Catch Up

So I missed a few days in the 30 day Blog Challenge, but there is always time to catch up, right?

Let's get started:

Day 12 - What you Believe

I believe:

• in God
• some of God's greatest gifts really are unanswered prayers
• everything happens for a reason.  You may not know it at the time, but there is a reason for it.
• one day I will have a family.
• in the goodness of my family and friends.
• an episode of Sex and the City or Gilmore Girls has fix just about anything.
• in the color pink.
• sometimes being lazy can be fun.
• in marriage.
• in being the best version of myself.
• in myself.

Day 13 - Goals

Honestly, I don't have a ton of goals.  There is really only one that is near and dear to my heart and that's number one and the list.

• Start a family
• Get a new job
• Complete my 30 before 30 goals
• Payoff any and all debt (besides the mortgage)
• Be a better person

Day 14 - A picture you love

Easy

I know I have shown it a million times, but I love it all the same.

Day 15 - Bible Verse

Again this is easy for me.  The following is my favorite Bible Verse:

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

Philippians 4:13

This was my grandma's favorite Bible verse and it got her through some very difficult times especially when she was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.  She has been gone for three years now, but whenever I think that something is too difficult to handle I remember her and her strength and and this verse and I know that there is nothing too difficult to handle.

And I think that catches me up to date!

In other news, today is my 27th birthday!  I can't believe that I am 27.  I feel so old yet so young at the same time.  I guess this is growing up, huh?

Turn on the Boob Tube

Day 11 - Favorite TV Shows

I have been waiting for this entry since I have started this whole challenged.  As I have mentioned I adore all thing Pop Culture, so of course I love TV shows.  I could make this entry a million pages long, but I promise I will try and it keep it as short as I possibly can.

I'm going to split this up by shows that are no longer on shows currently running.  Yes.  I have that many favorite TV shows.  Don't judge.

No Longer Playing... Sadly

 
Sex and the City...
I'm sorry, but does this even need explanation?  This is just one of those shows that I have connected to on so many levels and so many occasions.  The relationships with men, friends, self, fashion - it was just an amazing show.  Unfortunately, they had to sully the memory by making the horrific second movie, but in my mind it is still as perfect as always.

Gilmore Girls. 

Again, I will love this show forever and for always.  I own every single season on DVD and watch them all.the.time.  I love the story.  I love the mother/daughter dynamic.  I love the writing.  Again it was just everything that makes a good show all rolled into one.  This is how shows are done right. 

 

The West Wing.

For realsies, this show rocks my socks.  Yes I just said that.  I didn't think that I could get into a show about politics, especially about democratic politics.  But I did.  Oh yes I did.  My husband and I spent the better part of our summer burning through the seasons and it was time well spent.  Aaron Sorkin is a genius as evidenced by this show and The Social Network.

via here

Veronica Mars

Be still my heart.  Ok, seriously.  Most of you have probably not seen or heard of this show, but you must, no, you need to watch this show.  It will change you life.  Kristen Bell is a woman after my own heart.  She is awesome in the show and the rest of the cast is just as good.  Seasons are currently playing on theWB.com.  Go watch it!

And there are so many more, BUT it's time for the current shows:

• Project Runway (finale is TONIGHT!)  I love Tim Gunn.  He should be my friend.
• Dexter - Who knew loving a serial killer could be so much fun?
• Big Bang Theory
• Modern Family
• Greek - Is this show ever going to come back?
• Top Chef - All Stars season is coming up.  I'm pumped!

And again there are many more and I'm sure as soon as I hit publish I am going to think of a bazillion more, but this is a good start, right?

Fear Factor

Day 10 - Something you are Afraid of

I am afraid of a lot things.  The list could really go on and on.  But the number one thing? 

Throwing Up.

Is that odd?  I'm sure that it is, but it's true.  I can't hide who I am.  I have a major fear of throwing up.  And not just for me.  I can't stand to be around people who feel sick or around situations that might have the potential for someone to be sick.  It's a nightmare for me.  I don't know what it is.  I think because it's gross and I don't want to do it.  Also, I'm afraid that it will happen to me and I won't be prepared and it will be in public, etc.  It's irrational.  I understand this.  But you asked and I shared.

And that is all I have to say about that!!

I'll Be There For You

Day 9 - A Picture of Your Friends

I am fortunate to have several groups of friends.  I have my high school friends, college friends and post college friends (who coincidentally co-mingle with my high school friends).  It's not that I intentionally keep the groups separate, it just kind of works out that way.  

This is my Delta Zeta Family (I'm the second one on the left in the black dress).  This is a bit old, I believe it was taken over a year and half ago at Senior night for my grand little (in the red top).  My little is standing next to my grand little (red hair, wearing black and white) and the other two are my great grand littles.  I love my DZ family and we try to get together at least once a month.  I love it because it keeps me connected to the present chapter.  They are a wonderful family and there are several girls in the chapter who are amazed that we still get together.  It's a tradition that I hope to keep.

 

In case you were wondering who my DZ Big Sister was, here she is!  She is truly one of my best friends.  Whenever something major happens in my life she is the first person I call.  She is the reason I joined Delta Zeta and I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be the person I am today without her.  She is a wonderful persona and great friend.  I consider myself very lucky to call her a friend.

 

These are the after college friends.  Please ignore the fact that this looks like some sort of class picture.  This was actually taken at the end of a weekend vacation we all took to Gatlinburg, TN. We all look a little worse for the wear because literally right after this was taken we hopped in our cars to head home. That weekend was so much and I would love to do it sometime again.  The group has changed a bit though as nearly everyone in this picture now has a baby and it makes it hard to get together as much as we used to.  They are still a great group of friends and I always enjoy our times together.

 

 

My bridesmaids.  They were a mixture of family and friends and I am blessed that I had such wonderful people surrounding me on my wedding day.  

 

My high school/grade school friends.  We may not see each other on a regular basis, but these are the people who are known me the longest.  They know my past and they know my present.  They are very important people to me.  These are the kinds of people you want around you for the rest of your life.  We can go a while without seeing each other, but once we do it's like no time as passed.

And I could add soooo many more, but I think this covers my "close" friends.  I can't wait to meet yours!

 

I Left my Heart in San Francisco

Day Eight - A Place You've Traveled

I love traveling.  I wish that I had more money in the good old bank account to do more traveling.  I would love to get out of the here United States and see Europe.  I would love to see Rome and the Vatican or see the blue waters of Greece.  Sadly though, there are other things that I need to spend my money on, but maybe one day I will get to see those things. 

In all honesty though, I have been very lucky in my travels.  I have been to NYC, Chicago, various parts of Florida, New Orlans, etc.  One place I NEVER thought I would get to go was California.  I don't know why, it just seemed unattainable.  About two and half years ago a good friend of mine packed up her and a her fiance and moved clear across the county to Sacramento.  It broke my little heart, but she promised that one day she would be back (actually as I write this, she is back is the good old KY) and promised that if we ever wanted to come out, we would have a place to say.  Well last year after coming off three unsuccessful rounds of Clomid (fertility drug) we decided to treat ourselves.  Plane tickets were uber cheap so off we went to California.  It was ah-mazing and just what we needed.  It was a change of perspective that I needed at the time.  While we stayed in Sacramento we got to see various parts of Northern California including UCDavis, Napa Valley and San Francisco.  It was a real life and Pop Culture (don't think for a second I wasn't in Full House heaven!!) dream come true.  Here are some pictures of our amazing trip:

 

 

Home of the original Mission Style Burrito - as seen on Man vs. Food!

 

 

What's Your Favorite Scary Movie?

Day Seven - Your Favorite Movies

So I guess the title of this post is a bit misleading as I'm not really talking about scary movies, but I can't help it.  I love to use Pop Culture references.  It's an obsession.

So I'm favorite movies in no particular order...

Dirty Dancing

My goodness.  Are there any words?  This movie is a life changer.  Once you watch it, you will never be the same.  Plain and simple.  It is one of those movies that I can watch and know every.single.line.  I can even close my eyes and tell you exactly what is going on.  You are kidding yourself if you think that while I'm writing this I'm not watching the final dance on YouTube because I totally am and so should you .  I'll never forgot the moment when I realized what Penny's "situation" was.  I could never figure out why Baby's dad was so freaked about the whole thing.  Then one day it all clicked and I had the major "ah-ha" moment.  Whatever.  It's still a fantabulous movie in my eyes.

Willy Wonka and Chocolate Factory

Not to be confused with that disasterous Johnny Depp crap.  Don't even get me started.  Who could not love this movie?  With the candy and the humor and the good story, it just makes for an all around good time.  And a great movie to quote to boot. 

Clueless

Sorry, but this movie is iconic.  It's when we first were introduced to the awesomeness that is Paul Rudd and Britney Murphy was all awkward.  Again another great movie to quote and these girls will always be in style to me.

Sixteen Candles

Although I have not seen this movie in a very long time, it will always remain one of my favorites.  It gave hope to dorky girls everywhere that maybe, just maybe the cute guy in the class will fall for you.  It probably won't happen, but we can all dream, right?

Serendipity

This movie has so many things going for it, that I just have to put it in my favorites.  1)Two Sex and the City actors play roles (John Corbett and Bridget Moynahan) 2) Jeremy Piven. 3) It's set in New York 4) Serendipity is a truly awesome restaurant.  Given all these factors, plus a cute storyline, I can't NOT put it in my favorites. 

Forgetting Sarah Marshall

Like many movies I watch, this one gets better every time I watch it.  It just becomes funnier.  Which is hard to do.  You would think that the more you see something the less funny it would become, but the opposite holds true for this movie. This movie also stars one of my all time favorite actresses - Kristen Bell (more on her in an upcoming entry on TV shows).  Even though she is slightly bitchy in this movie, I still love her all the same.  

And I know that there are a million more and as soon as I see everyone else's lists I'm going to want to add those to my list too!

My Happy Place

Day Six - A picture that makes you happy

For some reason I've hit a wall when it comes to this post.  I think it's because there are sooooo many pictures that make me happy.  I've been trying to think of the perfect one that makes me happy, but the truth is, there are just too many to choose from.  So, I'm going to cheat a little and show some of my favorites and explain why they make me happy.

 

This picture was taken just two months ago at Seagrove Beach, Florida.  This is in the Panhandle right in between Destin and Panama.  This vacation was such a fun and important vacation for me.  My husband and I went with my mom and dad, my sister and her husband, my brother and some of my aunts and uncles.  We have a truly amazing time.  We laughed, we cried (literally), we had a great time.  I will remember it forever.  And who can not love that view?  Every time I see it, it instantly makes me happy.

Meet my baby, Carly.  Isn't she the most precious thing you ever did see???  She is a golden retriever mix, but I have no idea what she is mixed.  I love this picture because a) she is adorable and b) she just looks so happy.  I currently have this picture set as my desktop at work.  She brings me happiness on bad days.

 

My wedding cake.  Is that lame?  A picture of my wedding cake makes me happy?  I think it's because I just think it's pretty.  I loved the colors of our wedding and I loved the cake.  It was exactly what I wanted.  

 

And you saw this picture previously, but it is my absolute favorite of our wedding.  A black and white copy hangs in our living room.   Every time I look at it, I am reminded of the happiest and best day of our life together.

(Middle) Child, Please

If you're not an Ocho Cinco fan then you probably don't get the Child, Please part of this post but that is neither here nor there.  Today is Day Five of the 30 Day Challenge and we're talking about our siblings. 

So yes, I'm the middle child.  Do I suffer from middle child syndrome?  Oh, I've thought about making something witty up, but if I'm honest yes, I would say I have a touch, though nothing too serious :-)

My oldest sibling is my sister.  I can't say that we are extremely close, but I can say that I learned a lot from her.  To be honest we are much closer now and I found comfort in her when I learned of my reproduction challenge because she here is challenged in the same area.  What are the odds?  So while it is something crappy to bond over she has been an enormous help and someone to lean on when things get difficult.  Because honestly?  The only people who can truly understand the struggle is someone who is has been through it too.
Other than that, we have a lot of other things in common, although growing up I would have said we were totally opposite.  Not to mention we look nothing alike!  You be the judge:

We both worry endlessly.  We are anxious.  We want to be mothers.  We both like space heaters (don't ask).  We both like to watch certain TV shows before going to bed (me- Gilmore Girls her Golden Girls).  We both fear getting sick.  Ok, so my description makes a sound a little crazy, but I promise we aren't!  My point is, she is a wonderful sister and much like my parents, I wouldn't be the person I am today without her.

Then there's my brudder.  He's 6 years younger than me and 10 years younger than my sister.  He is the little baby of our family and mother definitely likes to treat him that way!  Then again, even though he will be 21 in February, I still think of him as a little boy.  For example I was just appalled that he drank on my family trip.  He's just a BAY-BEEEEE!!!  But he is definitely growing up and becoming a fine young man (Lord I sound like I'm 50).

My brother and I have always had the classic older sister/younger brother relationship - we like to annoy each other.  I think this is because we lived together much longer than he and my sister did and we were a bit closer in age.  And even though we annoy each other we still have our fun.  We poke fun at each other, we have inside jokes, we do silly voices.  My family likes to make fun of us, but it's our thing.  It's what we do.

Sadly I couldn't find one on my computer with just me and him :-(

 

She Get it From Her Mama (and her Daddy)

Day Four - Your Parents

Today's 30 Day Challenge is to write about your parents.  While I would love to share with you a picture of my parents, I feel little weird posting pictures of my family or people that don't know about this blog.  I don't know.  I feel like that is sort of an invasion of privacy and I wouldn't want to upset anyone.  So, I guess this entry will have to do without a picture... insert sad face here.  But no worries, I will tell you about how wonderful my parents are!

In true child/teenage style, I never really appreciated my parents.  They were the people who loved me because they "had" to.  They fed me, clothed me and took care of me because they "had" to.  That's what they were for me.  Once I was out of college, married and on my own, they took on a different role in my life - especially when I started dealing with infertility.  (Do all roads lead back to infertility?  Apparently they do!)

But let's back up a minute and actually give a little background.  My parents (not unlike my husband and me) met in high school and got married when they were 19 (not like my husband and me).  I'm sure even back then there were people who thought that they wouldn't make it, but here we are 32 years later and they are still very happily married.  They have truly taught me everything about having a strong, loving marriage.

A little over a year ago, my husband approached me and said that he wanted to start going to Church and he wanted to become Catholic.  I think that learning we were reproductively challenged made him (and me) look at our lives and our faith and realize that if we were going to get through this then we needed a little spiritual help.  We weren't sure where to set our "roots" so we started going to Church with my parents even though it's about a 20 minute drive from our house and there are plenty of Catholic Churches in our neighborhood.  After Church my parents would treat us to breakfast and it has quickly become one of my favorite parts of the weekend.  It's a great way to start the week, but it has also given me a chance to have a better relationship with my parents.  I think that through our weekly tradition they have seen and respected me as a "grown up" and I have turned to them as my confidants.  They have become people that I truly listen to and admire.  They also give great advice on how to deal with things, but they also listen and are on my side.  My mom especially is great at that.  I can tell her how angry I am that another one of my friends is pregnant and she's right there with me being angry and upset. 

I can honestly say that I would not be the person I am without these two very special people in my life.  I only hope that God will give me and my husband the chance to be great parents like they are!

The following is a song that always makes me think of my parents/makes me wish I had a daughter/makes me cry whenever I hear it.  Gotta love T. Swift!

I'm five years old and it's getting cold
I've got my big coat on
I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you
I run and run
Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides
Look now the sky is gold
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you're not scared of anything at all
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away
But I know I had the best day with you today

I'm thirteen now and don't know how my friends could be so mean
I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys
And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away
And we talk and window shop till I forgot all their names

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay
But I know I had the best day with you today
I have an excellent father
His strength is making me stronger
God smiles on my little brother
Inside and out he's better than I am

I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run
And I had the best days with you

There is a video I found from back when I was three
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs
Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world

Now I know why all the trees change in the fall
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong
And I love you for giving me your eyes
Staying back and watching me shine and I didn't know if you knew
So I'm taking this chance to say that I had the best day with you today

Better Together

Day Three - Your First Love

Day Three of the 30 Day Challenge is all about my first love.  Are you ready for some sappy corny stuff?  My first love is none other than:

That's right.  My husband is my first/only love.  Sure there were dates and crushes before I started dating my husband, but they all turned out to be... lackluster.  (I really wish that I could insert some few other choice words in that phrase there, but well "being a Christian woman, I can't say it"! )

As I mentioned in my previous post, my husband and I met our sophomore year in high school.  I went to an all girls Catholic high school and he went to the public school down the highway.  We met through mutual friends and I had no interest in him or any of his friends for that matter (sorry husband, but you know this to be true!!).  As time went on, our paths crossed several times and we slowly became the best of friends.  Or so I thought.  Turns out, he had feelings for me.  I continued on being his friend until one day in the summer before our senior year.  I don't know exactly what it was, but suddenly I saw him in a different way and I decided to give him a chance.  To give us a chance. Nine years (nine years???) later here we are. We are a happily married newlywed-ish couple that love spending time with each other.  We are best friends and partners and I really couldn't ask for anything better.

We have had an amazing relationship save for one blip in college where I broke up with him (can you say worst decision ever?).  There are some specifics about that blip that I would rather not delve in to, suffice to say, I made a poor decision, but I did learn where I was meant to be so it can't be all that bad right?  Sometimes I wonder if I should have had other loves in my life, but then I think of all the things I would have missed with my husband I know that things happened the way they were supposed to.  It's the Journey and the Destination, right?

What's In a Name?

Day 2 of the 30 Day Challenge asks us to explain the meaning behind the blog name.  Mine is obviously, "It's the Journey and the Destination".  I chose this because one of the biggest challenges I have had to face in my life is infertility.  I am certainly not one of those people who go through life and things just come easily or things get handed to them.  However, I never thought that I would have to struggle or work for my God given right to reproduce. It just doesn't make sense.  But who am I to judge what does or doesn't make sense?  I figure that God has a plan for me.  That maybe, he gave me this struggle so that I might learn something from it.  So often we get caught up in the destination, the end point, the goal that we don't focus on the how or the why.  We just want what we want and we want it NOW!  For me this struggle is about the journey and the destination and figuring out just what it is I am supposed to take away from all this.

So far on my journey, I have figured out these things:

• Infertility is expensive.  No amount of budgeting or planning will ever cover the costs.
• There are going to be sacrifices along the way.  But what dream doesn't come with those?
• Your relationship with your spouse will be tested time and time again.  
• My husband is amazing and beyond supportive.  I never knew how strong our relationship was until we faced this together.  I guess we are lucky in that aspect.
• Your faith will be tested.  
• Sometimes I don't have as much faith as I should.

And those are just a few things.   I am hoping that my destination in this journey is to have a child rather that be one of my own or adopted, but I am keeping my mind open.  Maybe it will just be me and my husband and our dog.  I'm ok with that as long as that's where I'm supposed to be.

Hopping Right On

In my effort to become a more diligent blogger, I have decided to take on a 30 Day Challenge via: Katie's Journey.  If you want to join it, head over there and let her know!  I think this is going to be fun and I am very excited about it.

The first challenge is to post a picture of yourself and give 15 interesting facts about moi.  Well I can give you 15 facts, but I can't claim that they'll all be interesting per se. 

Me!

Now on to those facts:

1. I got married three years ago on 07.07.07.  Everyone said I was crazy for getting married on "the most popular wedding day ever" but I really didn't have an issue with it.
2. Yes, I have been married for three years and no, I don't have any children.  I am what you would call reproductively challenged.  We are working on it albeit at a snail's pace.
3. I went to school for elementary education, but I don't teach.  And I learn a little bit more everyday that it was the best decision for me.
4. And in the next breath I'm going to tell you that I do actually teach CCD one night a week.  These are Catholic education classes for public school children.
5. I worry.  A lot.  About random things that no one should ever worry about.  Once something has resolved itself I move on to something else to worry about.  It can be quite stressful. 
6. I have an intense fear of vomit.  Enough said.
7. I love pop culture.  LOVE it.  I think this is why I quote movie/TV shows every chance I get. 
8. I am a trivia FREAK.  I know the most random things and I couldn't tell you where I pick it up. 
   Sometimes I think the random information takes up too much information in my brain.  
9. By nature I am shy, until I get comfortable and know you.  Then I don't shut up.  I'm just really bad at the whole small talk thing.  Being in a sorority really helped to bring me out of that shell though.  Who knows how socially awkward I might be otherwise. :-)
10. I spend WAY too much money on purses.  I should really learn to save my money and not buy a million cheap ones and buy one really nice one. 
11. I take a lot of things personally.  Like things that shouldn't be taken personally at all.  I guess I'm just sensitive and have a lot of feelings and emotions.
12. I really enjoy reading blogs - especially Kentucky bloggers, sorority bloggers and others struggling with infertility  (I cringe at how cliche I sound.)
13. I love reading.  There is just something about getting lost in a good book.
14. I met my now husband when I was a sophomore in high school.  We started dating right before our senior year and have been together ever since (let's just ignore that three week period we were broken up in college).
15. I work hard everyday to be just a little bit better of a person than I was the day before.

So there you have it, day one of the challenge is complete!