WAY overdue!

So I am sitting here in the quiet of my house, drinking my coffee and listening the the rain fall outside. There are a million things I should probably be doing; going to work out, clean, laundry, but the gloominess of the weather outside is silently telling me this weather is meant for laziness, so for now, I will embrace it ( until later when I freak out that nothing has been crossed off the to-do list, ha)

It has been such a long time since I have blogged, and it is way overdue. The end of the school's year is quickly approaching on May 25th, and it's craziness has consumed me, and not left me with much else on my mind! So here is a quick recap on what has been going on.

The trip to Saint Louis to see Ross and Brea, was rebooked to last weekend due to Rhett's crazy work schedule. We got to see their new house, which is gorgeous, and left us quite envious of a having a yard! They had a fabulous Cinco de Derby party and we were able to meet some of their friends, play some bags, and dance to some old school tunes ( when I say old school, I refer to the 90's, and early 2000's).

I have been frequenting the fertility center for lots of blood draws and one ultrasound. After weeks of waiting and our genetic results are in, we are fine! We are not passing anything on genetically abnormal so we are free and clear to start our IVF. I have started the birth control pill to suppress my hormones ( I know it seems a bit counterproductive, but that is how all IVF's are started) and will begin my shots on June 6th! I could have started them earlier, but we are going to Riviera Maya, Mexico on May 29th through June 5th, and decided having to pack needles, and run back to the room for shots, might not be the most relaxing thing to do on our trip.

In other news, my maternal grandmother, AKA Mamma, has been in the hospital for the past few weeks due to a tear in her aortic valve, through a stint they were able to repair the tear and she is doing so much better. I am so relieved she is okay, as I can't wait for her to hold and meet our precious little on someday soon. I hope all is well with everyone, enjoy your weekend, rain or shine!

Rhett deciding between beer and sangria.. life is hard!

Rhett loves dancing with dogs!

Rhett and I in our Derby Attire!

Ross and Brea!

We're In This Together!

Our First Blood Draw This Cycle!

Just a few short months ago I heard myself tell people that Rhett and I were done trying for a while, that there was no way we'd pour anymore money into IVF, and that we'd probably just adopt down the road.. but this past Tuesday Rhett and I sat facing our doctor going over our plans for our next IVF cycle. The truth is, we just aren't ready to let go, to accept that the IVF won't ever work. In our hearts, we just feel that the timing hasn't been right, and that we must endure a little more to accomplish our dream.

At the advice of the doctor we had our blood drawn to see if there is possibly anything genetically that Rhett or I could be passing on, that could be causing problems with our struggles to get pregnant and stay pregnant. Those tests take two to three weeks to come back, so it's a little nerve wrecking waiting to find out if everything is normal. The doctor assured us that there is a less than 5% chance that there is anything wrong with either of us, but it never hurts to check. If one of us was carrying an abnormality then it would mean that we would need to have a donor egg or sperm depending on where the irregularity was residing. I am hoping and praying we won't have to go down that road and just take it one step at a time. If all goes according to plan we will be doing our IVF this summer and I will hopefully we going back to school with a baby in my belly!

In the meantime we have been having fun celebrating Bauer's 4th birthday and started the birthday celebrations a little early for Rhett's birthday this coming Wednesday. I told Rhett he gets a week long celebration, as we are headed to Saint Louis to see my brother-in-law and his girlfriend this coming weekend!

As Rhett and I embark on the next step in our journey it is comforting to know that I have an amazing partner who is my rock and my best friend. We are in this together every step of the way and I just know our story is destined to have a happy ending.

Spa Day!

Yesterday was an exciting day in the Stenzel household, well for three members, Rhett had to go to work. Boomer, Bauer, and I all got our hair done! Don't worry, not all at the same place! It is sad that their haircuts cost more than mine, though!
Next weekend we are headed for a quick trip to Cincinnati, so I thought I'd do my family a favor and not come with two smelly dogs in tow! Here are some pictures from our day getting pampered!

Boomer and Bauer before:

Boomer and Bauer after

Me, a WHOLE inch taken off later! ( It took a lot of persuasion on the hairdresser's part, I wanted half an inch, they said and inch and a half, we settled on an inch) oh and you can't even tell it's shorter, haha.

Spring Break!

Teaching has many benefits. The chance to see children learn and grow, the satisfaction and rewarding feeling to know that everyday you are making a difference, oh and winter, spring, and summer breaks!
My Spring Break started last Friday and Rhett and I headed off to Arizona to see his parents. We had a wonderful time, soaking in the hot tub, basking in the sun, catching a Cub's Spring Training game, and best of all, visiting with Rhett's parents, grandparents, and aunt! We had such a wonderful time and were very reluctant to leave family and the amazing weather. We got back Tuesday night and I have been slowly trying to unpack and get this place in order ever since!
This Spring has felt a lot like summer, and has pushed me to get out the door and back into running which has felt absolutely wonderful! I'm feeling like my old self and have learned that although I do want to get pregnant and the eastern side of medicine says that running is a big no-no, I feel that if it keeps me sane and happy, that has to be a good thing! Spring is in the air, a sign of life, happiness, and hope of what's to come. I hope everyone is enjoying their spring too!

Rhett's Parent's dog, Buddy Sun Bathing!

Rhett at the Cub's Game

Little Yellow Room

I think we all have a place in which we escape to in our mind, a tropical paradise, a fond memory, a hope or dream we wish to pursue. I too, have that place and mine is a little yellow room.
Two years ago, as many of you know, Rhett and left our city dwelling and ventured out to Joliet. We rented the cutest 1920's style bungalow, with lots of room, charm, a yard for the boys, and our family right down the street. After eleven months though, of 3 hour daily commutes, we traded all this and returned to the city for more of a quality of life, one in which we actually see each other during the week!
Moving from a quaint (read, tiny) condo to a 3 bedroom, plus den, house requires a lot more furniture, as you can only imagine. We worked hard to fill all our newly acquired space with a lot of help from my mom's expert eye (and extra furniture) and had the house looking like a home in no time. There was one room, however that remained empty. A little yellow room, right next to our bedroom. It had perfect sunlight, space, and a gender neutral color, that would one day hold our precious little one. There would be days that I would walk in there in the morning, coffee cup in hand, and imagine what the room would look like, picturing a rocker in the corner, where Rhett and I would ease our child to sleep, or share bedtime stories. Yes, there were days that simply walking into that room would fill me with a complete sense of happiness and hope.
There were days too, that I couldn't even go in the room, leaving the door closed, as the sight of the empty room was too much for me, it's vacancy reminding me of the vacant feeling that I often would carry in my heart.
Two years later, I carry that yellow room with me, sometimes an escape for me, a lovely place to travel to, a wonderful place of hope of what's to come. Other days, it remains a place that creeps into my mind, that I quickly try to flee from, that all too familiar vacant feeling creeping back in.
I walk through my days, sometimes telling myself that that little yellow room could be many things one day, and maybe the head interior decorator Himself has other plans for that room, and I try very hard to accept whatever design He has in mind, but in my prayers, I do put in my two sense, that a crib, and a rocking chair might look fabulous after all...

Au Natural

This past week was one with it's ups and downs. So I'll start with the downside, bad news first, right? I came home from work Monday, exhausted and went to let the dogs out and planned on a relaxing night on the couch cuddled up with my two little fur babies, but poor Bauer could hardly walk. I took him to the vet that night, and it looks as though he is having some spinal issues. The vet said that Cocker Spaniels are prone to these problems, and sent us home with some activity restrictions and some pain pills. The next morning though, Bauer's back was worse and was having an even harder time walking. So I rushed into school and busted out some sub plans, and took him back to the vet. He is now on muscle relaxers and an anti-inflammatory, and is doing much better. The hardest part has been trying to keep him from jumping on and off of furniture, anyone that knows Bauer knows he is full of energy, we're hoping to keep him from having to get back surgery in the near future.
On the upside, I went to my first acupuncture appointment in months, well since the last failed IVF, and I am trying to get pregnant completely naturally, with the help of herbs, supplements, acupuncture, yoga, and whole food, healthy eating. It may be a long shot, since I don't even ovulate, but it's worth a shot. I've done all these things before, but always in conjunction with a medicated cycle of IVF. IVF has proved not to be good for me, and has left me feeling anxious, sad, let-down, you name it. I'm going to go in full force, and really try to do this with full commitment. It isn't going to be easy, but nothing worth it in life is. I feel empowered and hopeful, and by putting this out there I'm accountable now, and have to follow through. I often have thought about life without kids, and I know as long as I have Rhett, I'll be okay and life will be grand! I am saddened though by the thought of not being able to try and be the mom my mom has been to me, and Rhett's has been to him, and has also been to me since the Stenzel family came into my life 7 years ago. Rhett and I don't want to give up, and are going a down a different path, and we're hoping our happy ending is in sight.

Happy Superbowl Sunday, GO GIANTS!!

My two recipes given to me, from my two moms:

Skyline Chili Dip- Cincinnati Representation

The famous stuffed mushrooms, always a hit!

Battle of the Yogis

Yesterday a friend and I went to a huge warehouse sale for our favorite workout clothes, Lululemon. Now, to those of you who know the clothes, you know how awesome they are, but also how the price tag hurts the eyes (and your wallet). So when we heard of this sale, with amazing discounts we were there in a heartbeat, ready to get our workout clothes shopping on!
We arrived and waited in a few long lines, with our credit cards and i.d's in hand, no coats or purses allowed. We entered to the jams of a d.j. and Lulu Lemon employees clad in running tutu's greeting us with a lot more energy then I could feign on a Friday afternoon, I was tempted, but resisted the urge to buy a running tutu myself, as Rhett would probably never run with me again. We started walking up and down the aisles and snatching up some great finds. As I was looking at a pair of yoga pants, some workers wheeled out another rack of clothes, before a thought could even form in my mind, crazed girls on the pursuit of new merchandise swarmed around me, reaching over my head and shoving me aside grabbing at whatever they could get their hands on, I ducked and made my way out, making sure I still had all my hair, okay maybe it wasn't that bad but it still was quite unexpected, and very un-zen-like. Needless to say the next time, that cart came out I stayed clear. Don't mess with a yogi on a mission, apparently.

When I found my friend she said she had to duke it out with a girl that had grabbed a shirt at the same time she had, luckily my friend's teacher eye was all it took, and the other girl decided it wasn't worth the battle. Shopping can be dangerous, and you must be in top shape to compete :) I overall loved the sale, and would recommend it, but you might wanna wear a helmet.

Namaste,

Bailey