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Friday, May 14, 2010

Time to be honest...

Today is a hard day. The past few months have been hard months; March especially. I have tried desperately not to let my emotions overshadow the good in my life, to let my sadness consume me and to try to find the good in this situation. To be honest though, my heart is broken and I am emotionally drained. Some of you know what I am talking about, others don’t but today I decided to share why I feel this way. I need to say it because I am tired of keeping it inside; I am sick of feeling this way alone, and I can’t pretend this doesn’t hurt anymore.

Mike and I have been trying for over a year to get pregnant with obviously no luck. This has been difficult because all I have wanted since I was 14 was to be a wife and mother, but I waited. I waited until I found my soul mate and we really got to know one another. We waited until Mike and I were both done with school and were able to take the time to enjoy life and each other. We waited until we were financially able to have a baby and could afford to have me not work. We waited until we bought a home we could imagine having a child in and making memories as a family. We waited and when we were finally ready to stop waiting; life threw us an ugly curveball.

When we first started trying I wasn’t concerned because I figured it would take a while but after 6 months of no news, I began to worry. I started doing at home testing and that was when I realized something was off. Either I wasn’t ovulating or I was ovulating late, but I knew something was wrong. I began doing a ton of research and found out all the necessary steps we needed to take to make sure we were giving us the best possible chances. After those didn’t work, we decided to go to a fertility specialist. There I was tested and we were told I have a 5% rather than a 35-40% chance of getting pregnant because I ovulate almost 10 days late. This news was devastating to me because I felt so out of control, so helpless and worst of all, like a failure. I never thought I would be 25 and dealing with fertility problems. I thought I already endured my hardship life had for me.

The Dr. suggested I try Clomid to regulate my ovulation, but I had vowed not to start Clomid until we had been trying for two years (I believe it's overprescribed). Mike also wasn't on board with Clomid because he had heard it has a high probability of multiple births and hormonal side effects. He and I agreed to forgo treatment for another year but it wasn't until we didn't have options that I realized what a dagger to my heart not doing treatment was. I felt we had an option and we were just passing on it, and it was killing me. Even though I had committed to try for another year, I convinced Mike to come to another Dr. apt with me. When the Dr. explained how Clomid works, the side effects, the statistics of multiples if used correctly (less than 1%) and how without help I had very little chance of conceiving, we decided to begin treatments in July.

While I should be happy that we have a plan, medication is not a guarantee and I have little hope. All my hope has been washed away with the dozens of negative pregnancy tests and monthly heart breaks. This experience has been incredibly emotional and has changed me a lot. Whether that is a good or a bad thing has yet to be seen. I have cried harder than I have since my dad died, I have experienced heart break for the first time in my life and I have felt every emotion possible all at once. It’s harder than almost anything I have ever gone through and just like when I was 15 and lost my dad, people just don’t understand unless they have gone through it themselves. I am hurt, I am angry, I am numb, I have checked out and even worse, I feel guilty for feeling this way. I feel selfish for being so upset and believe my heart aches are unjustified. I wish I could turn off my feelings because I don’t want to hurt this way anymore. Unfortunately I can’t though. I am broken and don’t know how to fix myself. I guess I am not as strong as I pretend to be.

Sunday, May 9, 2010

CRASH... into me.

We had quite an interesting Friday evening. Mike was on his way home from his brother's graduation when he looked over and saw a vehicle that had just been hit by a TRAX train. Mike jumped out of his car and was one of the first 2 people on the scene. It sounds as though he was able to remain pretty calm and assist the way he needed to until paramedics arrived. The driver unfortunately was seriously injured and had to be cut from her vehicle, but Mike says she was conscious when he left and thought she would be ok. I was very proud of him for being such a quick thinker and glad he was able to be with this woman in her time of need. I was also very touched how concerned Mike was that she had a babyseat in the back, because this meant she was a mom. It's moments like these that make me love him even more than I already do.

After help came, he got back into his car, still shaken from the accident, and drove a few blocks to 1300 East 500 South. As he was waiting in the left hand turn lane, a few emergency vehicles went through a red light in response to the Trax accident. He then watched a UTA truck, who was also responding to the accident, run a red light and get T-boned by a Nissan. This caused the truck to go airborne and up on two wheels and then hit a Prism that was waiting in front of Mike. The force of the truck hitting the Prism pushed the Prism into Mike's car, damaging the front of his. We are so lucky this was all the damage that was done and that he was uninjured because according to Mike, the truck looked as though it was going to roll and if the Prism had not been hit, it probably would have landed right on top of Mike's car. The lady driving the Nissan was taken to the hospital in serious condition, the driver of the UTA truck had to be cut out and taken to the hospital and the two people in the car in front of Mike were also taken to the hospital. From what I have gathered over the weekend, everyone was released and is expected to be OK, which is a miracle considering all the damage.

You can click here to watch the story, because I know it's pretty confusing.

Mike had his camera since he had just been at the graduation and since they made us stay around for an hour and a half, he decided to snap some shots.

Mike's car is the awesome gold Solara.
The Nissan that T-boned the Trax TruckThe Prism that was waiting in front of Mike.The Trax Truck after the door was cut off.The Prism and Mike's car.I keep thinking how much more horrible this accient could have been. Mike was the only person out of 6 people who wasn't injured, his car was the only one out of 5 that wasn't totaled, and he was the oldest person involved in both accidents. Someone was definitely looking over him on Friday and I am counting our many blessings that he was not injured. Having him be involved in something like this really reminded me how much I love him and how I would be broken without him in my life. It put everything back into perspective and I am so glad he walked away from this unscathed.

I hope everyone who was affected by this will be ok and that the Trax Truck driver doesn't lose his job. I know he ran a red light and that he is not an emergency vehicle but I can see how it would be easy to get caught up in trying to help with the other accident that he just assumed either the light was green or that he had the authority to run the red light as well. The news, as well as the police, have been pretty hard on him and I hope everyone finds compassion for this driver and forgives his mistake. He was very traumatized by the accident and I am sure he has learned his lesson.

Just a reminder to everyone, please wear your seatbelts and drive carefully. Cars are incredibly dangerous machines, as we have unfortunately learned twice already this year.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Threes...

I am a little bored today so I stole this survey. Enjoy! :)

Three Names I Go By:
Lauren
Lo-Lo, by Shawn Coon and it makes be smile every time.
TB- by Jeremy Bullough; don’t ask.

Three Job’s I have had:
Insurance Agent at both Allstate and Wasatch Preferred
Intake Specialist at The Sharing Place
Hostess at both Olive Garden and Red Robin

Three Places I have lived:
Sandy, UT
Murray, UT
Salt Lake City, UT- I probably should move someday

Three Favorite Drinks:
Coke with Lime
Caramel Machiattos, either hot or cold
A Good Glass of Wine

Three Favorite Movies:
Then Notebook
10 Things I Hate About You
Crash

Three Places I have been:
Mexico- Cancun is by far by favorite destination
Italy
St. Lucia

Three Places I would like to Visit:
Australia
Prague
Turks and Caicos

Three Favorite Foods:
Olive Garden
Cheeseburgers and Fries
Cheetoes

Three Makeup Products I Can’t Live without:
Mirabella pressed mineral powder
Black Eyeliner
MAC blush

Three Things I am Looking Forward to:
Finally seeing two pink lines and learning I am pregnant.
Our new bedroom set.
A weekend of us time.


...and just to keep it fun, I made Mike fill it out too. Here are his answers.

Three Names I Go By:
Mike
The Italian Pony
Ricci Retardo- gotta love those fraternity nicknames

Three Job’s I have had:
Engineer
Machine Shop Clerk
Office Assistant

Three Places I have lived:
Holladay
The Sig House (Logan)
Murray

Three Favorite Drinks:
Crown Royal
Sweet Tea
Newcastle

Three Favorite Movies:
GATTACA
Gladiator
Slumdog Millionaire

Three Places I have been:
Italy
Cancun
Jamaica

Three Places I would like to Visit:
Prague
South Carolina
Germany

Three Favorite Foods:
Steak
Corned beef and hash
Pecan Pie

Three Things I am Looking Forward to:
Retiring
Having a child
Winning the lottery

Learned a few new things about my hubz so for those I tag, I challenge you to have your husbands fill it out too. I love learning new things about people!

I tag:
Rachel Bills
Annie Albrecht (since you don't have more important things to do!)
Liz Halaufia

Happy Thursday everyone!

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

A Little Reminder...

Only three years later, I am finally getting ready to order my wedding album. My photographer Tiffanie was so incredibly talented that going through the 2,000 pictures she took and choosing my favorites was a daunting task, so I avoided it for a year and a half. Now that I have finally sat down and finalized everything, I can really appreciate all the hard work, her amazing talent and how special my wedding truly was.

Mike and I had written our own vows and Tiffanie had the wonderful idea of including them in the album. As I was reading them again, the emotion of that day came flooding back. It honestly was the most beautiful day of my life and I am so blessed to have married my best friend. Sometimes when I am mad at Mike for not cleaning something or upset at something stupid, I forget how lucky I am that I have someone who loves me unconditionally and who wants to be married to me for the rest of his life, for better or worse. Marriage can be really hard somedays and it's easy to overlook the good and dwell on the bad when things aren't perfect. Our vows are just a little reminder to myself that no matter what, Mike and I are in this forever and at the end of the day, that is all that really matters.

"Lauren, ever since I first met you I knew that I wanted you in my life. The more that I got to know you, the more I realized that we were really meant to be. I stand here today with confidence that you are the only one in the world for me. I know that God has been watching over us. I see the growth of our relationship, and I know. I see your contagious smile, and I know. I see the generosity in your heart, and I know. I know that I truly have been blessed to have you. This journey that we are starting on will not always be an easy one, but I know that we have a strength together that cannot be underestimated. I know that wherever life takes us we can, and will, endure. Your presence in my life has changed me in ways that I didn’t know were possible. You have made me realize that love is what is truly important in life. On any given day I might not know where I am going to be, or what I am going to be doing, but I do know that I want to spend that day, and the day after that, with you. I promise to love you with my entire heart. I promise to remember the good times when the times are rough. I promise to give you everything that I am for the rest of my life."

"Michael. Everyday since you came into my life you have continually shown me what love is. You have this incredible way of looking at me and conveying your love without ever saying a word. Everyday I fall in love with you again, that’s how I know you are it, you are my one. You have helped guide me and teach me what the meaning of life is and have made me into a person I was impossible of becoming without you. I know without an ounce of doubt that you are my once in a lifetime true love, my other half, my destiny, my soul mate and without you, a part of me would be missing. I know that throughout our life there are going to be trials and tribulations but I am willing to endure the hardships because even through those you will still be my rock, my love and my best friend and I want all of you, the good and the bad, forever and always from this day forward. On this day as we become husband and wife and join our lives together, in the presence of God, our family and dearest friends, I promise to honor and cherish you and I vow to give you my unconditional love, my eternal friendship and my entire heart because I want it to be you and me, everyday for the rest of our lives. I love you with all that I am and this day only marks the beginning of a wonderful journey together."

"I'm holding on to you, holding on to me. Maybe it's all we got but it's all I need. You're all I need"

Thanks Be for being you and for loving me.