CD 1 and Some Other Stuff

Right now I'm on the phone with Stephanie at PNW trying to figure out what we are going to do and when.

I have four packs of birth control on hand that don't expire until this summer.  Two in June and two in August.

Just finished my phone conversation.  Today I start the birth control pills. 

Next week Sarah will give me a call with an update and a possible prescription change if needed along with a calender if things are fully ready.  Hopefully we'll know more about the embryo situation by then.

Wow.  I mean just wow!  One step closer to my DE IVF.

Today is an amazing day.  Not just because I start on the journey that could give me a baby but that ten years ago today I met my husband. 

We were at a friends wedding.  I knew the bride, I worked with her, and I was also friends with the groom.  J went to college with both the bride and groom.  Funny how J and I never met on campus since we were both attending the same college. 
It was my job to drive the groom the five hours to the wedding ceremony the day before the wedding.  Though that couple has long ago started the divorce proceedings J and I are still together.  Ours is a love that should, given all we've been through already, last till death.

Oh the sun is shining here today too.  Hoping it stays a nice day.

I'm currently working on making my first ever baby sweater.  The gal I gave the baby afghan to the other day is now going to have a baby shower for her third baby.  I'm giving her a hat and bootie set from my shop too.  Hopefully I'll have the sweater put together before her shower.  I've never done a sweater and feel a bit daunted.  It is a challenge I'm going to accept because if I do this one right I know I can make them for my baby/ies too.

Yesterday J came home at lunch with my appreciation certificate.  Well okay it wasn't a certificate this time.  I was expecting the same old computer printed thank you for your volunteering certificate that I would put in my folder.  Last year I attended the volunteer luncheon but they forgot to send out our certificates of appreciation.  This year nothing about the luncheon has gone out and usually it is in mid April.  No big deal.  But what J brought home did surprise me.  I got a plaque.

I don't think I'll be able to put this plaque in my folder I told him. I had a slight smile.  I've never been given a plaque for my volunteering.  I volunteer because it is fun to help out with the Army.  I make blankets when possible for the wounded warrior program, cookies for the soldiers at the COF and I'm a point of contact for the FRG.  A plaque is just too much.  I haven't even hung up my diplomas from college.  With 10-17 weeks left here I have my doubts I'll be hanging any on the walls at this point.  Most likely I'll start taking things off the walls soon.

Sorry long post.  Rambled on again.

Volunteer Luncheon

Today was the volunteer luncheon at JBLM.  My first that I have attended though I've been volunteering now for three years with this installation.

As soon as I walked in the door I felt out of place.  Not because of what I was wearing because I do know how to dress for these functions but because so many of the attendees were officer's wives with their spouses in tow.

Oh my I felt so alone.  Not one person did I know.  I found two large round tables off to the corner and took the one farther away from the corner.  I didn't want it to look as though I wanted to be alone.  Soon two major's approached me and asked if they could sit at my table.  They were without their spouses and not volunteers since they didn't stand when all volunteers were asked to.  I told them of course they could sit with me as I didn't want to be eating alone at such a large table.  Right after a woman named Kristi came by and asked if she could sit next to me and save seats for her husband and two friends.  No problem there as the table was still quite open.

K's husband, a full bird Col., sits down after introducing himself.  I forgot his first name and couldn't quite the hear the name of the two friends that Kristi had with her.  But we all started up friendly conversation.  I felt right at home shortly there after.

With two Majors and a Colonel at the table I know J would have felt rather uncomfortable and I'm not sure they would have been allowed to sit together because of ranks being mixed.  Its rather tricky with Army protocol.  Besides J is doing much more fun stuff today.  Today he is taking his road test on a STRYKER.  I'd rather be doing the same too since it sounds like so much fun.

I did feel a little odd when the question of how many children do I have was brought up.  I did say that we were still trying but alas I keep miscarrying.  Next question please.  So what installation did you meet your spouse at?  I didn't.  We met at a friend's wedding and realized after meeting that we both were attending the same college.  See I'm a most unusual Army wife: I have no kids, I volunteer even though my husband is lower enlisted, and I didn't meet him while he was in the service.  I was the novelty at the table once they found out that I like to go to the range for stress relief.  Oh and the fact that I also make blankets for wounded warriors. I'm an odd duck.  I make knit, crochet, sew, cook, shoot, bake, craft, volunteer and still some how have no kids.  Must be I need to volunteer for special undercover duty more often to get the kids?

I guess they'll be sending me my certificate of appreciation for volunteerism since I wasn't one of the spotlight people, yes there were nominees, receiving awards.  I loved meeting new people today, felt awkward but soon got over it and left with the feeling that I'm not volunteering enough.  I have no clue where these wonderful people find so much time to volunteer but I'm glad that they do find it because volunteers are always needed.

Volunteer

Since I'm getting my mind off of this whole trying to conceive I figured I'd slowly throw myself back into volunteering.  Because I do volunteer I've been invited to the annual volunteer luncheon.  Usually I get a certificate of appreciation.  Last year I didn't even realize that we were having a luncheon I was so into this whole TTC lifestyle.  Its time to pay more attention to the world once again.

Hopefully I'll be dropping off the blanket I made to our FRG coordinator soon.  Its not that its annoying to have it bagged and sitting on my hall table but I'd just like to see it given to someone deserving in the near future.  Our coordinator is quite busy and when she gets a moment to breath she does look for those she thinks deserve little gifts.

Wow, I sound like such a snob.  Sorry if that's how I might come off in this post as its not intended to sound like I have my nose in the air.

Volunteering gives me a sense of achievement like I'm giving back to the community that has given so much to me.  It has given me the chance to make new friends and we all could use more friends.

Volunteering might just help me heal some of the hurts that I've experienced with my losses while on the trying to conceive journey.  Maybe I'm expecting too much out of this self-less service but hey if it makes me feel good, even a little bit, then how can it be bad?