Putting PCOS in the Corner

Over the past year and half I've been battling PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome). Basically what PCOS means for me is that my hormones are out of whack. Over the past year and a half I have met so many women struggling with infertility. Few talk about it. We're embarrassed, saddened by miscarriages. The truth is that MANY women and men struggle with infertility. The reason I would like to share my story is because I remember the comfort in learning I was not alone. I hope I can bring that feeling to someone else in this blog world.

A year ago Lon and I found out we were pregnant and were over the moon. 8 weeks later we miscarried and went through what was the most devastating thing I have ever dealt with. The loss of a child, of hopes, of the life you were already planning and falling in love with. I had the support of a dear friend who had already had her own struggles and she helped me keep hope.

Three months later we were pregnant again! Three days later we lost our second child. It was then I started asking the hard questions...what's wrong. The first time I was told it was bad luck...the second the same...but I didn't believe that. On my own accord I went to a fertility doctor. My regular obgyn said she couldn't refer me until I had three miscarriage-can you believe that?

My fertility doctor noticed my folic acid was low and B12-I have a deficiency and don't create either-so we fixed that with simple vitamins. Months and nothing...if you yourself or someone you know is going through infertility problems you know that the "trying" part is the worst and can often times be the loneliest.

After some more testing I was diagnosed with PCOS-which can mean lots of things but for me it means my hormone levels are off balance. I'm fortunate because my symptoms are mild. One of them is weight gain which contributes to the crazy hormones. So...I decided to put PCOS in the corner and have been losing weight since March-75 pounds and counting. I have already begun to see some of my symptoms subside. It was hard to put my plans on hold but we knew it would be worth it in the long run.

There is hope. If I had known I had PCOS earlier I could have seen the signs and adjusted my lifestyle. If you have PCOS keep your chin up. Change your diet and keep a regular work out schedule. Those of us suffering through infertility are fortunate that we're living in a time where new medical breakthroughs are available-sadly insurance usually won't pay for them-don't get me into that. Fertility should be a right rather than something only available to those who can afford it. You are not alone.

I pray for patience in God's plan as we get closer to starting our family. Fingers crossed for January. Sometimes when you work for something or someone so hard it makes it so much worth it.

Sometimes I Miss It

As a family we decided that it was best for me to quit my job as a Kindergarten teacher this year and stay home. I was just too stressed out and was always getting sick and it just wasn't conducive to us starting a family. But sometimes I miss it...like

Buying stickers for the kids.

My daily ration of hugs.

Hearing my name over and over again from a plethora of children.

Making their first school memories.

Living all the magic moments through them.

The camaraderie of my fellow teachers.

The untied shoelaces.

Opening up lunches and snacks.

I'm looking forward to starting a family and having that time but in the meantime...I miss it.

My Obsession with Disney

For those of you who know me I have a deep love for Disney World. Not necessarily owning and decorating my house in everything Disney but in being there. It's magical! We went again this year. My dear husband promised in an attempt to encourage me to lose weight in the journey of trying to become parents (getting closer!) that we could go to Disney if I stayed on goal. I have lost 75 pounds so far so to Disney we went! Here are a few snapshots!

Pirate Lon

I gained 12 pounds-can you believe it? It's been 3 days and I've lost 8.6 already! It was so worth it though!

What's better than Disney and Halloween? Nothing!

I have wanted to stay at the Wilderness Lodge since I saw them building it. It was worth the extra pennies!

At this time I would like to thank the following contributors to my weight loss:

Lon for dealing with my moodiness and keeping me strong while asking for queso and replying "NO!"

South Beach Bars-I can't believe I've been eating them daily for 8 months.

Chick-Fil-A- You are true greatness, good food that isn't that bad for you.

My friends for their love and support and understanding when I can't go out to eat with them. The time for dinner dates again is fastly approaching.

If I can do it-ANYONE can do it!

Seeing Spots

After we got home from Disney...pics to come...I decided to finally buy some pumpkins and since we (Texans) can't carve pumpkins because they mold in a day I saw the cutest pumpkins at a craft show for $15 and decided to make them on my own. So easy, so cute! It cost about $2 a pumpkin!

Start with your pumpkins...I rinsed with soapy water and dried first so the paint would stick.

I used this much acrylic black paint to paint all the pumpkins...that's it! I also bought those circle spongy paint brushes for a dollar.

Add random polka dots!

And voila! Add some cute ribbon! Clearly I have a thing for polka dots and ribbon. These are so easy and would be super fun to do with a little one. I even made a "hidden Mickey" on the back of one in honor of our recent trip. And now you can see the craziness that is the front of my house.

Brownie Cupcakes

In honor of all the boxes of brownies I've been getting free from couponing I decided to make brownie Halloweenie cupcakes for my Dad's birthday. Happy Birthday Dad!

Bow winked

My new project...bow making! Don't you just love a little girl with a hair bow? So here it is-after about an hour of cursing. It's a lot harder than I thought! I did not prick myself while sewing or burn myself while heat sealing and hot gluing. In honor of my favorite holiday here's the first one. When we get back from Disney I will be making them for hours.

Major Cupcake

My Mom's birthday was last month and since I've been taking all of this cake classes I decided to make her a giant cupcake. The bad part is it was difficult to bake. The pan contained the bottom and top and they both needed to cook at separate times. I also decided to use melting chocolate to create her name in 3D. The things we can do with chocolate. Did I mention I love cupcakes?