#16: Shopping the Perimeter

Is it possible to make a post about grocery shopping fun or interesting?  I'm not so sure... but, I'll give it a try anyway.

About a year ago, I began to make a conscious effort to avoid the center aisles of the grocery store...also known as "shopping the perimeter."  If this is a foreign concept, the idea is that all the processed foods are located in the middle of the store, whereas fresh produce, meat, and dairy products are located around the edges.  By avoiding the inside aisles, we are purchasing whole foods instead of processed junk.

In order to hold myself accountable, I added this goal (#16) to my 20 in 14 list and tried to make a habit of staying out the center aisles.  Now, we all know life happens and this isn't entirely practical for 100% of all grocery store purchases or visits.  However, I have photographic evidence of at least a few successful trips to the store.

My only complaint about this whole thing is the outrageous cost of whole fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy products.  A boxed dinner may cost $3, whereas making the real deal from scratch could be four times as expensive.  I realize we spend a much smaller portion of our income on food than other world nations do, but it's flat out stupid that real food costs more than processed food does.

I distinctly remember taking this photo because four items cost $20!

Sometimes I also found the produce at grocery stores to be less than ideal.  The selections weren't always at their optimal stage of freshness, and they were always so gosh darn expensive.  In an attempt to cash in on fresher produce at lower costs, we recently became members of Sam's Club.  The local store also happens to be located just about as close to our house as other grocery stores, and it's always a safer place to be than the run down areas of this town.

I really like shopping at Sam's - there isn't as much variety in their produce section, but what they do have is always fresh and longer lasting than what I typically purchased at other stores.  Not everything at warehouse stores is cheaper than other stores, but if you know what you typically pay elsewhere, it's not difficult to make a judgement about whether something is a good buy.  

Using whole ingredients has inspired me to make other things from scratch too - a few weeks ago, I made homemade peanut butter cookies for the pressbox using only three ingredients (eggs, sugar, peanut butter) instead of baking something from a box.  This week, I even managed to make banana bread with some overripe bananas we had laying around.  Also, my mother-in-law bought me a solid 12-in-1 blender for my birthday, so I am itching to crank that baby up and concoct something awesome!

With all that said, the results of these efforts have been increases in consumption of fruits and vegetables in our day-to-day diets.  We haven't experienced weight loss, persay, but I have to believe we are having more nutritious meals on a more regular schedule.  At this point, however, I am starting to become bored with our same-ole menus, so if anyone has some simple/easy recipes (using fresh ingredients) to to offer, please share away!

-Lauren

#s 11-15: Faith Category

I'm back for Round Three in updates for the category-by-category summary of my 20 in 14 goals list.  Click here for Goals 1-5 and Goals 6-10.

And here's the snapshot of Goals 11-15 (Faith Category):

Faith
11. Designate a person-a-day in prayer.
12. Rest in faith with practicing NFP as we TTC.
13. Receive the sacrament of reconciliation quarterly (at least).
14. Register as members of a church parish. 
15. Tithe to church (instead of non-profits) more regularly.

Overall, I think the items in this category went pretty well.  Excluding #12, the goals were very specific, and pretty typical of what would be considered S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-oriented).  Achieving these goals also didn't cost any money or require me to go outside of my comfort zone (except maybe #13).  So let's break them down:

11. Designate a person a day in prayer.  I'm really glad I included this one on my list, even if it did take longer than planned to implement.  (#oops) Click here to read a detailed summary of this experience.

12.  Rest in faith with practicing NFP as we TTC.  This is a bit of a touchy subject for us right now. Obviously we're not pregnant and we haven't moved forward with becoming a certified foster/adoptive home, but we have put thought and discussion into both.  I think one day I will write more on this topic, but for right now it just feels too personal and I'm not ready to talk about it here.  (Prayers are always welcome, however.)  Update (8/8/15):  Read here.

Designed by Kendra

13.  Receive the sacrament of reconciliation quarterly (at least).  I started out pretty well with this, and then sort of fell off the wagon.  Thinking back, I received the sacrament in March, June, September (I think), and November.  You'll notice that does include Lent, but not Advent.  One random weekend, the priest at our church gave absolution to everyone during his homily (I forget what the reason/occasion was), so that was unexpected.  But...then time totally got away from me and I didn't make to Confession during Advent.  Boo.  Now it's Lent again, so I need to make that happen sometime before Easter on April 5th...

Designed by Kendra

14. Register as members of a church parish.  I actually wrote about this back in April, asking for input on criteria for finding a "church home" (as I often hear Protestants refer to it).  Fast forward to today, we have settled on which local church will be home to us while we live here.  Mostly it came down to being located 3 minutes down the street versus almost 30, but that's neither here nor there.  These days we only attend other churches when the Mass times at our regular one don't work for our schedules.  Technically, we still haven't registered as members, but I keep telling myself to e-mail or call the office so we can figure out exactly how to go about doing that.  (A carryover for 2015, maybe?)

Just because it's funny.  (source)

15.  Tithe to the church (instead of nonprofits) more regularly.  Can I just say that I LOVE tithing?!  (Ok, maybe I'm weird?)  It's so fun to decide where to give our money too each month.  At certain times of the year, it's even more exciting to know I am supporting friends or family who have a particular cause/event that is close to their hearts.  I have gotten better about dividing the funds evenly between church and other organizations, even if that sometimes means everything goes to the church or other organization one particular month, and switches the next time.  I don't know what else to say except that I truly do get giddy feelings when writing those checks every month.  #callmeaweirdoifyouwant  :)

(source)

So there you have it, folks!  I committed to recapping 20 in 14 and it will happen!
-Lauren

#11: A Person a Day

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about." - Wendy Mass

It's true, right?  No matter how similar your situation may be to mine, my experience and yours are totally different.  It's easy to fall into the pattern of offering advice to every person you meet, or to feel like you should be coping better with *insert situation* because so-and-so experienced the same struggle and is doing so much better than you are.  False.

"...everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about."  Let that sink in for a minute.

The first (and one might argue, most important) way to be a better friend/spouse/employee/sibling/child is to pray - pray hard, and pray often.  For a while I have wanted to be more intentional - more specific - with my prayers.  The only idea I had on how to get better at doing that was to designate a person/group of people/specific need in prayer each day.  And to hold myself accountable, I wanted to sit down with a calendar and write something down for each day of the year.

Anyone want to guess how that worked out?  Yeah...2014 came and went and it never happened.

Cue Lent 2015 when Rosie shared her paper chain concept.  Aha - that's it!  What the perfect way and time to implement this goal I planned over a year ago.

It took us a few days (after Ash Wednesday) to sit down and write down our intentions, then assemble the chain, but we did it!  And sometimes we have to double up (re: my husband travels a lot for work) on reading the strips, but it's working and I love it.  Our prayers are so much more intentional (read: mature) than they were before and I really hope we can find a way to continue the concept long after the Lenten season ends.

Excuse the cat food and catnip-filled sock.

I'd certainly be interested in hearing how others keep the habit of making specific, intentional prayers happen in their lives.  Let me know if you have any ideas, tips, or suggestions!

-Lauren

#s 6-10: Relationships Category

I'm back for Round Two in updates for the category-by-category summary of my 20 in 14 goals list.  For Goals 1-5, click here.

And here's the snapshot of Goals 6-10 (Relationships Category):

Relationships
6. Keep a one-line-a-day journal.
7. Respond to e-mails more frequently.
8. Make an effort to reinvest in old friendships.
9. Host a girls' weekend.
10. Become a volunteer.

So how did it go?  Of all the categories on my list, I feel this one fared the worst.  Overall, I am feeling really disconnected from people these days, and it's been quite a struggle to find ways to feel loved, supported, or encouraged by people other than my husband.  For this reason, I truly mean it when I say that I have enjoyed "meeting" those of you in blogland.

6. Keep a one-line-a-day journal.  This one was really fun, and I'm glad I included it on the list.  Click here to read a detailed summary of this experience.

Victoria and Dawn, June 2014

7. Respond to e-mails more frequently.  Other than e-mails for work and those coming in response to comments I leave on other blogs, I really haven't been receiving as many e-mails (also, texts/Facebook messages, etc).  Messages related to my Jamberry business have also dropped off dramatically, but that's better left for another day.  For this simple reason, I don't have very many "outstanding" messages to contend with.  Overall, I'd still say I put off responding immediately because it generally means I'll take better care with crafting my thoughts in response to said messages.  Vague, much?

Reconnecting with Megan and Richie, July 2014

8.  Make an effort to reinvest in old friendships.  I think I started off the year doing pretty well with this; I sent several hand written cards, made regular phone calls to catch up with girlfriends, and even had a few daily Voxer  buddies. (Don't know about Voxer?  Check it out - heck, send me a message because I love that thing!)  As the year went on, these efforts fell by the wayside, on others' parts, and mine too.  A huge part of this probably has to do with some struggles I'm dealing with emotionally.  When I made this goal, I hoped that if I committed to making the effort then I might be able to work through some of those struggles and find myself happier in the long run.  I hate to say it, but I feel more disconnected than ever and I don't know if I actually want to make the effort right now.

Scrapbook pages for Kara's wedding book, July 2014

9. Host a girls' weekend.  Unless travel fork work counts (which it doesn't!), this definitely did not happen.  Back in August, I experienced my first panic attack, and that has resulted in my lack of desire or ability to do any kind of independent traveling. People are busy and getting a bunch of folks together for any length of time is really difficult at this stage of life.  A girl's weekend would be super fun (and much needed), but I just don't think it would work for me to coordinate something like that right now.  But hey - if a bunch of you show up on my doorstep next Friday night, I'll crack open a bottle of wine and we'll dig out the chick flicks...come on!

Having a ball with Jessie, August 2014

10.  Become a volunteer.  This got added to this list (again) in an effort to become more involved with the local community, hoping to build some friendships.  I was also required to start volunteering as part of my annual performance evaluation at work.  Well, as all things have gone for life here in this locale, I didn't find success in becoming a community volunteer (in the way they wanted me to) or in making new friends.  BUT, I did find a way to volunteer (and enjoy it) with Alex's work, and you can read all about it here.

Hosting Victoria and Seth, October 2014

Aaaaaaand now that we're all depressed reading about my lameness, here's a small a pick-me-up:

source

Happy Mardi Gras, everyone!  Do something fun, eat all the food, and celebrate to you heart's content!
-Lauren

#6: One Line a Day

Did you know, the traditional first anniversary gift is paper? Yeah, sometimes I wonder who came up with that stuff because WHAT KIND OF ANNIVERSARY GIFT IS MADE OF PAPER?!  And then, I ate my words.  Who was I kidding, there are lots of options for paper gifts - tickets to a sporting event/theater performance/concert, books, framed prints, the list goes on.  (Cotton as the second anniversary gift - that one gave me a run for my money.)

Some of you may remember we mailed a notebook back and forth to one another during our two years of dating long distance.  That notebook was featured in some of our engagement photos, and truly became one of my favorite keepsakes from our dating story.   Once we got married, I realized we got out of the habit of documenting our relationship as closely as we did while we were dating.

Photo by Katie Hoffpauir Photography

In an effort to solve this "problem," I purchased a Custom, 3-Year One Line a Day Journal from Uncommon Goods as Alex's 1st Anniversary gift last year.  I was a little nervous about whether he would be excited about such a gift - I mean, it was essentially just an overpriced notebook of sorts.  However, we started writing in it on January 1, 2014, and over a year later we are still at it.

Sometimes, we miss a few days (or a week) and have to go back to fill things in, but I can say that we have only forgotten one day in its entirety and had to fill in with "Free Space - See you next year!"  Now that we are on Year 2 (3, really), it's super fun to read back over what we were doing at this time last year.  In some cases, we're remembering things that were fun or special, and other cases, we realize we're still struggling with things we hoped we'd be past at this point.

Either way, it's nice to know we will have a record of our second, third, and fourth year of marriage to look back on for years to come - and maybe even some wisdom to share with (God-willing) future children.  It won't be long before I'll start thinking of how to document Years 5+.  Ideas, anyone?

- Lauren

For more from my "20 in 14" list, click here.

Note:  I was not compensated in any way for reviewing products featured in this post.  All opinions are my own.

#s 1-5: Blog Category

Now that it's practically February (who am I kidding, this will be posted in February, even though I'm writing it before then), I really need to get my butt in gear on recapping my 20 in 14 list.  I think it will evolve into a couple of posts that lump some items together by category - because, let's face it, I can't write an entire post about how often I posted last year.  Still, I fear these posts will prove mostly boring, so I hope to spread them out a little, with some fun stuff thrown in the mix.

-

I'm definitely a sequential person, so of course I'll be starting with the first category on the list: Blog.

For those who are new here, here's a snapshot of the Blog category.

Blog
1. Write an average of 1x/week (or more!).
2. Practice telling my story in fewer words.
3. Use a real camera (not my phone) more often.
4. Increase readership.
5. Learn more about the bigger picture of blogging.

So, how did I do?  Not too terribly...I don't think anyway.

1. Write an average of 1x/week (or more!).  I actually thought accomplishing this goal would be much more of a stretch than it turned out to be.  Realistically, I thought I would end up with somewhere around 40 posts for the year, but somehow I managed to publish 56 posts.  To be quite honest, I'm pretty proud of myself for that one; in the end, I published more posts in 2014 than any previous year, including my inaugural year (2008).  I think that's pretty great!

2. Practice telling my story in fewer words.  Well, I didn't necessarily ace this one, but I do think I improved in this department.  Throwing more pictures (see #3) into the mix, helped to make things a little more visually appealing, but I probably should have reigned in the word count every once in a while.  Honestly, using lots of words is just who I am.  I'm a girl, girls talk a lot...it's just how life works.  So I'm still a work in progress here.

3. Use a real camera (not my phone) more often.  As it turned out, I ended up having to spend three months using the dumbest phone on the planet, which means my access to a camera phone greatly diminished for a significant period of time.  One would have thought this would do wonders for tackling Goal #3, butttttttt it didn't.  Instead of taking better pictures, I ended up with no pictures (or photos taken on my husband's phone and then sent to myself, lol).   The fact of the matter is that camera phones are just so much faster and more efficient...and taking photos with "real" cameras in public can really draw quite a bit of nerd-like attention to yourself.  I always feel awkward and tourist-y pulling out the digital camera.  In other words, I didn't do so hot on this one.

4. Increase readership.  I don't know how much extra foot traffic I'm getting around here (sometimes more than others, anyway), but I do feel more connected to the blogging community than I ever have before.  I've been reading quite a few more blogs, and reaching out to others more often.  I will say that I have really enjoyed "meeting" others, especially you, Amy and Ace! ;)  If you're new here, leave a comment sometime so I know you've stopped by.  I'd love to meet you!

5.  Learn more about the bigger picture of blogging.  I wrote this goal after receiving a blogging book for Christmas; the book was quite interesting, but I didn't really end up focusing a whole lot of time on actively building my own blog like I thought I would.  It was nice to better understand the inter-workings of it all, but ultimately I want to do this for me, and blogging for "the man" really wouldn't be very fun or authentic.  I still find "bigger picture" to be quite interesting, but I think I'll be staying true to myself rather than making an effort to be someone or something I'm not.

Bonus:  While on the subject, I should also note that the blog underwent a major facelift in 2014.  We went from "Breaking the Mold" to "Here We Geaux," and the entire design/color scheme changed, as well.  (And in case, you were lost in the shuffle, Follow my blog with Bloglovin.)  The changes made things a little fresher around here, and better reflect who I am and what this project has become.  :)

So of course I should be eating words here, per #2, but it is what it is!  Stay tuned, more updates will be coming your way...eventually.  ;)

-Lauren

7 Quick Takes (Vol. 9)

--- 1 ---

Rename and Redesign.  Remember that redesign I promised about eight months ago?  Yeah well, this week it became reality.  Breaking the Mold is now officially Here We Geaux and I couldn't be more excited.  Just as we grow and change over time, I think it's natural for blogs to do the same.  When I started Breaking the Mold six and a half years ago, I was at a stage where I wanted to get out and see the world, something atypical of those from my hometown.  These days, I'm not so set on "breaking molds" as I am trying to find my place in the world as a wife and young professional.  I do still have a few components to update, but hopefully everything will be transitioned very soon!  With that being said, please "geaux" along with me as I share the characters in my virtual story.  Note:  Be sure to head over to Bloglovin' to follow the new web address!

--- 2 ---

ICYMI:  #20 - Makeovers. With the renaming process, some of you may have missed my most recent post, a recap of my Bare Minerals makeover at the Mall of America.  Feel free to hop on over to check it out here.

--- 3 ---

Alex's 30th Birthday.  Apparently "birthday" evolved into Birthday Week, which further evolved into Birthday Month.  I can't wait to share an entire post of all the details from his big day!

--- 4 ---

See ya on December 1st.  On Wednesday afternoon (11/19), I left the office for the last time until December 1st.  WAHOOOOO.  With meetings on Thursday and Monday, plus an out of town trip on Friday, and a few days off for Thanksgiving, this girl gets 11 days away from the office and I couldn't be more thrilled.  Can I get an Amen, folks?

source

--- 5 ---

The Moos are invading.  In T-minus 3 days and counting, my extended family is coming to town for Thanksgiving.  About half of them have visited us in Monroe before, but it will be the first time for some.  Our family has never done Thanksgiving away from home, so this will be a first for us.  We are also taking in about four "strays," aka Alex's coworkers who are from out-of-state and have no family around to celebrate the holiday.  Alex and I are really looking forward to the gathering, and have decided it will be a big morale booster for us.  I'm hoping to snap a few pictures and compile a list of good stories to share with all of you afterwards.  :)

source

--- 6 ---

Recaps are coming.  With just 38 days left in 2014, I need to kick my booty in gear and start posting those updates for my 20 in 14 list.  Anyone wanna volunteer to send bi-weekly reminders about making this happen?  Someone...anyone...?

--- 7 ---

Hello from New Mexico.  The reason this is being posted on Sunday instead of Friday (as the link-up was designed) is because I am writing this from the press box at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces.  Stay tuned for all the deets from this trip, including stories of some pretty harrowing travel issues.

And....the game just ended, so that's my cue!  Catch ya on the flipside.

-Lauren

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

#20 - Makeovers

As I mentioned previously, I was finally able to cross item #20 off my "20 in 14" list when I visited the Mall of America in Minnesota.

All along, I'd been kind of nervous about walking into a random store and asking a lady at the make-up counter to teach me the proper techniques for applying makeup.  About three-quarters of the way through the year, I finally decided I was going to have to just step out of my comfort zone and make it happen.  In the back of my head, I told myself it would be a teensy bit less awkward if I could get a friend to tag along.  Dawn and Christy were willing to be my buddy if the opportunity presented itself, but it just didn't work out until that second visit to the MOA with Jessie.  Thank goodness for wing-girls!

Jessie and I both got make-overs that day, and boy did we look FAB-ulous!  Of course, Jessie has naturally beautiful skin, so it wouldn't have mattered for her.  :)  I wish we had gotten a picture together, but she was on camera-duty, capturing the moments for this here blog.

Anyway, the ladies from Bare Minerals who did our make-up were very gentle and make the entire process comfortable and enjoyable.  They asked us about our typical skin-care routine and what textures/tones we preferred.  They were also very good about explaining every step of the process, and answering questions about how the products and techniques could be used with items in our existing collections.  

Afterwards, I didn't feel obligated to buy every product on the shelf, but I wanted to.  Yes, I loved the experience that much!!  In the end, I did spend more than I would have liked, but I really only bought the very basics and got a list of everything else with plans to pass it along to dear old Santa Claus. ;)  

A few things I learned along the way - 

- Apply concealer after foundation - What?!  Yes, it's like magic how different concealer works after the base than before it.  

- Use a brush for everything.  I want a whole collection of brushes now, when previously I only used a brush for blush.  Also, those little indented brushes are A-MAZING.  Get yourself one...now!

- Make-up can "work" and look natural all at the same time.  I can look pretty in makeup...with the right tools and techniques, the results are incredible.

- Setting goals and following through with them can be rewarding...cheesy, but seriously...I never would have done this if I hadn't make that list and actually committed to following through with it.  The year is almost over and I hope to start filling in some of those blanks on the list with updates in the near future.

#20 - Receive a makeup tutorial.  (10/28/14 - check!)

What will be next?

-Lauren

Perception is Reality

I have a confession.  I've basically been avoiding this place like the plague for a few weeks now.  I wanted to post, and have been thinking about it but every time I decided to sit down and write, something else came up, or I just didn't feel like it.  It's been kind of a roller coaster of emotions for me lately, and that's never fun to write about in what is supposed to be a fun, upbeat type of place.

A little over a month ago, I posted an update about the results of my bloodwork, telling about the latest plan for having an MRI to assess the situation.  After having to reschedule, I was able to complete the MRI on Friday, August 8th, and received a call the following Wednesday from a nurse saying there was a cancellation for the next morning and the doctor wanted me to come in to discuss the results.  I was scheduled to be at a meeting an hour and a half away that Thursday, BUT...when you get that kind of call, you do what you have to do to be there.

Thankfully, Alex was able to rearrange things at work to come along in case the news was something really big.  As it turned out, I have a microadenoma on my pituitary, which is a really long way of saying that I have a benign tumor growing in my brain (on the organ that produces hormones and regulates body systems).  The "micro" (small) and "benign" (non-cancerous) parts are good, but the tumor itself is causing my pituitary to overproduce the hormone prolactin, which prevents me from ovulating, and therefore having amenorrhea (missed/irregular periods).  AHA - it all makes sense!

Anyway, I was prescribed 1.25 mg of bromocriptine, which is supposed to slow or halt the growth of the tumor, (hopefully) resulting in the resumption of ovulation and regular menstruation.  Due to some extreme warnings listed on the medication, I started taking it on a Friday night, with plans to go easy on myself over the course of the weekend.  I was scheduled to attend a conference in New Orleans starting that Tuesday and figured I could work my way back to normal activity by then.

To make a long story short(er), I experienced a panic attack while driving to New Orleans the night before the conference.  I'm calling it a panic attack, because it's the best way to describe what I experienced based on what I learned after it all happened.  All I can say is that it was the most terrifying experience and I hoped I'd never feel that way ever again.  If my friend and her husband hadn't been just 15 minutes away at the time, I'm not certain I wouldn't have been found on the side of the road unconscious...or worse.

Thanks to a team of really generous folks, several people stepped in to help me get to the conference, retrieve my car, and get both me and the car safely back home (5+ hours away) at the end of the week.  I chalked the situation up to the medicine and unfamiliar driving territory, thinking I was out of the woods and would be fine from then on.

However, exactly 10 days later, I experienced yet another panic attack.  For some reason (more familiar area, closer to an area where I could pull off, daytime, something else?), this "spell" was not as severe as the first one.  I did have to call in reinforcements once again, and was practically terrified to drive, as a result.  I even had Alex come with me to practice driving to West Monroe a few days later, and though I made it there...I didn't feel like I could drive home, so he took over after that.

Since then, the doctor agreed to allow me to decrease my dosage to 1/4 of a pill. (I was already taking 1/2 of the 2.5 mg pill, which is the smallest it comes in.)  I also managed to drive two and from work every day this week, which is a 30 minute drive, and no small feat for someone dealing with this degree of anxiety.  Fortunately, I became more confident and secure with each passing day.  I don't know if it was the decreased dosage or my ability to cope with sense of fear and anxiousness, but I'm grateful that I can at least participate in my typical routine.

I will say I asked Alex to meet me at a gas station about 10 minutes from home yesterday because severe thunderstorms caused my feelings of anxiousness to increase to the point that I didn't feel safe driving anymore....but by the time he got there, I had recovered enough to make the drive for myself with him following in the vehicle behind me.  For those of you who have never experienced anything like this, it really is hard to describe.  It's not just fear, it's the body's physical response as well.  I'm talking about a sense of impending doom, loss of control, dizziness, heart-racing, tingling hands, shortness of breath, nausea...the list goes on.  It's just awful, and I would never wish those feelings on anyone.

So thinking about writing about this has been very difficult for me.  In fact, I can feel the tears welling up as I read over what I have written here.  To some degree, I'm embarrassed, and feel like I'm crazy for even making this out to be as big as I have.  Is it psychological?  Maybe.  Is there maybe some PTSD left over from the first experience?  Maybe?  How do I fix it?  I don't know.

I do know this is something I won't be able to "fix" overnight, and it may take quite a while to work through.  It's frustrating because I have spent so much time on the road over the years, driving myself from wherever I was living at the time, home for holidays, summers, to see friends, you name it.  The thought of not being able to hop in the car and drive home for the weekend, or to help Alex make the 14 hour drive east to visit his parents...that's just totally unfair.  What about the countless days I have to travel for work, much less the times I'm supposed to be transporting kids in my car?  How's that going to work?  I just don't know.

If you're still reading, thanks for your patience; I know this was a long one.  I'd really appreciate it if you kept me in your prayers and just remember..."perception is reality."  No matter what this is, it's real for me.  Acknowledge my feelings, be patient, and let me know that it's all going to be okay...

Thanks.
-Lauren

#18 Bloodwork (Part 2)

About four months ago, I wrote about biting the bullet and finally getting that appointment for having blood-work done and crossing #18 off my 20 in 14 list.  We were all left hanging when a series of test results ended with another waiting period as I scheduled an endocrinologist appointment for mid-July.  I wish I were back to say everything has been resolved since the last post, but as life goes, that has not come to fruition.

I will say I was thoroughly pleased with the endocrinologist, as she spent a full hour with me gathering my health history and investigating each potential avenue.  In this day and age, what doctor spends an hour with a patient?  Not many, that's for sure.

When I left the office, the plan was for another round of blood tests - 11 more, to be exact.  I scheduled a follow up appointment for September (2 months later, mind you), with the understanding that it could be rescheduled earlier or later depending on the results from tests.  I was also informed that additional tests may be completed before the follow-up, again depending on what resulted from those tests.

About a week after giving blood...ahem...8 vials for the 11 tests, I received a call with the results.  Once again, everything but my prolactin levels were normal.  This time, my prolactin count had more than doubled from 35 to 71.5.  Eek.  The nurse told me the doctor wanted to schedule an MRI.  ...A what?  Yes, an MRI.

Fast forward 10 days, which brings me to today - the day of said scheduled MRI.  A bit nervous, but prepared to go at it alone, I made arrangements to take care of some work business in Monroe around midday, had lunch with Alex at his office, and then proceeded to Admissions at St. Francis North.  Everything seemed to be going fine, until I was called to the back and right there in the hallway the MRI tech told me I couldn't have the procedure because I indicated on the check-in form that there's a possibility I could be pregnant.  *FACE PALM!*

I knew I shouldn't have written in "not that I know of" next to the question about whether I could be pregnant.  I mean heck, I wrote the day of my last cycle on the form...it hasn't even been a whole month!!  Of course, I backtracked and tried to explain that I wasn't actually pregnant, just that there was the potential for pregnancy since we don't use contraceptives.  Yeah, that didn't fly.

Round and round we went, but to no avail.  The staff insisted I PROVE I wasn't pregnant (how the heck does one do that mid-cycle?!?!) before they would do the MRI.  Fine.  I'll take your dumb blood test (that's inaccurate, I might add) and come back again on Friday for the stupid MRI.  I just better not have to fork over that darn co-pay again...

OH, and I also don't appreciate the tech saying I don't practice "safe sex" (referring to the reason for having to reschedule).  Everything about having sex with my husband is safe!  Okay? Thanks.  (And I'm not quite sure whether her comments about how she thinks what we're doing is "so great," were respectful or patronizing.  Gah.)

Um so, yeah.  That's where we stand.  I'm tired of dragging this out.  Emotions have worn me out, and I'm just ready for answers.

Unfortunately, there is a great chance that this is only the beginning.
-Lauren

Update:  Click here to read the next installment in this story.  

#10 - Volunteering

[We're more than a quarter into 2014 now, so I figure it's time to get cracking on addressing some of my goals for the year.  Several from my 20 in 14 list are in-progress, but there are a couple I can write more about at this point.  Stay tuned for additional posts as I tackle the items on my list.]

Volunteering is one of those hobbies (if you will) that I consider "my thing."  Growing up as an active member of my parish 4-H program, being in 4-H and volunteering kinda became my "sport."  What I mean is that once I realized dance/gymnastics/baton were not my forte, I took up civic engagement as a fulfilling pastime.

At some point in high school or college, I announced that I wanted to be a career volunteer, knowing that possibility was unlikely to ever be a reality.  After graduate school, however, I landed what I thought was my dream job - Volunteer Coordinator - for a nonprofit organization that I wholeheartedly believed in.  I recruited, trained, supported, evaluated, and recognized teenagers and young adults who were interested in working with individuals with disabilities in the outdoor camp setting.

It was great.  I loved working with teens who were enthusiastic and passionate about the cause, and I found it very rewarding to watch them grow and evolve personally and professionally throughout the year.  I felt like I made a difference by helping to transform the program from one that focused on serving the "clientele" (for lack of a better word) to one that embraced the opportunity to be that catalyst for developing these young adults into informed and engaged citizens.

But, then I had to move.  More specifically, I got married and moved back to my home state, leaving behind an organization and position that I truly enjoyed and considered family.  I was blessed to be offered a position working with the 4-H program there, which seemed on paper to be a natural fit.  But, somehow, that feeling of "career volunteer" turned into just plain old "work."  For the sake of public access, I'll refrain from elaborating there.

Looking to fill that void and hoping to make this new city feel more like home, I decided I needed to find a way to volunteer again.  When I added 'volunteering' to my list of goals for 2014, I had full intentions of becoming a Saturday volunteer with the local humane society for cats.  Alex and I adopted two kittens from there last year, and it seems like a fun organization to get involved with.  However, ya'll know what happens when you tell God your plans...

Okay, so nothing major happened, but I sort of fell into a different volunteer opportunity that just so happens to be a more natural fit, at the moment anyway.  If you don't know much about our lifestyle in the moment, let me just say it's very inconsistent.  Our work schedules vary tremendously (especially Alex's), and we often work nights/weekends.  This makes it tough for us to feel like we have much time together to lead a "regular" life...you know, the kind where you have friends over to barbecue, maintain a backyard garden, or go on weekend trips as a couple...

So, when we realized the Marketing Intern responsible for assigning students to work at baseball games left off a student for the score board, I eagerly asked if I could do it.  I'm not a sports person by any means, but with baseball, I can hang!  I'd even gotten a bit of practice in the fall for some intersquad games, so I knew I could pick up the hang of things if I had the chance.

The game-day staff agreed to let me man the scoreboard for the first weekend, and well, that was back in February...it's now April and here I am still running the scoreboard.  Every now and again I can't make it due to work and such, but a kind intern guy generally fills in for me when that happens.  It's really been fun to have a purpose for being in the pressbox during the games, and I've also found it easier to get to know many of the people Alex works with.  I'm not just some imaginary figure ("the wife"), but instead I feel like a part of the athletic department community.

...And every once in a while, I get to be experience something really cool, like this:

A gorgeous rainbow framed the field after yesterday's storms.

or this:

Click here to read the full story from CBSSports.com.
And here for another story on Coach Black.

To date, I've volunteered for at least 15 games, figuring at least 3 hours each, so a total of nearly 50 hours.  Not too shabby!

A bit wordy, I know, but there you have it!  I can say I've crossed another thing off my list!

-Lauren

#18 - Bloodwork (Part #1)

We're more than a quarter into 2014 now, so I figure it's time to get cracking on addressing some of my goals for the year.  Several from my 20 in 14 list are in-progress, but there are a couple I can write more about at this point.  Stay tuned for additional posts as I tackle the items on my list.

DISCLAIMER:  If you are a male and not my husband, it would behoove you to not read any further through this post.  It will contain a great bit of TMI, and I assure you, you'll be happier to turn away now.  You have been warned....

About a year ago, I gathered the nerve to establish myself as a patient with the local Women's Clinic.  My last appointment with a GYN had been in November 2012, and I'd married since then, so I knew I really needed to get this done.  Plus, my cycles have always been out of whack, and I wanted to figure out if there were any underlying medical conditions before attempting to conceive.

However, I totally didn't expect for there to be a six month waiting list for new patients!  Still new at work, I didn't have a good idea of my schedule six months out, so I decided to wait until the Fall and tried again.  Fortunately, the wait list shortened to four months by then, but it wasn't until February 2014 that I was able to finally get in.

The exam was unpleasant (as all are), and when the physician suggested hormonal contraceptives as a "fix" for my irregular cycles, I nearly jumped out of my skin with frustration.  Really, people?  THIS is how you "fix" things?  UGH.  ...Precisely why I loathe "women's health" practitioners to begin with.

After vehemently insisting that "birth control" wasn't for me, I convinced her to do a lab workup to see if anything was abnormal.  She also offered to do an (internal) ultrasound as a mechanism for ruling out polycystic ovaries.  The labs were done on-site before I left the appointment, and I agreed to schedule the ultrasound for sometime in the next few weeks.

A week later, I found out my CBC, TSH (thyroid), and testosterone levels were all within the normal range, but my prolactin was not.  The labs read a prolactin level of 40, where as normal is somewhere around 25-27.  The doctor wanted the test redone because sometimes stress (re: the exam) can throw it off.  I agreed to come in on a "stress free" day for a redo.

Of course, my impatience won out, and I returned to the lab the very next day.  (Is there ever a "stress free" day, anyway?)  The second round of tests came back and my prolactin dropped to 35, but was still higher than the normal range.  From there, the physician decided to refer me to an endocrinologist, for which the first open appointment will be in July or October.  (What the heck?!)  There was some discussion about having my levels "managed" by an in-house nurse practitioner, but that was taken off the table when the NP said she didn't know much about prolactin and wouldn't be able to do anything for me.

What is prolactin anyway?  According to the interwebs (we all know how reliable those can be), it's a hormone produced by the hypothalamus (in the brain) which has to do with lactation.  But I'm not pregnant or lactating, you say?  I know.  Weirdly, my online searches indicated an affect on menstruation, so maybe there is a tie to this whole situation after all.  I guess we'll have to see what the endo says in July.

Meanwhile, I did have that ultrasound, and the tech told me she didn't see anything abnormal at the time.  Sure enough, the doctor agreed, and so we're going with the assumption of no abnormalities regarding my ovaries.  There's one more thing off the table, I suppose.

And because we have already established my lack of patience, I decided to bite the bullet and move forward with using Pregnitude rather than waiting until after the appointment in July.  Jen (and several others she knows) used it successfully after just a month or two, so we shall see.  In any case, there's one thing crossed off my list for 2014 and that makes me very happy!

-Lauren

Update:  Click here for Part 2 and here for Part 3. 

7 Quick Takes Friday (vol. 5)

Not a ton of motivation for any type of significant post, and it happens to be Friday, so here we go!

--- 1 ---

Wednesday, I was all set to throw together a short post about my Ash Wednesday musings, but then I left Mass and spent the evening at baseball, and by the time I got home at 10 p.m., that obviously wasn't happening.  The abridged version goes a little something like this:  Growing up, we were always off of school/work on Ash Wednesday and during Holy Week.  These days it feels a bit sacrilegious to treat them as regular days.  But then again, it seemed a bit easier to spend the day fasting with work distractions instead of sitting at home eyeing the pantry and dwelling upon my commitment not to opening it.  Then...I got to Mass and the priest went on about how there are so many "holidays" on our standard calendars (days celebrating history, important people, etc), yet some of the holiest (and thus most important) days are left off of the calendar.  Welp, there went my previous sentiments...right out the window.  So yeah...tell me again why we have to keep regular schedules on Ash Wednesday and during Holy Week?

--- 2 ---

I'm still fighting that crud I mentioned before.  Poor Alex has been suffering with me and my coughing spasms all night for almost two weeks now.  Yesterday, he made me promise I'd "take care of it" by the time he returned from this weekend trip to Birmingham.  So, with a different doctor appointment scheduled for the afternoon, I decided to take a whole "sick" day, and see a doctor about the cold too.  $15 bucks and 30 minutes later, I was sent home with instructions to buy a bottle of Delsym and call back on Monday if I wanted something stronger.  Gee, thanks.

--- 3 ---

So yeah, doctors.  I've had four appointments in the last three weeks, which means I am taking good notes for my eventual post regarding item #18 on "20 in 14."  There are some other items from the list (1, 6, 10...) that are also in progress so hopefully I'll be able to update on something before too long.

--- 4 ---

This is totally random and I don't think there are any boys reading this, so I am just going to go ahead and say it.  Did you know that a woman's body temperature rises for about a week or so before her her period, and then...wait for it...drops significantly the day before or day it starts?  I've been charting for 18 months now and for some reason I only recently realized this super nifty little indicator.  For a girl who has spent 15 years (wow, old much?!) having not the slightest clue when she would begin menstruating (could be 28 days, could be 80 - ya never know!), this is a BIG development in my life.  Thanks, NFP!  (And if you aren't charting for whatever reason, I highly encourage it...even if you are totally single and not at all thinking about babies.  Just knowing when to expect this "visitor" is enough to ring the bells in my book!)

--- 5 ---

I had full intentions of being completely productive from home today, but of course that didn't happen.  Instead of designing a March newsletter for work (because, hello...we're already a week into the month), I ended up spending the day fighting my phone and it's recently diagnosed seizure disorder (go with it, laugh!).  Those two doctor visits took up a chunk of time, and then I tried to knock out that whole expiring driver's license thing but failed miserably because WHO CARRIES CASH THESE DAYS??  Seriously, people, we are in the year 2014!  And now, it's nearly 5 p.m. and I'm sort of having this mini anxiety attack (blogging helps, yes?) about how today is the deadline to register for this national conference I need to attend, or else the price is going to jump by at least $100 bucks...sheesh.  (So hey, Dawn...text me...e-mail me...something! Are we going, or what??)

--- 6 ---

Anybody ever heard of Jamberry nails?  An acquaintance invited me to her Facebook party a few weeks ago and I was instantly intrigued, but didn't want to dish out the dough for something I'd never actually seen in person.  Her awesome consultant sent me some samples and I think I might be hooked.  I'm thinking about joining as a consultant ("pyramid scheme," as some affectionately call it) and then trying to convince all of you how Jamberry is awesome and you should buy them too.  Sounds fun, right?

--- 7 ---

And that brings me to the last item on this list...this here blog.  For several months I have been thinking about wanting to make some big changes around here, starting with the name.  I'll try to save more rambling for another day, but the jist of it is that I want to keep learning and growing as a blogger, and I feel like a name change is one step in that process.  As of bedtime last night, I finally have a couple of names that are actually feasible (because that was the biggest hurdle so far).  I'd like others' input though.  SO, how should I do this?  Put a poll on my page?  Send out e-mails?  Call up a couple of my IRL friends?  Part of me wants to keep the names a secret until I'm ready for the reveal, but it's in my nature to need confirmation from others...so what's a girl to do?

Alright, that's it!  Sorry to be so wordy (and pictureless), but I had a lot to say and nothing to say all at the same time.  Funny how that works.

Have a great weekend, everyone!
-Lauren

For more Quick Takes, visit Conversion Diary!

20 in 14

It may be nearing the end of January, but the year is still young and I have decided to share a list of goals for the year.  In keeping with the "2014" theme, I decided to include 20 goals in 5 categories for the year 2014.  I have never actually written down a list of goals for an entire year, so we'll see how this goes.

Blog
1. Write an average of 1x/week (or more!).
2. Practice telling my story in fewer words.
3. Use a real camera (not my phone) more often.
4. Increase readership.
5. Learn more about the bigger picture of blogging.

Family/Relationships
6. Keep a one-line-a-day journal.
7. Respond to e-mails more frequently.
8. Make an effort to reinvest in old friendships.
9. Host a girls' weekend.
10. Become a volunteer.

Faith
11. Designate a person-a-day in prayer.
12. Rest in faith with practicing NFP as we TTC.
13. Receive the sacrament of reconciliation quarterly (at least).
14. Register as members of a church parish.
15. Tithe to church (instead of non-profits) more regularly.

Personal
16. "Shop the perimeter" at the grocery store.
17. Learn to use my pressure cooker.
18. Have bloodwork done.
19. Color the gray away.
20. Receive a make-up tutorial.

Thanks to all of you goal-sharing folks who inspired me to get serious about putting something on (virtual) paper this year.  I'm sure time will fly by and it won't be long before we're reading recaps and year-in-reviews.  Only 344 days to go!

-Lauren