Hello bleeps!
How are things with you?
It’s been an up and down week.
Up: good news: Mommy in Waiting has a positive outcome for her 4th IVF! Go and congratulate her!!
Down: my dear friend from varsity got a BFN for her first IVF. She has now moved on to FET. Please send her your most powerful warm thoughts and/ or prayers; I really want this for her!
Rhino
Well, enough about other people, back to me!
Last weekend I went on a camp which was really awesome.
We first went on a game drive and were lucky enough to see some rhino.
The kids also had fun pretending to be various animals.
The next day we went to see a dairy farm. This farm had the largest turntable in South Africa. Look at all those cows being milked!
Cows being milked
While we were there a cow gave birth. How awesome is that? I was surprisingly filled with wonder (instead of resentment. Oh well, they get artificially inseminated too. At a certain time when the computer tells them too. Imagine that. At least we have the freedom to choose.)
The seal that craves attention. And the sign that says "Do not touch"
We then went off to an aquarium. I really felt for the seal that followed us around in his enclosure. Also the penguin that was by himself.
The lonely penguin
But apparently if they can’t find a mate for him within the next three months he is getting shipped off to Port Elizabeth. (That’s my home town where they have a super Oceanarium with loads of penguins. They are right by the sea).
On Saturday we went to Soccer City (venue for the 2010 World Cup) which was incredible. Just a pity that the previous event had left so much litter and they were still cleaning it all up.
We then went to Rand airport to look at a plane. Not that interesting to me since I have seen many!
The food during this camp was really different. You don’t expect much when you are at camp but this time it was a proper restaurant with a chef that taught the kids etiquette and manners. The boys went in first and then had to stand as the girls entered. Top notch quality and service. We were spoiled.
Breakfast is delicious
I got back and we had the Monday off, thank God, because doing so much travelling on a hot bus on that last day was tickets for me. I was literally hurling in the toilet when we got back. I sometimes get these migraine headaches when I am too much in the sun and it makes me nauseous.
On Monday I had my interview with Sarah for the fertility summit. It went well considering how nervous I was!
The interview will be played on 27 March which is my birthday. So go ahead, give me a birthday present and listen to me and Yolk (who says it will be ?a day of infamy?) and as well as Katie and all the other fertility experts.
One thing I forgot to say in the interview, and what I have been meaning to write about for some time, is to explain the picture you will find in this blog.
One thing I learned from play therapy is this exercise: ask the child to draw a picture of themselves in the rain. This is a good indication of where they are. (what is the weather like? how bad are things? Do they have any protection from the rain (umbrella/ raincoat/ support?). I did this with my grade one class and it was quite interesting to see the girl whose parents were going through a divorce having a very stormy time with lightning and thunder going on.
You cannot control the weather. And that’s how I find infertility: a storm or heavy rains, pounding on me, no matter how much I wish it were not there. However, this blog is about finding a way to cope with that rain.
1. The umbrella: support: this can be professional / friends / husband / fellow infertiles
2. The flowers: finding just one thing, ANYTHING, to be grateful for in whichever situation I find myself. It’s like the Pollyanna glad game, which you might find irritating, but in reality, gratitude and appreciation are powerful tools that can change our vibration and bring us closer to the goals we desire.
On that really deep note, I will love you and leave you.
May your umbrellas be a huge dome of protection, and the fragrances of your flowers fill every situation.
Looking forward to the day of infamy!
Every year at the fair there is a pig there who is in labor for like 4 straight days before actually giving birth. I always want to see it, and always miss it. I’m totally jealous that you got to watch the cow give birth!
Well, truthfully, we didn’t get to watch the cow give birth.. just heard about it happening at the time when we were getting our “show and tell” with another cow.
Don’t worry, our time will come… (for calves, piglets and babies!)
Stopping over from ICLW from #63 & #153. I enjoy your outlook. I too am 36 and have been ttc for 4 years. We’ve done 5 IUI, 4 IVF (can’t believe i’m writing that) and may move on to donor eggs or adoption. But I need to find more balance in my life outside of this. Looking forward to following your story…
thanks Tippy, it has been a long time hey..
good luck to you and me..
Exciting that you’re a part of the Fertility Focus Telesummit… a guess a belated good luck is in order since you’ve already recorded. Also, a very happy early birthday. Thanks for swinging by my blog and happy ICLW!
~Keiko, Hannah Wept, Sarah Laughed, ICLW #23
Heather – thank you for your lovely comment, it really was appreciated. Best of luck with the fertility summit which sounds very interesting. Love, luck and strength to you xxxxxxxxxxx