Frozen!

I love this, I think I would be freaked out if I was NOT a frozen person!

My Birthday! - September 18th

Last weekend was my birthday weekend. For those of you that don't know, I am still like a small child on my birthday - I truly believe the day should be all about me, i love my birthday, I want everyone to know it's my birthday and I just want to have fun. Jared had no idea what he was in for as far as the responsibility he holds in making my birthday successful when we got married. I am happy to say though he has picked it up WONDERFULLY and continues to make my birthday MAGNIFICENT every year!

Friday night when Jared got home from work he presented me with a brochure for MICHELLE'S BIRTHDAY EXTRAVAGANZA!!!! - With my birthday activites in it. That night we went over to my mom's house to hang out with my sister and our niece and nephew, we had a dance party and watched Thomas the Train - it was perfect!

Saturday was supposed to start with a trip to the art fair in Hudsonville, but we were lazy and laid in bed and played with Duke all morning so we skipped that.

Then we went to Biggby to get my Carmel Apple Cider drink that I LOVE = perfect, and then ... WE WERE OFF TO THE MSU v Notre Dame Game in South Bend! I LOVE football and Jared got me an MSU jersey to wear this year...YAY...so this was a great treat, at first I thought maybe Jared was giving himself a present, but as the day went on I realized he was right I LOVED every minute of it...besides the MSU playing like crap and getting killed part...that was a bit of a downer! Before the game we walked around campus and met up with our sister-in-law Colleen, who is attending grad school there, we saw a few other people we knew and ate some great tailgate food! Later we were walking through campus and came upon a One Man Band! He was awesome and such a cute man! He kept playing the Notre Dame fight song, but I put some money in his jar anyways and then he said "Well Alright, this one's for you"

and he played the MSU FIGHT SONG in the middle of Notre Dame's campus...LOVE I stood right in front of him cheering and doing the motions and some man with a HUGE camera - he looked official - was taking pictures...I'm pretty sure I am gonna be famous! - so that was fantastic.

After the game Jared and I were a little depressed, but we met up with Jared's brother Luke and Colleen again and had some great Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza, AND since it was my birthday the waitresses all sang happy birthday to me and I got this AMAZING dessert that was BIG warm brownies with vanilla ice cream on top...to die for - and it was huge so we all ate it!

Sunday Jared and I slept in and played with Duke again, we went to the Hudsonville Nature Center where we love to walk and let Duke explore. Then back home for a nap and laziness. That night we went to my mom's house for a birthday dinner for me and my step-bro whose birthday is the 21st. then we came home and I took THE TEST, and you all know what happened from there!

An AMAZING birthday to say the least! Thanks to my AWESOME Hubby who put it all together for me! LOVE!

Update...

So today went a little differently than expected to say the least. As you all know today was the day for our appointment at The Fertility Center…but we ended up cancelling it and here is why…

WE ARE PREGNANT!

I know, we are in shock! Here’s the story…

So last night Jared said that I should really just take a pregnancy test just to make sure before we spend all

this money. So, I said “Yeah ok I think we have one at home, if we do I’ll take it”. So when we got home I headed upstairs and took the test and Jared was down stairs doing whatever… When I looked at the test…Yup…two lines. I re-read the packaging like 4 times and then told Jared I thought there was a line. He didn’t believe me and went to look for himself. Then he came out and said “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”. We both looked at each other and decided it was a mistake so we just went to bed. Then this morning I found two different ones that had come with ovulation sticks we had bought earlier…and they both came back positive! I called The Fertility Center and cancelled our appointment, and called my regular Dr. to get some blood work done.

So Jared and I are in total disbelief we really don’t believe this is happening and are hesitant to truly believe it without more PROOF as Jared said. Haha.

About 1pm we went in to have the blood work done and they are supposed to call us back today – they want my HCG levels to be in the 2000’s then they want to do an ultrasound. So we will see where my levels are today and if they are high enough we will schedule that, if not then we will do the blood work again in a couple days and check the levels then.

So as of right now I guess I am pregnant? – WEIRD.

I guess the thought of us shelling out a bunch of money finally got our insides working…and if that’s what it takes I’m all for it haha.

We talked about what we wanted to do, since this is odd having EVERYONE know on the same day we found out, usually people wait a couple months, but we figured we were all in this together at this point. Besides as my friend Margo put it, the more people that know the more people can start praying for health. I am nervous about having a miscarriage just because if it takes you a long time to get pregnant you have a slightly higher risk, but whatever is going to happen will happen and I would rather have the support of everyone anyway. So here we go on this journey.

I said to Jared this morning…What are the odds of this happening the DAY before we go to a fertility clinic…and all he said was… “For us…this is pretty much in line with how our life goes.” And I just laughed, it’s true whatever plan we come up with or whatever we think we are doing – it’s always something different, but that is why I love our life so much, we never know what is going to happen. We are just gonna keep sitting back and enjoying the ride!

Weird things:

My mom told my step dad two days ago that she thought I was pregnant

My sister, Erin – a doctor, told me right when we let them know we were going to The Fertility Center that she knows a lot of people that make the appointment and then suddenly get pregnant…I was like “yeah OK”…but it’s TRUE!

I am not going to put anything on Facebook or anything like that yet – I will probably wait to do that until about the 3 month mark, but I guess it’s not a secret anymore.

P.S. The DR just called back and I need to go back in on Wednesday for blood work again, they hope to see my levels double in that time and then we can schedule the ultrasound – she said we are officially pregnant…now Jared is starting to be a believer…he has a huge smile J

Upcoming Fun!

October to me is usally just another month...I enjoy the fall, changing leaves, but this year it has LOADS of fun! Here is my fun schedule!

Oct 1: Improve thing that has to with ArtPrize...SO EXCITED

Oct 3: First Young Life meeting at our house (Jared and I are Young Life Leaders at Hudsonville High School now!)

Oct 8: Urban Adventure Race!!!! And possibly with Costumes! (pic is of us at the last Urban Adventure Race in July!)

Oct 9: Touring Art Prize

Oct 10: Kickball Championships!

Oct 15: MSU v UM game...I'll be there!

Oct 22: MSU v Wisconsin game...I won't be there, but I will watch it and it will be amazing! Possibly to to East Lansing to hang out before he game as it is Homecoming.

Mix in there some house showings and possible listings, maybe even a sale and you have yourself a GREAT MONTH!!! HOORAY I can't wait!

However, lets not get too carried away...This month we are still waiting for the BEST DAY OF THE YEAR...MY BIRTHDAY!!! Sunday is the big day! I LOVE my birthday!

Here we go!

So for those of you who don't know...which if you are reading this blog then you probably do Jared and I have been trying to get pregnant for a little over a year now... I am just going to post the email here that we sent out to family and friends:

Hello Friends –

Well we just wanted to give you a little life update from Hudsonville. Some of you know bits and pieces and some might not know anything, but as our good friends we thought it was time to bring everyone up to speed. Jared and I have been trying to get pregnant for over a year now. At first we didn’t tell people because we thought it would just be a fun surprise - while it would have been, it never happened. So now I just feel like I am keeping a secret and I don’t really keep secrets about myself – I feel like I am being dishonest – but I don’t want to just blurt it out in some random conversation either. So there ya go.

In the past few months I have been taking a medication called Clomid to help us with the process and still no luck, I also have gotten an HSG test where they check to make sure everything looks good and the tubes are open etc. That came back with positive results and everything looks like it’s supposed to. Jared was tested too and he is in great shape. Our doctor wants us to go see a fertility specialist to determine the next steps. So, September 19 we are heading to The Fertility Clinic to meet with the Dr. there and discuss where to go from here. Unfortunately our insurance doesn’t cover any of this, but we feel it’s worth it.

Jared and I are very positive about the situation, we aren’t devastated, it doesn’t bother us that other people are having kids, or talking about babies, we aren’t bitter at all like I hear of some couples getting – it is one part of our life, not our whole life – we have kept a light heart and joke about things often, I make a celebratory batch of cookie dough or have a nice drink to celebrate NOT being pregnant every month – enjoy things I couldn’t do if I were. We still believe that we will have kids, and the clinic we are going to is in the top 5% in the nation so that’s great! Our request is that you don’t feel bad for us or pity us. A lot of times when you tell people this you get that head tilt to the side and OH, I’m sure God has a Plan, or I’m sorry, or Something will work. We are aware of all of that and really don’t want it said to us in a “feeling bad for you” kinda way. We are loving our life right now, and while we would love a little addition it’s fine that that is not happening yet – we know that God does have a plan, and our life together so far has been one where He has clearly taught us that we are not in control and not to stress cause He has it figured out. (We tried the stress thing and it didn’t work out to well, so we have learned to just let go and enjoy life where we are!)

So anyways, if you have questions please fire away, I really don’t know anything else about what we will do until after we meet with Drs on the 19^th, we aren’t shy or anything about talking about it, I just wanted to email everyone first so we don’t have to have the same initial talk a bazillion times with everyone – even though I know this is UBERLY impersonal…sorry.

Like I said it is just a part of our life that we haven’t shared because we wanted it to be a surprise, but that kinda backfired so now it seems like a big deal, but it’s not to us and we have been going through these steps for months now.

I am sure this came out of left field for some of you, SORRY! But I feel much better now if that helps J

Have a great day!

Michelle & Jared

So there you have it. Just to clarify based on some responses from people, this is NOT a touchy subject to us so you can feel free to just blurt out "what is happening with the baby making" or "when is your appt?" or anything like that... it's fine. To me it seems the same as "how's work going? - not touchy at all....unless you just got fired and are about to move out onto the street...then maybe that would be a touchy question! haha.

I will be updating the blog with where we are and what happens because that is just easier then trying to remember to tell everyone or having the same convo with everyone I see. So check back here to keep up!

Have a great day!

Labor Day Weekend

My Friend from Washington and her daughter came to visit! It was so fun! We went up to my dad's condo by Nub's Nob with Duke and Jared. We went to Mackinac Island which is so fun! Part of me would love to live in a place like that...so simple I feel. I wouldn't want to hang out by the "downtown" area that much...WAY too many people, but I would love to just ride my horse or bike everywhere. Duke and I are pulling for a house on the island! We just wandered around eating ice cream and fudge = magnificent! That night we watched the first MSU football game...OH YEAH! I am sooo excited that Football Season is back!!!

The next day we left the condo and headed to Glen Arbor and Sleeping Bear Dunes, but not without stopping at a few roadside places so Adriane (my friend) could by a Petoskey stone IN Petoskey!

Poor planning on my part, I did NOT realize how far it was from the condo to Sleeping Bear and then Sleeping Bear to Hudsonville....we had a 21 month old with us and man was she a trooper! She did great! She had a lot of stories to tell us and we ended up singing a made up song called "Happy" for the last 30 minutes of the trip, in which you just sing the word "Happy" in a different voice over and over...I was pretty good at it if I say so myself - Malibu (Adriane's Daughter, and I made it up).

Anyways we climbed Sleeping Bear Dunes only to get to the top and have a huge cloud come over and cover everything...so much for seeing "America's Most Beautiful Place". Oh well, we were there.

Sunday was much more relaxed and consisted of a pancake breakfast at dad's, hanging out on the boat, lounging around the house, a great dinner, and FARKLE - the version that Jared and I made up that is SOOOO fun!

Monday we again did nothing really, and it was FABULOUS!

Tuesday morning Adriane missed her flight, I felt awful! It was quite the debacle, but she ended up getting home at a decent time.

I love seeing friends that you haven't seen in a while, especially when you hang out and you feel like you still see them everyday, like you just slip right back into the old routine - awesome. I still can't believe Adriane and I randomly got put as roommates on Semester At Sea, because of that we (Jared and I) ended up moving out to Seattle and Jared and Adriane worked together. We have such similar tastes in just about everything but food and exercise. We both had stuffed Hippos which we brought on Semester At Sea, and we love hippos, we LOVE dogs, it is not uncommon for us to show up wearing very similar outfits. It's just crazy! I am so thankful for her friendship and I hope we always remain friends and don't lose touch cause we live so far away now.

I love good friends!

Amazing!

The Mountain from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

This is amazing and just made me realize how AWESOME God is and how many beautiful things I see everyday but never really SEE. I just sat in silence as I watched this totally amazed!

Blessed

Sometimes I just have to stop and look at my life. Sometimes I am in disbelief of all the wonderful things that make up my life. Jared and I always go through phases (I just spelled that fazes and then realized that was WAY wrong...oops) where we feel like we don't have many friends and the old "no one ever calls us" sets in. I think everyone feels that way, which is why most of the time, I pride myself on being the one that calls people...I'm not always that great at it, but I have my moments. Jared and I love to have people over, have parties of different kinds, play cards, hang out, set up dates to the dog park...I just love being around people. When I start to think of it that way of "who can I call" instead of why isn't anyone calling us, I am overwhelmed at the possibilities! There are so many options...now granted I would call up someone I hadn't seen in 5+ years and just see if they would want to hang out...I figure I am fun, you are fun, let's get together...they may not return the feelings, but so far I have always gotten a pretty positive response!

We are so blessed with great friends! I just wanted to say THANKS FRIENDS - because you make my life better every day. Knowing that if I needed to talk, cry, laugh, eat cookie dough, or anything you are there for me. And you better believe I am there for you, I seriously would do anything for my friends. If someone called me in the middle of the day and just said, would you come sit on the couch with me and do nothing - I could really use that right now - I would be there in a heartbeat. Or if someone wanted to go skydiving...HINT HINT I would do that. I hope my friends know just how much I appreciate them and how much I would do for them! (I just need to be asked - reference earlier post about helping :) I am not a mid reader!)

Love you all! Feeling blessed today!

PS my life goal is to have a group of friends like FRIENDS, who know everything about each other, always there, and really go through life together....LOVE THAT show! I have been told I remind people of Pheobe???

*Check out the video links for some laughs.