$15

So, real quick, before my lunch break is over ... I have to share my exciting news with you.

I start my lupron shots in just 3 days as you can see from my countdown. So I went to the pharmacy to pick up the medicine as well as some stronger headache medicine that they have prescribed for me. The doctor said my headaches will go away when I go off the birth control pills so I just need to counter-act it for 10 more days.

I handed the checout lady our new "Travel Credit Card". Now, most of you know that JB and I don't believe in credit cards. However, we decided to get one of these travel cards so that we could put all our IVF money on it and earn some points before we pay all this money. (John wants to do IVF in style!)

I braced myself for her to say I owed $2,000. Seriously, I like to guess high-end so it isn't so much of a shock. I therefore went in planning on $2,000 but hoping for maybe, $1,000. But instead, she took the card and said, "$15." My jaw must have dropped to the counter because she said, "Is that not what you expected?"

I laughed. No that wasn't what I was expecting. My gonal shots for artificial insemination ran me at leat $600 bucks (and that didn't even always make me through a whole cycle.) Paying for my gonal would cause the checkout ladies to just slide me my receipt and say, "I won't read it out loud." Another time one of the teenage girls behind the counter shouted, "Holy buckets! That's more than my paycheck!"

But $15?!? If this was a joke, it was cruel. But it wasn't a joke. She told me that my insurance covered it and then looked it up to tell me how much it would be if they didn't. Brace yourself! $1,142. That's how much I was expecting to pay. But the grand total on our travel card? $15.

Now I suppose there is a chance that they will bill us, however, in the past, I have always had to pay up-front, so at least for the moment, I am enjoying spending only $15.

I tried to call JB but I got not answer. It would be funny if he read my blog before I talked to him. However, I have already decided: we need to go out for dinner tonite! I have got some heavy-duty headache medicine that means I can't drive but I have no headaches, and we have $1,127 that we weren't expecting.

That's means for some celebration!

Sharing some of you with some of you

I have a lot of friends and family who email me pictures. However, while I often print a few and put them in my scrapbook, I thought it would be fun to share pictures of my loyal blog readers with other loyal blog readers. So here's some pics of some people that check in on me from time to time.

What set of pictures would be complete without a picture of my niece Grace and her new little brother Nathan who, it appears, is all Italian! Grace is a light in my life. Yesterday I had a real rough day and came home to a letter addressed to her Uncle "Shay-bee" and Aunt Wendi with a picture she had drawn. She is truly precious.

Below is a picture of my friend Jodi's son, Keith. I worked with Jodi at St. Charles. Her husband, John, who is a surgeon, recently took a job in Alabama.

Another favorite for me is my newest goddaughter, Logan Rae Hunt daughter of Lee and Kristi Hunt. Logan recently vacationed in Destin. I loved this picture of her at the beach. It was last fall that Logan and Kristi visited Minnesota and John still talks about "one of the sweetest little girls he had ever met." Logan has such a sweet spirit. I wish everyone could meet her.

Jb's brother Matt has been in Missouri for nearly four months training for the Air Force ... oops, I mean Army! He graduates in May, and we are very proud of him and his new toned stomach. John's parents, brother Ray, Sister Elizabeth, and Matt's girlfriend Danielle are all going to make the trip for his graduation. We are hoping to go if our IVF schedule allows.

Kelly Gritter (Stegemoller) and I grew up together. Our parents were great friends when we were young children, and we went to school together from kindergarten through graduation day in 1995. I actually have a picture of my dad holding Kelly on the day I was born. Kelly now has three children: Hailey, Shelby, and now Dylan. Kelly has been a blessing to me on our infertility journey as she struggled with secondary infertility and was then not only blessed with Shelby, but unexpectedly, Dylan. Her husband Kevin is holding Shelby.

Deanna Wilson sent me this picture a few weeks back. Deanna is our friend Ronnie's brother, and are the parents of our three godkids: Jessie (left), Sam, and Grace. We met Mike and Deanna back in good ol' Kentucky. We are excited that Deanna and the kids are going to come up for English Ray's graduation in June.

So there are some of the faces that check in on my blog periodically. I'm not trying to leave anyone out but just thought it would be nice if you were all able to check-in on each other.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Days until I start Lupron: 4

Days until I go off birth control pills:9

Days until I start stims: 15

I'm Not the Only One! (by JB)

The “Rural Renaissance” movement, as it has been recently named, is being noticed as more and more people are moving back to the country. Here are some interesting quotes from sociologists and government agencies:

"The new arrivals are a mixed lot of retirees, blue-collar workers, lone-eagle professionals, and disenchanted city dwellers; all see a better way of life..."

“More people are moving from urban to rural areas and fewer rural people are leaving. Most rural areas in the U.S. are now growing at the fastest rate in more than 20 years, only the second period of widespread rural growth in 80 years.”

"Data from the 2000 Census reveal that [rural] areas of the United States contained 56.1 million residents, a gain of 5.6 million since April of 1990. In all, 1,702 of 2,303 nonmetropolitan counties grew between 1990 and 2000; 662 more than during the 1980s. Most of the growth came from net migration rather than from the natural increase (births-deaths) that has traditionally fueled nonmetropolitan growth."

“The increasing propensity for those in their 30s (and their children) to move to or remain in rural areas...under-65 age group may now be contributing much more to the rural migration than those over 65."

Source: The Rural Rebound: Recent Nonmetropilitan Demographic Trends in the United States by Kenneth Johnson and Calvin Beale, 1999.

"Where large, industrial-style farms impose a scorched-earth mentality on resource management -- no trees, no wildlife, endless monoculture -- small farmers can be very effective stewards of natural resources and soil...preserving biodiversity, open space, and trees, and reducing land degradation."

"In the United States, small farmers devote 17 percent of their area to woodlands, compared to only five percent on large farms, and keep nearly twice as much of their land in "soil improving uses."

Source: Institute for Food and Development Policy, Backgrounder, Winter 1999, Vol. 6, No. 4.

"Rural America is home to a fifth of the Nation's people, keeper of natural amenities and natural treasures, and safeguard of a unique part of American culture, tradition and history, [comprising] over 2,000 counties and containing 75 percent of the Nation's land."

Source: the US Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service

Interesting...

Say it ain't so: Airlines charging for long legs

Well after showing you my legs in my last post, I thought I would continue talking about legs.

My legs cause me problems on some occasions.

If you didn't know, I am 6'3". However, my husband is also 6'3" and leg room isn't nearly as big of an issue for him. That's because despite the fact that we are the same height, I wear a 37" inseam. He wears a 34" inseam. Little known fact: women, naturally, have longer legs and shorter torsos.

I have found many instances that the world is prejudiced against tall people. These include:

• Bathroom stalls with low walls
• Bathroom sink counters that are way too low
• Kitchen counters that are way too low
• Desks that are so low so your knees hit the top of them
• Computer monitors set too low so you strain your neck
• Chairs with shallow girth
• The subway at Mayo (there are a few places I have to duck)

For the most part, these small inconveniences aren't a problem for me. I often joke that I am "bendy wendy". Normally, friends will give me the front seat when in a car, however, even in the back seat, I can usually tuck my legs in somehow and make due.

(Although I spell my name with an "i" so maybe it should be bendi wendi.)

(Well, it still rhymes if I spell them both correctly. We'll go with Bendy Wendi.)

The one place that my leg length has always been frustrating is on airplanes. There are some planes that I canNOT fit my legs in straight (I have to sit sideways.) Talk about uncomfortable. I have never been able to cross my legs while on a plane. And if the person puts their chair back, I am dead meat.

Kristi shut up!*

However, I have had good success with requesting an exit row or bulk head (the front row seats.) Even an aisle is helpful.

Lately, the airline industry has recently been figuring all kinds of ways that they can make extra money. I heard one airline removed olives from their salads and have saved $40,000 a year! Some are charging for pillows, blankets, food, drinks, and now, some are going to charge for getting to pick your seat ahead of time. And . . . say it ain't so! Rumor has it they are now going to start charging to buy a seat with good leg room.

As John Stossel would say: GIVE ME A BREAK! Charge me because I am tall. How discriminatory is that?

I did find a website that can help me somewhat. It's called the SEAT GURU. It will actually tell you how much each airline and each plane has in each row.

In the meantime, I think I am going to start budgeting for first class. What will they think of next.

*My best bud Kristi disagrees with my prevention method for people putting their seat chair back. I put my knees in their chair to prevent backward-seat-droppage. Kristi says I get a little aggressive. I completely disagree.

And the countdown continues ... (As a side note, I haven't had a full-blown headache since last Thursday. Thanks for the prayers.)

* * * * * * * * * * *

Days until I start Lupron: 5

Days until I go off birth control pills:10

Days until I start stims: 16

Today we saw our legs

I have so many people who are reading this blog who reside in a warmer state -- which is basically any state other than Minnesota. I don't know if any of you can truly appreciate what an amazing Monday we had yesterday.

My sister-in-law Gabbi checked the weather for me while I was at work and Im'med me with the hard facts. It was actually WARMER in MINNESOTA than it was in FLORIDA on Monday. Gabbi said the Weather Channel was confessing 75 in Minnesota and 70 in Fort Lauderdale.

Read it and weep my bragging Carribean compardres!

After work JB and I actually went for a walk in SHORTS!!! Before taking a look at the picture below, put your sunglasses on. These could be the whitest Floridian legs you have ever seen. But we actually walked without pants on, without a jacket on, without a hat, or gloves or anything. And we were very proud.

In other news, JB left the Spring Break life yesterday and entered his 4-week Psych rotation. He isn't extremely excited about Psychiatry but the hours are pretty good. 8-5 every day with an hour from lunch. He has 4 nights of "call" which only lasts until midnight.

And the countdown continues ...

* * * * * * * * * * *

Days until I start Lupron: 6

Days until I go off birth control pills:11

Days until I start stims: 17

Sunday on the Mississippi

We don't sleep in much. It's just not in our blood. But every Sunday, when we try to sleep in, we are instantly reminded that there is a church next to our condo, and that that church plays its bells at the start of its first service on Sunday mornings. They bells go off at eight o'clock sharp, and they go off for quite some time.

I realized today, that even with ear plugs in, which we both sometimes wear when we want to sleep in, we have never slept through the bells. We may return to sleep once they cease, but they highlight our weekend, every weekend.

We managed to toss and turn for another hour, and finally climbed out of bed around 9 a.m. We had missed first service at church but were planning on going to the 10:30 when JB decided we needed some outdoors on this 60 degree day. I of course told him that we should go to church. He of course told me not to be a legalist. We stopped at the grocery store to pick up some food for a picnic lunch (chips and salsa, crackers and cheese, grapes, and bananas, wine and juice) and headed to Frontenac State Park, about ninety minutes from Rochester.

What a beautiful day. We ate lunch and then hiked down to the water. It was a fairly easy half mile down to the Mississippi river and Lake Pepin (which is basically just a big bulge in the river), but the upswing required 2 stops for rest due to the hundreds of steps and stairs. Quite a view though as illustrated in the pictures below:

We left the park about two hours later and made a few stops on the way home including a close-up view with a duck JB had never seen. Probably for good reason. It's name: the Northern Shoveler, indicates that they aren't running rampant in the Florida Caribbean. Only a visit to his nature book revealed their true identity. We had a great time watching them scour the lake with their butts in the air searching for food. Here's a few pics of this beautiful duck:

I have actually been getting into birds more. On the way home I successfully identified a turkey vulture and red-tailed hawk, much impressing my professor (aka JB).

We also went through two very historic towns on our way back to Rochester (and I say this with a tad bit of sarcasm in my "voice"). Wabasha is known for the fact that it was where the movie Grumpy old Men was set. Most of the movie wasn't actually filmed in Wabasha itself, but it's still a great bragging point for this little town -- they had quite a few billboards advertising the fact.

We also stopped at this pier in Lake City, Minnesota, on the way back to Rochester. Did you know that water skiing was actually invented in Lake City, Minnesota? It's true! Eighteen year old Ralph W. Samuelson invented the sport back in 1922 on this lake.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Days until I start Lupron: 7

Days until I go off birth control pills:11

Days until I start stims: 18

A trip to the park

Yesterday I did something that I haven't done in over three years.

I went to the park.

It was Melissa Phillip's birthday and Christo wanted to take her out to dinner so I got to spend some time with Karuna. I truly enjoy these occasions. Karuna is precious and loves to come over to our house. She knows just where her toy drawer is and has me read every book she owns at least 50 times. Every time she comes over she has added tons of words to her vocabulary and this time she could now tell me where her clavicle is. (Do all you adults out there even know that?)

It was a nice day outside, and JB was at nerdfest as school. This is where medical students bring in their computers and "game" (play video games against each other.) They will usually do this for hours on end. JB usually just plays for a few hours and then has everyone give him a hard time when he "goes home to his wife."

So I decided to take Karuna to the park while JB was gaming. On my way there I realized that beside a quick visit with my niece Grace when she came to visit, I have been avoiding the park since our infertility journey began.

As Karuna and I walked among the dozens of children and their parents, I realized that I have truly come to a place of peace in my journey. I didn't cry, I didn't feel jealous, and I didn't size up the women who had children and whether they deserved them. In fact, I have realized, that all the places John and I had been avoiding over the last few years -- the mall, zoos, parks etc. are no longer taboo to me.

This felt like a big step.

I think all this avoidance started midway through our tries with artificial insemination. We were at the Mall of America when the phone rang. It was the nurse at the infertility clinic, and the moment she said my name, I knew it was again, disappointing results. "Wendi you have too many eggs again. Dr. Tummond feels that your chance of multiples is way too high. He's canceling your cycle."

$2,000 worth of drugs, appointments, and blood draws. 6 ultrasounds in the course of 8 days. 6 blood draws in the same time span. Twelve horrid shots with thick hormones and there would be no attempt at pregnancy. They'd give me drugs to stop everything, send me home, and maybe, if everything cleared up, in two months, we could start it all again.

We did start it again. We started it seven times and then decided our hearts couldn't take it anymore.

However, being at the mall when you get this call proved to be a rather poor choice. Did you know that malls are breeding grounds? Everywhere we turned there were babies, pregnant bellies, maternity stores, kids screaming, families walking. John and I had come with friends -- otherwise we would have left immediately. Instead we found a bench in a hallway, people-less, to sit and talk and cry. (Well, I cried. JB kept telling me to take a breath!)

From that point on I made the decision that it was okay to avoid painful events. Baby showers, church on dedication Sunday or Mother's Day, children's birthday parties, the mall, and yes, the park.

But yesterday, despite the fact that we still don't have a child in our house, I went to the park and had a wonderful time. I truly have found peace, and I am so blessed to be able to say that.
I can't promise that when the drugs start in a few days, my body will still feel so peaceful, but for now, my heart is at rest, and I know that only the Lord can give me that.

We returned home and were joined by our friends Tara, Ajit, and Sean for dinner and Walk the Line. It was a wonderful evening, and I went to bed so blessed that even while the Lord hasn't answered my prayers in the way that I hoped, he has brought me the peace I so desperately begged for.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Days until I start Lupron: 8

Days until I go off birth control pills:12

Days until I start stims: 19

I am PUMPED!

As you read more and more of my writing oh loyal blog readers, it will become obvious that I like to find a theme and run with it. Today's theme is the word "PUMPED".

I am PUMPED!

And no, it is not because I have now gone nearly two days without a headache! (Although that absolutely makes me pumped!)

I have mentioned a few other times that I write for Rochester Women magazine. I have done 4 articles in 3 different issues (and even got one cover story). However, they haven't used me for the last two issues, and I was getting a little "punchy." (I never use the word "punchy" and am not sure this is the correct spot to slip it in, but I'm going for it. I think you can feel the intent.)

Not getting an article is not a big deal. There are a lot of writers, and I am fairly new. I understand how things work.

However, my editor contacted me last week and said that she had a story for me. Oh yeah! Pumped!

As soon as Ellie tells me she has a story for me, I am hit with a wave of emotion. I always get excited and nervous all at once. I love to write, but calling the person for an interview is nerve-wracking for me (see my previous post on my telephone phobia).

Another nerve-impacter? Actually hitting the "send" button which pushes my finished story from my computer, into cyberspace, and onto the desk of my editor. Agony. Picture the scene. A living room in Minnesota. Wendi has a pencil tucked behind her ear and her glasses perched low on her nose. Her fingers hover precariously over the keyboard.

(Okay not really, but geez, that's good imagery.)

Wendi: "John can I read it to you one more time? Please."
John: "NO! No way! Just hit send would you? It's good. She'll like it."
Wendi: "But what about this one paragraph? Do you think it works?"
John: (Begins to look green and incredibly frustrated.)
Wendi: (Finally hits send)
John: "There, don't you feel better?"
Wendi: (Doesn't hear him. Too busy rereading. She hit stop before it actually sent.)

Okay, real-world time again. Ellie tells me how much she is paying me, and as always, the pay is good but the last thing from my mind. I get to write another story!

I AM PUMPED!

Sick to my stomach but pumped.

However, this issue, getting a story isn't the real reason I am PUMPED. I am PUMPED because of what this story is about. This story is RIGHT up my alley for multiple reasons.

Unfortunatley, I can't tell you what any of those reasons are.

I am sworn to secrecy! If there weren't any blog readers who lived in Minnesota (way to go you guys ...), I could share, but alas ... no can do.

I cannot WAIT to share this story with my loyal blog readers and the entire world of Rochester, Minnesota!

When the issue comes out.

On May 1.

But for now, just believe me when I say that this is an awesome story even though I am telling you nothing about it.

And believe me when I say I am PUMPED!

* * * * * * * * * * *

Days until I start Lupron: 9

Days until I go off birth control pills:13

Days until I start stims: 20

Phone Phobia: IT'S REAL

So those of you who know me well know that I do NOT like to talk on the phone.

I always thought that this was just something that I alone struggled with and so I tried to fake my way through it. However, the other day, I was watching Oprah and who woulda thunk it but Faith Hill of all people mentioned her extreme dislike for talking on the phone.

I have another friend, Melissa Phillip who is another phone-friend-phobia person. Truth be known: in the two years we have been friends, we have never talked to each other on the phone. And second truth to be known: our friendship is doing just fine.

Another truth: I was not like most teenagers. When I was a teen I avoided talking on the phone as well. Cell phones were not exciting to me. Now I might have to talk when I am away from my house as well.

Yesterday on my way to work, I ran into my friend Ajit. He was on the phone with his mother and I heard him say, "Hey mom, you want to say hi to Wendi?" I quickly shook my head and dodged the offer. Talking to a stranger is absolutely horrific!

So today I searched online for "Phone Phobia"and actually got 16,500 hits! Not surprisingly it is actually called: Telephonophobia. Now, I know this sounds strange and terribly predictable, but, seriously, they actually have websites out there offering counseling services for this disorder. No joke!

So what is this origin of this disorder? One website commented:

"Like all fears and phobias, phone phobia is created by the unconscious mind as a protective mechanism. At some point in your past, there was likely an event linking telephones and emotional trauma. Whilst the original catalyst may have been a real-life scare of some kind, the condition can also be triggered by myriad, benign events like movies, TV, or perhaps seeing someone else experience trauma."

That sounds pretty stupid to me. However, there may actually be some truth in it.

All my life I have attributed my phone phobia to some pervert who called me when I was about twelve years old. I can vividly remember the phone call, my dad, brother, and cousin Jeremy playing cards in the other room around our circular black endtable, and this pervert manipulating me into staying on the phone with him.

However I, honestly, do not know if this is the cause. I think that quite possibly, there is no real root of my phobia. I just don't like talking on the phone.

My first saving grace from talking on the phone was an answering machine. I could screen my calls, and if I wasn't emotionally ready to handle the call, I could wait and call them back when I felt more prepared. However, answering machines were blown out of the water by a new wave of technology!

Email and instant messenger were the BEST things that could have ever happened to me! Suddenly I had an acceptable way to communicate that didn't entail any talking whatsoever. I was saved forever.

Anyways, there is really not a major point to this post. If there is a lesson to be learned, it is a reminder to all my friends and family to not despair because I don't call often. It's just a little telephonphobia.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Days until I start Lupron: 10

Days until I go off birth control pills:14

Days until I start stims: 21

Random thoughts

Okay, my head is often random. Here is what is randomly in it right now.

American Idol. Very disappointed that Mandisa is gone. Although I don't vote so Ryan Seacrest told me I can't complain if I don't vote. But really. Please America (those of you who do vote), can you please vote off "Ace I'm-in-love-with-own-face Young". He drives me crazy. So long Mandisa. I thought you definitely should have stayed longer than Ace.

Okay, speaking of American Idol, Kenny Rogers made a guest appearance. Have you all seen him recently? Take a look yourself at his picture from years ago and then take a look at the current picture and tell me if you don't see something fishy? What did happen to Kenny Roger's face?

Speaking of TV, since my thoughts often run in themes, and tomorrow night is Survivor, I am also upset about Survivor right now. Unfortunately, the group I don't like has the edge, and it appears that they are going to knock my favorites off one by one. This sucks! I cannot bear to watch Shane through the entire show. He drives me crazy too. Maybe even more than Ace.

I was relieved recently to discover (while I am still on the theme of TV) that they took the show Inconceivable off the air. Set in a fertility clinic, the first shows featured couples who got the wrong embryos on accident and doctors volunteering to do the impregnating. (I didn't watch it. This was a review I read.) Needless to say, my infertile circle was not very happy with this. I sent a letter and so did some other people and it's gone. Not sure if it was the letters, but I am happy nonetheless.

Speaking of letters ... I'm not sure if I should write another one, but they have posted a note that they have decided (after much discussion) to close down our hot tub for good. Again, not happy about this. Currently the notice is very small. I am just waiting for one of the older people in our building who don't give a crap what anyone thinks to see this note and draw attention to it. JB said he should actually highlight it just want to watch the fireworks go off. I'll keep you posted on this. Right now the closing date is May 1st. This currently doesn't bother us much. Neither of us are allowed in the hot tub via doctor's orders until after IVF. However, once IVF is over, I would like to return. Alas ...

Jb has been on Spring Break this week and has been working on our bathrooms. You should see what he is doing! Actually, I think I will show you what he is doing sometime soon with some pictures on my blog.

Did you know that yesterday at 1:02:03 it was actually 1:02:03 04/05/06. Kathleen sent this to me yesterday. This is the only time that this will ever happen. Quite interesting.

Okay, and my countdown. I'm going to keep that going as well. It looks even better today.

Days until I start Lupron: 11

Days until I go off birth control pills:15

Days until I start stims: 22

Diets, diets everywhere... What in the world should I eat?

(Need I tell you JB wrote this post?)

Carbs are bad. Meat is bad. Fat is bad. Some fat is good. Some carbs are good. Eat fewer calories. Eat smaller meals. Eat more frequent meals. Eat frequent smaller meals.

AAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

There are a lot of diet plans out there, and a many of them contradict each other. I’m going to go through some of the most popular plans, describe them, and then explain the pros and cons of them. So let’s get started.

LOW CALORIE DIETS

Slim Fast

The plan: Have a shake or a bar for breakfast and one for lunch, then eat a “sensible” dinner.

The good: This diet is one of the only ones proven to have long term success.

The bad: Drinking two meals a day can be hard to sustain. Also, this diet doesn’t teach a person how to eat. As soon as the diet is done, a person often goes right back to eating the way they did in the beginning.

Jenny Craig

The plan: Prepackaged meals. You eat these and you consume less calories.

The good: The ultimate goal is to help change lifestyle and eating habits of participants so that by the time they have reached their pre-chosen goal weight, they no longer need to rely on pre packaged food, pre-planned menus, or consultations to maintain a healthy lifestyle. If a person can learn this they will have a lifetime of health before them.

The bad: Expensive!

Weight Watchers

The plan: This plan has two options. The first option is the Points Plan where each food item has varying points, and they only get a certain number of points per day. The second option is the Core Plan where a person can eat any of the foods on the approved list from each major food category.

The good: This plan can teach a person to eat right for life.

The bad: People have a hard time “counting” and they also have a hard time eating only foods on the list.

LOW FAT DIETS

The Dean Ornish Diet

The plan: This vegetarian diet emphasizes low fat foods which includes legumes and other high-fiber foods.

The good: Americans eat way too much of the bad fats and not enough fruits and veggies – this diet tries to reverse that. This is really good.

The bad: Vegetarian diets are not my idea of a good eating plan (you can read my previous post). Also, vegetarian diets don’t last long for people who were not vegetarians.

There are other low fat diets, and they all say that a high fat diet causes major health problems like heart disease, stroke, and cancer. This is partially true. A big problem with low fat diets is that the good fats (which can lower your risk for these diseases) are avoided - this is just wrong!

LOW CARB DIETS

Atkins Diet

The plan: Severe restriction of all carbs in the early phases with the addition of good carbs later. Lots of protein, in all forms, is highly promoted.

The good: Gets rid of processed foods! The final stages are actually pretty healthy in my opinion.

The bad: This diet has got people thinking all carbohydrates are bad. They are not! Almost all fruits and vegetables are great for you. It is the processed carbs this diet warns against, but pop culture has missed that part. A big problem with this diet is that it is hard to make the switch from the first phase (high protein and fat and almost no carbs) to the final stage (good carbs and moderate protein and good fats). Also, it does not steer people away from saturated fats (the bad ones), in fact, Atkins tells people to eat the fat on the meat. Research shows that the weight lost on the Atkins diet is usually regained within a year.

South Beach Diet

The plan: Very similar to the Atkins Diet. The difference is that it promotes good fats over bad fats, and there is less restriction of good carbs.

The good: A much better, balanced approach to eating. If I were going to use an established diet plan, then this is the one I would use.

The bad: As with any diet plan, people see it as a transient thing. They get on it and lose some weight, and then they go back to how they were eating at the start. If a person could follow this plan for life, it wouldn’t be bad.

The Evolution Diet and the Paleolithic Diet are variations of the Atkins Diet.

OTHER DIET PLANS

Body-For-Life

The plan: 12-week diet and exercise program with increased protein, lower calories, and more frequent meals.

The good: Quick results in the mirror motivates people to stick with it.

The bad: Focuses on body image. High rebound weight gain.

Hallelujah Diet

The plan: Vegetarian, raw-food diet that is “biblically” based. Specifically targeted at the charismatic side of the church.

The good: Hmmm. This one is hard, but one good thing is that it promotes more fruits and veggies. Also, it promotes thinking positively about your health.

The bad: I disagree with the premise of the diet on theological grounds. I disagree with the diet on nutritional grounds. And I disagree on financial grounds, because the founder of this diet recommends taking his supplements which add up to over $2000 a year. Avoid this diet, please. Ask me if you want more info on it.

CLOSING THOUGHTS
There are many diet plans. Some are better, more nutritionally sound, than others. But a diet must do two things. It must help a person loose their excess weight, AND it must help a person to sustain a healthy weight for life. If you are going to choose a diet, stick with it until you get to you goal weight. More importantly though, find a way to maintain the weight you have lost.

What plan do I recommend? None of the above! I guess it would be a diet mutt – one part South Beach, one part Mayo Clinic philosophy, one part Mediterranean culture, and one part consisting of my own ideas – I’ll call it the Kit. Diet. For some reason though, that just doesn’t sound like a good title for a book. Maybe I should work on a more marketable name!

I'll post my philosophy on eating at another time.

Countdowns

Okay, so I have three different countdowns to discuss with you today:

(1) The picture above is of my Aunt Janet and their first granddaughter Maia, daughter of Bryan and Cara Hurley. Janet sent some pictures today so I picked one to share. The countdown to Maia's birth is now past. (Okay just stay with me here. This helps my blog's theme.)

(2) You can still vote for my cousin Josh's song WALK WITH ME which is on the Indie Countdown. It was up to 23 but is has now slipped to 27. You can actually vote every 24 hours.

(3) I would seriously covet anyone and everyone' s prayers for my headaches right now and my dear husband's patience. The headaches have gotten to a point where I sometimes feel at my wit's end. I want to cry, but John said that will make it worse so anytime my eyes start to fill up with tears, he quickly starts talking me down. As I mentioned yesterday, I took a Tylenol with Codeine at about 5:00. This helped the headache but left me feeling like I was floating somewhere not quite on this planet. I told JB I wasn't sure what I would rather have: a headache or a feeling of not knowing up from down. John said he was sure that he liked me better drugged because at least he could talk, watch TV, turn on the lights -- anything. Poor guy. I have tried to keep my headaches on the down-low with my co-workers but today two of them came up to me and if I was okay because my eyes looked so glazed. I admitted it's been a rough few weeks. All of this brings me to my last COUNTDOWN ITEM.

(4) I have decided to start a "COUNTDOWN TO IVF". I know this whole IVF thing is way too complicated for some of you (it throws me for a loop and I'm doing it) so I thought would educate everyone slowly. The whole procedure actually begins the day I start taking Lupron shots. Some of you have asked me what the Lupron is used for. Here is a definition:

Lupron® is a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist. It inhibits the pituitary gland's ability to control the ovary and, therefore, has been used to reduce the likelihood of unintended ovulation during assisted reproduction treatment cycles.

All right, enough education for one day. Here is my countdown. Count with me everyone! It looks a lot closer when I see the days written out so clearly.

Days until I start Lupron: 13

Days until I go off birth control pills:17

Days until I start stims: 24 (approximately)

All right, that's enough counting for one day.

The Dog Blawg

So, I have told you before about my friend Kelsey. Kelsey is a cool friend. She works with me at RLS, and she is married to John's classmate Danny.

Today Kelsey and I got into a conversation about animal personalities. Actually it was a discussion about work which turned into why I liked being an employee and why she will definitely be a boss someday and which dog personality she is compared to which dog personality I am because I just want to follow orders while she wants to give them.

This flashed me back to when I was back at St. Charles High School; I actually started this blog after my teaching career came to a temporary (or permanent ... yet to be decided) pause. (Now that I think about it, this blog would be all the more interesting if I could still include my teaching stories.)

My mentor teacher Mr. Smith told me that my "golden retriever" personality was the cause of my need to get out of teaching. I wasn't sure I understood what he meant.

So today after work, I had a KILLER headache. It was so bad I resorted to my Tylenol with Codeine. Normally I take these before bed, but I was desperate. This left my head feeling much better but my body feeling very loopy.

Actually I was just loopy enough to turn my conversation with Kelsey into a blog entry. Not just any blog, but a dog "blawg". (You need to pronounce it "blawg" to get the full rhyming effect.)

I found TONS of sites with information about dog personalities. And actually, if I wanted to, I could have branched into animal personalities which presents a whole new set of options. However, I decided to limit the options and simply stick with dogs.

So, here's one we can all do together.

Tell me. If I asked you to CHANGE A LIGHTBULB, what would be your response?

• Light bulb? What light bulb?
• The sun is shining, the day is young, we've got our whole lives ahead of us, and you're worrying about a burned out light bulb?
• Just one. And I'll replace any wiring that's not up to code.
• I can't reach the stupid lamp!
• I'll just blow in someone else's ear and he'll do it.
• Make me!
• Pull-leeze, dahling, I have servants for that kind of thing.
• Oh, me, me!!!! Pleeeeeasze let me change the light bulb. Can I? Can I? Huh? Huh? Can I?
• Let someone else do it. You can feed me while he's busy.
• Why change it? I can still pee on the carpet in the dark.
• While it's dark, I'm going to sleep on the couch.
• I am NOT afraid of the dark.
• Light bulb? Light bulb? That thing I ate was a light bulb?
• Light bulb?!? I ate the light bulb, and the lamp, and the coffee table it sat on, and the carpet under the coffee table and ...
• You need light to see?

Okay, did you pick your response? Once you have, click: HERE to find out which kind of dog you are.

Okay, so after the lightbulb quiz, I agreed here with Mr. Smith that I was a Golden Retriever, and I began to wonder if there was anything to these tests.

So I tried another site. You can try to if you want. Try the tickle test by clicking HERE. (Warning, they put up a few stupid advertisement questions in the middle of this one.)

I found out that I actually wasn't a Golden Retriever. Lo and behold, I was a: Bernese Mountain Dog!

No bones about it, you're a good-hearted, people-loving Bernese Mountain Dog. Down-to-earth and loyal, no one works or plays harder than you do. You put your nose to the grindstone when it really counts, but you never neglect your social calendar. Simultaneously strong and sweet, you're very tuned-in to the feelings and needs of the other dogs you run with. Without having to be asked, you always have a helping paw to lend and a sympathetic shoulder to lean on. "Communication" is your middle name, and when that's paired with your unswerving devotion, you get a breed that everyone respects and trusts. Woof!

This result confused me. Retrievers ... Mountain dogs? This wasn't helping. So I clicked HERE to figure out what I really was. Unfortunately this site indicated I was very confused:

28.6% German Shepherd, 28.6% Lhasa Apso, 28.6% Cocker Spaniel ... that was no help at all. Ladies and gentlemen, according to this site I am a good, old fashioned -- MUTT!

So I tried another website. (You can try it by clicking HERE and then clicking on "game"). I thought this one might actually have something to it. The anchors on Good Morning America did it. Diane Sawyer was a Bergamasco Sheepdog.

Wouldn't you know it. After taking this test I found out that I'm actually a Welsh Springer Spaniel. Can't you tell? Look at this description:

A loyal and hardworking gun dog that is excellent at swimming and sniffing. Generally a jock of a dog, preferring the company of men with guns, but under certain circumstances will make a perfectly contented domestic animal.

Huh?

So Kelsey, it's safe to say, I think that all this dog personality stuff, is, quite frankly, for the dogs. Alas, I really thought we had something.

P.S. Oh, and how about it. What kind of dog were you? Comment away. Oh and please no anonymous posts. If you are going to post, let us know who you are (Mom!)

We start IVF this month

I have waited a long time to say this.

We start IVF this month. This month!

On April 21st I will start my shots of Lupron. On April 23rd, I go off the birth control pills. Two days after that I will go in for an ultrasound and if everything looks good, we will start the Gonal shots which will help my follicles (a.k.a "eggs") to grow. We are projecting a "retrival" (when they go and get the eggs) of around May 8-10 and a "transfer", when they return two fertilized embryos about 3 days after this.

The month is finally here! We are very, very, very excited about this.

Photos from the weekend

We are home. We left Illinois around 10:30, stopped in the Wisconsin Dells for lunch on the river, and made it back to Rochester around 6:00 p.m. Here are the promised pictures from the weekend.

JB attempting to smile through the pain of Chicago traffic.

Kathleen with Cullen after his bath. She had to chase naked Cullen down in the living room and cover him with his froggie towel.

Cullen's new t-shirt.

I'm not sure what this store is, but JB and I got a kick out of it. Those who know me well, or know me from my teenage years, know that I refuse to be a ... "Girly girl." We had to take a picture of my theme store.

Jb with Cullen (left) and Josh and Sarah's oldest son, Tyler.

Tyler with his "daddy" Josh.

Tyler's fun and bonding is made up of wrestling to which JB immediately got in the mix.

More wrestling. Cullen is trying to get involved but is a little too slow on the take.

Josh throwing Tyler into the camera.

Introducing the new baby, Jordan Kyle.

Sarah reading a book with her nephew, Cullen.

Heading back to good ol' Roch

Well it is Sunday morning at what should be 8:30 but is actually 9:30 due to the time change. JB and I were going to meet Janet and Ed this afternoon for lunch at an arboretum but their daughter Cara had her baby last night.

Maia Kirsten Hurley came in at 9 pounds and 9 ounces. Now for those of you who don't know my family, please know that my cousin Cara does not belong to the "big people" side of the family (my Dad's.) Cara belongs to my side, who, while above average, are very normally sized. So for Cara, who is very petite and very average height, this was a VERY large baby. Two pounds more than she was herself at birth. However, we are so blesed that Maia and Cara are doing so well. There were a lot of people praying for this pregnancy and delivery.

So, as Ed and Janet have been up since 1:00 yesterday, we decided to let them out of their commitment to meet us for lunch. You are lucky we are so understanding guys! :)

Instead, Kathleen is making some pancakes and JB and I will take off a little earlier and maybe stop for a lunch together somewhere to break up the trip.

Yesterday, I got to see Josh & Sarah, Tyler, (who has gotten a lot taller), and the newest addition: Jordan Kyle. He is, and I mean this quite honestly (because we all say it even when we don't mean it), a very handsome newborn. I will include pictures when we get back to Rochester laster today as I took quite a few.

Yesterday I also got to see my Grama Huisman. John cooked breakfast over here at Jason and Kathleen's and Grama and him talked medical stuff for quite some time. Grama also clobbered us with an April Fool's about her getting married!!! JB and I were absolutely speechless for quite a few uncomfortable moments.

Again, I'll add some pics later.

Visiting the Chicago Fam

Hi all! Just posting quickly this afternoon from Jason & Kathleen's computer. We got in last night about 7:30. I have realized that my dear husband only gets in a bad mood regarding one thing in life and that is traffic. As soon as we get two hours from the city, he changes his mind about our decision to come. The traffic in the Chicago area is just ATROCIOUS and it doesn't seem to matter what time we hit it. One guy literally laid on the horn behind a guy for ten minutes straight. When he finally got past he finished that off with a delightful gesture. Fort Lauderdale, Chicago ... needless to say we know where we don't want to live.

But we got in last night around 7:30, hung out with Kathleen and Cullen and then Jason got home from his baseball game and we had a fantastic dinner (courtesy of Kathleen -- stuffed peppers and rolls). Jason and JB closed off the night with a trip to Culver's. I love being on the road -- an excuse to pig out.

We had breakfast this morning with Grama Huisman at Kathleen's and are now on our way to Josh and Sarah's to spend the day (and watch the Final Four this evening.) Can't wait to meet Jordan.

If I get to a computer again, I will update you more on our trip. It's always so wonderful to visit my Chicago fam.

How well do you know me?

First of all my Aunt Janet AND my Uncle Ed gave me even more information about my Uncle Ed's shirt from the "Dunkin Donuts" post. It actually says: "Maybe Dunkin' Donuts, maybe boiled cassava root". They actually eat that for breakfast. Okay, Indonesian food would be a whole MONTH of blogs.

Speaking of Janet and Ed, Janet sent me this fun post and I thought I would try it. The question is:

* * * * *

How well do you know me??

Can you name four jobs I have had in my life?
I actually worked in a t-shirt factory during my summer breaks! Yuck! Of course you all know I have been a teacher, coach, and writer.

Can you name four movies I would watch over and over?
Return to Me, Counte of Monte Christo, Armageddon, and Apollo 13.

Can you name my four favorite books?
The Secret Garden, anything by Mark Twain, the Bible, and my recent read: Hot Lights; Cold Steel. I have also been digging the Harry Potter books. Oh wait, I am past four. Well as long as I am past, one more thing, I really like non-fiction. Sometimes, when I am reading fiction, I start feeling like I am wasting my time. How pathetic is that?

Can you name four places I have lived?
Well, if you can't get at least the three states I have lived in, you don't deserve to visit this blog. Florida, Minnesota and Kentucky should be a given, but actually, I lived in Illinois when I was four for a year. So my residence have included: Fort Lauderdale suburbs, Thorton Illinois, Franklin and Bowling Green Kentucky, and (drum roll please) ... Rochester, Minnesota (can you feel my excitement in regards to the last one?)

Can you name four TV shows I love to watch?
Again, loyal readers should be able to knock these off with no problem! Survivor, Prison Break, American Idol, and I watch 24 for JB (but I don't love it.) Our favorites are all still on American Idol although JB has now gotten "McFeever" and his buddy Kathryn Mcfee almost got eliminated last night. (She survived but just barely!) That was a close one wasn't it JB?

Can you name four places I have been on vacation?
This is kinda tough because as most of you know, we love to travel. I have been to Europe (England, France, Switzerland, Italy), the Bahamas, Mexico ... and I've been to all but 7 states in the U.S. (Hawaii, Alaska, North and South Dakota, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.)(Although some people have told me that the Dakotas shouldn't count because who would want to go there, and actually, my friend Kelsey from Wyoming said the same thing about her state. So maybe it is just 4). We have been talking about taking an overnight Amtrak to Montana to see Glacier National Park. JB hasn't been to Montana. However, we are waiting for it to warm up a bit.

Can you name four websites I visit daily?
Well this is harder. I am a web fiend. I visit all three of my email accounts (Mayo, RLS, or personal). My poor mother will often email me at all three. I visit my friend Bara's website everyday (I am excited to watch his new life develop in the USA), I visit Hannah's prayer (infertility website), and a few other of my friend's blogs pretty regularly. I am also always on the Mayo and RLS home pages. That's all I can think of right now.

Can you name four of my favorite foods?
Well I love Indian food and most everything JB cooks. However, if I was really allowing myself to eat anything, I love curly fries which is why I avoid the Mayo cafeteria, and I also love chocolate anything ... especially double oreo chocolate blizzards. I have realized that working for a cardiologist has limited my allowance for food enjoyment (did you follow that?) One day I suggested a pizza party to celebrate a lab success and he said "Pizza? That's so unhealthy." I felt very guilty. I love pizza!

Can you name four places I would rather be right now?
Fort Lauderdale or anywhere in the Caribbean. I would love to be on an Island, lying in the sun, drinking a daquiri, and not worrying about skin cancer.

* * * * *

Okay, so I hoped you learned a bunch. We are leaving for Chicago at noon today. I will probably try to drop you a line from one of my cousin's houses -- otherwise I will see you all when I get back on Sunday.

If you think of it, I now have two people I love dearly going through very trying weeks at the end of their pregnancies. Please pray for them if you think of it and that the Lord would provide patience, piece, and a positive outcome. Life is so precious! (The "pneumonic" "p's" were not on purpose ... I promise). Ha!

Heritage Agriculture (from, you guessed it, JB)

Have you ever heard of the Red Milking Devon, the Jacob sheep, or the Tennessee Fainting Goat? Have you ever seen the Dominique chicken or the Cayuga duck? Ever tasted a Newton Pippin apple, seen a purple cauliflower, or smelled a Queen Anne’s Pocket Melon?

For most people in the U.S. the answer to these questions is no; however, the families aboard the Mayflower were probably familiar with many of them.

These are just a sampling of what is known as “heritage” livestock and produce – original breeds or types of plants and animals that offer unique traits not seen in commercially grown agriculture.

With the advent of reliable, refrigerated boxcars in the 1940’s, agricultural producers began to choose products that transported well. Uniform ripening, uniform shape, uniform size. Non-bruising and non-perishing. These were the traits that were sought after. Unfortunately, superior flavor and unique appearances often went by the wayside.

Here are some statistics:

• There are over 250 breeds of cattle in the world. About 90% of the milk in the U.S. comes from just one breed of cattle, the Holstein, and the majority of the beef comes from just three: the Hereford, the Angus, and the Texas Longhorn breeds.
• There are over 70 breeds of chicken in the U.S., and almost all eggs come from one breed, the Leghorn.
• There are well over 4,000 varieties of tomato in the world. It is ridiculous that we typically only see about 10 in the grocery store (if we are lucky!).
• There were over 8,000 varieties of apple at the turn of the century, of that only about 400 still exist. Sadly, only about a dozen are grown commercially where they end up in your produce aisle covered in wax.

So, why should we care about preserving these heritage breeds?

Consider that in 1873 a bug called phylloxera, which attacks roots, destroyed almost all the world’s vineyards. Scientists finally realized that the American wild grape was immune. Wineries were able to take the few remaining wine grape vines and graft them onto the American roots. The world’s wine industry was saved.

Now imagine if a new rare parasite killed our one and only (almost) breed of dairy cow. Also imagine if the breeds of cattle that were naturally immune to the parasite were not preserved. The worldwide dairy industry would be gone, or we would be acquiring a taste for goat cheese.

So here are some of those rare, genetically unique, visually appealing, most often better tasting, connections to the past.

The Jacob Sheep (named after the Biblical story of Jacob and Laban)

The Red Devon, “Red Ruby”, Milking Cow - these cattle came to the Plymouth Colony in 1623 on the ship Charity, believed to be their first cows.

A Highland steer - likely the most hearty of the cattle breeds hails from the Scottish Highlands.

A Dexter cow – full grown!

Tennessee Fainting Goats – they have a muscle disease that cause them to go so stiff when frightened that they fall over (a condition called myotonia).

The Dominique Chicken – probably the first breed to see the “new world”.

The Cayuga Duck – a rare black breed that shimmers green in the light. Originated in 1851 on Lake Cayuga, New York.

The Newton Pippin Apple – George Washington’s favorite apple (introduced to him by Thomas Jefferson). This variety was grown from a seed that traveled from England to New York in 1666. Great for cooking and cider making.

The Esopus Spitzenburg Apple – Thomas Jefferson’s favorite apple which he grew at Monticello. Great for eating fresh.

Purple Cape Cauliflower is actually healthier than the white. Notice the funky green one at the top – it’s a Romanesco Cauliflower.

Queen Anne’s Pocket Melon – the strongest scented melon in the world.

The Moon & Stars Watermelon. It was thought to be extinct, but it was recently rediscovered growing wild behind at an abandoned farmhouse.

The Brandywine Tomato – probably the best tasting tomato in the world (that’s my opinion!)