You know you are TTC when...

You know you are TTC when your nightstand looks like this.

And when you hear the term " Eggs white" and " school glue" you automatically think about your cervical mucus, and wonder if your recorded yours today.

You obsess over you BBT chart.

You have multiple TTC apps on your phone.

You have no problem texting your husband, "get home early tonight it is go time". Or Telling your best friend " sorry we might be late it's baby making time"

You never HATED getting your period as mush as you do when you are TTC.

You secretly look up your EDD if you were to get pregnant this cycle,  every time you get your period.

You notice EVERYONE around you is pregnant!

You keep on keeping on and know one day it will happen and if it doesn't you have an amazing husband who will be there with you to make sure you covered every base,  tried every step, and every possible scenario. Even when you want to throw in the towel  he will be right there to whisper in your ear  " we got this".

Still here!!!

Life has finally settled down! We are loving married life, we are loving our new home and making it homey! 
We loving having our friends over and  BBQing, playing horse shoes, watching the Phillies. 

We have been talking more and more about having a baby. I had to make sure I was healthy enough to get pregnant and carry a baby. I went to my PCP and she sent me to a Fetal/Maternal doctor. I made an appt immediately and was in the office within 2 weeks.  The PA and the Doctors were amazing!! They are very confident that with all my injuries I can carry a baby.I asked them about delivery, with my brain tumors can I vaginally deliver?? with my internal injuries from the car accident, can I have a c-Section?? They have no doubt but they just want to talk to my neurologist,  ( more on that later). The did say If i decided to stay with them for my journey they will have me meet with their trauma/surgical team just to be on the safe side. 

Not sure what if I ever talked about my brain tumors so I will briefly touch base. 
In Feb 2012 I fell down the steps ( after a few too many drinks) my friend and I were goofing off and BAM I fell down the steps. 2 day later I still had a nasty headache so I decided to go to the doctors, on my way I changed my mind and just went to the ER. The ran a battery of test and it was found that I had 3 brain tumors. That was a hard thing to hear. That hospital wanted to transport me to a hospital that can better assist with the treatment. I had the most amazing care EVER they doctors and nurses were amazing. 
The doctors decided to "watch" the tumors and redo the MRI   at 3 months ( June) everything was fine, then at 6 months (Dec) I had a new growth so they decided to remove one. That surgery went fine and I was sent home with some meds and to follow up.  I went back at 3 months again and everything was fine. THEN in June I had yet another new growth. My Neurosurgeon was concerned about the location of it and wanted me to see a M.S. specialist.  So after months of  test and follow ups it was determined that I have M.S. I started on medication immediately. But because we are going to " start trying" I went off my meds and started prenatal vitamins. 

We are very excited to start the next chapter in our lives and  I hope and pray that we can make this dream come true. I will keep you posted!! 

Melissa 

First comes love, then marriage, then ???

WOW!!! Life sure had changed since I last posted!
Had the last of my car accident surgeries on March 13th, ( 12 hours) but, everything went great!!!
We got Married on May 3rd
Bought a House on August 2nd
We are enjoying life together in our new home. We have been talking more and more about BABIES!!  We cannot wait to start that chapter in our life together.  Hopefully it will happen without to much medical intervention. But whatever we have to do we WILL do it!!  This girl was born to be a mommy! 

Thankful!!

Life is definitely moving forward!

Wedding Date set.
Wedding Dress Picked out.
Wedding invite list complete.
Eric and I Were busy enjoying life when BAM our life was jolted!

On August 19th Eric and I  were coming home from spending a wonderful weekend down the
shore with friends, when we were pushed off the rode by a  S.U.V and hit a tree head on going 70 miles an hour on Highway 55 in New Jersey.  When we came to a stop I was awake and actually got out of the car after Eric pried it open. I even walked around, until I looked down at my left ankle and noticed it was the size of a small watermelon. Within 5 minutes of the accident 15 men ran to the car from a hotel off the high way. Get this- They were at a medic convention at the hotel.  They helped stabilize me until the paramedic /ambulance got there. They say that after a traumatic injury your body releases endorphin's so you do not feel pain, this definitely happened to me.  Once I was put into the ambulance the pain kicked in and I was begging them to " just go"     I was transported to a trauma hospital 48 miles away from where the accident  happened and Eric was taken to a nearby hospital.  The next think I remember was them cutting my clothes off in the hospital. I was then taken into surgery for 3 hours as they repaired my internal injuries and bleeding, caused from the seat belt. However, the doctors told my parents that if I did not have my seat belt on I would not be alive. ( Thank God for seat belts)   I do not remember the first few days after surgery, probably because of the Morphine. ( Thank God for Morphine) Once I was stabilized and off the Morphine the sent me in for more surgery, this time on my ankle. They had to put screws into it because I fractured the Tallus. Waking up from that surgery SUCKED!!!!!!
 Eric was treated and released from the hospital with in a few hours. ME? I spent 11 days in the hospital, then was sent to a rehab for 14 days. I then went to my parents to recoup because I needed so much help and I live on a 3rd floor apartment. My parents turned their 1st floor into a mini apartment for me. They even put a TV and cable in their dining room , where my hospital bed was set up. I have no idea what I would have done without them.  

Some of my injuries will require additional surgeries, they are saying probably March-April. I am praying they do it in March, since the wedding is May 3rd. In the mean time life is slowly getting back to normal.  I  Am back home with Eric, where I belong. I am  working on the wedding plans again. I am still not cleared to go back to work so I have all day, everyday to do wedding stuff and watch reality TV.

One thing I have learned is , you definitely find out who belongs in your life and who doesn't when tragedies happen.  I was able to take some people off the wedding list after this happened.
It also makes you realize how short life is and how quickly it can change.
It also makes me SO happy to be alive and Thankful that God and my guardian angles were looking out for me that day!!!

updates on my life

Lots going on !!Where do I begin?

February 25th Eric and I were having out with friends at their home, having a few drinks, goofing off. after  "a few" drinks My friend Jenn decided to put on her wedding dress " to see if it still fit" As we were running down the steps I fell and banged my head HARD!!   Instant headache, kinda ruined the night. I woke up the next day so sick, vomiting, killer headache, body was throbbing, I just stayed in bed taking Mot.rin. The next day when I still felt sick I decided it was probably best to call the doctor. I ended up going to the ER and getting all sorts of test and blood work done. After a few hours they came and told me they found something on my brain and they do not believe it had anything to do with the fall. They called it an " incidental finding" . after more test and more doctors coming in they said they wanted to transfer me to a different hospital with better Neuro Department.  So a few hours later I was off in an ambulance to Tho.mas Jeff.erson , where I stayed for 5 very longs days.  They determined that I have a 2 small " lesions,tumors, masses, ( pick your term) on my frontal lobes, a larger on in/on my Right Temporal lobe, and while they were at it they found on on my liver!  I would not have survived those 5 days in the hospital with out my mom and Eric. They tool shifts mom stayed with me all day so Eric could work and so she would help me with the doctors. Eric would come after work and stay with me past visiting hours( best nurses).   They doctors have decided the best course of action is wait and see. they are going to wait 3 months and then repeat the test to see if anything has changed. If nothing has changed they will do it again in 6 months, then a yr. If at anytime something changes they will do biopsy and then whatever else is needed. 

 You can see how bloated my face is from all the fluids they were pumping me with!!

March 16th Eric and I went to the shore for the weekend to " just get away". Little did I know he had bigger plans.  He woke up on the 17th at 6AM yes you read that right 6 AM on a SATURDAY!!!! he wanted to go see the sunrise at our favorite spot but I was so sleepy I said no and rolled back over.  8am he came back in and was woke me up again, this time I gave in I got up and went with him to our spot.  We stopped at Wa..Wa to get breakfast to enjoy at the gazebo on the beach.  We were only there for a about 5 minutes when he asked me to go for a walk on the beach. So as we are walking he begins to talk about my doctors appointments and tell me that he loves me and he gets down on one knee, I then tell him to SHUT UP!!  He pulled out the ring and said those 4 little words I had been asking for .  I said YES of course. He said seeing me in the hospital hooked up to all those machines really made him think about it and made he realize " what the hell am I waiting for" .   He then told me that he had a fun day of surprises for me! My best friend and her husband were coming down to celebrate with us & to take our engagement pictures. We spend the entire after noon on the beach and back out the house celebrating and enjoying  each others company!

As of today we have set the date, May 3, 2013,  booked the hall, and I got the dress!!  Still have lots more to go but I am going to enjoy every second of it!!

checking in...

Wow! I have been gone for a long time!
I love checking in on everybody and seeing what is going on beyond the 4 walls of my office where I spend way to much time. Lets see, what is new????

School is in session- This year we are Kindergarten - 6th and 9th & 10th this year
I am taking a class ASL ( American Sign Language) at the Community College.
I have my Associates degree in Education but have been thinking about going for my Bachelor's degree ( NOT in education) perhaps going to become an Interpreter ??????

Cloie ( my goddaughter) is no longer living with me because her mom wanted her back and that is where she wanted to be, with all her siblings. :( but I still get to see her everyday at school.
Hope you are all well!!!!

Waiting for Superman?!?!

I was finally able to see this movie last week! My school hosted an event where they were showing the movie and stopping it every 30-45 minutes and letting the 9th graders debate it. I have to say I really enjoyed this movie because it really does accurately portray(most) public school and the fight to get into charter schools. I see first hand the lottery and how so many people apply to get their children in because their neighborhood public school is failing them. I get to see first had the anguish in parent's faces while they wait to see if their child will get. I see first had the anger when parents realize their child did not get in. I also get to see the joy when a child does get it. I also get to hear a parent cry and scream out "thank you Jesus" when I make a phone call to a family on the wait list telling them their child has been accepted. I see first had the how Charter schools work and the difference it makes in the life of a child. I see a child who comes from a neighborhood public school with the mentality that nobody cares, to a child that walking in the door with a smile on his face . I see a child come from a neighborhood public school with all D's go on to get all A's and B's the next report card. I see first hand how awesome charter schools are and the difference they can make in the life of a child.

Schooling

So Not sure if i mentioned it before but I work at one of the 71 Charter Schools in Philadelphia. I love my job, I love the people, I love the children. I love the diversity of the school. I grew up in a ALL white neighborhood, went to Catholic school all 12 yrs. I did not have a conversation with a black person until I was in college. I remember walking into my first day of school as a new college student and was in complete cultural shock, I mean COMPLETE shock. I found myself having a hard time even having a conversation with anyone because I had never been in such a unfamiliar setting. I vividly remember watching the girl in front of me braided her hair and being amazed that she didn't even need hair ties. okay let me get to my point

I love walking the halls and seeing so many children from so many different walks of life having conversations, hanging out, being friends. I love that so many children will not have to wait until they are walking in to the first day of college to make friends pf different races, religion, and sexualities.

"The Club"

Since I a child I dreamed of being a mom.
Since I was a child I have wrote down names I loved and had to name my future children.
Since I was a teenager I thought about "the club"

Some women gain acceptance into "the club" by accident.
Some woman gain acceptance into "the club" without any problems.
Some women gain acceptance into "the club" after years of trying.
Some woman gain acceptance into "the club" after spending thousands of dollars.
Some woman gain acceptance into "the club" after seeing a swarm of doctors and specialist.
Some woman gain acceptance into "the club" after years of trying, failed attempts, and spending thousands of dollars.

To me all moms no matter HOW they became a mom are members of this "club" .

I have wanted to be a member of this "club" since I can remember.
I am hoping in 2011 I will be able to gain acceptance into "The Club"

Cloie

such a slacker!!

Not having a computert at home anymore realling hinders your blogging time!

Updates!!!!

I have Cloie (Goddaughter) almost full time now, not legalized (yet) but her mom agreed to it. She is going to school where I work at and it is awesome!! We get to spend so much time together, do homework ( not so much fun) , projects, school pics were last week & I signed her up to be in the school fashion show, girl scouts & ballroom dancing. If she was with her mom she would probably miss school all the time & falling behind & not doing any of the fun activites she is doing now. I am not trying to knoeck her mom but her mom is pregnant yet AGAIN!!!! She has Cloie -6 Michael - 4 James - 9 months (born 15 weeks early) and is now pregnant again. It amazes me that people like here can just keep popping out kids. So she would really not have time to do all these things with Cloie.

I could really turn this into a VENT post againt her mom but I won't.

I am really looking forward to the next few weeks with the holidays and seasons changing. Not so much my gas bill but....

I am going to try to upload some new pictures today if I have my camara cord.

Hope everytone is well!!!!

Wow talk about being MIA

Hey Everyone,

I can't believe how long it has been since I last posted, nothing has really changed.
Still working as a school scretary & loving it.
I have spent some time with my Neice/God-daughter Cloie I had her over Memorial weekend & took her to my old neighorhoods annual parade & she even got to see the Mayor of Philadelophia and The Govonor of Pennsylvania. They come to our parade EVER YEAR!!!!

This past weekend I took her to the shore from Thursday to Monday and we had so much fun. We went to the beach everyday played in the water, built sandcastles, played vollyball. Last yr she liked the water but would not really go in, This year was a whole differant ball game. She LOVE the water she spend most of the time in the water. As soon as we put our bags down on the sand she would take a beeline righ to the water.

We went to the boardwalk one night and she wanton rides for over 2 hours. I took lots of pictures but will have to post them on Tues because I forgot to bring my camara cord to work today and I am off on Monday , so I will have to post them all on Tuesday

Sorry this is so sort but I have to get back to sending out supply list to the families!!!

oh yea

The hell with the Diet this week, Give me a cheesesteak!!! :)

TGIF!!!

Thank God it is Friday!!! Work has be SUPER busy, I am lucky if I actually get to pee during the day. I have been eating lunch at my desk & working like crazy!!!
See I work for a school & from now until Sept is my busy time. In April we had our lottery to choose who gets in or who does not. So after the lottery I have parents calling me crying " my baby didn't get in I'm so upset" or people yelling at me because that already have children here and the youngest one did not. Or my favorite "What is a waiting list?" SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!
We only really took Kindergarten children because the rest of the students will move up, so we may have only had 1-3 spots in the other grades.

Well in May we have all the new students coming for a screening to see where they are academically, so we know how to place them in September. I had to mail out postcards to tell the parents that their children were accepted. However if they do not come to the screening that will forfeit their spot. I'm taking bets how many parents will not show up and then call on Thursday , after she screening process and tell me that did not know about it. WELL TO BAD it was on the website, & it was mailed to you. So sorry but your spot has been filled!!!!

I just have to mentally prepare myself for the CRAZY people!
Well it is 6:30 and I have been here since 6:45 this morning & I have to come in tomorrow for a few hours to help with out 9th grade screenings. UGGG I love this time if the year!


Have a GREAT weekend!!

DIET Time

Okay I have let myself go long enough!!! It is time for serious dieting!!
I have let myself go long enough. Back in 06 I joined we.ight Wat.chers LOVED IT!!!! I lost the weight so quick, when I actually followed it. And I can honestly tell you that it doesn't feel like a di.et. You can eat whatever you want, you can even DRINK your points if you so choose too.
The hardest part is the 1st week getting your body out of the routine of eating whatever and whenever you want. But after that it is EASY!!!!

I have also begun going to the gym every morning at 5am yes 5 AM. I have to be in work at 7:30 and usually do not get home until after 7 so their is no way I am going to want to go out to the gym once I get home from working 12 hours, plus going to the gym pumps your adrenaline up so it is hard to fall asleep. So now I drag my a.ss out of bed at 4:45 (okay sometimes I hit snooze but just once) then I am at the gym by 5:20 workout for a hour then run home to get read for work. I can honestly say the hardest part is actually getting out of bed, once I am out of bed it is easy. I feel so good the rest of the day, I have so much more energy!!!!

Last night I actually took a picture of myself in my FAVORITE pair of jeans size 8 they would button BUT were VERY TIGHT!!!! I am using that as a incentive to lose the weight, I actually want to get into a 6 we shall see!!!!

I will take a new picture every 2 weeks to show my progress getting into my size 8 jeans! I am going to wait to post them until I have my 2nd picture to show my progress so far!

Okay I have to get back to doing some work!!!

Baby James

Hello all,

I have a few minutes so I will update you on Cloie's brother.
Mom work up bleeding a lot, she said the tub was full of blood and clots ( sry TMI)
they rushed her to the hospital and tried to stop he from being born but they couldn't so
He was born on Tues Feb 23rd 15 weeks too early. He ( as well as mom) immediately had to receive blood transfusions. They told mom that they almost lost her.
He weighed in at 1lb 10 oz and was 13 inches long. He is hooked up to all kinds of machines.
He has a hole in a heart valve & a leak in his lung but they are healing with medicine. But he does have bleeding in his brain & they are very worried about it. :(
He also tested positive for Marijuana so now DHS is involved. I am hoping that they call me to take Cloie.
Mom was discharged on Friday, James will be there until prob May.
It is so sad because mom or dad do not drive so they will have to take the bus to the hospital to see him so I doubt they will go everyday. Unfortunately the NICU at the hospital he is in is level 3 ??? so nobody can see him except mom and dad we can't even look thru the glass to look at him. :(
Please continue to pray from baby James.

Please pray

My God Daughter's mom had her baby this morning at 25 weeks pregnant. I am not sure of the details I am going to go to the hospital tonight after work. PLEASE PRAY for little baby boy!!!

Fun in the Snow!!

So Last time I posted I mentioned that I was getting my niece Cloie!!

I am not sure if I mentioned the FEET of snow that they were calling for in PA.

Well, actually what happened was we got hit with 2 nor'easter in less then a week.

It snowed Fri-Sat the 5 & 6 we got a total of 28.5 inches, then again on Tues - Wed 9 &10th we got another 16 inches yup that is right 44 inches of snow in less then a week. Luckily I work at a School and we only had to go in on Tues only to close early and then we were closed for the rest of the week . WOOO HOO Mini Vacation!!!!!



Well anyway I had my Niece for the part of the storm & we had so much fun playing in the snow.

Here are some pictures of her jumping, swimming, climbing and making her zillion snow angels.

Things I HATE!!!

1. I hate that my relationship with my bestfriend has changed, since the birth of her AWESOME, adorable,wonderful, so stinky cute twins, whom I LOVE SO MUCH!!!!. Sadly I knew it would when she was pregnant that things would never be the same. She didnt think things would change, but deep down I knew i miss our days of spedning the day together, shopping, movies, eating & Yummy Margaritas.



2. I hate that when I tapped MAC this morning my account didnt have as much as I was expecting & now must rethink what bills I was going to pay.



3. I hate that I am supposed to leave work at 4 today and will probable get screwed and get stuck here until 7:30, missing my time with C.loie. I am supposed to leave at 6:30 everyday but have been staying late because I am swamped. ( with out pay)



4. I hate not really hate but I get upset with the fact that all these celebrities are so concerened with Hai.ti. BELIEVE ME I AM TOO but there are so many children here in THE U.SA who are going to bed hungry, with no heat, come to school with no lunch, and clothes with holes in them, and we are focused on Hait.i. NOW I know that children who are hungry and cold here in the US.A have it off better then the children in Hai.ti, JUST because they are US.A citizens. But it still makes me upset. ( wow is that awful)



5. I hate the work blocked Face.Book .



Will Post more later!!!!!