I've participated in the "Show us your Life" posts for Kelly's Korner. My mind has been full and my heart has been heavy as of late. I think a light-hearted post is just what I need to do. Today on Show us Your Life is Show us Your Hometown.

So . . . on to my hometown . . .well, technically I'm a smalltown girl from McCook, Nebraska (population less than 8,000). This is where I was born and where I graduated from high school. This is where my parents still live. This is the town that my husband, a native Texan, has come to love. And, truthfully, we would be happy to move back there some day and raise a family. I've even captured some of that "longing" in a blog I started for the McCook Daily Gazette. (Sidenote: I obviously keep that blog up as well as I keep this one up. Ha!)

Now, on to the town I've lived in for the last 6 years. Well, I wouldn't call it a town. We live on the outskirts of the capital city of the beautiful state of Colorado . . . Denver!

If you've never been to Denver, let alone Colorado, I would encourage you to make it part of your "someday" vacation plans. How could you not like views like this:

 Echo Lake

 Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs

 Waiting for a sunrise on Easter morning at Red Rocks Amphitheater

Oh yes, HE has Risen!!!

In January, you can visit the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo. This has been around since the early 1900's. The stock show seems to extend the holiday season just a little bit longer. With Denver weather, you never know what you're going to get. One year we went and it was bitter cold. The next we were out and about in short sleeves . . . in the middle of January.

Of course, it's no surprise that we also see a little of the white stuff here in Colorado. The picture below just happens to show one of the years (2006) when we saw A LOT of the white stuff. There was a blizzard right before and after Christmas. I personally loved it because we were home for the holidays that year. I know others had a more difficult holiday while stranded up the road at Denver International Airport.

You can also have a lot of fun with snow in Colorado. My husband and I don't ski (yes, to some adventurers I'm sure that sounds ludicrous), but we have enjoyed our time in the snowy mountains. It's been a few (six to be exact) years since we went snowshoeing. Here we are standing in the middle of frozen Bear Lake.

  

It's fun to venture up in the mountains, but you need to take precautions because you never know when a tree may fall. Luckily my dad was here to help for the one below! :-)

 

After a long day in the mountains, if you like barley and hops, you may just find yourself in Golden for a tour of Coors Brewery or Fort Collins for a Budweiser tour.

Seriously, how could one doubt the presence of God when living in the middle of such a beautiful place. My husband and I truly felt His presence when we committed our lives to one another October 4, 2008.

And, there you have it! This is where I live. There is so much more to share, and I didn't even touch on half of it. Come to Colorado and see it for yourself. You may just find yourself singing Rocky Mountain High!!

 

I'm Still Here. . .

I know it has been ages since I last posted anything on here. Honestly, things are tough right now. I feel like I am just going throughthe motions of life. I haven't been happy lately. We are now on cycle number 12 and still no "positive" sign in sight. I am so afraid. I am walking a path I never wanted to go down, a journey I never wanted to embark on. Infertility! The word itself is intimidating in so many ways.

We have an appointment set for May 7th. I pray that we can find some answers to what is going on. More importantly, I pray that we can de-stress our lives and find happiness again. How can we expect to conceive a child when we are not even healthy ourselves.

This is a very rambly post and doesn't really say much. I just wanted to update and put in writing that we are on the Infertility journey. I am choosing to believe that where I see one set off footprints is where God indeed is carrying us through.

Stay tuned. . .

Valentine's Day--Past and Present

This week over at Kelly's Korner is Show us Your Life- Valentine's Dates or Ideas. It's funny how over the course of life one can go from absoluately hating Valentine's Day to loving it and then end up thinking of it as just another day. I won't go into detail about my experience with Valentine's Day pre-James, but let's just say that February 14th over the years has gotten better and better.

James and I celebrated our first Valentine's Day together in 2004. I remember that he brought me balloons and some chocolates...maybe even a rose. We both lived in separate cities at the time so it was nice to spend the day together. He took me to Chipotle and then to Coldstone Creamery. I believe that is the day I developed my intense love for Cherry Cake Double Take, which they no longer have on the menu.

In 2005, I was surprised when I received those beautiful red boxes from Red Envelope. James had sent me these cute little pink pajama shorts with my named embroidered on them. He also sent me a lovely necklace and earrings set. It's really sad that I don't remember what we did or what he gave me in 2006. I am for sure, however, that there were roses involved. Valentine's Day 2007 was a wonderful one. I must admit that I was hoping he would get around to popping the question. He took me out to Texas de Brazil for some wonderful food and then handed me a little blue box. I was a bit sad to see that it wouldn't be an engagement ring, but that all changed when I opened the box to find a beautiful necklace with my birthstone.

Valentine's Day 2008 is certainly one to remember. On February 13th, I was at work when the front desk called to tell me there was a package for me. James had sent beautiful flowers in a lovely purple vase. That evening, I got home and James told me he had to get down to Fed Ex before they closed. I rode along with him, but he wouldn't tell me what was in the box. Well, later that night before bed I found out. We had been talking for the last few weeks about getting married. In fact, we were already making plans. The only thing that was missing was an official proposal. To my surprise, James picked Valentine's Day Eve to give me a beautiful engagement ring and ask me to be his wife. The next day I stayed home and worked and James went into his office. Later that afternoon I opened the door to theUPS man. Here was another Red Envelope box with chocolate covered strawberries, champagne-filled chocolates, and a lovely little compact mirror for my purse. He really went all out that year!

 

      My beautiful engagement ring!

   On our Wedding Day!

Last year, we had another nice Valentine's Day.when James took me to The Melting Pot for the first time. Can you say Yummy!?! I received some beautiful red roses, and the food was wonderful. It was our first time and it was so great. We went back in October for our "date night" during the Weekend to Remember (marriage conference). A that time, I was already looking forward to Valentine's Day 2010.

Our Valentine's Day 2009 menu.

Mmmmmm....cheese!

Flash forward . . . here we are in 2010! This year, we decided to save our money and do our own little version of The Melting Pot at home (last night). The theme for the day was "Do you fondue like I do?" It was great!

1st course: Somerset cheese fondue with bread cubes, veggies and apples

Beautiful!

  

We had to force ourselves to stop eating it because it was so yummy!

2nd Course: Chicken, Shrimp,Beef, and assorted veggies cooked in Coq Au Vin broth.

Dipping Sauces: Green Goddess, Sesame Sauce, Cocktail Sauce, and Horseradish & Sour Cream

Finally...the Pièce de résistance...Flaming Turtle Chocolate Fondue.

I was a little freaked out by the flame!

But, it was oh so worth it. See that plate of goodies...we ate it all!

I really enjoyed having our own fondue party. It was quite a bit more work than just going to the restaurant and dipping and conversing. But, I'm now ready to have a fondue party with more guests. I highly recommend having a fondue night with your sweetie. You don't have to go all out like we did. I think cheese and chocolate are just fine. Heck...chocolate is just fine for dinner...right?!? 

Today we've celebrated Valentine's Day by watching movies at home and enjoying heart-shaped pizza from Papa Murphy's. We also enjoyed watching "Couple's Retreat" and are currently watching "The Time Traveler's Wife." James gave me a cute little teddy bear from Hallmark (the one that says "I love you" when you talk to it). So cute! Sometimes the low key celebrations are the best.

Our heart-shaped pizza (sorry, I can't get the picture rotated)

The dogs also got something special for Valentine's Day. For Chistmas, my sister had given me a brownie mix for dogs. So, today we decided to make it. 

     

Both dogs approved before I even mixed it up. 

It looked like black tar. They didn't have to worry about me eating it.

   James cut them into heart shapes.

   I added their initials in peanut butter. A for Autumn and B for Brandie.

    They had to sit/stay before they good dig in.

    They loved them!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY 2010!