Saturday, May 13, 2017

It Doesn't Matter How You Get There Just That You Arrived

Me and my little guys

Many years ago, I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease.  For those of you not familiar, Graves' Disease is an autoimmune disease that affects the thyroid.  It is basically a ridiculously overactive thyroid.  My thyroid was the Arnold Schwarzenegger version of thyroids. (Admit it. You're doing the Arnold voice in your head right now.)

While my doctor was treating me with medication, he explained that I should not get pregnant during this time because it would be considered a high risk pregnancy.  He went on to say that even if my thyroid levels were at normal levels in the future that I may have trouble with my thyroid putting me at high risk if I ever got pregnant.

To say this news was troubling would be putting it mildly.  When I was diagnosed, we were newlyweds so we were not yet thinking about children. 

But let's be honest. 

After I said, "I do", I constantly dreamed of the day when I would be pregnant, when we would have children of our own.

For the next couple of years, we worked on establishing our careers and obtaining our Master's degrees.  We built a big, beautiful house.  We had a little beagle named JJ who was the sweetest dog ever.

Life was good.  We had a good life.  Things were going well for us.

However, I am not going to lie.  I wanted to have a baby.  I wanted to be a mom.  I wanted that little person to be part of me and part of my husband.  

What I didn't want was to talk about it.  If I talked about and said it out loud, then it would confirm what I already was thinking.  I could not get pregnant.

So, miracle of all miracles, I became pregnant six years after getting my thyroid under control.  Then, thirteen months later, I was pregnant with my second little guy. To say we were shocked would be the understatement of the year!

We were going to have a baby.  I was going to be a mom.  Words cannot describe it. 

Elated. Ecstatic. Excited. Scared. Hopeful.

Some moms are not as blessed as I am.  Some moms have to have help getting pregnant.

To those moms who are undergoing artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization. Your commitment and endurance is inspiring.

To those moms who have adopted children.  Your willingness to open your hearts and your homes to a child is a testament to the warmth of the human spirit.

To those moms who have lost their children.  Your courage to persevere after walking though what I imagine is the shadow-of-the-valley-of-death gives me the strength to face my hardest of times.

It doesn't matter if you are a mom for five minutes or for eighty years.  It doesn't matter if you are a mom to one child or twenty.  It doesn't matter if you have kids via natural birth or via c-section.

At the end of the journey, the result is the same.

You are a mom.

It doesn't matter how you get there, just that you arrived.

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Winter Vs. Spring Smackdown


*Alarm goes off. Hits snooze.*

*Alarm goes off again. Stumbles out of bed. Heads downstairs.*

*Turns on coffee maker.*

Jack Frost: Morning!

Me: *Yawns.* Hey.

Jack Frost: Ready for the day?

Me: *Reaches for coffee mug.* Ready as I'll ever be.

Jack Frost: Yeah, I know it can be hard to get yourself going in the winter.

Allergies: *Snort.* Winter?! It's 50 degrees outside.

Me: *Starts. Chokes on coffee.* What are you doing here?

Allergies: What am I doing here? I'm ALWAYS here.

Jack Frost: Yeah. Like a bad rash. You won't go away.

Allergies: You're one to talk, Mr. Nobody Is As Cool As Me.

Jack Frost: Well, they aren't.

Me: *Looks between the two.* Why are you both here?

Allergies: ...

Jack Frost: ...

Me: *Rubs temples.* I mean what are you doing here at the same time?

Jack Frost: It's February. It's traditionally part of winter. Maybe you learned about it kindergarten?

Me: Hilarious.

Jack Frost: I know. I'm a riot.

Me: *Looks to Allergies.* And you?

Allergies: It's 50 degrees.

Me: So?

Allergies: *Eye roll.* 50 degrees is Springtime weather. Time for things to grow and blossom. Maybe you've heard of the four seasons?

Me: But it's February.

Jack Frost: EXACTLY. I could make it snow and freeze anytime I want. Then your precious blooms would be toast.

Allergies: You can try. But I don't scare easily.

Me: *Sips coffee.* That's a good point. Why hasn't it been very cold? What have you been up to, Jack?

Jack Frost: I've been busy.

Me: Doing what?

Allergies: *Crosses arms.* This ought to be good.

Jack Frost: *Rubs back of the neck.* Well, the thing is... around Christmastime I was bored so I signed up for Netflix. I started watching The Walking Dead, then Supernatural. Then, the Easter Bunny told me about Pokemon Go and -

Me: THAT is why we haven't had much of a winter?!

Allergies: *Throws hands up in the air.* Unbelievable. You do not take your job seriously. I, on the other hand, am completely dedicated to the job. I work 24/7.

Jack Frost: Oh please. Get off your high horse. Nobody likes you.

Allergies: You are just jealous because I always win 'Employee of the Month' Award. You don't even work a full year!

Jack Frost: You are just mad because everyone loves me. They love sledding, snow ball fights, building snowmen. Everyone prays for a snow day.

Allergies: Do they also love freezing their as-

Me: Whoa, whoa! Let's all just calm down.

Jack Frost: *Glares at Allergies.*

Allergies: *Glares at Jack Frost.*

Me: *Pinches the bridge of nose.* Listen up, it is too early in the morning to deal with this crap. I haven't even finished my first cup of coffee!

Jack Frost : *Blushes.*

Allergies: *Hangs head.*

Me: Look. Jack, take a break from Netflix. And Pokemon Go. You have a job to do and you need to get to it. You only have a few weeks left, You can do it.

Jack Frost: You're right! I have been slacking on the job. I'm going to get back to it right away.

Me: And Allergies, why don't you take a break? You deserve a vacation! Seriously! When was the last time you took a vacation? You could go to Universal Studios and see Jurassic Park. I know you have a thing for T-Rexes. C'mon. What do you say?

Allergies: I do love me some dinosaurs...

Me: *Claps.* Excellent! Now, get the heck out of my kitchen so I can enjoy my coffee in piece. And if I see you both again at the same time, I'm going to totally Hulk out on you.