Me + IUD = STOT

Okay, first of all, I want to state 2 things.

1: This blog is based solely on my experience and/or opinion.  This is just how this situation affected me, and it may not affect anyone else in the same way.  I am not looking to "talk trash" about any one company or person.  Just relating my adventure out to the world.

2: This blog is about my recent experience over the course of 4 months with an IUD. An IUD is an intrauterine device... used for birth control...In case you still aren't grasping this... I'm going to be writing about a piece of equipment that was installed in my uterus to keep me from getting pregnant.  If you can not handle hearing the details of this, please do not read.

So, on with the show...

There I was, 6 weeks after Johnny was born at my postpartum check up, faced with the question I had been dreading to hear my Dr. ask.  "What would you like to do for birth control?"  Why do I hate this question, you ask?  Well, I'll tell you... because NOTHING works.

- Pills? They have either failed in the past, meaning I got pregnant, or it would send me into a strange depression, or cause me to have other complications. (Constant spotting, weight gain, massive acne (worse than usual), migraines, etc.) No, I didn't just need to try a different brand. I've been on at least 10 different prescriptions for birth control pills. Possibly more.

- Nuva-ring? Ugh, I hated that one. (Remind yourself I warned you about TMI) First few months were okay, then 2 months in a row I had HORRIBLE cramping with Nuva-ring, but light bleeding for the first few hours... then suddenly I would feel dizzy, nauseated - eventually vomiting, and as though my uterus were in a vice when I would suddenly shed what seemed to be my entire uterine lining at once.  Just one huge clot.  Obviously, I refused to continue using that.

- Depo-provera? I was sick/bleeding the entire time the shot was effective.  It was believed I possibly had a miscarriage during the use also.  But keep in mind when I say sick, I mean Dr's sending me in for lab work every week trying to figure out what was wrong with me, losing 20lbs and then gaining 40, swollen spleen and liver, & massive body aches and pain among other things. Not just sick with the sniffles. Sick.

- Rhythm method? Sure... until I realized I was a forgetful clutz and would forget to track dates and temperatures.

- Condoms, film, spermicide, etc... Well, looks like that's my only option now...

- I should also mentioned that none of my children were planned. Two of them there were "talks" of having a baby in the near future, but no active trying.  In fact, it was being prevented every time.  That should give you an idea as to why this whole subject is just not a fun one for me.

I sit there with my Dr and we go over all of these options.  He says it's clear with my reaction to the pills I should not be taking anything with hormones, and should have never tried the other hormone methods as they do the same thing.  Then he says what my ears always were scared but excited to hear... "How about we try a copper IUD?"

For years I've looked into IUDs.  They both terrified me and yet seemed so liberating.  Nothing to remember, complete freedom.  But yet... it's a copper appliance inside your uterus and that just seems so strange.  How is it not painful?  I talked to a few people I knew with them in the past and they always said they loved them... but then there were those reviews I'd read on the internet that referred to them as torture devices... and that risk of a perforated uterus... and though these are completely different than the copper IUDs that turned women's insides into mush a couple decades ago, how do we know just how safe they really are? Oh, the torment of debating this back and forth... but going with this seemed to be my last option other than barrier methods and going back to counting/charting.  I sat and stared... "I want to go with this, but I'm scared!" My Dr laughed, mocked me, and then asked the million dollar question: "Scared of what? The pain of insertion? Would you rather go through the pain of another childbirth?"

Obviously, I agreed, accepted a pamplet on Paragard (the brand name of the IUD) and went on my merry way.  2 weeks later it was inserted.  Oh my good Lord in Heaven... I'm not cursing or saying God's name in vain, I'm literally saying I wouldn't have made it through that without crying if I had not been praying.  After I was dizzy and had to lay down for about 20 minutes on the exam table.  When I got up and dressed to leave, the nurse asked me to please stay and rest a little longer, as I apparently looked very pail.  Since my Mom was driving me I felt safe to go ahead and go.

The what I thought at the time was intense cramping lasted about 2-3 days.  Like a really bad period, but I thought it was worth it.  The bleeding stopped on day 7.  After that, everything seemed to be going great.  Went in for my check up to make sure insertion went well and that there was no infection 4 weeks later.  All was going great, I had no complaints....

That is until the next week, the day after Thanksgiving, when I started my first period.  I was floored.  Couldn't hardly move.  I had been warned that the pain/flow of menstruation could increase, even dramatically, with the IUD, but I didn't realize it would be like this.  After a day, I was feeling better, and decided to push through it and go on out and get my Thanksgiving sale shopping done.  A couple days go by, and my hormones seem to be severely off balance.  I'm usually emotional during this time of the month, but this was insane.  The pain wasn't letting up, and after 6 days it was getting worse.  I finally gave in and went to urgent care where I was given pain meds and told to take it easy.  The Dr there suggested I just have it removed, but I felt that after all that trouble I needed to give it a few months. What a mistake!

That was November.  Between then and early February I was bleeding 2 weeks out of every 4.  My energy levels most of the time were at a complete low.  What little energy I had went to taking care of my 2 young boys.  Some days Bobby had to work from home or use sick days to care for me and the little ones.  I had already made an appointment with my Dr for February to just give up and have it taken out. I was done... but then I ended up worse and in the emergency room with pain at a level of 9-10/10, vomiting, light headed, and other symptoms.  I just wanted the ER Dr to take it out, but he didn't feel comfortable doing so.  I was given shot of  morphine, more pain killers to take home, something to stop the vomiting, and the suggestion to not do much.  You know, because I was out running marathons and climbing mountains all this time.

On the day of my removal, I was nervous and scared.  My Dr asked, "Is it just not working out for you?"  I replied, "I would rather give birth than to deal with this.  Having 4 more kids would be easier than this!" He said "Well, okay then. Sorry about that."  What more could he say, though, right?

Surprisingly, it all went well.  No pain. No bleeding. Just a sudden feeling of relief, as though my body had been trying to rid itself of it the entire time. (Kind of a no brainer that it had been, right?)  My Dr warned me that it may take my cycle a few months to get back to "normal" as far as the pain level/flow is concerned.  Well, here I am, first cycle. Pain is worse than what my periods were before, but NOTHING compared to having satan's tool of torture in my womb. (That was my pet name for my IUD... some might name theirs something cute like Betsy or Penny, this was what I named mine.  STOT for short.)  I am optimistic, though, that in a few months I will be back to normal and not camped out on the couch every month.  I guess all I can do is take it as a learning experience... a learning experience for what, I don't know.  But if I look at it in any other way and sit and think of the months of my life wasted in unnecessary pain I might just start crying, and I feel like I've done enough of that.

Now, having said all that... if you should be happening to consider an IUD, don't take my experience as something that happens to everyone.  From what I understand, most women don't have this reaction... but some do.  Educate yourself and know what to expect.  And the first month if you are in treacherous pain, don't wait thinking it'll get easier... If you can't take it, remove it. Don't waste your time, miss out on Christmas day activities, friends and families events, church, and have everything in your life fall behind. It's just not worth it.  I do hope it works out though, because for those who I have talked to that have had them without problems say they are wonderful... :(  Oh well.

Edited to add: I don't know what the heck is going on with the formatting on this entry.  It irritates me, too, trust me. I didn't do this blindly and not realize I was doing it wrong. I'm giving up on trying to fix it though... Sorry it bugs!

TGIF!!!

Ahhhh, Friday.  And I am in such a good mood...

Fridays are different from any other day of the week.  People are happier, making them usually nicer.  Everyone is excited and anticipating what the weekend might hold for them.  Life seems to be more laid back, whether you work or not.  And for those of us who attend church, we have Sunday to look forward to!

See, I love Fridays.  Sometimes that means Bobby works from home, and other times it means that the boys & I are that much closer to having him home to ourselves for 2 days.  Dinner is usually something simpler, but always delicious... & since I've been dieting Friday is sometimes my "cheat night".  

Today, however, I have 2 more reasons to be in a good mood!  

When I went in to get dressed my pants were just way too big... not loose, BIG! WOO-HOO!!!

I decided to step on the scale and check things out... only to find I've officially lost 15lbs!!!

Now, if I could just get more disciplined with the exercise, so I can continue to lose at the pace I have been...  or more... The only downside to all this weight loss was in the beginning I didn't realize how much red meat I ate on a regular basis and I'm pretty sure I lost some iron, making me slightly fatigued.  I'm feeling better now that I'm taking a supplement, but still struggle with sticking with a routine.  I actually enjoy working out, a whole lot more than I thought I would... I think I'm just getting bored doing the same old thing.  I plan to get a cardio dvd in the next few weeks and hope that will break the feeling that this is tedious I get at times... until then, I've got to buckle down and just keep with it!  

We'll see how that goes... Right now I just want to sit on the couch with my snuggie and play with the boys.  This weather doesn't help with the "get up and go" attitude I need to have.  Gotta get moving though!  Hmm... this is my struggle. I'll let you all know how it goes.

13

A lot of people consider the number 13 to be dangerous or unlucky.

I however, am proud to announce that I have now lost 13 pounds!  My clothes are a little more loose, I have slightly more energy, and my self esteem is increasing each and every day.

I know I still have a long road a head of me to reach all of my goals, but I'm so much more excited about it now than I was a month ago. GO ME!!!

Heaven's To Betsy

Quite possibly one of my favorite blogs I've written.  Not sure if it's my most absolute favorite, but it's up there.  May seem silly, but it came to me after a LOT of pondering...

Monday, August 28, 2006 10:00 PM

Heaven's to Betsy... Current mood:  anxious Category: Games    So, last time I typed a blog about an overused word or phrase, it was just HELL! All Hell broke lose. It was just such a hell of a blog, it should have been damned into the lake of fire. Seriously.,, Well, this time, let's focus on Heaven... and Betsy. Why? Why would we wish that Heaven come down to creation and meet up with Betsy? 1: Just who is Betsy. What kind of woman she must be for all of us to be demanding that heaven come to her, instead of her going there? No one is that special, I'm sorry. Get there the same way the rest of us are going, lady. Don't cut in front of me! The line is too long as it is! 2: How are we certain she is going to Heaven? Maybe she deserves fire and brimstone? Maybe a bolt of lightning is going to come out of the sky and smite us for actually calling down heaven on such a despicable creature? We don't know her heart, after all. Bottom line. I don't know Betsy and I don't like the idea of her taking the easy way out. However, I just cannot help myself from saying this phrase. It just rolls off the tongue like sweet butter on a hot biscuit. Mmm.. homemade and old fashioned. Makes me feel.... People, are you kidding me? I feel nothing. Nothing but shame for saying something so stupid as "HEAVEN'S TO BETSY!" Then again, hell isn't such a smart thing to say either. And now I will continue with my mundane life... pondering the great mysteries and in sighting you all when they have been processed. Much love to you, Betsy, and the Heaven's above... and may you have a good night.

I Think Too Much...

I probably wouldn't have reposted this one, except that there is a reference to it in my next blog so I figured I'd eliminate the confusion.  For the record, in the present day, I don't use the word so freely.  Just another way I've mellowed out...

 

Friday, July 14, 2006 10:12 PM

Hell... and all things hot and brimstoney... Current mood:  amused Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping    Ever wonder why this word and synonyms for it are used so often? I mean... yeah. A day can be bad. But is it really comparable to your flesh burning, a worm crawling through your body, and demons torturing you? Then again, I've had some of those days. Heck, I'm even known for overusing the phrase... OOPS! There I went again. Teehee. Can you tell I'm bored, suffering a headache from hell... YES HELL! and unable to sleep all on a Friday night while my friends are out doing exciting and fun things. Headaches. Ankle aches. Both are straight from Lucifer himself, I tell you. LUCIFER! YES, LUCIFER! I need Katie to come in here and do her best Sister MacMahon impression "I ReeeeBUKE you!" Think I'll go get some fresh air now. Hope you have enjoyed this blog. Thank you, and I hope you have a HELL of a day! (That is a compliment, which makes no sense whatsoever...) (Good thing my Grandma can't read this, as the first time I said H-E-double hockey sticks she made me stop everything, pray, and then made me sit and think about what I said. Obviously, I did alot of thinking...)

One Hundred

For my 100th blog I decided to be completely unoriginal and exciting.  Instead, I decided to copy/paste a few of my favorites from my old blog that was on the space that was mine.  To protect the innocent, I have not included the comments. I was going to put them all in one blog, but some are rather long and I've decided to split them up.  Maybe by the end of the day I'll feel like writing something exciting and new, who knows...

Enjoy.

Sunday, March 26, 2006 3:35 PM

Oh, but yes! I am gracing you all with my presence and a song! Current mood:  chipper Category: Music If you know me, you know I'm twisted... and you know I LOVE to twist lyrics... So, here we go... "When I fall in Mud" (Like when I fall in love, ok? I'm not going to explain this, guys. You should all know me by now.) When I falllll in mud... I will turn completely.... for I will glance to seeee.... who saw.. (I will glance to see who saw) In a restless world, like this is... rumors start and endlessly egg on... Before you know it pictures of yourself are allover the internet... and Seacrest says it's crap not mud that's dried on by the sunnnnnnnnn..... When I fall in mud..... When I FALL IN MUDDDDDD.... When I fall in muddddd..... and a little bit offffff... poooooooooooooo............... That is all. Thank you, God bless, and have a great day. P.S. I am currently accepting requests for songs for my next blog.

Note To Self...

Dear Angie,

When you are going to post a blog full of songs that creep you out, but yet you love so much... first of all, include them all.  How could you forget this one?



Second, after writing the blog, don't sit and watch stupid suspenseful movies with Bobby.  He already made you watch another cheesy one earlier in the day. Why watch another?

Third, when you are laying in bed quietly thinking to yourself of your "To-Do" list for the next day, do not be startled by how creepy Bobby's random sudden laugh is when he remembers a silly occurrence with your son earlier in the day.  There is no reason Bobby's laugh should scare the crap out of you now, you've been hearing it for years.  Just because you are laying there in solemn and out of nowhere this loud eerie noise and breath tickle your ear, you should still not have the crap scared out of you!

Fourth, why would you be surprised that Bobby would take every chance for the 30 minutes following the occurrence with the laugh and the scream to scare you?  You should know better!  Though you were right to not let him fall asleep before you.

Fifth, make sure you tell Bobby "Happy Valentine's Day".  Give him a big hug and kiss. Also be sure to tell him you love him.  Thank him for letting you sleep in and making the most delicious scrambled eggs you've had.  After all, he knew you were on a low calorie diet and took extra measures to make the entire meal healthy.  He's such a swell guy.  Going to all that trouble and even leaving 14 videos on your facebook wall while you were sleeping.  You are, most certainly, the luckiest girl in the world!

Love,
Angie

P.S. Next time you go to the store, could you please remember to pick up a shower cap? Thanks.

Creepy...

Just felt like making a public proclamation of some of my favorite songs, that just so happen to be creepy...



Okay, I love this song... and I love Stryper. (Yes! I said it! Gotta problem?) I can't put my finger on the reason why this song gives me the creeps though. But just in the same way that some people will watch a scary movie to feel scared even though they hate it, I listen to songs that creep me out. Maybe that is why sometimes I find myself playing this song on repeat for an hour or so...



I don't think this song needs an explanation. If a guy told me he wanted to be my mother, I think I would have ran. Then again, a lot of my ex's were really strange... and rather creepy... maybe I should seek therapy.



This song gives me the heebee jeebies, but I have to hear it once in awhile. (Please note: Commentary & emails on what this song may or may not say backwards and how Christians shouldn't listen to it is not welcome. Been there, thanks.)



This song makes me cry, in a sad scared way, but I love it! (I know Kathy loves it, too!)



The first time I heard this song, I was listening to the radio as I was falling asleep. I was awake for HOURS after.



Even before Bobby came along, these two songs were those types of creepy songs I loved. They're just that much more creepy now...




As I'm writing this blog, my friend/sis Emily posted this one on Facebook. I completely forgot about it! Creepy, though not as much as others. Mostly funny, silly. Gotta love it, though you really don't want to...



I think the title of this song, and the tune, are enough to creep anyone out. How I love it so, regardless...



Stalker, much? Yeah, definitely. Still catchy!



Apparently it's impossible to embed "The Kill" by 30 Seconds To Mars. I think this is my favorite creepy song... here's the link.

The Police: The godfather's of creepy songs...







It's quite possible this song was written by someone who was a seasoned stalker. Obviously not as seasoned as Bobby's ex-girlfriends, but seasoned. Seriously, who in their right mind would sing this? Obviously, your baby doesn't want to be found. Still, it's one of those songs that when, way back when - once upon a time, I had a desk job it would play in the background on KOST or KBIG and I would be more motivated instantly. I also walked around the rest of the day with it in my head. Totally creepy. I would love to hear a "devotion" of this song on the radio, just to hear what a real life freak's voice sounds like. (Wait, I just remembered... I worked for years to get away from freaks. Don't need more, I'm good.)




Now, I don't dance... but this song makes me dance...



Once again, a song that is impossible to find that can be embedded. This has to be the most popular love song... ever. Heck, I won't lie, it was played at the reception at my first wedding. LOVE THIS SONG! But listen to the lyrics... seriously? Click Here!

Awww... who doesn't love this one? One of mine and Bobby's favorite on the creepy list...



This one always makes me want to run away and hide in a closet while I cry and pray for safety... but once again, I'll hit "back" on the player and listen to it a few times before I move on to the next.



Bobby feels I should include this one... so here you go...



I used to love this song. Thank you, Geico, for ruining it for me. :(



Ewww...



And yet another...



And another...



LOVE this one...



Ohhh yeah. Can't forget this song...



I absolutely love this song... but once again I can't place why it gives me a creepy feel...



This song creeps me out, but just because when I was younger I believed the urban legend that a woman was murdered while it was recorded... Click here for urban legend info...



Well, I think that is all I have for tonight... expect a sequel to this blog in the future... Or don't.

UPDATED: Just to add this one. Can't believe I forgot it!

He Said, She Said... Part 2

Bobby insist I post the link for the call... ugh... Click Here

He Said, She Said...

About 18 months ago, it was Bobby's turn to plan our weekly date night.  He surprised me with the plan to design a "couple's web page" all about us, pictures of us, how we met, our relationship, etc.  We didn't get too far into it as we moved a few weeks later, finally went on our honeymoon, and then found out Johnny would be joining our family... only to move again and it goes on and on and on...

We did start it though.  This is about as far as we got, our individual versions of our love story.  I happened across them today, and reading them made me smile and lean over to Bobby and hug him tight.  I'm truly a lucky woman.  I'm so glad we took the time to do this.  Not only do I have the ability to reminisce and hear how my husband recalls falling in love with me, but someday our children will have the story to read for themselves.  I thought maybe I'd share them here...

Bobby's side:

Wedding Cake (Before the Wedding)

    

Things were just starting to calm down at work, everything slowing in the days before Christmas 2006.  Not having checked Myspace in a few days, I sat down in front of the computer.  Browsing through my messages, I found a few new friend requests.  Assuming it was spam, I deleted the Friend Request from one "Angie Candle + Monkey".  WTF kind of name is that anyhow?  I think it was the next day that I found myself looking through my deleted items and again I saw her picture.  Something made me click on it.  Fate?

    

After glancing over her *unique* profile - man was this girl "out there" - she even named her kids Jedi and Booka - I decided what the heck.  I added her as a friend curiously awaiting what would happen next.  I don't remember exactly how it started, but I was looking for a way to break the ice - I decided I would leave a witty comment.  As I sat there, going back to her profile over and over again to look for that one perfect lead in, I noticed this guy was leaving her comments, asking her out for Christmas.  Forget the fact that I thought his approach was lame, I guess I was getting a little territorial.  I, of course, had already invested hours to this relationship.  How dare he? 

So after knocking out the competition I guess I got her attention.  We began leaving each other messages, and that turned into IMing and eventually a phone call.  The phone call, though, wasn't to me.  Not knowing if she was a nutt ball or not, I was hesitant to give her my number, so I played it safe and gave her the number to my office.  Well, of course, she chose to call me at night and my phone covered into the call center - where my retarded brother Rich answered by coincidence.  I wont go into details, but if anyone's interested, I'll post a link to a recording of the phone call.  Long story short, my brother told Angie that I didn't work there.  It wasn't until a few days later that we straighten the whole thing out and had a few conversations by phone.  Having known that she was about to ship out, I didn't want to loose my chance to meet her, so we decided to go out.  I invited her to an A-List party at my pad.  lol  After having made plans to go pick her up, I jumped in the shower and then took a bulldozer to my apartment.  Between the clean up effort and the office calling, it was almost three hours later that I arrived at her "strip mall".

Safely in the truck, after almost having backed over her, we were off.  There was a lot of nervous conversation as we were on the way to my office.  I occasionally sneaked a peek out of the corner of my eye.  I remember taking great pains not to seem creepy, so of course I didn't want to get caught checking her out.  We were quickly done at the office and once again on our way.  In hindsight, I think I put a little too much effort into making myself out to not be creepy, because before I knew it, I had some strange little guy at my house - on his way to work, just checking on her.  We had been up almost all night talking -  it was almost 6am.

The next day, after having lunch at the Yard House, we were at the good old Goat Hill.still talking about the past and the things to come.  I remember Angie was telling me about having just lost her grandmother and what a big part she played in her life.  For the first time, she let her guard down.  I had known all along that Angie was soft hearted, though she tried her hardest to hide it.  It was at that moment that I felt myself falling for her.   That certainly wasn't what I was looking for.  I had made the conscience decision some time before that to be alone.  I wasn't looking to get involved with anyone, and above all that, I wasn't looking to fall for someone about to ship out and move in with Uncle Sam. 

It happened though.  No matter how much I didn't want it, it happened quickly, and it happened easily.  Before I knew it, I was on the biggest interview of my life.  The next day, I took Angie and the kids out to dinner.  Talk about a tough crowd - those kids weren't about to cut me any slack.  We picked them up at her Mom's house and I don't think I've seen them as quiet and expressionless since.  They didn't say a word.  They looked me up and down and apparently weren't very impressed.  In fact, when Angie introduced us, and asked them if they thought I was a cool guy, they very bluntly said "No".  Trying to warm them up a little, Angie asked them "Do you think he's a nice guy".  Again, the answer was an abrupt "No."  I was dying.  Fortunately, after a feast of Quesadillas and mashed potatoes, they warmed up.  Before I knew it, we were head banging together in the car on the way home - though I don't remember there being any music.  I was glad to get the kid's seal of approval.  Though, I still wasn't sure where this all was going at the time.  Little did I know we would be where we are today. 

    

After having dropped the kids off at Angie's parent's house, we were back at my house for a quiet night in.  We needed it after storming the beaches at Newport the night before.  Angie had wanted to see Talladega Nights, and it just so happened that Rich had left a copy at the house.  I can't remember how far we had gotten through the movie, but I found myself proposing.  I don't think Angie took me seriously, because the next day, she was shocked when I was getting ready to leave for Vegas.  This is where the title of our story comes from.

    

The night before, we had gone to get a few bare necessities at the grocery store.  Among which was a cake.  Little did we know, it would be our wedding cake.  It wasn't supposed to be, though Rich insisted that it was - even to this day.  Just as we were getting ready to leave, Rich was waking up and getting ready for work.  We swapped keys after I told him we decided to take a trip to Vegas.  I told him that we were getting married.  Rich, along with everyone else, chuckled and said "yea, right".  It wasn't until we were on the road that rich got out of the shower and found the computer on, from where I was looking up the licensing information for getting married in Vegas.  A slew of text messages followed as he was panicked, shocked, and awed.  I still think he doubted it until we got back with the certificate.

Long story short, neither of us took into consideration that it was the day before new year's eve.  It took us about 9 hours to get to Vegas, during which, we had "the talk".  This consisted of full disclosure and anything and everything we could think of that would ever give the other reason to say "Hey wait a minute, maybe this is a mistake".  We covered EVERYTHING by the time we pulled into Vegas.  It was just a few hours before midnight.  We had no reservations - hotel wise, anyhow.  We were both goofy with nerves.  YES, I CIRCLED THE SAME LEVEL OF THE PARKING LOT HALF A DOZEN TIMES.  Anyhow, we parked and when on the hunt for a hotel room.  Don't let anyone tell you that eloping is the cheap way to get married.  After we checked in, we went on the hunt - we still weren't sure how to go about this.  After consulting with the expert, the concierge, we went out and got a cab to the Las Vegas Marriage License Bureau.  After passing through the grueling application process, we exited the building still unsure of where the heck we were going to actually do the deed.  Luck for us, there were people ready to help.  In fact, they were just about willing to fist fight with each other to be the ones who actually helped us. 

    

It was a beautiful ceremony - performed by the revered Penn and witnessed by his annoying little Filipino camera man.  We were whisked backed to our luxorious accommodations by Tyrone, the limo driver.  Again, people, let me correct the myth that getting married in Vegas is the less expensive way to go.  Anyhow, back to the hotel for dinner and a night out on the town.  

My side:

Stronger than Army Strong...

    Once upon a time, long long ago, in a land not so far away Angie had been browsing through “single” MySpace users within a close range mile radius at the urging of a friend. Insisting nothing would come of it and that it would just be for fun, Angie went through with the plan and began sifting through the strange and even stranger. When she came across this guy Bobby though, something caught her. She looked over his profile and looked through all his pictures. He was 29, also lived in South Orange County, and had been in the Army at some point. He seemed to have a fascination with tattoos and a “me against the world” attitude. Something about this guy made her feel like a little girl with a crush but also “challenged” and she was determined that she had to get to know him better. 

After trying to send a message she realized that he had his message settings turned to “away”. She sat and debated how she should go about this without seeming like a stalker, but finally took the plunge to click “Add as a friend”. It was approximately 2-3 days before she heard anything from him, and yes, she checked her pending requests often to see if he was going to take the bait.

   On December 22, 2006, Bobby logged into his MySpace account.  As usual, he was being pursued by multiple fake porn profiles.  However, one stood out - after he had deleted the friend request.  Quickly, hitting the Back button on his browser, he saw someone who stood out from the others. In fact, she wasn't porn at all, but a nice girl. Changing his answer to "Accept", he looked over her profile and decided chatting wouldn't be so bad.

    

Her name was Angie Candle + Monkey.  She was 25 and apparently lived "where soul meets body".   For some reason her profile indicated some nonsense about her just enlisting in the Army and that she was to leave for Basic Training in just a few days, but he was certain this was fictional.  Glancing over her pictures, along with her profile text, he decided that leaving a comment wouldn't hurt.  But what was this?  Some creep was leaving her comments asking her out for Christmas.  Some how, Bobby could not help himself.  He had to leave a comment on Angie's profile, but not for Angie - for the creep.  Eventually, after about two or three of these, they were able to talk about themselves.  Comments turned into messages, instant messages, and phone calls. Eventually they met in person on the 27th.

    When the time finally came, Angie walked out to the front of her gated apartment complex just to be safe so that if danger arose, Bobby would not know where she lived.  After all, this was a man who a few minutes before, got lost after simple directions, and called asking if she lived in a mini mall.  After Bobby nearly ran over Angie, she hopped in the jeep, and they were on their way.

    

The next day they were hanging out again. It seemed as if they just could not stop laughing. Whether it was random stories Angie felt like telling out of nervousness or the revelation that Santa Clause is indeed a pervert, they were finding themselves in constant amusement. That night, Angie told Bobby she wanted to see the ocean "one last time" before she left for the Army. We don't need to go into details about what a fool she made out of herself screaming "Army Strong!" in the freezing temperatures of the Newport Beach salt water... but she knew the second Bobby picked her up and dried off her feet, carrying her to the jeep and then trying to warm up her freezing toes that she was in love, and that this was the man she wanted to spend forever with. In fact, she told a few friends later that night when she was being teased about moving off and settling down in the Army. Exclaiming: "I'll never do that! Me? Married? Never..." but then whispering while pointing at Bobby "Except for him. I'd marry him."

    

The next day it was time for Angie to move out of the apartment where she had been living in Aliso Viejo. She waited and waited for Bobby to show up, as they were also to take her 2 children out for dinner that night. She had begun to run a fever and felt that she was having a setback from a cold that she had the week before. Bobby arrived and quickly took over the moving efforts, insisting that Angie sit down. Angie had noticed that Bobby was old fashioned and liked to take care of her, but this was particularly a relief and she felt very safe with him. This feeling was something she had always wanted to feel, but had begun to believe it was impossible to experience. In between trips, they were able to pick up Jeff and Becca and have a nice dinner at Mimi’s Café. Bobby had mentioned quite a bit how nervous he was about the kids, but Angie was confused as to why. She thought “Maybe he’s just not used to being around kids.” He didn’t seem to act like he was really that interested in her even though she was quickly falling for him. Just that morning she had told a few friends how disappointed she was that she knew nothing more would ever come from their friendship. At first it seemed as though Jeff and Becca would rather have all of their immunizations repeated than to enjoy this Bobby person. It wasn’t until Jeff was flirting with the waitress though he was at the young age of 5 that he started softening up to Bobby. Becca was slowly warming up also, and by the time came to get back in the car they were all laughing, joking around, and having a good time.

    

After two days of spending quite a bit of time together and a day of moving, they had decided that instead of a night out they should just pick up some junk food at the grocery store and hang out at Bobby’s. It was 2 days before New Year’s Eve and the crowds and traffic were just exhausting no matter where you went. Angie asked Bobby if they could watch his brother's copy of "Talladega Nights". She had been dying to see this movie and was determined to see it before leaving for boot camp. While laughing uncontrollably at the movie they both paused when Angie jokingly said something about "When we get married" (this joke had been going on since a few minutes into the first date) and followed with "Like you would ever marry me...” Bobby quickly replied with "I'd marry you". The conversation got pretty serious from there, of course. Bobby explained to Angie why he wanted to marry her and how he would not feel complete without her. Angie said, "How can I marry you? I've never even kissed you?!" Right then, like magic, they experienced their first kiss. It was amazing, naturally. After a few minutes of deep conversation, they began making their plans for the trek to Vegas the next day.

    

Angie woke up early on the morning of December 30th.  She remembered the events of the night before and was hoping that Bobby had not had a change of heart.  After letting Bobby sleep for about, oh, 2 more hours she dragged him out of bed and told him to get ready.  She couldn't wait to be his wife and start a life with him! After they were ready to get on the road they started out for what they thought would be a little road trip. But they were wrong... 9 hours were spent in the car that day. During this time they were able to discuss the "important" things, almost as if the traffic was there for a reason.  Once they finally arrived, they raced around trying desperately to find out where to go to get a marriage license, how to find a wedding chapel, and of course a room. It was the day before New Year's Eve and most of the hotels were booked. Once they finally got it all together they arrived at the "Garden of Love" and were wed at approximately 10:30 pm. It was a long day, but all so worth it. Angie often says that she wouldn’t have had it any other way, and falls more in love with Bobby with each and every day. Needless to say, she cancelled her enlistment and did not ship out to Boot Camp.

 

And now, just for fun, I want to include the blog Bobby wrote a little over 2 weeks after we got married.  It, also, makes me feel all warm and fuzzy every time I go back and read it...

Monday, January 15, 2007 

It finally hit me... Current mood:  thankful Category: Life Well, it finally hit me... I'm married.  Wow.  Funny that it didn't fully click during our limo ride from the chapel.  It hadn't even totally set in while house hunting.  Not even did it hit home during the first of many naked Saturdays.  But yesterday, I felt what I could only describe as a light headed pannic as we were on our way back from - it's still hard for me to say - grocery shopping.  Yes, only as I realized that I was on my way home after grocery shopping with my wife did it all hit me.  The radio slowly faded out, I couldn't hear the traffic along side us - total silence.  And then I looked over at my wife and giggled like a complete dork - something I catch myself doing alot these day.  While it's true, not so long ago even I could have never imagined myself married - now I can't remember what it was like before Angie came into my life.  It's easy.  I think it's easy because it's right.  I can't describe it - more then an instinct or a reflex, being in love with my wife is the most natural feeling I've ever known.  There's nothing more then I want then to have all the cheesey things that I swore I'd never "sell out" and live for.  So, Angie notices me staring at her and asks "What", as she always does when she catches me - and my ears pop, the surrounding noise fades back in and I do the only thing I could think of.  Scream like a big fat woman and laugh as I tell her what just happened.  lol  I love being married. 8:28 PM 6 Comments 8 Kudos

There Was This One Time I Was Going To Do The Right Thing...

This morning I only got in 26 minutes of cardio.  Since my set goal is 30 mins per day, I figured "no biggie, I'll come back in and get in another 20 mins or so this afternoon, which would be even better."

Sure enough, my parents asked to take the boys this afternoon, and I thought I was finally going to have my chance... Until as I was walking to answer the door I stubbed my toe on Johnny's bouncy seat and now here I lay on the couch.  Peaceful quiet home, my heart full of anger towards my toe, and my tummy rumbling & begging for a snack.

I so badly want to eat some junk food right now. Grrrr...

I CAN DO THIS!!!!

Johnny & Tommy playing together this morning. 

Such sweet boys!

6 lbs Down!

A little over 2 weeks ago I decided to stop whining about being overweight and out of shape, and start being proactive in changing the entire situation.  I started counting calories and exercising.  Might I say it's been much easier than I expected, which is probably why I haven't blogged much about it.  I hit my first "wall" yesterday, feeling as though I hit a plateau, only to wake up this morning to find I had lost another full pound.

My plan is to chart out my feelings of joy and frustration here, but we'll see how that goes...

I do feel as though I deserve to brag about my first 6 lbs, so that's what I'm doing.  Go me! I can't wait to reach my short and long term goals and hopefully keep the weight off!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things...

This song is just amazing. I can't hear it without crying. And written by a man who was an awesome minister who was taken to Heaven much too soon. Thank you, Jesus, for giving this man the talent and the song. It's a perfect explanation of what His love has done for me. And yet I wasn't even born when it was written...

Bobby & I once danced to this song in Ralph's (Grocery store) at 1am after a difficult week. I don't remember particularly why it was a hard week, but I do remember the spontaneity of the moment and the romance of the way Bobby took the bag of Dorito's I was picking out of the bin and threw it aside as we began our waltz over to the bottled water aisle. One of the most romantic moments of my entire life.

I love this song. It's just flat out soothing & peaceful. Just the other night I had a tough night. Okay, I admit. It was a bad hair day that took hours to repair. When this song came on my iPod I stopped, took a deep breath, felt the calm take over me, and was able to accomplish my goal. This song I have played on happy days, sad days, stressful days, and days full of rejoicing. :sigh:

I really can't explain this one. It's been my favorite song since I was a wee teenager. I do know that when I realized I didn't want to be alone forever as I had previously claimed during my divorce was while listening to this song. I wanted to feel "Hysteria". Yeah, I know. Super cheesy. Who cares, go read another blog if you don't want cheese, because me? I'm all about cheese. Especially since Bobby came along. Thanks to him, I know "Hysteria".

LOVE this! Who doesn't?

Okay, just kidding. I was serious about the others though!

More to come as I think of them... I'm tapped out for now.

Some People Call Me Maurice...

Some might say I'm a sell out...

My reply is I just created a new brand.  No harm, no foul.

Don't worry, cause I'm right here.  Yes, right here.  Right here at home.



Disclaimer: This post was not "triggered" by any one person's words or such.  It was just randomly thought out while doing some (once again, dangerous) thinking.  Possibly by playing a wee bit too much Rock Band.  But who's to say what is too much?  Hmm?

I'm feeling silly, in case you haven't noticed.  Having a good high calorie meal at the local Red Robin after 1 1/2 weeks of dieting might do that to you.  A blog on that topic is to follow in the next few days...

It's A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood

Ignore my camera's reflection, please.

I took this photo at about 10:30 this morning.  Isn't it beautiful to see the snow coming down so low?  It is now 2:00 pm and I can see it thickening up and coming lower with the system that is moving through now.

I know Diania and others are sick of this weather, and I'm so sorry... but I'm so happy for this very last day of it.  Especially with the picture perfect views!

And The Weekly Top 40!

So, I should probably do the smart thing and not write a blog while medicated.

But when have I ever been known to do that, HUH? ;)

It seems I've reached a point in my life where less and less I find myself worrying about what others think.  Now, don't get me wrong.  Let's clarify.  I still make an effort to not offend others and would never purposely do something that would cause someone to think less of me.  What I'm talking about is simply me being who I am, and not worrying what anyone else thinks of what my opinion, status, dress, spirit, wealth, size, etc. is.

It has taken me over 28 years to get to this point, and let me just say it is oh so liberating.  To just be myself without an apology, ahhhh.  I must thank my husband most of all for helping me to this point, but that's not to say a lot of others haven't been there for me either.

And now I'm going to post this blog, as boring as it may be, and not worry for a single second what anyone else thinks about it, because it's my blog. HA! So there! ;)

Clean

There's just something about a good rainfall that makes everything seem whole and pure.  Kind of like the feeling after a good cry that was long coming.  A release to allow all that has been penned up to let loose and clear out.  The exhaustion that comes with it is both inevitable and welcome.  Some of the best slumber is that which takes place during a storm.  Laying with your eyes closed, listening to the thunder in the distance as the rain hits the window.  Whether napping on a couch, bed, floor, car seat, desk chair, or bench... it's destined to be calming.  If there's a chill in the air, even better.

I'm so thrilled for the rain we are enduring now and for the remainder of this week.  I only hope that everyone is safe that is out there driving in it.  It seems Californians never know how to handle this odd spectacle that is water falling from the sky and only happens about 3 times a year.

Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new
emotion
I want to walk in the open wind
I want to talk like lovers do
I want to dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you

So baby talk to me
Like lovers do
Walk with me
Like lovers do
Talk to me
Like lovers do

Here comes the rain again
Raining in my head like a tragedy
Tearing me apart like a new
emotion
Oooooh
I want to breathe in the open wind
I want to kiss like lovers do
I want to dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you

So baby talk to me
Like lovers do

Here comes the rain again
Falling on my head like a memory
Falling on my head like a new
emotion
(Here it comes again, here it comes
again)
I want to walk in the open wind
I want to talk like lovers do
I want dive into your ocean
Is it raining with you

So There Was This ONE Time I Was Weird...

So, I'm sitting here eating some good ol' cheez-its and thinking of how wonderful of a salty snack they really are. I mean really. Think about it. What is better than cheez-its? Not a whole lot!

Cheez-its have probably been my favorite snack cracker my entire life. I loved them as a kid, as I did just about anything cheese related.

One night, my brother Jared and I were enjoying a box of tasty treats when the horrid realization that we were down to crumbs had come to our attention. Knowing it wasn't likely to happen, we asked the adults in our home to take us to the store to get some more. My Mom was tired from working all day, and our Grandparent's looked at us like we were pretty much insane. I asked if I could make a grilled cheese sandwich then. They granted permission and off to the kitchen I went...

Well, somewhere in the hall way the brilliant idea occurred to me that I could MAKE cheez-its. I mean, how hard could it be, right?

I got out the velveeta, cut it into tiny squares, and placed them on the griddle. Then I loaded on the salt. I was CERTAIN this was going to be fantastic. I had visions of my recipe being listed in the church potluck cook book. I mean, this was going to be the perfect snack, even better than the name brand, right?

Well, Jared was a little skeptical. He felt the need to feed a few pieces to our gold fish Jaws. (Jaws never ate fish food. He ate our left overs. I'm not lying. That fish lived over a year merely on our left overs! He was a carnival prize and lived on green beans, cheese, bread, etc.)

Jaws ate them up. We tried a few, were enjoying our delicacies, and in heaven. I'll never forget what happened next. Jared went to drop another piece in Jaws cereal canister (Like I said, carnival prize. He was one of 100's. My Grandma refused to invest money in a fish that could pass any day...) and it splashed. SPLASHED! Fish water ALL OVER the griddle and plate. I cried.

Naturally the grown ups thought I burned myself cooking, came running, and were horrified. I wasn't allowed to cook again for awhile. Apparently fried cheese is a greasy mess, and is FAR from a healthy cracker snack.

Just felt the need to share that story. Poor Jaws. Probably died of a heart attack due to clogged arteries after all the junk we fed him.

RIP Jaws, RIP.

It's been awhile...

A watched pot never boils....

Nor does a timed uterus contract.

Yes, Crystal, I really did come up with that on my own.

The Home Stretch...

Finally! We're almost there!

I've had a couple of personal countdowns going on lately. 3 major ones especially. All of them are closing in, and I cannot tell you how happy and relieved I am that the D-days are getting closer!

1: Jeff and Becca arrive in just a little more than a week. It's going to feel so amazing to have all of my babies under one roof and know when I lay my head down at night that they are all just down the hall. (Well, except for the one that is with me constantly, but we'll get to that in a minute.) Even though it's only temporary, I will enjoy it thoroughly!

2: By the day Jeff and Becca arrive I hope to launch The Carnahan Family website. As I've stated before, this has been 2 years in the making. It will definitely always be a "work in progress" as there are always more pictures to be found/scanned/snapped etc. But the majority will be complete. On the agenda now is to finish sorting/tagging/labeling the photos, complete the message board, and set up a home page. (ATTENTION: This site is going to be stalker proof. Not stalker retardant or resistant. Proof. I hate to disappoint, but no. You will not be able to find out added information about Bobby or I on that website unless you are an approved user. Sorry, gotta draw the line on stalker access at some point. No fun, I know. Especially since our other family site is "down" and this is pretty much the only "public" site left.)

3: Last, but certainly not least, the arrival of Johnny D. As of yesterday, I am not only 29 weeks pregnant but he has dropped. Yes, this has added some more discomfort. (I've been on a hiatus from life as it seems since last Monday when I ended up in L&D for a pulled round ligament muscle and sciatic nerve pain.) However, I'm getting to where I realize it's not too much longer that I'll have this baby under my heart. I'm enjoying every kick and squirm. Even at night, though I wish he'd let me sleep a little more since I know he's going to be keeping me up at all hours once he arrives. I can't wait to hold my new baby, see what he looks like, introduce him to his brothers and sister... and not have to hear one more single person whine and complain about his name, the spelling, what nickname he will go by, or what they think the name should be or sounds like! It will be on a legal document and done! And if you complain then, well, you're just being cruel to a sweet little innocent baby who never did anything to you. (Whew, sorry... don't know where that came from... silly hormones...)

With all 3 of these exciting events, I feel so blessed to be a part. God has truly blessed me. I have an amazing husband with whom I have amazing children, and came from an amazing family. (It's all just AMAZING!)

Sometimes in everyday life, it's easy to forget just where you came from, and why you are where you are. Thankfully, I can say I'm in a good place. I know this is so mostly because of the prayers of my grandparents, parents, other family members, and good friends along the way. I was raised in a Godly home and instilled with values that will never leave me. Though some of us have drifted due to time and distance, by starting this website I've begun keeping up with other relatives that I might not have otherwise and feel blessed to have those connections. Who knows what else will come of it? Maybe nothing, but you never know.

So here I go, down the last stretch of road. I am so looking forward to just sitting back and enjoying what I've worked for and what God has given me. It's going to be good. I just pray that God keeps his hand on my little (though I guess a family of 5 isn't so little, is it...) family (my big extended one too!) as all these countdowns come to an end. It will be so nice to have something tangible from each once they are all 3 complete. :)