Babies, babies, everywhere!

Since July of 2016, 2 of my sister-in-laws have had babies.  Lettice adopted a handsome baby boy in July, and just had her 4th baby in November of 2016. His name is Peter and we love him! Lura had a boy as well back in August. That makes 5 nephews! Phew! 5 boys is a lot! I love them all. I've never been an aunt until I married into Preston's family but I'm telling you - it's the best feeling :)


Speaking of babies - it's not a very well known fact but I'm putting it all out there - Preston and I have been trying to get pregnant for going on a year and a half. Recently, I had someone tell me that I should put a joke out on social media that I'm expecting. I remember a comment I saw during Thanksgiving on a picture that said "ruin Thanksgiving in 4 words" saying "Honey I am pregnant". I know... I know that it's all in good fun. It's meant to be funny. I just never expected that I would be in the boat with the infertiles. When you want a baby so badly and people are telling me to jokingly put it on Facebook that I'm expecting - well, it's not funny to me. I had a long and very intriguing conversation with someone a while back, a stranger no less! She knows my struggles, she was so comforting and understanding. Biological children were not written in her cards but she and her husband have begun the adoption journey and were blessed with a match. I am so thrilled for them! I have dabbled in the thought of adoption, even E-mailed an agency about it. I wish we were in the financial position to go through with it. Preston has expressed an interest in adopting also, but alas- who really has $25k laying around to sign a contract with an agency? We have a perfectly good home and perfectly good jobs! It's so frustrating sometimes.


I have been struggling recently with the doctors that I've needed to see on this infertility journey. Communication is seriously lacking, and due to that we have had to put off testing and medications for months. I was so annoyed and heartbroken! I had finally received an answer from a doctor after trying to contact the office for a month that we can start the medication in December - BUT at that time Preston and I would be visiting my family in SC during the time that I would need blood drawn to make sure the medication is working.


One of the girls at the office, while attempting to schedule the HSG test for me, had the audacity to tell me that the offices were busy because of the holidays. This pissed me off. I don't care what time of year it is! I tried to see a provider in April of 2016 and that particular provider told me I couldn't get pregnant because I was overweight. No, thank you, way fatter people than me get pregnant on the daily. I explained the story in a series of instagram posts, accessible here. The bottom line is, that I stressed so much over this whole ordeal of not being able to communicate with my doctors, and not having regular cycles, that I had to get away from all of it. Being in Phoenix has allowed me to not think so much about the heartache that goes along with receiving your period every month. I never imagined how much hearing "it will happen when it's supposed to happen" would piss me off and hurt so much. If you, my reader, ever heard this come out of my mouth in regard to your own struggles - I do apologize. It's essentially the shittiest thing anyone could say to a person struggling to conceive.

For now, I will continue to enjoy my 5 nephews and all the baby snuggles that go along with having 3 under 1! :) All I can do is pray that our time will come, whether naturally or with medical intervention, or adoption. Whatever card is played, I will be happy with.

Travel Nurse Life

Many people cannot understand why I chose to travel, rather than waste my life away in Texas at a job I didn't love, surrounded by people I couldn't stand. I have wanderlust like crazy, and beginning my journey this January instead of next just seemed to be the best option for me. Phoenix has been a whirlwind of fun! I absolutely miss my husband and furbabies, but I have done more exploring in these 3 short months than I have in my 29 years on earth. I've seen the Grand Canyon, drove up to Zion National Park in Utah, explored the Pacific coast in San Diego, finally sat on the edge of Horseshoe Bend, walked among the giants in Saguaro National Park, and hiked a couple of mountains along the way. I have the most outdoorsy heart, but pretty lazy bones. I wouldn't call any of my excursions easy, but they end up being SO completely worth every out-of-breath step I take. I wouldn't trade this experience for anything, and I can't wait to explore more of this world. 

My next assignment will be a little closer to home. When I found out that my dreams of going to the Pacific Northwest would be put on hold, an opportunity presented itself for me to spend the summer on the beach in Texas. I will be traveling to a pretty small Pediatric unit in the border town of Brownsville. It's around 6.5 hours from home, which is a lot more doable for a quick trip home VS. the 14 hour distance to Phoenix. It will be incredibly nice to be close. I ended up snagging a condo on the bay in Laguna Vista (which is only about 15-20 minutes from South Padre Island!). I'm pretty excited to be going. It's always nerve-wracking starting a new assignment. There happens to be another travel nurse on the unit I'll be working on who has extended her contract 3 times already... if that doesn't speak volumes about the unit then I don't know what would! I doubt I'll be exploring much this summer, as I will be mostly soaking up all of the vitamin D on the beach. I am really hoping to be able to head to Washington or Oregon for the fall, but the beauty of traveling is being open to going anywhere the wind might take me! :)