OK, so don’t forget to check out my giveaway which will end on Friday! 
Here are some more posts on counting down 10 ways to enjoy the holidays (recycled from last year)!
#5: Make a Scrapbook or Slide-show
#2: Make a list of Resolutions
appreciation
Counting down…
Merry Christmas!
10 Ways to Enjoy the Holidays #6: Take Pictures!
Taking pictures is a great way to capture life unfolding, especially around the holidays. It makes you pause and freeze time. The photos also give you something to look back on and appreciate years from now. So whether you are opening your gifts, spending the day with family and friends, or just sitting in your jammies by the tree, get your camera out and snap a few good shots. (Candids are always best!)
It may feel like your holiday is dampered with sadness, but it can still feel priceless with those you love. So appreciate what you have right in front of you and hold it close. Happy Holidays to all!
I’m Thankful
This season, I am paused for a moment to think about what I am thankful for….
I am thankful for my loving husband who stood by my side and endured infertility right along with me. We are stronger, more appreciative people and parents because of it. I am thankful for the gift of my 3 incredible miracles. I was one of the lucky ones who was able to have not one, but two uneventful pregnancies that brought me my precious children and I will never take that for granted. I am thankful for my insurance coverage through my husband’s work, for without it, we would not have been able to afford IVF and our lives would be quite different at the moment. I am thankful for all the doctors, nurses, and embryologists that worked tirelessly on getting me through my IVF cycles, trying to achieve the best results. And…I’m thankful for my infertility. Yes, you read that right. I am thankful for my infertility because without experiencing it, I would not have the same family I have today and for that, I am forever grateful.
If you’ve stopped by from ICLW! Thanks!! I am also thankful for you and ALL my readers. You’re the reason I write this blog! Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanks so much!! I hit 100 followers!! Now onto my next goal! 200!!! Books!
Ok, so I am trying to create a list of The Best of the Best of all the Infertility books out there. I want to make 2 lists. One for all the memoir type stories and one for all the factoid type, important info stuff. I will link both with a button to be used as a resource! Sound good? I thought so!
But I need your help! I’ve only read a hand full of books in the past. And while I can easily google all the ones ever printed, I’d much rather take recommendations from all of you. So, if you would be so kind as to leave a comment on one or more of your fave IF books and if time permits, a word or two about why it was awesome, that would be awesome! Thanks for all your help!
This week…
First I want to welcome all my new followers!! And I want to thank all the lovely bloggers who stopped by from ICLW and left such heart warming comments. (My hubby really appreciated them too, especially because he poured out his heart in his posts (Male P.O.V. Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3) which is not always easy for him!)
This week, I’m lovin’ Suzy so check out her feature below. Also, if you want to follow Mom Genes (check out her feature here), go to her blog this week & e-mail her before she goes private!
The topic this week will be Facing the In-Laws at Family Functions (which was requested and perfect for the upcoming holidays of Easter & Passover). I already did a post about family support, so this will be an extension of that.
In other news, I’m getting close to my 100th post and looking to celebrate big! Maybe even with my very first giveaway! If anyone has ideas, bring them on!!
Lovin’ Trinity!
Today, I’m lovin’ Trinity from Three is A Magic Number. She’s a 30 somethin’ hippie gardener social worker who is gearing up for her first IVF due to male factor infertility. She’s been blogging since August of ’09.
One thing I love about Trinity is that her honesty pours off the page. She details her life in such a way that you really just want to read more (like when she labels her posts: The Puppet Show That is My Vagina).
I love how she gives us little tidbits of info about her life (other than going through infertility) like in her post: 9 Things on 9/9/09 and the irony that encompasses it like in Oh the Irony and here in this statement: “I might not be able to secure a baby safely in my womb, but I can secure a baby safely in a car six hundred ways ’til Sunday. 
” and this one: “And the girl who desperately hopes her period doesn’t come this month holding her autographed book about a girl who desperately longs for her period to begin” referring to her signed copy of Judy Blume’s Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.
Trinity has such a good heart. She tirelessly works so hard at her social work job (which is ironically in the NICU). And while she pours her heart and soul into her job (and her internship that she doesn’t get paid for), she pours her heart and soul into her ”adorable and always smiling” husband, dealing with her infertility & her blog. It takes a lot for me to get moved to tears when I read something…I usually have to feel genuinely connected and I have to say, reading about some of the adoptions that Trinity has been apart of has moved me to tears. And her gushy love for all of us as readers, is of course another reason I love her too!
And I’ll leave you with this quote from a February post that I just love, love, love! “My life hasn’t necessarily unfolded as I imagined it would, and it’s had its quirks and curve balls, but it’s kinda perfect. To me. IF be damned. I have a really good life, and its story is full and rich.”
Good luck with your upcoming IVF Trinity! We’re rootin’ for you! Check her out and cheer her on!
Blog Award! ;-)
So, first an apology for not getting to the Success Story yesterday. I was in Jamaica over the weekend at a beautiful destination wedding and got in very late last night. What a dream it was!
Next, a little twist on Blog Love Monday. Instead of featuring a blog today, I am going to respond to an award I recently received from 2 different bloggers! Thank you so much ladies!!
Hannah @ I Will Be A Mom…Someday and Pregnant Yuppy both leave such warm hugs (via comments) and gave me the Happy 101 award! And, I am honored. I now have to share 10 things that make my day and pass it on to 10 deserving bloggers. I am going to keep this short and sweet!
What makes my day…
- The kiss from my husband in the morning before he leaves for work.
- When my daughter tells me she loves me and gives me a great big hug.
- When I get a great big belly laugh from Logan, my first born twin.
- When I get a little giggle from Mia, my 2nd born twin.
- When my mother-in-law goes above and beyond without being asked and does some of my laundry or makes me dinner!
- When I get comments here! Love those!
- When I hear about a success story of someone who has been through infertility.
- When I get retweeted because someone likes my posts!
- Whenever I see a butterfly, hear a great song, taste some sweet chocolate, smell some gardenias, and touch the soft skin of any of my children’s faces.
- When I look at my life and realize how blessed I am.
To nominate others for this award…I will be fair. You are ALL an inspiration to me with your tenacity, patience, and ability to make not only yourself but others smile through this painful path. But, the blogs I’ve read the most of are the ones that I have randomly selected to be featured and the ones (with blogs) who have helped me out with Success Story Sundays…so you will get the pleasure of this award. You’re stories have touched me. Thank you for your inspiration! ;-)
The Blogs who get this award:
- Naomi @ 999 Reasons To Laugh At Infertility
- Kate @ Busted Plumbing
- Heather @ Fertility Chick
- Megan @ Bottoms Off And On The Table
- Pregnant Yuppy
- Jem @ Ambivalent Womb
- Mom Genes @ Finding My Mom Genes
- Christina @ Our Life With Multiples
- Beth @ IVF Girl
- Ashley @ Artificially Fertile Myrtle
Thanks again!
This week’s topic is ~ The Two Week Wait
Declining with Dignity
ehow.com
So, if even the thought of an invitation to a baby related event gives you images of sobbing in the ladies room, you may have a legitimate reason to not attend. If you can’t emotionally be there, then perhaps you shouldn’t physically be there either. (By the way, this decision is perfectly okay and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise!)
Keep in mind though, there is really only one way to decline with your dignity still in tact as my previous commentators mentioned…graciously RSVP with a no, but send a gift.
If you really can’t stomach looking through a registry of gifts, then by all means send a gift card. Believe me when I tell you that it is NOT as thoughtless as some may think. As a mom, I love, love, LOVE to get gift cards because then it gives me the freedom to get the things for my kids that they REALLY need! Problem solved, guilt averted, and life goes on!
Thoughts on October’s ICLW…
This month I virtually met lots of new bloggers, many in various stages of infertility. Some were new to the blogosphere, and others were new to ICLW and some were both. I am happy to report that I added more than 30 blogs to my blogroll as a result! I also read many blogs of mothers of autistic children. And it must be said, this is quite a powerful community of writers and I learned so much!
Thank you to all those that commented back! Although I have to admit that it was slightly disappointing to not even have a third of the 165 I commented on comment back. But…I get it. I am insanely busy too! So, it’s all good!
Until next month ladies…