I very recently had a discussion with my husband and our friend during a car ride back from the desert. I've heard the saying you can't love someone if you can't love yourself first. And I don't think that is entirely true. I think it's really easy to love someone. When you meet someone you see them as they are faults and all. You love all those little quirks that make them who they are. And it goes the other way around too. We discussed the faults we find in ourselves. Johnny(our friend) pointed out that I have Lenny and he loves me for who I am and that we are lucky to be a solid team together. And that is absolutely true. I have learned that even the slightest hint of someone being fake or disrespectful, that it's okay to just walk away. You don't have to be perfect for them or anyone else.
Loving yourself is really fucking hard. I internalize so much stuff, I judge myself so harshly and hold myself to an unattainable standard. You start to limit yourself. You hold yourself back from things you use to love to do. It sucks.I would sometimes wonder if the way I feel about myself is because of what the media says you should look like. When I think back I have always felt inadequate and it is not from lack of love or support. It's just something that was always there. I do not hate myself, do not mistake this rambling as that. I am very happy with my life. I am just saying that sometimes it's easy to focus your energy on making someone else feel good that sometimes you forget to do it for yourself.
Here I am, almost 37 and still learning to love myself. I for sure have days that I have no issues. But I find that I am always learning something new about myself. Everyday I try to embrace those things that I feel self conscious about, you have have too. Otherwise you'll be miserable all the time or you'll feel lost. It's healthy to continuously rediscover, reinvent yourself. Just make sure that you do it for you and no one else. Take the time, pamper yourself, get a tattoo or piercing or a spa day. Dye your hair a crazy color because you want to. Have fun with your life because, when you do, you'll discover you've really loved yourself the whole time.
Well, where do I even begin? I've kind of been lazy about writing...I don't know if I'd call it lazy maybe more busy. Life has just been so different since we moved. And time goes by fast and slow at the same time. There are days that I wish would last forever and days that I want to end before noon.
A year ago I was writing about being late and I was so hopeful that I was pregnant. Obviously I wasn't. The last year has been filled with being late like that at least 3 more times. It might be more but I stopped counting. I was taking progesterone to induce a cycle and then clomid to force ovulation, which didn't work. I think my body was just over it that it just gave the finger to science and did it's own thing. I also stopped listening to it. I was putting so much stock in medicine that I didn't listen. When I finally did listen everything just started to work like it always had. I was so happy and excited, we could finally move forward with the next step, IUI, and we did. There were no surprises everything fell in line so perfectly. We had the IUI done on June 24 and we had to wait an agonizing 2 weeks to see if I would be late.
Two weeks to let your mind wander and wonder. I was walking a fine line between being positive and being real. I had only told a few people. We really wanted to keep it closed in case it didn't work.
Two weeks of holding your breath and hoping. Two weeks to start to start to believe you're normal and not cursed. In the end two weeks is a long time. Yesterday we found out it didn't work.
Two weeks coming to a crashing end. It was a miracle I managed to keep my shit together yesterday. There were moments that I just wanted to put my fist through the computer monitor. I wanted to scream and curl up in to a ball of tears and sob uncontrollably. The stupid things you think about yourself, about your life, which you know is so stupid to do. I'm a failure a disappointment. Blah, blah, blah. Stupid. I let myself fall apart. I needed to not be okay. I need to be mad and cry and curse the universe. I needed to get it out. I am human and that's okay.
I just need one of the those great bear hugs from my grandpa and it would be alright. Yesterday was of those days where every song on the radio was put there just to make your emotions surface. It was also one of those days where you feel like every one if flaunting what you can't have. I know that sounds absurd but, when you just keep being pushed further away from a dream, all you see is what you don't have.
I don't really know how to end this but, this isn't over. We are picking ourselves up and trying again. We also are starting the process to foster to adopt. I know this isn't over for us. If there is one thing I am sure of, it's that we will be parents.
Life is full of big moments and, most of them you can't see coming. There are moments that you know will eventually come and try as you might to ready yourself for them, it still feels like being punched in your stomach, more appropriately dead center of your soul. The past few months have been a little crazy for us. We had been looking for sometime for a 2 bedroom apartment. We wanted to move out of downtown, some place a little quieter. After what seems like forever, we found a place and fell in love. It was close to all our friends and it had it's own washer and dryer! We were sold. So a few days after we saw the apartment, we went back to sign the lease. We were so excited. I was so excited. I wanted nothing more then to get out of downtown and fast, it was getting creepier by the day. We do the walk through and talk about this and that. I didn't realize I had missed a call from my parents until I went to get a pen from my bag. I saw the missed call and the voicemail and knew that I had to listen to it at that moment. Something told me it couldn't wait. I left Lenny with the landlord and walked into the empty room that would be our bedroom in less then a week and pulled up the voicemail. It was my dad and the message was short "Colleen, it's Dad. Call me back. Tonight." Seven words and they made my heart sink. I hesitated a moment before calling back. Did I want whatever bad news was waiting for me now or later? I called him back. I was standing in our new apartment, in our new bedroom when I found out my grandfather had a heart attacked and passed away. It seemed like an eternity while I listened to him tell me what happened, listened to him tell me how my brother tried to save him. I remember trying so hard not cry there, not to cry while on the phone with my dad. I wanted so very much to be strong. Long story short, I was and still am devastated. It's been a month and yet it feels like yesterday and forever ago at the same time. All the thoughts you think when you lose someone who was such a pillar in your life. I wish I could see him one last time, spoke to him one last time, tell him how thankful I was for so much. I loved him so very much, cared so deeply for him. Is he proud of all the choices I made to make my life better? And I know the answer to all those things without a doubt or second thought is, yes. Once my Mom went back to work full time to help my Dad support us, my grandparents were there. When I was ever so sick so often when I was little they took care of me. My love for animals I get from them. Once our dog Shadow thought a baby squirrel was a rag doll and I caught her tossing the poor thing about by it's tail. It was grandfather who took it to the vet and nursed it back to health. Animals loved him. When I was little he had this African Grey parrot who hated everyone. He would bit everyone if you got close enough, but he loved my grandfather. The things I have learned from him cannot be measured. He was a great man and he gave his family a great life. He was a staple in our church. His was a life well lived and as Nanny would say, he is well away. Two weeks prior my aunts had flown in for his 92nd birthday. And then we were all there again for him. I know that made him happy to have everyone there sharing in this life and this love he created with Nanny. He was a Merchant Marine who served during World War II. Never forgot to thank our Veterans, old and young. It was touching when they presented the Flag to Nanny. I am thankful for all of my cousins, even the ones that aren't McGoverns or even related by blood you all made this difficult time a little more bearable. Whether you sent flowers, made me laugh or just plain let me sob on your shoulder, Thank you, it means more then I ever could properly express. And for the friends that reached out, thank you. And thank you to the dearest ones that took time out of their very busy day to drive an hour in Friday traffic just to be there, you know who you are. I could never forget my husband who took on the very large task of packing and moving all our stuff into the new place. You are awesome. I'm not sure what purpose this writing is to serve but I do know that I needed to do it.
I had a moment of hesitation when I decided to write this particular blog. I thought what could I possibly say now that I haven't said before, but the thing is I don't care if I sound like a broken record and if anyone reads this. Obviously I will post it to be read but I have realized now more then ever that this is for me and me alone. This is my therapy my little way to cope with this affliction that life has saddled me with.
So here I sit almost 8 months since I last posted. And I haven't posted for so long simply because there was nothing to say. Nothing had moved forward or backward. Everything was just stagnant, but always hopeful. Always and forever waiting for that little ray of hope in this ever agonizing journey. There was definitely a moment when I thought what had I done in my life or past life or whatever that was so awful that I should be made to want, to need the one thing that would fill that empty space. My body was just simply designed to not work that way.
I am now so very much annoyed with the way this is going. Filling this page with sweet words to soften the way I feel, to draw sympathy. Being all emotional and watching logic just walk right out the door. All these words are just meant to draw you in so you can feel my pain because at times I want you to hurt just as much as I do. That sounds so horrible and immature of me but, it is so human of me too. I'm sorry (sort of) to be so blunt and honest but I have walked a good portion of my life treading carefully around others and keeping things bottled up and I'm done. As I stated earlier this little blog is for me to cope with being childless for no good reason.
Moving on. So thinking that I needed so pretty amazing karma for this dream to become a reality I started doing things for strangers. First it was just buying everyone coffee that were behind me in line. I did that a lot and from time to time I still do. After awhile it just wasn't gratifying enough so, I moved on. Now Long Beach, in my ever so humble opinion, is the mecca for the homeless. There are so many. I started buying gift cards for groceries and giving them out. I remember the first time I bought a gift card so my husband to give it away. He gave it to this hippy looking guy with tattoos and he was thankful but, it was his girlfriend who almost cried. I still smile when I think about it. Lenny still "pays it forward" from time to time. He is my soul mate, the constant and unwavering love of my life. 15 years up amazing highs and soul crushing blows. One is always there to pick the other up. So after awhile I stopped giving a shit about karma. I stopped thinking that I was going to rack up all these "good deeds" points and swing life into my favor. The reality is, I'm not doing a good deed, I am being human. I am no better then the person next to me.
I digress. I have rambled on for far too long, not even touching the reason that I started to write. It happens. Sometimes you start to write with one intention and end up writing something completely different.
So I am frustrated. and I had thought it would be bad luck to write this but we've been trying to conceive for 5 and a half years so what bad luck could we possible get from writing this. 21 days this the amount of days that I am late. No positive pregnancy tests. I've taken 3 all different brands. So I made an appointment for today to make sure. What did they have me do, pee in a cup. Which by the way I happened to spill all over myself. Luckily there was just enough left to test. Another negative. What the holy hell is this garbage. The doctor just told me to test again next week. All I could think is what for it will be negative. Day 28 will be no different that days 7,14,15,17 and 21. So now I just have to wait yet another week for disappointment. This is beyond annoying, and I am a little made at myself. I should have waited make the appointment. I am so silly some times to think that this would be at all easy. I know better. It will be filled with medications that make me feel like crap, procedures to make me feel like a biology experiment where I am poked and prodding at. Sigh. I feel better I guess.
I know the thing to do during the month of November is to say or post one thing you are thankful for everyday. Some might think it's corny or whatever but, what is so wrong for being thankful?
This is our second Thanksgiving in California. Our first wasn't the greatest, we had just moved to Long Beach and being the procrastinators that we are, we were still unpacking. That is just one of those things that make us well, us. Money was tight (really tight) but we still found away to have a great home cooked meal. I am thankful for that first year. We learned to appreciate everything we had and never once did we fight about money or our decision to leave everything behind and start fresh. I am thankful for my husband and our Sammy. They make our little dwelling a home. They make my heart fill with love so much that it almost bursts. I would be lost without them. Yes it was definitely hard to not be surrounded by family and friends and we'll probably always feel a little sadness around the holidays but we know we are loved, everyday.
I am thankful for All my friends. If I've met you when I was four, a teenager or a woman grown. You have all left you're marks on my soul. I've learned so many new things from all of you. If we are the closest of friends or just friends for just a season. I am grateful to have met you. Friends are amazing people, they walk into your life and make an impression that lasts a lifetime. Most are more like family. I love you so very much.
I am thankful for ALL my aunts and uncles, am I blessed to have so many of you wonderful people. It is equivalent to having extra sets of parents. They each have a different story and taught me different things along the way. Some have moved on from this world, I miss them very much.
I am thankful for my cousins, there are just way to many of you to count! It's like have all the brothers and sisters a girl could ever ask for. Some are old and some are younger. It has been a pure joy to have Each and Every one of you in my life and watch you all grow and become your own person. You are all each unique and yet well all have something in common, family. Our love for our families is paramount. We are blessed.
I am thankful for my grandparents. They loved me for me. I've learned to love musicals, ballet, to dance, to cook, to sing, to knit and sew and to love everything creature and animal. They gave me insight as to how my parents were shaped as people and how that has shaped me. We've shared secrets and many loving memories.
I am every so grateful for my parents. They have shown me love and courage. They worked hard to provide for me and my brother. They taught us to be silly, have fun. They taught us how to be responsible and that family is important. Family will always pick you up. Family never leaves, falters or fails. More importantly that no matter where life might take us we can always go home.
And last but definitely not the least my any means, I am thankful for my brother, my Alex. I love you more that I can put in words. I love you for all the mean things you did to me (as was and still is your birth rite, being the oldest). I love you for the sweet things you have done for me. I still have the ceramic Care Bear you paint for me for Christmas. I thank you for that infectious smile you have. You should flash it more often. You are the craziest person I know, with that huge heart of yours. Always forgiving. All the memories we have created, the joy, heartbreak, loss and love we have shared have created to imperfectly perfect siblings. I wouldn't trade you for the world. Never in a million years.
So to all of you be thankful for all you have and even what you don't. Be thankful for today, to be able to share food and drink and laughter and love. Hugs and kisses to you all. Happy Thanksgiving.
I had a dream last night. I have had similar dreams that felt real like this but this one felt too real. From what I remember we were back in NJ and back in the house but the house was different but the same. The living room was bright and airy and the kitchen was my parents kitchen. We had six dogs: two corgi's, two bichon frise's and two mini husky's. What they had to do with anything, I don't know but I remember them. So in the dream I wake up and Lenny is there and he asks if I want to hold our son. I ask him "We had the baby?" and he says "yes". He hands me our six day old son. I could feel his little body, the beat of his heart and the warmth of his skin. I was thinking that this really happened. It felt so REAL. I ask if it was natural or did I have a C-section. Lenny says it was a C-section and they had to cut my leg open. I reached down and I could feel the stitches through my pants. I ask Lenny what did we name him and I saw the name Kennedy written somewhere and hoping that wasn't the name. He tells me "Richard Cameron". Lenny shows me where all the bottles and formula are and how to do the measurements. I thinking about where all this came from I don't remember even going into labor much less having a baby shower. Next thing I knew we were on a train going to Asbury with Jay and Megan and Jenny and Anna. Megan was talking about how she didn't like her job, so I told her to leave and do something else. She's says she did and that she is going to be an intern. Then I woke up and I woke up with wanting nothing more then to fall back asleep. However Sam was whining to go out so up and out I must take him and settle into the bitter reality that it was only a dream.
Time has this silly habit of flying by. Time it does all sorts of crazy things to you. It makes the greatest time of your life fly by but, Time can make those hard times drag on and seem endless and unbearable. We are only given a set amount of time in this world of ours. What do we do with what we have?
We can get stuck in these loops of fear about decisions we could have, should have, would have made. Did we make the right choice for this or that? Should we have decided this earlier? In the same respect there are the "what ifs." We are all guilty of giving into our fears at one time or another, myself included.
If you let your fears take control you will be stuck with those "What if" moments and sometimes it's too late to overcome them. I think I gave into my fear years ago. I had this notion in my head that I wouldn't be able to have kids. Here I am countless years later and living that fear - everyday. I guess you could say it is more like a reoccurring nightmare.
I have insurance now and I fear that I will spend all this money and put my body through treatments and what if it is all for nothing? So yet again I am at crossroad and I have this huge decision to make. Do I go with infertility treatments and spend a thousands of dollars and have a 50/50 shot of becoming a mom or do I spend thousands of dollars and a few years and adopt?
Would my love be as great and immeasurable as a biological moms would? I think it would be. I love all my friends kids and my cousins kids so much. It has been a great joy to see them all grow. I love my Muffin the most, I love her as if she was my own. I can't say what it is that draws me to her. I just know that watching her grow into a teenager has been amazing. I remember seeing her ultrasound, she was just a little peanut, and suddenly she was here, this mini version of my cousin. Love her.
I cannot deny the pull in my heart for adoption.
We would be put under a microscope, every little detail of our lives combed over to check if we would be good parents. The thought of being denied that privilege terrifies me. It makes my heart seize and my chest gets tight and I stop breathing for the briefest of seconds. You know what? Bottom line is we would be awesome parents. We have these huge hearts and there are rooms waiting to be filled. We have amazing family and friends and their love for us is undeniable. Could we afford adoption and legal fees? It would be expensive but can you put a price on love.
We also just treatment a shot and see if it works, just once. I sometimes wrestle with the notion that maybe we are just meant to be childless but when I close my eyes I see a little girl with long blond hair playing with Sam and being scoped up by us. I see her running to her favorite uncle jumping into his arms. I could never walk away from those visions.
I was recently conversing with a friend discussing all these fears I just mentioned. I just want my East Coast sister to know that you are way stronger than your fears. I give you some credit on helping me find the inner me. It is by total chance that we are friends. Our lives could have gone in so many different directions but if not for those two special men we would have never met. I am thankful for that every single day. When your fears are making it hard to breathe remember this:
That has more depth to it then it appears. And one more for us:
Oh my goodness! I cannot believe I haven't written a post in two months, Holy cow man! I think part is because I was a little down and out. I was looking for work and getting very frustrated with it. Without a job I couldn't really focus 100% on a family. I have been employed for 5 weeks now and I like. It's fairly easy and different than my job in New Jersey. I have people to talk to now, I don't feel so isolated as I did before. I can walk to work, it's 5 blocks away, I get to go home and have lunch with my boys. Things are looking up. I mean after you've been down so long you can only look up.
We've also just celebrated our first year in California in January, time flies.
It was around this time in February fours years ago that we started to try this whole having a family business. Four years. Four years. I never would have thought that fours years would come and go in a blink of an eye really. This realization just stopped me in my thoughts. First off who really remembers the moment they decide it's time to start a family? Not only do I remember, I can also remember where I was standing in our house. I remember I was a little shocked at first and then so excited, he was ready, we were ready. Then tears every month for the next 30+ months when there was no baby. Tears every time someone announced they were expecting. I can recalled one particular time friends of ours told us they were expecting, I wailed, sobbed and almost screamed. I was unconsolable, I cried myself to sleep. It felt like a red hot knife slicing through my soul. Why not me? What was so wrong with us? Why did it hurt so bad. And to this very day I still feel so guilty about it. I loved them so very much, the type of friends you can ALWAYS count on. The type of friends that help you pick up the pieces if you let them. I feel so guilty about how I felt. I was happy for them, but I wanted to be happy for us too.
And now we babies are born and we are still childless, watching our friends children grow up, knowing that should we have children they won't grow up with our friends kids, we live a world away it seems at times. A choice we made, I know.
I get so angry sometimes and wonder why this is our burden to bear, what did we do that was so different from everyone else. At times no matter I much I feel that I was meant to be a mom, there are times when, I agree, our burden to bear is to be childless. It will be whatever it is meant to be.
Well, on January 7th it will be a year since we packed our life up in a truck and drove out to California with the hopes of finding happiness and a better life. Since then we have successfully moved from La Habra to Long Beach. I have to say I was a bit skeptical about moving here. Now that we've settled in, it feels like home and by home I mean it reminds me of living in Roselle Park. I love it, we are really a walk from Downtown and it's really neat to watch Dexter and see the same buildings that are right out our front door.
One of the reasons I chose to the title "Back To The Beginning" is because at times I feel I have drifted from the main focus of this blog. This February it will be 4 years of trying. Even as I type those words, read those words I do feel a bit of shock and sadness. You would think by now that something has got to give. I think of all the options and it breaks my heart because at this moment there really are not any options we could never afford IVF, surrogacy or adoption. Even if we could there is the possibility that IVF or surrogacy won't work or the adoption could fall through and there are no second chances financially. To be honest I believe something in our lives is off and that is what is keeping us from this dream. Whether it be job wise or some bad juju that is being wished upon us we need to fix something in ourselves for any of it to work. I know that some might think that that is hokey or whatever but, it's my belief and I am entitled to it. And I really am a bit of a mess right now. Job hunting blows, and the isolation of not working or making new friends has made me an emotional disaster. I have made a safety net for myself. I don't reach out to all of my friends like I should. I feel like a little child sometimes, I have a speak when spoken to mentality. I guess in a way I let thinks hurt more than they should. I mean I'm creeping on 34 and I really did think my life would be a bit different then it is right now. Please don't take this as a cry for pity or attention. That is not what I am about. I am a firm believer that only I can change the way I feel. If I want to feel better then I need to shake off my own self pity. Damn I really need a tattoo, that always makes me feel soooo much better.
The other reason, the main reason for this particular post is that while I may be vocal about my personal struggle with infertility others are not. I feel other couples, women mostly, might feel it's taboo to talk about. I know others that have struggled quietly with this. It is a very isolating feeling. How do you go up to a friend (especially if they have children) and say "I'm infertile" or how do you deflect those questions from friends and family "When are you going to start a family?" or "The holidays would be so much better if you had kids." You feel very awkward and defeated. You don't want to be rude and make the other person feel bad by blurting out "Yea, my uterus doesn't work so no kids for us! Lol!" It's frustration and annoying, even more so when someone doesn't take that hint that you don't want to discuss it.
I also think that other infertile women can tell it someone else it going through it. I know because it's happened twice. Those two have gone on to have successful IVF and are now blessed with beautiful children. If you feel like you can share your story with just one person that is not your spouse, do it. It's good for your soul. Never feel like you are alone you would be surprised as to how many couples are in your same position. Don't let it control your life, I have and it is a very hard thing to shake off, push to the back of your mind just so you can enjoy life. I actually write this with one person in mind and I hope they read it.
***I forgot to mention another couple that we had the pleasure of meeting. Although they finally conceived naturally they did not have an easy pregnancy but they have a beautiful boy and I am thankful to have become friends with them****
The last time I wrote a blog I was talking about growing up on the Jersey Shore and no matter where in the world life may take me Jersey will always be home. They have already started rebuilding. On 12-12-12 Chase hosted a benefit concert for Sandy victims and it was amazing to watch. This was one of my favorite performances:
I have been back in forth in my mind about this next topic: Sandy Hook Elementary. Two days after this concert a shooting happened at this school that left 20 first graders and 6 school officials dead. I just want to say that there is no easy answer to this. I will say that the medias coverage is sickening. Stop talking about the shooter and his home life. You are glorifying a monster and that makes you no better. You point the finger everywhere else but take no part of the blame for creating someone like this. You plaster his face everywhere and you think that does not light a fire in someone else? It makes me so mad that I cannot even continue to list all the reasons you stink.
Here is how SNL paid tribute to these families:
And The Voice:
I do not have any children but I have seen mothers bury sons from ages newborn to 32 and there is no accurate way to describe that grief. I will not pretend that I know how they might feel. I think though it would be described as having your soul crushed. Which brings me to let it be known my absolute disgust for the WBC who had planned to picket the funerals saying that it was Gods hand. Really?! You are morons:
Mark 10:13-16
New International Version (NIV)
13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them.14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.
Moving on.. So today is the end of the world, according to the Mayans. I saw this from Malissa and needed to share
I'm not sure how this blog is really going to turn out. I've been back and forth about posting anything about the damage from Hurricane Sandy.
Let me first just start off by telling you that no matter where I go in my life New Jersey will always have my heart, my love and my soul. So being 2800 miles away from my friends and family has stirred emotions that I feel that I shouldn't have. I wasn't there when the devastation hit so why do I feel like my heart was ripped from my chest? At moments I feel that I do not have the right to feel that way. But logic wins. I do. I have been watching tons of media images and videos showing what is left of a place that created so many memories.
I have been going to Seaside Heights and Lavallette for as long as I can remember. No matter where you live in New Jersey you visit the Jersey Shore. I remember spending weekends at my grandparents in Toms River and at night we would go over the bridge to Seaside. I remember that excitement as you go over the bridge and you see all the pretty lights, lights that just invited you, welcomed you. They seemed to shout "Magic." I recalled my mother sharing her memories of when she was a child going to Seaside with her family. I remember her saying that the bridge was made out of wood! It scared her to go over that rickety bridge so she would close her eyes. I personally enjoyed when we got stuck on the bridge because it was raised. It was so cool to see it go up and down and watched the boats pass through. We would go to Lucky Leo's and play skee ball. Stop by Mid-Way for their ever so yummy sandwiches, play mini-golf, ride the rides and eat cotton candy. I recall having a stock pile of coins and tickets at home because my mom really wanted to trade them in for a Corning Ware dish. I thing she even got turkey salt and pepper shakers too. She still puts them out every Thanksgiving. I bet some of my cousins didn't know that. Sometimes my cousin Missy would take me and my brother there during the week just to switch up our routine.
If it wasn't going to my grandparents it would be the Spricigos beach house on San Fernando Dr in Lavallette. It was right across from the Monterey Mini Golf. We loved that mini golf. I think one of the reasons was that big water tower there. I remember us throwing stones just the hear the sound. Spend a day at the beach and sometimes head over to Point Pleasant boardwalk.
Of course as you grow up you do those things less and less. You start your own memories with your friends. For North/Central Jersey prom weekend was spent in Seaside. And of course my friends and joined the norm. I think about it now and laugh, we did some silly things that weekend. It was cold and rainy too. And then after high school, if we weren't going to NYC we were going to Seaside or Asbury Park. More crazy times and memories to go along with them. Asbury Park is where I meet my husband. The club we met at has long since been gone. It's a parking lot now. When our relationship started getting serious and we moved in together, we moved to Seaside Park, on 14th Ave. We lived there from September of 2002 to May of 2003. When it rained the road on the Bayside (Bayview) always flooded. We got a pretty decent amount of snow that winter too. So much snow that our friends Jay and Megan who only lived 7 blocks away got snowed in with us! The next morning we all bundled up and went exploring, we walked to the beach and the snow drifts had covered fence posts. It was a memorable time. After that we moved back across the bridge. I tried really hard to stay on the beach but we could find a rental that was big enough.
My apologies I did not intend that trip down memory lane to get as detailed and long as it did. Suffice to say I have made memories there. I am not the only one and know this not every house is just a summer rental. People planted roots there, saved up to live quietly my sea. Mother Nature is an amazing and fickle creature. For all the beauty she provides she also has to power to take it back. That is what happened with Hurricane Sandy. For whatever reason Mother Nature gave the sea to power take it all back. Now all of us that grew going to all the different shore towns, that brought life to those sandy beaches are left with memories of what was. It will never be the same. Our children will not know the Shore as we did. They will grow up and make their own memories of the new Jersey Shore.
The past week has just been filled with these jaw dropping images of not only New Jersey but New York City, Queens and Staten Island. They were all hit hard by the storm. Living on the Northeastern coast I believe we think that hurricanes can't hit us like this. As much as people prepared the areas in general weren't. It was a conversation with my cousin Missy that enlightened me. She and her family now live in Florida. The state itself is ready, electrical boxes are kept underground and poles are made out of stone. In Jersey there are above ground and made out of wood. Scary points for us were not being able to get in touch with family and some friends. All we could see is that it's gone.
It took two before was able to speak with my family. They live in Union county, and still today they are without power. I realized when speaking to my parents they didn't know how bad it really was. With no power, all the stores closed so no newspaper. It was so hard to tell them that so much was gone and that it would never be the same. Even my friend Malissa who lives in Point Pleasant and her mom whose house in on the beach in Manasquan, were in the dark. They could only see the destruction in front of them. They own a restaurant and for the last three or more days they started their own soup kitchen so to speak. Making hot meals for residents of Manasquan and relief workers. They also collected donations for their area. My heart breaks everyday and I wish I could have been there, be there. If you ever went to NJ please donate. Yes, Jerseyans can be gruff but we actually have hearts of gold. For all the jokes that are made about our little state, we take because we are made of stronger stuff. Here a few places that you can go to help the East Coast: If you are on the West Coast go to SendingSunshine.org. Also on Facebook you can go to Restore the Shore and buy their shirts and such. And of course you have the RedCross.org. Don't forget our furry friends aspca.org.
I had started to write a blog the other day talking about our upcoming move and things we were saying goodbye to this time last year. I deleted that because I just need to vent. I don't think I have clearly explained how much the universe and my body just HATE me. I'll sum it up for you with a quickness.
When driving out to California my head was full of all these wonderful dreams about new beginnings, about how California would be where we raise our kids. If you're a dude and you're reading this, stop here because I am going to talk about female things. So of course I'm driving and full of hope and BAM I get my period. I cannot explain how horrendous it is. The pain alone would make one cry. Imagine driving in a truck in the middle of country and there is nothing I can do but suck it up. Dream crushed. But ok move forward. Take that pain, which by the way feels like my insides are being ripped out and they are using a blow torch to do it.
So I will continue on with my sad little tale. I have no doubt that if someone is announcing they are expecting, I will get my period. I do not exaggerate. It is like the whole world has planned this elaborate joke at my expense.
So today and tomorrow we are moving to Long Beach, how exciting. Wait no here comes my period three days early. Am I crying, no. I am so far beyond that point. Fuming mad, livid. Unfucking believable.
No this is not a pity party, this is a LONG overdue rant. I will also include the worst piece of advice I got from a friend: "Why would you kids anyway? When I find out people are pregnant I just laugh because now they can't do anything." Yes that really happened when the one and only time I called her crying but I needed a shoulder. That was the last time I spoke to her. Fuck her and fuck my body for being a douche.
I didn't think I would writing a new blog so soon! The truth is I have been feeling homesick and quite miserable this week. Going back East was all I could think about, I was so lonely and lost. I was slowly letting it consume me. I was missing so many people and things. I was looking everyday to see if could find a cheap flight to go and visit. But with the impending move (hopefully) it just wasn't in the cards. Hopefully after the new year we can visit. Maybe we'll make a trip up to Northern California instead. We shall see. I reached out to someone who could relate. I asked her how she did it. Even though her move was only about two hours from where she grew up, I knew she felt homesick at times too. She cheered me up, as such is her nature, in her own unique way. She also told me to remember all the reasons I left. Such simple words but they meant so much. Thank you Danielle!
I love my family and friends so much so it can be very hard at times to be so far away from people that were/are such and important part of your life. I think did we make the right choice? Was it in vain? Did it happen just a little too fast? I would answer yes and no to all of those questions. Life is what you make it and the roads you choose are what makes life so interesting. I don't regret the move and I never will. I followed my heart. I won't live my life looking back at that moment thinking we should have stayed. Maybe one day the road will lead back to New Jersey or somewhere else on the East Coast. I took a risk and I am grateful that I even had the opportunity to do it.
Now it's been well over a year since we made that choice, since we started that travel blog and started giving away parts of our life in the home we had made. I can't believe how fast it's going by. Although I am not closer at this point to being a mom. I have had the time to search deep inside and think about so many different things. I have felt bruised and broken always asking "Why?" I have also felt complete and at peace. I'm happy and the best things are yet to be.
This is shorter than I intended it to be, however, I'll save the rest for another blog. Sooner rather than later.
First off I just want to state how much I hate that I use the word "journey" so much. Yes indeed this is a journey however, that word makes it sound like I am in some magical world and everything is all unicorns and seahorses. It's not it freaking sucks so much sometimes, well most times. On a side note unicorns and seahorses do rule.
OK, moving on. I just spent a week in sunny Florida with my family for my aunt and uncles 50th wedding anniversary. It was also her husbands parents 50th as well so a big party was planned. It was a crazy and fun week. I stayed with my cousin Missy and her family. I was so excited to be there! I haven't visited the Sunshine State in about ten years and it was great to be back. I would visit them almost every year. Missy and her husband Allen have six kids between them. The youngest is Sarah and she's 3 the oldest is Brian and he's 23. Needless to say it was crazy.
So many things went through my head that week. One of which was "How do they do it?!" I left LAX at 11:20 pm and arrived in West Palm Saturday at noon. I was exhausted and wired at the same time. Missy and RP picked me up with the 3 youngest. It was a bit of a culture shock for me. I just left my tiny very quiet apartment and was now about to be immersed in house full of people. Among other adventures that week brought it also included 2 songs being sung over and over and over again. Here is one:
And this is the second:
I feel it is only fair that all of you should be able to enjoy it as well. I really wish I had recorded Sarah singing the last one. She puts some soul into it I guess you would say. Love her. I now share a story that happened a few minutes before I arrived. The 3 younger ones wanted slushies so AJ (he will be 5 in November) accidentally broke the handle and slushie continued to rain down. Missy is freaking out and is just filling up cup after cup. RP walks away and finally 2 pilots came and helped stop the rain of slushie. Best story ever.
I was a little sad that Megan wasn't with them. I was thinking that she was going to run and give me a hug. I don't know what I was thinking. My little Muffin isn't so little anymore. She's 13 and is almost as tall as me. She's a soccer freak and so in love with One Direction. When I say that she is in love with them I am putting it mildly. We did have fun together being goofballs. I saw her play soccer and went school shopping with her. That was interesting. I would pick out folders and such that I thought she would like and they were all met with a no. She preferred plain solid colors to anything that had a little funk to them!
We also had to sharpen 48 pencils for Emily for first grade. 48! I remember when all you needed were 2 #2's. She also needed paper, paper towels, tissues, disinfecting wipes, six packs of crayons, the list goes on. I don't remember needing half that stuff. Emily has a big heart and smart for her age. She has a great imagination too. We would go everyday to the neighbor across the street to let their dog out and suck. Fancy is the smallest chihuahua I have encounter yet. I think maybe she weighed 5 pounds. She was sweet too and most little dogs like that are very nice. At least the ones I have encountered. Emily would feed her, check her water and play with her everyday. There is way more that goes with the Fancy story but I will leave that alone.
I spent most of the time swimming with the kids and my parents. AJ was calling me Alex for the first 3 days. He eventually got it right. They are great kids and make me laugh with all their questions and thoughts on the way things work. I also fell in love with whiskey sours. My Dad makes the best ones. I've made them since I've been home and they just don't taste the same. I can't believe no one ever told me about this awesomeness before!
It was relaxing and crazy at the same time. I think by day four I had decided that I didn't want kids. There was always something up and I was thinking I don't think I'm cut out for this! It was sort of a relief. I felt like I had been holding my breath for three and a half years. I had made up my mind. I was over this whole being a parent thing. I was just going to move on. I was so over it, all of it.
So moving on, the night before the party Emily and I were watching TV and we saw this huge bug flying all over the place and realized it was a grasshopper. I was thinking hell no am I going to be the one that catches this thing. Everyone else except for Megan was asleep. So I figured Megan can do this and when I asked her she had all the confidence that she could. So wrong. So, so wrong. It touched her hand and she FREAKED out and screamed and ran away. I put on my big girl pants and caught it with a cup and a piece of paper and set it free outside. I was quite proud of myself and the girls were impressed as well. Oh and Missy and Allen heard what was happening and sat in their room laughing. Gotta love my family :-)
The party was great. I love spending time with my family. The day of the party Allison and Wendy (Brian's girlfriend) and myself had to go and pick up two cakes and two trays of cookies for the club. Wendy got off lucky with the smaller lemon cake. I on the other hand had to hold this full on chocolate half sheet cake on my lap. A half a sheet cake feeds about 50 people it that helps. It was heavy and we had to keep the car ice cold. That wasn't that bad at first but by the time we were halfway back to the house all three of us were freezing. That cake was so heavy I couldn't even get out of the truck. Never a dull moment, love it!
My parents and I were leaving the day after the party very early in the morning. So the end of the night was a little bittersweet. I love being in California but it is hard being so far from my family. I missed them all and I hadn't even left yet. Needless to say my flight was postponed until Monday morning so I had an extra day. Having the extra day was great but I had already said all my goodbyes and now I had to do it twice. I love them all so much and can't wait to see them again.
Wait, did you actually believe I didn't want to have a kids anymore?! Fat chance! The moment I was on that plane I knew I could never ever give up. I missed them and all that craziness. Being there actually made it all real. I want to be a mom and everything that comes with it!
So it's been awhile. I kept meaning to write but every time i sat down, I just couldn't get the works out. I didn't know where I wanted to go with this post and this blog. I had actually thought about not writing it anymore. I mean you get the point we're infertile and sucks. Boo fricking hoo. So whether or not people read this, I do it for me and if people do read it and can relate well that's a bonus.
It's very natural for a woman struggling with infertility to cry or be upset when someone announces their pregnancy. I know I do. It doesn't matter how much I love that couple or how genuinely happy I am for them, it hurts every time. Yesterday was different. Someone announced they were expecting and I didn't cry or get mad. I laughed. I was so surprised and elated and a smile just didn't fit that moment so I laughed. I kept thinking I should be crying or yelling but I couldn't help but feel so happy. I don't know why. I've known her since I was 4 or 5. We haven't seen each other in years but she has reached out to me just to let me know she was there and so was her mom. Now I'm crying, go figure. We grew up together and grew apart in high school. And I can remember how hurt I was thinking that she changed and I had stayed the same. The truth was we both did. I look back at our "break-up" and everything she said was right. I changed first, I drifted away first. I can't believe it took me so long to see it. It's funny how open your mind becomes when you stop at look at yourself. So thank you my friend for having that big heart of yours. My mom says congratulations by the way and she probably already told Nanny, lol.
Wow this was not the direction I saw this going when I sat down. It needed to be said. I wanted to do this whole thing on things not to say to infertile couples. But I can save that for another times.
I waited to write this blog because I wanted to find out about our insurance plan. We received the packet that gives a basic outline of the coverage. I looked through it and it stated that infertility treatments may or may not be covered and if they are covered it would only be partial. It was like a punch in the gut. At the same time I was not surprised. So today I call the insurance company and found out for sure. They will pay to diagnose. They do not pay for infertility treatments.
I knew that when we moved out here to start a better life, to follow our hearts, that I would be taking a huge risk changing insurance plans. I left behind one that would pay for everything to one that leaves me speechless. Did I make the wrong choice? Everything pointed to here. I don't even know how to feel right now. So I guess we'll have the testing done again. Maybe a second opinion will help. But then again there isn't not much we would be able to afford if we did get a diagnosis. It's just one day at a time at this point.
That's all I really have to say. Sorry it's so short. I just wanted to update the blog.I know it should be longer. I should being expressing my anger, frustrations, sadness, etc. I just don't have it in me. I had prepared myself for this moment. It has now come and gone and I just have to surrender myself to life as it is. I have to have faith from this point on that everything I have done was for nothing.
I really want to take a step back from this up and down roller coaster of emotions and focus on the one thing that endures...love. Today is our five year wedding anniversary but we've been together much longer than that. So let's go back, to 1997. I know as some of you read this you might think that it's really mushy and a bit of overkill to be so in love. I don't care, I am happy and honest enough to admit how I feel and not feel ashamed to express it. Love is a very powerful emotion. I believe it is stronger then hate. Nanny use to say, "You can never hate someone, because you have to have loved them first." And "Don't say you hate, say you dislike intensely." A very wise woman and 30 years later I still remember them. She's taught me a lot and I am forever thankful.
So back to the story. This sounds cliche but it is true, From the first moment I saw Lenny I was immediately pulled to him. Yes, we were still in our teens and yes he was dating my friend. That does not mean we couldn't be friends. So friends we were. I just remember seeing him for the first time and thinking that I have to meet him. He was with a group of his friends so I pointed out the whole group and then I heard "That's my boyfriend Lenny." I remember being a little embarrassed, of course this would be my luck. Amanda and Lenny broke up a few months after that but, still remand friends. I wold see I'm every weekend starting on Friday in Asbury Park and then Saturday night at whatever party was going on. We had fun. As time moved forward we became closer friends. We shared happiness and heartbreak. He stayed single for a while and I started dating. I remember when I introduced Lenny to my boyfriend, Lenny was not a fan and no one my other friends were either. The boyfriend was not a fan on my friendship with Lenny at all. He thought Lenny and I were having a secret relationship. That was crazy talk, I did not drive and Lenny lived an hour away and I spent almost everyday with the boyfriend. He broke up with me a few days before Christmas. His reasons were absurd, I was in love with Lenny (not at the time, we really were friends) and that I was too expensive to date (I paid for everything). The reason I believe is that he was cheating on me with his ex. I think the best line he said was "Hey maybe if we run into each other again and we're single we can get back together." Umm, no.
So after that disaster I just spent more time with my girls and with Lenny. I was in denial with my feelings for him. All my relationships went for bad to worse and I was not thinking about starting a new one at that time. But as you know how I want my life to go and how it actually goes are very different things. I came home from a weekend of partying and was talking to my friend Colleen (yes we have the same name) I was telling her about it and what Lenny and I did and how much fun we had. She told me I was in love with him. I laughed at her and insisted we were just friends. After I got off the phone with her it hit and I knew it was all over. We started to spend even more time with each other. We would to parties without our friends and of course everyone could see what was happening. So in June of 1999 we became a couple. We've been together ever since.
We moved in together in August of 2002 in Seaside Park and then moved to Lakewood followed by our first apartment without room mates in Toms River. After that we bought our house in South Toms River and now here we are in La Habra, California. Each of those places has their own unique stories and memories. They shaped us to who we are today. We continue to grow as individuals and as a couple.
On September 9,2006 we went camping to Lake George, NY. It was the first time Lenny ever went camping. It was a very long drive and Lenny seems very anxious. We left at 10pm to drive up there to meet our other friends. We got lost and finally made it to the campsite at 3am. I was very tired and went right to sleep. Lenny stayed up with a few of our friends. Maybe a half hour later he wakes me up. Tells me I have to go see the lake...really?! It's 3am I am not going to see squat. But he insisted and that's when I knew my life was going to change. I knew he was going to ask me to marry him. You would think I would be happy but at that moment my first thought was that this a$$hole is waking me up, I feel dirty, I had no make up on and he wants to propose. I caved and went along with him. He takes me into the woods it's pitch black and he starts running. I felt like I was in a horror movie. We finally get to this clearing with a table with a radio on it and he sits me down. He says how much he loves me and that he made this song me. He presses play and our favorite Rise Against song plays and at the end he asks to marry me. Of course I said yes otherwise the title of this blog would be silly. It was not how I pictured it to be but, it was an evening I won't forget.
Eight months later on May 19, 2007 I married my best friend and I am so blessed. It all started with our love for music. Out of all our aspects of our wedding that we could be anal about it was the music we focused on. Since then we've shared our love for movies and art and everything in between. Every day is a gift. Everyday is an experience and whether we both live to see 100 or die tomorrow I will love him forever even after my heart stops beating. So happy anniversary to my best friend and thank you for each and everyday.
