Life with Stella

I haven't blogged a lot this month.  I blame school, a nasty stomach virus, and Stella for this.

School of course is back in session.  We are going full speed ahead as we prepare for TCAP.  This is a very stressful time of year, but it's a lot of fun too.

Michael and I both got a horrible stomach virus.  I think I threw up 18 times...literally.  It was awful.  It took me out of commission for about a week.  The only positive part of it was the fact that I lost five pounds from it!

Life with Stella has been so much fun.  It's also been a lot of hard work.  Currently, she's trying to escape ever single pen she's put in.

I'm currently trolling the internet looking for a new doggie gate.  Anything that's affordable doesn't seem to work.

Stell is really too smart for her own good!

I've also started attending a support group/bible study for women who struggle with infertility and recurrent pregnancy loss.  It's really been therapeutic to get to listen to the many stories of other women like me.  Not only has it been good for the soul, but I'm also gaining a lot of knowledge from these ladies.  They are a wealth of information.

So, that's January in a nutshell!  I hope your year has started off great!

100 Places to Eat in Memphis: Interim

At Interim, you are supposed to try the mac and cheese.

This is not my first time trying Interim's mac and cheese.  It truly is wonderful.  I could eat an entire pot of it.  

I just wish the rest of the menu at Interim was this delicious.  

100 Places to Eat in Memphis: Colletta's

We went to Colletta's over the Christmas break.  There, we got to try the BBQ pizza.  It's really yummy.  We got the appetizer version.  It was so much food.  

I remember being in such a good mood that day.  We had just adopted Stella that morning!  

Fantastic lunch spot!

The Story of Stella

Oh my goodness, I am in love with Stella "Arf" Tois.  Stella is our two month old lab/retriever mix we just adopted from Memphis Animal Services (Shelter).

The only think we know about Stella is that she was picked up by MAS on 12/15/12 as a stray.  WHO COULD LET THIS SWEET PUPPY GO?!?!

She's been in our home for only one full day, and I can't even begin to think about life without her.  I used to be one of those who kinda made fun of crazy dog-lovers.  Now, I'm one of them.

I'm already stressing about how I'm going to handle leaving her at home when I go back to work in a little over a week.  It makes me tear up just thinking about it.

We met Stella on Wednesday.  I have to be honest.  I took notice, but wasn't immediately drawn to Stella.  I had my eyes set on another dog that looked like Marley from Marley and Me.  When we went to check her out a little bit closer, another family was also looking at her.   I was ready to jump on it and snatch that dog before the other family, but Michael said no.  They had a little girl, and Michael wasn't about to take her away.  I was pretty upset.  

Then, we walked past Stella's cage again.  She was next to a terrier.  We were really looking at both, but the terrier was going a little crazy.  She seemed like the jealous type.  Stella was doing her part to get our attention, but she wasn't acting crazy.  Michael really really liked her.  He especially liked her brindle color.  The only problem was, she wasn't ready to be adopted.  We would have to come back on Friday to actually adopt her.  

We put our name on a list for her.  No one else had a name on her list.  The terrier had four!  Craziness!  Putting our name on the list did not guarantee us getting her.  We would have to be at the shelter Friday at 11:00.  If we were there at 11:00, she was ours.  (This of course was only if there was nothing wrong with her after she was observed for another two days.)

I cannot tell you how long those two days were.  At this point, I too had fallen in love with Stella.  She just had the sweetest personality.

Finally, Friday came.  Michael had to work, so Mom and Andrew met me at the shelter.  When the doors opened at 11:00, it was like a mad dash for people to get to their dog's cage before anyone else.  I was nervous, because I didn't think it would be that chaotic.  I thought that since I was there, I would get her.  That was probably the case, but I wasn't taking chances.  I ran back to her cage and got her paperwork, and came back up front.  

Thank goodness, we were one of the first five families to check out Friday, because they were only spaying the first five before Christmas.  This meant, we would get to get her either Saturday or Sunday.  I was ecstatic!  

I was out running errands on Saturday when I got the call.  We would be allowed to pick her up at 1:00.  I bought a kennel, and brought her home.  I didn't even put her in the kennel because I just wanted to love on her the whole way home.  She set in my lap.  She was shaking shaking!  I think she was so nervous.  There is no telling what her life was like before we adopted her.  

She has brought so much joy to our lives.  Joy that we desperately needed.  I'm already in full mommy-mode worried about her first check-up.  I hope everything checks out okay!  I'm so thankful we met her.  She is truly the best Christmas present I've ever gotten!

Also, if I thought Michael was hot before the dog, seeing him with a dog... I can't stop staring!  

Miscarriage Followup

I may have crossed the threshold of TMI.  I tweeted about my post-miscarriage blood work that I had today.  

Some people are probably thinking, why is that crazy girl tweeting about this stuff?  But honestly, I really want to share it.  

I'm still so angry and frustrated.  I'm moving past it, and I can smile, but I'm pissed off.  Sometimes it helps to let the world know what I'm going through.  People treat you better.  

Also, if I have to look at your freaking ultrasound pics and pregnancy complaints on facebook and twitter, you can look at a few pictures of the blood work I am going through to figure out why I can't keep a baby (fetus) past 6 and a half weeks.  To the person I'm following on twitter that complained about being "sick and sober" for the last three months, I'd gladly trade places with you.  I dream of being where you are.  I'm pissed off that I have a glass of wine sitting next to me. 

~

I'm trying to somehow find humor in all of this, because having a miscarriage completely sucks.  Having two makes you want to punch 80% of the people you come into contact with.  I've found several blogs that really put a funny spin on on the whole miscarriage thing.  Only those who are in this awful club are allowed to make jokes.  I've also found some serious, more heartbreaking blogs.  Both types help me cope.  Sometimes I want to laugh about how nutso all of this is.  Other times, I want to cry and stay on my couch all day. 

*Be aware, some of these blogs use adult language.  I don't blame them.  I've used a lot of adult language in the last six months.  

I read one blog, that of course I can't find anymore, that talked about how horrendous the whole transvaginal ultrasound is.  In it, she compares the experience to the doctor using a joyce stick in her vajayjay.  She also talked about how the doctor kept saying how awesome her ovaries were, like he wanted to date them.  I loved reading what this lady had to say, because it was all so true.  I too felt that same way.  Even today at the doctor, he talked about how my uterus felt great or something.  

Some of the blogs have really good advice.  The following came from Pregnant Chicken.  

Advice on what to say when someone you know has a miscarriage:  

I'm so sorry for your loss.

I had a miscarriage too. Let me know if you ever want to talk about it.

I don't know what to say but I'm here for you and I want to help.

Do you want to talk about it?

Offer to help with housework, babysitting, meals, etc.

Call and check in because the pain doesn't go away in a couple days.

This blog, really touches my heart.  Everything she feels, I feel.  Especially, the following words:

Feelings I’m ashamed of? Cattiness/jealousy of those in our lives who have become pregnant since we lost our baby.

What I know for sure? That this baby was our first baby…that I will never forget him or her…and that although the hole may get smaller and smaller as time goes on, there will ALWAYS be a hole in my heart for that baby that will never be filled.

~

Today,  I had my post-miscarriage followup.  I walked into the office, ironically, praying I wasn't pregnant anymore.  If I had been, I would have to have to have had a D and C.  

I elected with this miscarriage to not have a D and C, because it was so freaking expensive when we had the first miscarriage.

If it happens again, (PLEASE PRAY IT DOESN'T!) I would probably go back to having another D and C.  The reason being, when trying to pass the baby on your own, you have to deal with a lot (A LOT!) of unpredictable bleeding.  I actually ended up in the Emergency Room because the bleeding was out of control.  I also had to take off three days of work. 

Honestly, I should have taken off two weeks of work to recover emotionally, but I would have been facing so much when I came back, that it just wasn't worth it.   

Anyway, so today it was all about checking to make sure that the baby had passed.  Thank goodness, the pregnancy test they gave me came up negative. 

Now, it's on to the good stuff.  Now we can hopefully get some answers as to why me, a healthy 28 year old, can't get pregnant, while 65% of my facebook friends get pregnant at the drop of a hat.  

I had blood work done.  Here are the many tubes I had to look forward to filling with my blood.  

Here they are, I didn't cry or pass out or anything.  (Thank goodness Michael couldn't get out of work today, because if he could have, he would have passed out watching this.)

Please pray that these tubes of blood give us some answers!  

~

If I had to guess what's causing the miscarriages, my guess would be low progesterone levels.  I have yet to really feel pregnant.  I just wonder if something is wrong there.  From what I've read, this would be a pretty easy fix.  Maybe we'll find out that this is an easy fix.  

100 Places to Eat in Memphis: Molly's La Casita

I am knocking some places out this week from the 100 Places to Eat in Memphis blog.  Mom has been a great partner in crime as we are out for Christmas break.  

Today, we went to Molly's La Casita.  The item you're supposed to get is Bruce's Nachos.  

Bruce's Nachos

This picture doesn't do it justice.  This dish was huge!  Mom and I loved it.  We weren't able to finish, so my dad is getting another meal tonight!  

I also got the chimichanga.  It was really good too!  I wasn't crazy about the beans.

The salsa there was actually the best I'd ever had. 

The cool thing about this restaurant was the service.  It was great!  Also, the atmosphere is crazy cool.  The place has been on Overton Square for 30 years.  

It was such a fun day with Mom!

100 Places to Eat in Memphis: Cafe Palladio's Coconut

At Cafe Palladio, the 100 Things to Eat in Memphis blog says you are supposed to get the coconut cake!

I can't say a lot about the inside of this place, because Mom actually picked up the cake to go, but the cake is PHENOMENAL.  I am not really a coconut person, but this cake is just so moist and so delicious, you have to give it a try!  I wish my pictures were better!

There is no excuse for the terrible quality of this picture. 

Or this one!