October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

Friday, September 30, 2011

Today I have another amazing guest blogger today!  Since today is October 1st, I thought it would be great to have Jen, from In God's Time...Not Mine, visit us and tell us her amazing story.

Remembering Our Babies The Official Site of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day October 15th

I just want to start with a huge thanks to Bonnie for letting me guest post on her blog. My name is Jen and I am the author of In God's Time...Not Mine.

I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about a topic that is often considered taboo: pregnancy and infant loss.
 
October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month; October 15th is actually Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day.
 


Important News Update for October 15th
Here are some sobering statistics...
Every year in the United States:
* Approximately 2 million women will experience the loss of a pregnancy
* 154,051 children are born with birth defects
* 27,864 children will die before their first birthday
I unfortunately know these statistics all too well...
My story starts with my first pregnancy. My baby girl was born in August 2006.
Her name was Madelyn Rose and she was born full-term after a very long labor that resulted in a c-section. Everything went from happy to absolutely devastating the moment she was born.
She had very serious birth defects that were the result of a genetic condition called Pfeiffer Syndrome Type II.
She was whisked away to the NICU while I was being sewn up. About 3 hours after her birth and a very negative CAT scan of her brain (she had very little brain tissue), my husband and I made the hardest decision of our lives and removed her from the ventilator. We took her back to our room and held her until she passed away the next morning.
 It was a very hard recovery process both mentally and physically and a year later we found out that we were expecting another little one.
Around 7 weeks I started spotting and went into my doctor's office "just to be safe". I had an ultrasound and there was no baby, just a mass of cells.
The wind was knocked out of me and time just blurred together as we started talking about mutant cells, cancer and a D&C. I had my D&C on my husband's 29th birthday and waited anxiously for the results.
They came back in a couple weeks as a Partial Molar Pregnancy where 2 sperm fertilized one egg at the exact same time. It results in 3 sets of genetic material, which is why the cells went crazy. I had to monitor my levels until they went to zero and then we had to wait 6 months from then to try to get pregnant again.
We started trying again for a few months but weren't able to get pregnant and it was starting to take its toll on me. There wasn't anything wrong with either of us and we were still within the normal time frame for the "average" couple to get pregnant but it was so overwhelming.
We started to feel God's call to adopt.
We both always knew that we would adopt, we knew before we got married that adoption would be part of our family plan.
What we didn't know was the timing of when we would adopt.
We thought it would be after we had our biological children, but God had other plans.
In September 2009 we submitted our application to adopt a baby from South Korea. We were open to some minor medical conditions and only 6 months later we saw our handsome son's picture for the first time. B was perfectly healthy but had just recently healed from a broken arm so he was considered to have a special need. We just knew he was our son and, after waiting the obligatory 24 hours, we excitedly accepted the referral.
The next few months were filled with a lot of preparation and paperwork and by early July 2009 we knew we were getting close! Early July was also the time where I started to feel a little off. I wasn't sure what was going on so I took a few pregnancy tests and they came back negative. I was a little late but we were trying to NOT get pregnant per the adoption agencies guidelines. The morning of July 9th I awoke early and couldn't get back to sleep.
I slipped quietly out of the bedroom and took another pregnancy test. I kind of knew something was going on but was COMPLETELY shocked to see a faint 2nd line.
I wish I could say I was overjoyed but my first reaction was fear. We weren't supposed to get pregnant while in process and our son wasn't home yet; I was worried they wouldn't let us adopt him.
I ran downstairs and called my mom in tears.
She was overjoyed and I remember telling her that I suspected we would get our long awaited travel call that day. I woke my husband up at that point and told him our news. He was still home at 9:30am when our phone rang and it was our social worker telling us our son would be escorted home to us in 3 days!

 

 

B came home on July 10th and our son, Ry, was born March 8th. They are a little over 18 months apart but arrived into our family only 8 months apart.
It has been a wonderfully busy time and I wouldn't trade it for the world.
My two little boys are my world and I love them both so much.
For those who may be curious, I feel exactly the same about both boys regardless of how they became mine!

 

When Ry was about a year old we decided to start trying to have another baby. I found out I was pregnant in July and immediately went to my OB to monitor my blood levels. They were good for a week and then just slowed down. I went in for an ultrasound and prayed for the best. It was almost surreal being back in that same room where we received the bad news about the molar pregnancy.
The u/s tech started the exam and knew right away that something wasn't right. I should have been 6 weeks along and all she could see was an empty sac measuring 5 weeks, 2 days.
Hoping for the best but honestly expecting the worst, I went home and waited.
Four long days went by before I went back in for another ultrasound. It feels like I sat in that waiting room for 2 hours but it was probably only 5 minutes.
Finally got called back, gowned up and laid down. Anxiously waiting for the results, praying repeatedly "Please God, please just let everything be ok.
Please perform a miracle; please let my baby be ok!"
It wasn't.
Nothing had changed and my D&C was scheduled for the next day. In my heart I just knew that the baby was a girl and my doctor confirmed that at my follow up appointment. She was healthy, genetically speaking, so I will never know why I lost her.
Even today, my heart hurts for my 3 precious lost treasures: my precious Madelyn Rose, for the pregnancy that never was and for the baby girl who will never get to be born or grow up.
When we started this journey to parenthood, I never realized how hard it would be.
I knew women had miscarriages but I just didn't think it would happen to me.
I have lost 3 babies but I cannot wallow in the past.
I am choosing, instead, to focus on the future and on the family I have.
If I never have any more children, I will be happy with my two boys.
That being said, I do hope/pray that God will bless us again with a healthy pregnancy and baby.
I also hope that God will bring us another little one through adoption as well.
My plan sounds good but, as I have learned, it isn't up to me!

 

 

Wow…What a story!  Jen, our prayers are with you.  God Bless You!

Please stop by Jen’s blog today to leave her a nice comment.

Bonnie

Our Fall Tablescape {repost}

Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Good morning everyone!  Today, I am back with my fall tablescape!  I really liked how it turned out and I used it as my inspiration for my new fall header.
I LOVE decorating my tables.  So does my daughter!  I just say, “Grace, do you want to help me decorate?” and she comes yelling, “YEEESSSS!”  She is totally a little me, lol!  LOVE IT!
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We decided to do a very simple and nature looking tablescape today.
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She helped my with the pinecones.
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I just love the simplicity of it!
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I also love these dishes.  I bought this set at a garage sale for only $15.
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The kids loved smelling the cinnamon sticks with me.
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My baby wanted to throw the pinecones, lol!
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That’s ok with me as long as it is not a plate.
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I am really enjoying the straight lines of the plates and bowls.
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The centerpiece is also nature inspired.
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I used more cinnamon sticks, pinecones and acorns.
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I just placed everything into a rectangle platter along with this arrangement.
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I think they go well together.
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Here’s another view.
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And another.
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OK, last one!  I promise.
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So, there is my simple, nature-looking talblescape.
This is not too fancy.  Just simple and fun!
What do you use on your tables?
Have a great day!
Bonnie :)

Window...

It’s that time of the year again! As you can imagine, I’ve been a busy bee buzzing around here trying to find the time to fit in all my little projects... Oh there’s so much to do! So much to collect! There are oodles of tomatoes to harvest, and there are all the herbs to be dried and all the grapes from all of our five grapevines would need to be collected before the birds get to them.







Tinkerbell herself showed up in our garden the other day! She promised she’d help collect all the goodies! And she did! She was very polite and quiet, but can I share a little secret? She thinks like a fairy and acts like a fairy, but really… she’s just a gardener in disguise… I still cannot believe ‘she’ actually gardens in her Tinkerbell PJ’s, though... but really, she does!




There is also the realization that the Wheel of the Solar Seasons has turned, cycling through another year once again. And thus, I’m soaking up as much sun as possible, as I can foretell a pretty nasty and cold winter is already lurking around the corner—to bite us when we least expect it.




Oh but we shouldn't be talking of winter here, right? And who would anyway with weather as lovely as this! It is indeed divine out here in the garden, with just the right tingle of mystery and anticipation brought in by nippy autumnal evening air...




So here we are... still dining outside, eating salads from our organic garden under some magical bluish-pink skies....











The garden under the magical glow of twilight...

I’ve been cozying up my nest a bit in preparation for the upcoming season and long nights ahead... so I got new pillows and covers and I have dug out my favorite lamp from the hobbit hole down the hall under the stairs... (Truly... there’s a hobbit hole down there!)





I love this lamp. It looks so lovely here cozying up my evenings again... it looks particularly enchanting against the darkness and chill of the outside.




What is it about a window soothed by the soft light of a lamp that so enchants me? Are you like that too? Think about this: The mellifluous garden swathed in shadows and gentleness, the quietness distilled and that sense of mystery and seclusion brought in by autumn’s chilly breath, and then... the soft light on the window beckoning me; reminiscent of home and warmth and comfort and love and everything that’s good...




There is something about the quietness and beauty of these imageries I think... it’s magical! But the real magic can only happen at the right time, and in my opinion that ‘right time’ starts right with the arrival of fall... the feeling is not the same in the summer when it's hot outside and natural light aplenty. I've seen magic happen, so I know it does... it may come sudden and go by quick, but sometimes it lingers at your very window... See what I mean?








That is why I’d usually take my ‘magic’ lamp back to the hobbit hole down the hall under the stairs every spring and keep it there all through the summer until the arrival of fall; when again I would polish it and bring it back to enchant my evenings.







Remember, if you open your eyes you'd see magic all around you! Is all in you, really! UNLEASH all possibilities





Guest Post: Ring Around the Rosies

Good morning!  I am here today with another guest blogger just in time for fall! Smile
Say hello to Jaima!
Hey, y'all! I'm Jaima, and I blog over at Ring Around the Rosies!
Today, I am going to share with you an old post of mine to inspire a little Fall creativity!
Believe it or not, the leaves are turning colors and the weather is already getting crisp here in Middle Tennessee! You can find the original post here. I hope you all enjoy.
But first, I have to give Bonnie a huge "thank you" for letting me guest post today! It is kind of unbelievable, actually. I don't remember where I first saw the idea, but in prepping for the cooler Fall weather, I decided to do a little decorating today!
I took this...

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(sorry it’s blurry, I forgot to take an actual “before” picture, so I had to take this one I took a few months ago when we had our condo for sale)
…and turned it into this…
How’d I do it?
I simply spray painted the flower pot with Rustoleum’s flat black paint. 
For the pumpkin, I decided what font I wanted using plain ol' Microsoft Word and printed it out.
Then I traced it on to wax paper and cut out the “S” with an exacto knife. I taped the paper to the pumpkin and simply spray painted it.
Next time, I will definitely hand paint the letter on, because as you can see, the spray paint ran a little. There's many ways you could do this though. I bought the pumpkin with a 40% off Michael's coupon. This way, I can pull it out year after year, but you could definitely use a real pumpkin too.
P9152544But, I must admit that overall, I really love the new look!
What do you think???
Thanks again to Bonnie!
Please stop by my blog and say hello sometime! 
Thanks so much Jaima!!  What a cute and simple idea!! Smile
Thanks so much for sharing!
Please stop by her blog today and let her know that I sent you!
Have a great day!
Bonnie :)

Wisteria Wednesday

Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Taking a break from roses today to bring you Wondrous Wisteria Wednesday. We love wisteria for its beautiful flowers hanging on long clusters. There is something romantic about a pergola, or even a cottage, covered in wisteria, especially in the spring when it is in bloom. The two most popular types of wisteria are Wisteria floribunda and Wisteria sinensis. W. floribunda has clusters up to 18 inches and it usually flowers in May and June. Colors can range from violet-blue to white, with pink and lavender in between. W. sinensis has slightly smaller clusters, up to 12 inches, that flower white or blue in May. For decorating ideas, the violet-blue hues of wisteria look lovely in a feminine bedroom or powder room.

Decorating Ideas

Cepolina (via)

Wisteria flowers range from white to pale violet to deep blue. The delicate groups of blooms are sometimes centered with pale yellow.

Decorating Ideas

Hume Seeds (via)

A romantic garden room is created from three simple elements: large wisteria, a pergola and lattice. How wonderful to spend an afternoon surrounded by wisteria, drinking lemonade or iced tea.

Decorating Ideas

Thread Spider (via)

An English country cottage covered in wisteria to the point where it surrounds the windows. Imagine opening the windows and letting the sweet fragrance fill the rooms.

Decorating Ideas

Downlo (via)

A cottage in Chelsea, England covered in wisteria.

Decorating Ideas

Moosey's Country Garden (via)

A single wisteria vine can climb and cover a pergola with lovely blooms. The leaves provide shade in the summer.

Decorating Ideas

Plant Encyclopedia (via)

Wisteria Alba is a white variety of wisteria. This path framed by white blooms would look magical at night with white fairy lights.

Decorating Ideas

Bumble Bee Blog (via)

Wisteria can also be trained to grow a fence. It looks especially nice against an old fashioned white picket fence.

Decorating Ideas

Home (via)

Both white and blue wisteria are available in tree and vine varieties. Whichever you chose to plant in your garden, remember that wisteria does not like to be moved. Once it is established it can take over, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Interior design ideas might include placing a silk wisteria plant in a corner for a pop of beautiful color.


This post comes courtesy of Design Shuffle, where you can find top tier interior designs from around the world – from New York interior designers, Los Angeles interior designers, and more, check out the latest at Design Shuffle.





Shaklee: What is our Business Model?

Sunday, September 25, 2011
Hey everyone!  How was your weekend?  We had  my husband’s parents over on Saturday and played lots of board games with the kiddos today!  We also did some basement organization because we are going to start finishing it in about a month or so.  I will keep you updated.  I need to do an overhaul down there first, lol, seriously!!

Anyway,  do you remember last May when was able to attend Shaklee’s New Director Conference at Shaklee’s Headquarters in Pleasanton, California?

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Well,  do you remember that I told you I did some video recording?

I was in several short clips used at the Shaklee Global Conference in Washington D.C., which was played in front of 5,000 people (I was actually the first video they played to start off the whole conference, so that was really cool) and now I am in another video that is used in our Shaklee iPad app for sharing the Shaklee Opportunity!

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Even though I am only in this video for like 10 seconds,  it is exciting for me so I wanted to show you it.

They asked us a lot of questions and this video was about are business model.  (which I love by the way!!)


What did you think?

If you are serious about working from home and spreading health, I am looking for people who want to make an extra $1,000 a month!  Email me to set up an appointment for more info.  donahuewellness@hotmail.com
Have a great day!
Bonnie :)