I Liked Today So Much, I'd Like to Do it Again!

Reasons Why I'm Thankful Today:

1.  I'm married to a sweet man who took me to go see Ted today -a totally ridiculous movie but hysterical!
2.  I got all the popcorn I wanted - he even let me go first!
3.  I'm almost done with the longest wait of my life!
4.  I have a great friend who just sent me a really fun and sweet card - just because.
5.  I have two sweet Bubbies who are ALWAYS happy to see me - even after we left them crated for 8 hours - shame on us!
6.  I had a great talk with my husband who agrees that we are really lucky and blessed people.
7.  I had over 100 hits on my blog the other day - WOW!  I hope my story helps someone else who feels alone in their quest with infertility.
8.  Our dog Paxton has really done well on his Prozac - he's so much sweeter and his outbursts are less frequent and much less aggressive.
9.  I got through today with a smile on my face. 
10.  I just heard from a high school friend - got a really nice, thoughtful note which meant a lot!  I love random emails!
11.  My Godmother just joined Facebook!  Now I can chat with her all the time!  Hey Aunt Lois!
12.  I had popcorn and chocolate for lunch - sweet.
13.  A close friend sent me a really sweet bible verse - even though she's having her own trials.  What a great friend!
14.  We had a great visit with B's hairdresser - she shared her own infertility story with us and offered her prayers and support.  She's a really sweet person - who no matter what trials she's dealing with continues to give to others with her warmth and enthusiasm.
15.  I just got a face-full of Paxton kisses.  (Twice!)
16.  I watched Tangled for the first time this morning while lazing around in bed - LOVED it!   But then I love all Disney movies....
17.  We had a great dinner at one of our favorite burger joints - and they have a Gluten Free Menu!
18.  It's Sunday and I have NOTHING to do.   Awesome.
19.  B went to the doctor on Friday and is finally getting over his sinus infection.  
20.  I am most thankful for all of the support I've received from all of you who read this blog - your notes, comments, prayers and feedback mean more to me than you can imagine!   Thanks everyone!  My 'Pie Plate' is full today!

Not too shabby for a Saturday is it? :o) 

Happy Sunday Ya'll!

I'm a Lucky Camper

Hey all - today was a big day for me here in Blog-land.  I won't go into details right now...but as things unfold, I'll fill you in.  Needless to say, I've started my super-duper vacation and so far haven't left my bedroom in 8 hours!  Whoopppeee! 

Today I wanted to talk about special people and how those special people in your life can get you through the tough times.  As you know, I've been a whiny, cranky, stressed out and oh, I don't know...pain in the buttocks kind of person for the last few weeks.   For some reason though, I've been surrounded by really special people who have sent me sweet texts, dropped me emails and in general have lent me support at a time when I really needed it.

It's amazing how when you feel at your lowest, you turn around and there are people there for you.  When you least expect it, you get a boost from out of the blue and you feel better.  So how lucky am I?   I've learned in life to deal with your 'stuff' and keep on those big girl panties....but it's always nice to know you have amazing people at your back. 

So today's blog goes like this....remember the people in your life that matter the most are the ones who are there for you when you least expect it.  There are sunny day friends and rainy day friends - and then there are ALL the time friends....

Thanks to all of my wonderful 'all the time' friends and family - without whose support I would have gone stir crazy.  I hope when you need someone to support you and hold you up, or celebrate with you, that I can return the favor.  I am blessed...a lucky camper in this crazy world we live in.

Happy Thursday Ya'll!

Think Happy Thoughts!

Every night I sit and stare at a blank space to ready start a new post and then I just start typing.  Tonight I stared more than usual.  There are hundreds of unorganized thoughts running through my mind right now.  So much so, that I've decided to turn off my brain and just focus on the things that bring a smile to my face today.  I thought I'd list a few things that make me happy and hope that as Gandhi says, that those thoughts will become my destiny!

1. Ted Hawkins - his voice can sooth what ails you.  I was introduced to his music the year he died sadly, but I'm still a huge fan.  I could listen to him sing the phone book.  One of my favorites is called Big Things.  He wrote most of his music and was a street performer for years until he hit the 'big time', sort, of in Europe.  Here's a link to one of my favorites on YouTube :  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pO8GlpvzyE  I highly recommend his Next Hundred Years CD.

2.  Murphy (my parent's new poochie, aka my little brother) got a new haircut today.  Since my parents did a DNA test on him - yes they did - and found out he was a Japanese Poodle (long story) they decided to get his hair cut in a poodle cut.  I won't humiliate him by showing the full cut, although he did look super cute.  I've included my favorite part, his feet.  They gave him a really close cut on his paws and not his legs, thereby giving him a leg warmer effect.  He has hooves now! :)  Very cute.

3.  I had heard about the chocolate restaurant/bar at the Ritz in Charlotte.  So today, I did a bit more research and now I think it will be come my favorite place in Uptown!    Bar Cocoa, here I come!!! 

4. Cape Cod  - specifically Chatham and the Lighthouse Beach!  I love beach roses...this is the beach where sharks are each summer.  It's directly across the street from the Chatham Lighthouse and one of my favorite spots on the Cape.

5. Queen Elizabeth - She's just an amazing, graceful lady.  

I wish I could have created a boondoggle to go to the UK for work for her Diamond Jubilee!  Her family and country loves her...that says enough.

6.  And finally, a brain dump...Cake Boss and Rizzoli & Isles are back on, my hydrangeas are blooming and it's been raining nicely outside.  I have great friends and family - who are both supportive and patient.  Team McGowan - need I say more.  I have good health insurance and orange creamsicles in the freezer.  Dominos still makes a great gluten free pizza (Sorry Anna) and my friend Missy is having another baby boy!  (I can't wait to meet Sawyer's little brother!) Terry comes tomorrow, all Dropkick Murphys music and all music in general depending on the mood.  Lastly, that I have the ability to not fix everything.  Sometimes, you just gotta let it ride....

Here's my view as I type - does it get better than this???  B and a Bubbie..down for the night.

Sweet dreams ya'll.

Team McGowan

The end to a really, really long week - my weekly massage.  Boy, does that sound decadent or what?  I feel so spoiled....oh, wait a minute, MY massage has nothing to do with decadence and everything to do with functioning!  Bummer.  For a minute there I forgot who I was! 

I think I've mentioned I've had a few health issues over the past few years.  (Few is an operative word, but we'll work with it for now.)   Over the past three years, I've been going for acupuncture treatments on a weekly basis at the Charlotte Acupuncture and Wellness Center (CAWC).  They've done more to give me back my health than any of my doctors-  seriously you Doubting Thomases!  It truly works.  In fact, my doctors call everyone at CAWC, Team McGowan!  

Let me introduce you to my 'team':  Hope - aka Goddess du Needles, is the one who helped me to determine I was gluten intolerent, and basically who gave me back a normal life!  She's held my hand throughout all of my fertility treatments and has helped me in ways that no one else could with her knowledge and big heart. 

Todd is the other 'needle master' at CAWC and has spent many hours trying to rid my body of the evil trigger points that attack me.  He's amazingly patient and talented at getting those boogers to sit down and leave me be!  He's the quiet one - the guy amongst the ladies, but he can handle it - give him a bottle of Zhung Gu Shui (aka Stink Juice) and look out! 

For those of you who aren't lucky enough to have trigger points (heavy sarcasm), here is the definition of a trigger point from About.com:  A trigger point describes a taught band of skeletal muscle located within a larger muscle group. Trigger points are tender to the touch and can refer pain to distant parts of the body. So ouch right?  Basically, they are smallish knots of hell that take up residence in the most inopportune of locations- the least of my favorites is the one on the left side of my neck that keeps me from turning it and the mac daddy of all of them - the one by my right shoulder blade; that one 'clunks' every time I move my shoulder!  Awesome!

SO, Hope and Todd double team my body and get things to calm to a low roar and keep my body level so I can sleep and manage pain.  Cue, Tricia.  Tricia is basically the clean-up hitter of my pain management team.  She's the tiniest thing, but don't let that fool you- her hands should be registered lethal weapons.  She could probably render me incapacitated with her pinkie, but instead has a way of talking me through the pain and helping me to laugh about it.  

I get how my body is connected, so when I go in to see Tricia - let's call her Evil Hands, I can just tell her that I can't turn my head or move my shoulder - and she knows exactly what to do without causing me undue pain.  THAT my friends is skill.  I think the thing that makes it all smooth, is the calm, funny manner in which she attacks, I mean treats me.  I can handle me some pain, don't get me wrong, but it sure is nice to have someone who is causing me pain, do it in a way that makes it tolerable.  Whether it's the cursing or the paleness of my face, Tricia just knows when I've had enough.  :o)

Everyone at CAWC treats the whole person -which honestly is I think the CAWC is all about.  When you know you're going to be in pain, you mentally have to brace yourself to keep going back week after week, even when you know it will help in the end.  But the combination of mental AND physical support keeps me going.  The people keep me coming back.

So far, I think I've been almost kicked out of the CAWC about 5 times - for laughing too loud mind you.  When I'm getting my treatments, we all talk about really stupid things.  Things that I wouldn't be able to explain to you without looking like a crazy person - so we'll avoid that today.  Let's just suffice it to say, when they are done treating me, I still have a smile on my face.

Don't get me wrong, I hate Tricia on Saturdays, but on every other day of the week - she's one of my favorite people!   :o)  I'm really not sure what my life would be like without Hope, Todd, Tricia, Jennifer, and the entire CAWC team - but I know I'd rather knot know!  

So, thanks to you guys - for everything....