GOD ANSWERS PRAYERS……..

When I was at the darkest and most difficult time in my infertility struggles, I was invited by a friend to a prayer retreat. She knew of my struggles and wanted me to be a part of this retreat and so I went, not wanting to pass on any chance for my prayers for children to be answered. I went, knowing I had to put all or nothing on the table and this relates particularly to speaking my shame in front of everyone and being broken and expectant before God.

All of us that went came to meet God on another level as it relates to answers to deep groanings of our heart.

The other day, after many years, I saw one of the young ladies who were at the retreat. I was holding my daughter and she was so excited to see me. I also told her that we have a son and she wanted to meet him immediately. We began talking about the retreat and she went on to tell me that she too had received her answers from God. She wanted to be in a healthy marriage and also wanted a business opportunity that would give her a sense of self sufficiency. She testified to me that she got her answers.

The conversation then went on to us talking about being mindful of how God works as it relates to him  answering our prayers and most importantly, how we prepare and align ourselves to receive these answers, knowing fully well, that he does answer  prayers in his own time. The thing is, and I do believe this wholeheartedly, that if he does not think that we are ready to receive these answers, then we can pray until we are blue in the face, none will be forthcoming.

As we continue to seek God for answers to our prayers, let us be reminded of this and be encouraged.

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NEW STUDY SHOWS BIRTH DEFECTS DOWN IN IVF BABIES

According to a new review of defect rates in Western Australia, it is found that birth defects are down in babies conceived via invitro-fertilization (IVF).

This is certainly good news for persons considering this option to have children because IVF pregnancies are generally known to have a higher risk for birth defects.

Read more by following the link below:-

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/28/us-study-birth-defects-idUSBRE88R1IG20120928

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‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS’ – POST 9 " .........DANCE WITH MY FATHER..........."

I have not been able to spend any quality time with my father in a while because of the path life has been leading me.

For the greater part of last week my father was with me for follow up visits with his doctor, after his recent hospitalization. I was so busy making sure that my husband, my children and my dad were well catered to and started panicking at a point when it seemed I would not have been able to just sit with dad and talk. I was even jealous of my husband as he was able to do this on many occasions.

The opportunity came and did we chat. I found out how he and my mom met and when myself and each of my siblings were born. I even found out how the property which I came to know as our home, was acquired.
Very interesting story and I now feel particularly closer to my dad.

It is interesting how we wake up each day, not knowing how our day will turn out and I am extremely grateful for how that particular day turned out for me..........I got the chance to dance with my father again.

‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS’ – POST 8 - CHECK YOUR PULSE.....

I once saw a quote which read “If you think you do not have anything to be grateful for, check your pulse. Today I am checking my pulse and feeling very grateful to be alive, despite these very challenging times.

I am also very grateful to be at a point in my life where I can support my siblings in taking care of an ailing parent. My Dad who was hospitalised recently has been with me since yesterday because he has some follow-up visits with his doctor. It is a lot of work taking care of my family plus my Dad, but it feels very rewarding.

Thanks to my super supportive husband who does not hesitate to jump in where necessary to assist. Love you so much for that and I am eternally grateful for you.

FERTILITY DRUGS HAVE FOUND TO LOWER THE RISK OF BREAST CANCER IN WOMEN

According to an article in Medical News Today, researchers have found that women who are on fertility drugs have a statistically lower risk of breast cancer.

The study focussed on women who were on fertility drugs and failed to conceive a 10 plus week pregnancy as opposed to those who were not on the drugs

Read more by following the link below:-

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/247595.php

From the article

"The researchers state: Our data suggest that exposure to a stimulated pregnancy is enough to undo the reduction in risk associated with a history of exposure to ovulation-stimulating drugs.  

According to the researchers, fertility drugs potentially elevate the risk by a change in pregnancy-related breast-tissue remodeling, although the risk of breast cancer in successfully treated women was comparable to that of non-users.

The researchers are aware that their study had some limitations, for example, the reliance on self-reported fertility drug usage as well as lack of data on specific diagnosis for infertility."

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LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS - FEATURE 42 - Jesus is watching you

This is DWL funny.........

Jesus is watching you

Late one night, a burglar broke into a house that he thought was empty. He tiptoed through the living room but suddenly he froze in his tracks when he heard a loud voice say: "Jesus is watching you!"
 Silence returned to the house, so the burglar crept forward again. "Jesus is watching you," the voice boomed again.
 The burglar stopped dead again. He was frightened. Frantically, he looked all around. In a dark corner, he spotted a bird cage and in the cage was a parrot.
 He asked the parrot: "Was that you who said Jesus is watching me?" "Yes", said the parrot.
 The burglar breathed a sigh of relief, then he asked the parrot: "What's your name?"
 Clarence," said the bird.
 "That's a dumb name for a parrot," sneered the burglar. "What idiot named you Clarence?"
 The parrot said, "The same idiot who named the Rottweiller Jesus."










Light Moment courtesy of Sustain Jamaica
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‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS’ POST 7 – They say, life begins at 40.........

It is often said that life begins at 40 and I am totally buying into that. I am, as a result, very grateful for this time in my life. I feel so different from when I was in my 30's. I am less impulsive, more calculative,a lot more patient and empathetic and no longer feels the need to be validated by anyone.

I am also a lot calmer and this helps a great deal, as my husband is the total opposite. He tends to freak out at the smallest mishap, especially when it has to do with the children. As soon as I have ascertained that they are in one piece and still breathing, I then turn the focus on my husband as I try to calm him down. I feel that God deliberately had me wait so long to become a mother because he knew I would be better at it, at this point in my life.

Each day, I feel my faith at work and I am getting a little better at learning how to be content with whatever I have, whether it be a little or a lot and I am also learning to accept the things that I cannot change, as I take comfort in knowing that,  “this too shall pass.”


I tell you, I feel so liberated and alive and myself and those around me are reaping the benefits as I feel overall less stressed. I don’t know, but I want to credit this emerging new me, to life in the forties lane.

Remembering in Prayers

Today, I use this space to remember the victims and families of the Colorado shooting, which occurred last night and leaves 12 dead and 59 injured.

It is my hope that justice will be served.












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LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS - FEATURE 41 - Good Communication

Good one!!!!!




Good Communication


It was Friday night and Joseph and his wife, Natalie, had just gotten into their third argument of the day and were now giving each other the silent treatment, vowing not to be the first one to speak.
However, at bedtime, Joseph realized that he would need his wife, who always woke up at 4:30am to wake him at 5:00am for golf with his friends. Not wanting to lose the battle of wills, Joseph wrote on a piece of paper,
"Natalie, please wake me at 5:00am."
The next morning, Joseph woke up at 9:00am, having missed the golf game with his friends. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't woken him when he noticed a piece of paper on the bedside table.
It read,
"Joseph, it's 5:00am. Wake up."

‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS’ – POST 6 – “Your mercies are new every morning........”

Today I stand in awe of, and is very grateful for God’s keeping care and his tender mercies.

My dad was hospitalised yesterday with a blood clot in his leg. He noticed it a little while back and was using home remedies in an effort to treat it. As we all know a blood clot is potentially fatal but thanks be to God he preserved my dad until he is now getting the treatment he needs. This happened before and he came through itl, but this time it could have been different, we could be in mourning.


“It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3 verses 22 – 23.


THANKS BE TO GOD!!!!!!

'GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS' - Post 5 – “What is man without friends?”

As a people, we are very ambitious and this is good, there is however a downside to this. We can lose
our selves in pursuing self-advancement; a bigger degree for that bigger salary, a bigger house, a newer car, and find ourselves wondering, why am I not happy, why does my life feel so dull. The thing is, we forget to be thankful for the little things that we already have, without which, our lives would not mean much. Our relationships, our health, our faith, our freedom, I could go on.


There are times in my life when I feel I could have achieved more in certain areas, and as a result I beat upon myself and take on a 'woe is me' attitude. Thankfully, I am soon reminded that less I be accused of being ungrateful, I do have things to be thankful for. 


In my pursuit to become a more thankful and happier person, in general then, I am urged to add a new posting feature to my blog, a segment dedicated to being thankful, which I have decided to call ‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS', where I will post all the things in my life that I am thankful for, regardless of how small and especially those things which I have learnt the most from.

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I have very few friends. In fact there is a joke that my husband has on me, that he makes my friends for me and I take it, that it is because of my stutter why I have such a problem. One characteristic of a stutterer is that we do not readily open up ourselves to people, in case we be judged prematurely, because of the way we talk. As a result of this, we do not do so well socially.

Thanks to my husband then, among my few special friends are some that he indeed passed on to me. Today I want to use this space to say how grateful I am for my friends and their friendship. They lend not only their ears, when I need to talk, but their understanding that we all have and are entitled to our own unique view of things and we are also entitled to feel how we want to feel about issues in our lives and so they never judge me as a result.

It is my wish that they feel the same way about me too, if not though, I beg of them some time to become a better friend to them.

THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU MY FRIENDS.

"Excuse me baby modda" (Excuse me baby mother)

I have been a mother for 5 years now and it seems I am not yet fully embracing motherhood and all that it represents. Who can blame me though when it took me over a decade to become a mom and felt so many times along the way that chances are, I could still come up empty, after my struggles.

The other day I was waiting in the checkout line at a pharmacy and heard a young man politely said ‘excuse me 'baby modda.’ I did not move at all and so he seemed to have made his way without my help. When he passed, I said to myself, oh, he was actually talking to me. A few days later, while reflecting on this incident, I began wondering if the reason I had not responded quicker to this young man’s request was because I had not yet completely embraced the fact that I was a mother because of how long it actually took me to become one. Do I need to be in this role a couple more years before I can be completely invested?

This church brother calls me only by the name of baby mother these days. He knows my real name, but I guess he too has a problem seeing me now a mother and so he has to call me that every chance he gets for it to hit home to him.

There are times when I am interacting with my children and I find it a little difficult to remain in the moment. It feels so surreal that I am actually interacting with them in the capacity of a mom and not an aunt or such. I even find myself wanting to pinch them to be convinced that they are really real.

Thank goodness they are no second guesses when it comes to caring for them, I am completely invested there and run on empty sometimes ensuring that their needs are met, so I guess it is safe to say that my shortcomings then, is purely psychological.

Since the psychological aspect of motherhood seems then to be a work-in-progress for me, it is my honour to continue to fulfil my role as it relates to the other aspects until I am fully embracing motherhood and all that it represents.

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LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS - FEATURE 40 - "Why I love her"

Why I love her

A man was wandering around in a field, thinking about how good his wife had been to him and how fortunate he was to have her.
He asked God, "Why did you make her so kind-hearted?"
The Lord responded, "So you could love her, my son."
"Why did you make her so good-looking?"
"So you could love her, my son."
"Why did you make her such a good cook?"
"So you could love her, my son."
The man thought about this. Then he said, "I don't mean to seem ungrateful or anything, but ... why did you make her so stupid?"
"So she could love you, my son."

Light moment courtesy of Sustain Jamaica

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'GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS' - Post 4 - Where there is faith............

As a people, we are very ambitious and this is good, there is however a downside to this. We can lose
our selves in pursuing self-advancement; a bigger degree for that bigger salary, a bigger house, a newer car, and find ourselves wondering, why am I not happy, why does my life feel so dull. The thing is, we forget to be thankful for the little things that we already have, without which, our lives would not mean much. Our relationships, our health, our faith, our freedom, I could go on.

There are times in my life when I feel I could have achieved more in certain areas, and as a result I beat upon myself and take on a 'woe is me' attitude. Thankfully, I am soon reminded that less I be accused of being ungrateful, I do have things to be thankful for. 

In my pursuit to become a more thankful and happier person, in general then, I am urged to add a new posting feature to my blog, a segment dedicated to being thankful, which I have decided to call ‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS', where I will post all the things in my life that I am thankful for, regardless of how small and especially those things which I have learnt the most from.

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Post 4 - Where there is faith

Let me first apologize for last week's grateful Wednesday post. I was in over my head that day and could not honour my obligation. So sorry.

Today I am grateful for my faith.

In Hebrews 11 verse 1 (KJV), faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen and Microsoft Word Thesaurus defined faith with words such as, confidence, assurance and conviction.

It is not easy to keep hope alive, when everything else is dictating to you to give up, throw in the towel. This was the case for me with my infertility struggles. I tested my faith over and over again throughout this decade long struggle, and many times gave up in my physical self as no answer was forthcoming. I many times found myself calling out to God, are you there? Its me, Marie, do you remember the many prayers of a stammer, freckled face girl, who so desperately wants to be a Mother.

I did not give up, my faith would not let me, as I had the conviction that my answer would come one day. After all, I did test my faith in other areas of my life and it worked, so I believed this instance had no reason to be different, so much so that somewhere around 2004/2005, I went as far as designing the invitation for a Christening Brunch I wanted to have when my child was being christened, you get the picture, and guess what, I did use it for my son’s christening in December 2007.

I somehow knew though, especially when my struggles intensified, that I was certainly experiencing some refining fire. I was not the person God intended me to be and so I was being tested, prodded and molded and would come out as good gold.

My faith won out, be it all of a decade long, and now I am having it a little easier putting my faith to work in other areas of my life. Thanks be to God.

Let me encourage you in your struggles then, to put your faith to work. We are all equipped with just the right amount of faith that we need to overcome our circumstances. Hold on even tighter when those feelings to give up come knawing at your heart strings. The saying goes, "when you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hold on. Remember too that the darkest hour of the night is just before dawn.

BE ENCOURAGED THEREFORE

“Success Of Fertility Treatment May Approach Natural Birth Rate”

This is some very good news for persons struggling to have children and wishing to go the route of assisted reproductive technology.

According to Medical News Today, a groundbreaking study of about 250,000 women in the United States, finds that live birth rates by way of assisted reproductive technology, comparable to that of the natural fertility rate, can be achieved.

This technique also known as (ART) involves taking eggs from a woman’s ovaries, fertilising them with sperm and then returning them to the woman’s body.

For much more on this,  please click on the link below:-

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/247214.php

From the article

The research, led by Michigan State University's Barbara Luke and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, highlights what factors help or hinder getting pregnant using assisted reproductive technology, or ART. The results indicate that when there are favorable patient and embryo characteristics, live birth rates with ART can approach those of natural fertility. 

"This is good news for women who are trying to have a child," said Luke, a researcher in the College of Human Medicine's Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology.

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OUR STORY....... Touching Lives.........

..............

When one of my Pastors told me some time ago, that my struggles will one day help others, I did believe him, but I had no idea to what degree.

I wrote in a post recently, how a friend, in a telephone conversation acknowledged us for a fight well fought. She was speaking about our Infertility struggles and how we came out of it with two beautiful children.

I am happy to report that the acknowledgements continue to come in. The other day my husband ran into a former teacher of his, and when the conversation turned to his family life, he mentioned that he had great struggles to have children, but after approximately a decade long of struggling, he now has two. His former teacher was so taken by this and remarked how incredible it was that we held out hope for so long, as he knows of cases where people have simply given up after struggling for a much shorter time. He then asked of my husband, “Can I use your story?.”

On another recent occasion, a Church sister asked my permission to hold our daughter, shortly afterwards, I heard her said, You and your husband’s story is a testament to the fact that where there is faith, God  keeps his promise. I was at a lost for words and was deeply moved. I did write in the first post of my ‘Grateful Wednesday’ segment that I am grateful for my infertility struggles and this is one of the many reasons.

Let me not hesitate then, to use this opportunity to encourage those of you who are facing challenges in your lives. Though you are probably not at the point where you can see the good in your situations (Yes, I can attest to the fact that there is, most times, some good in your struggles), just hang in there and remain expectant because sooner or later, it will be revealed to you. In the mean time though, ask yourself, what is this struggle teaching me and in what way will this knowledge make me a better person to the point where I can even use it to help others.

BE ENCOURAGED, THEREFORE.





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'GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS' POST 3 - JUST SO YOU KNOW

As a people, we are very ambitious and this is good, there is however a downside to this. We can lose
our selves in pursuing self-advancement; a bigger degree for that bigger salary, a bigger house, a newer car, and find ourselves wondering, why am I not happy, why does my life feel so dull. The thing is, we forget to be thankful for the little things that we already have, without which, our lives would not mean much. Our relationships, our health, our faith, our freedom, I could go on.


There are times in my life when I feel I could have achieved more in certain areas, and as a result I beat upon myself and take on a 'woe is me' attitude. Thankfully, I am soon reminded that less I be accused of being ungrateful, I do have things to be thankful for.


In my pursuit to become a more thankful and happier person, in general then, I am urged to add a new posting feature to my blog, a segment dedicated to being thankful, which I have decided to call ‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS', where I will post all the things in my life that I am thankful for, regardless of how small.

-------------------------------------------------

Post 3

Today, I am grateful for my precious family. What would my life be without you? What would my children's life be without cousins to interact with, without grandparents to spoil them and without kind aunts and uncles to love and dote on them, which at times helps so much when our resources come up short.

We do not always see eye to eye but we continue to touch and enrich each others lives even though some of us are afar. 

When everything around us change, our family is the only constant because nothing can change the fact that their is a common chord that binds us.

I love you family, each and everyone and thanks for the unique way in which each of you touch my life.





N.B. I am not dying, just sending you flowers while you can appreciate it, not when you can't.

“Study tests new IVF Device”

There is more good news for persons considering Invitro-Fertilization as the option to have children. A recent study is evaluating a new way of incubating fertilised embryos. This process is geared at decreasing the environmental stresses involved in this process, thus increasing the embryos chances of survival and resulting in more successful pregnancies.

For more on this, follow the link below:-

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2012/03march/Pages/ivf-isolator-improves-embryo-selection.aspx

From the article

"In conventional systems, the embryos had to be transferred between different devices to perform all the various stages of IVF treatment, but the new system allows a range of functions to be performed in a single sealed unit that regulates the temperature and quality of the air around them. This research found that in the conventional system 30% of embryos successfully developed to the ‘blastocyst stage’, which is seen five or six days after fertilisation, compared with 40% in the new system. The new system was also associated with an increase in clinical pregnancy rates during the period that it was introduced."

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TWO SPECIAL ANNIVERSARIES..........

'Wowee,' Happy 5th Birthday to our darling son, its like it was just yesterday.

On this day, 5 years ago, you came into our lives and have added so much. Your joyful laughter, and infectious smile makes life that much better, especially on some  of those challenging days.

There is hardly a day when you do not remind us that, as parents, we have to be the best that we can be at all times, because there are blank canvases of special, innocent lives, that have been entrusted to us, which we have to create beautiful pictures of.

We love you, big guy  and cannot imagine our lives without you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                               
                     

On this day, 5 years ago, while we welcomed our son, the mother of a dear friend slipped away from this earthly life, to be with her Lord and it is my pleasure to use this space today as well, in memory of her.

"Your life is full of kindly deeds, a helping hand to all in need, sincere and true in heart and mind, a memory sweet you left behind. The pain still hurts, the memories are still clear, we wish in our hearts you were still here. You are not just a memory, or part of the past, you will be loved and missed as long as life lasts."  Author unknown

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http://crooksandliars.com/files/vfs/2011/12/in-memoriam.jpg  http://crooksandliars.com/files/vfs/2011/12/in-memoriam.jpg
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LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS FEATURE - 38 - Oh Pop

Little Johnny is way ahead of himself. Had to borrow this one.......enjoy!!!!!!

Oh Pop

A father asked his son, Little Johnny, if he knew about the birds and the bees."I don't want to know!" Little Johnny said, exploding and bursting into tears.Confused, his father asked Little Johnny what was wrong. "Oh Pop," Johnny sobbed, "for me there was no Santa Claus at age six, no Easter Bunny at seven, and no Tooth Fairy at eight. And if you're telling me now that grownups don’t really have sex, I've got nothing left to believe in!"

'GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS' - POST 2 - "All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above ....................."

As a people, we are very ambitious and this is good, there is however a downside to this. We can lose our selves in pursuing self-advancement; a bigger degree for that bigger salary, a bigger house, a newer car, and find ourselves wondering, why am I not happy, why does my life feel so dull. The thing is, we forget to be thankful for the little things that we already have, without which, our lives would not mean much. Our relationships, our health, our faith, our freedom, I could go on.


There are times in my life when I feel I could have achieved more in certain areas, and as a result I beat upon myself and take on a 'woe is me' attitude. Thankfully, I am soon reminded that less I be accused of being ungrateful, I do have things to be thankful for.


In my pursuit to become a more thankful and happier person, in general then, I am urged to add a new posting feature to my blog, a segment dedicated to being thankful, which I have decided to call ‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS', where I will post all the things in my life that I am thankful for, regardless of how small. 

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POST 2

Today we took the baby for a doctor's appointment and decided to just stay out until it was time to pick up our son. We grab a bite to eat and still had time, so we went to one of our popular spots for hanging out.

As we sat on one of the park benches, there was a cool, strong but welcomed wind (as the summer heat is certainly on) blowing   The baby sat on my lap sleeping and I thought to myself, this is really a great way to pass some time. My husband remarked almost immediately, "it is funny, we can hardly find time any more to do things like this. I instantly agreed, thinking how we have become a people so busy and stuck in survival mode.

I felt so grateful that we could afford the time today to just enjoy some of the good gifts that God has afforded us by way of His beautiful creation.

FOR THIS I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL

“Safe, Effective, and Inexpensive Way of Identifying Healthy Eggs For IVF”

Many couples who have resorted to IVF to have a family, have to deal with a gruelling wait to find out if they have achieved a successful pregnancy, after implantation of their embryos. This is because only a few eggs per IVF treatment cycle are able to produce a pregnancy as many eggs have the wrong number of chromosomes. If the egg is missing a chromosome or has an extra chromosome it is said to be abnormal. This problem exists in older women.

There is great news which could help alleviate some of this anxiety as according to Medical News today, a new study performed by Yale School of medicine researchers, have identified the chromosomal make up of an egg. This new discovery may soon make it possible to avoid using abnormal eggs and instead use healthier eggs that would result in a higher success rate of pregnancy.

Read more by following the link below:-

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/246138.php







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LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS - FEATURE 38 - Emergency Room Humour

Emergency Room Humour

A doctor examining a woman who had been rushed to the Emergency Room took the husband aside and said, "I don't like the looks of your wife at all."

"Me neither, Doc," said the husband. "But she's a great cook and really good with the kids."

Source: Sustain Jamaica Sunday Humour

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As a people, we are very ambitious and this is good, there is however a downside to this. We can lose our selves in pursuing self-advancement; a bigger degree for that bigger salary, a bigger house, a newer car, and find ourselves wondering, why am I not happy, why does my life feel so dull. The thing is we forget to be thankful for the little things that we already have, without which, our lives would not mean much. Our relationships, our health, our faith, our freedom, I could go on.


There are times in my life when I feel I could have achieved more in certain areas, and as a result I beat upon myself and take on a woe is me attitude. Thankfully, I am soon reminded that less I be accused of being ungrateful, I do have things to be thankful for.


In my pursuit to become a more thankful and happier person, in general then, I am urged to add a new posting feature to my blog, a segment dedicated to being thankful, which I have decided to call ‘GRATEFUL WEDNESDAYS', where I will post all the things in my life that I am thankful for, regardless of how small. 

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I choose to begin this segment by being thankful for my Infertility Struggles. Yes, you read right. I am grateful for my struggles with  infertility because without it, I would not be the person I am today, a more patient, empathetic and less judgemental person. 

I remember when I was at the darkest in my infertility struggles, one of my Pastors who from time to time checked on me to see how I was doing, mentioned that my struggles would one day help others. My struggles took on new meaning as helping others became my goal, which gave me added strength to come out of these struggles victorious. Finally a Mom became a reality approx. 2 years after our son was born and I am satisfied that its purpose is being achieved, as I am seeing the fruits of my labour.

FOR THIS I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL






Feel free to join me in this effort and Post things that you too, are thankful for.

GETTING PREGNANT WHILE BREASTFEEDING

Have you ever heard that a woman cannot get pregnant while she is breastfeeding, I have. Well, this is really not so at all, as pop star Britney Spears and actress Tori Spelling can tell you. Britney Spears became pregnant again in 2006, just three months after giving birth to her first son. Tori Spelling became pregnant recently in about the same time frame as Britney, with what will be her fourth child.

"Yes. In general, you're less fertile, but not infertile, while breastfeeding. Although you may not menstruate for months after giving birth, your body usually releases its first postpartum egg before you get your first period. So you won't know you've ovulated until two weeks later — when you menstruate."  according to article courtesy of baby Center.

Check the link below for more on this:-

http://www.babycenter.com/404_can-i-get-pregnant-while-breastfeeding_7093.bc

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQ65G4haY-VwXAPav-iXQ8jdAF7iOr_1Lyp5rfpWrLXYxClGiGUQlED5wmd

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LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS - FEATURE 37 - HUMAN RESOURCE POLICIES

This is so funny, I had to borrow it.........

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:

      Company Policy:

      Effective: MAY 2012

      Dress Code

      It is advised that you come to work dressed according to your
salary. If we see you wearing Prada shoes and carrying a Gucci bag, we
assume you are doing well financially and therefore do not need a raise.

If you dress poorly, you need to learn to manage your money better, so
that you may buy nicer clothes, and therefore you do not need a raise.

If you dress just right, you are right where you need to be and
therefore you do not need a raise.

      Sick Days

We will no longer accept a doctor's statement as proof of sickness. If
you are able to go to the doctor, you are able to come to work.

      Personal Days

Each employee will receive 104 personal days a year. They are called
"Saturday & Sunday".

      Bereavement Leave

This is no excuse for missing work. There is nothing you can do for dead
friends, relatives or co-workers. Every effort should be made to have
non-employees attend to the arrangements. In rare cases where employee
involvement is necessary, the funeral should be scheduled in the late
afternoon. We will be glad to allow you to work through your lunch hour
and subsequently leave one hour early.

      Toilet Use

Entirely too much time is being spent in the toilet. There is now a
strict three-minute time limit in the stalls. At the end of three
minutes, an alarm will sound; the toilet paper roll will retract, the
stall door will open, and a picture will be taken. After your second
offense, your picture will be posted on the company bulletin board under
the "Chronic Offenders category". Anyone caught smiling in the picture
will be sanctioned under the company's mental health policy.

      Lunch Break

Skinny people get 30 minutes for lunch, as they need to eat more, so
that they can look healthy. Normal size people get 15 minutes for lunch
to get a balanced meal to maintain their average figure. Chubby people
get 5 minutes for lunch, because that's all the time needed to drink a
Slim-Fast.

Thank you for your loyalty to our company. We are here to provide a
positive employment experience. Therefore, all questions, comments,
concerns, complaints, frustrations, irritations, aggravations,
insinuations, allegations, accusations, contemplations, consternation
and input should be directed elsewhere.

I thought everybody could use a good laugh!!  LOL PEOPLE

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF INFERTILITY

I have focussed a lot on this subject on my blog and this is largely because, from experience, psychological symptoms are the most common and difficult to deal with, in any struggle with infertility.

The psychological effects of infertility are many and varied and very real. Parenting is viewed as a natural transition in life and so when our efforts to this end, is frustrated, then anxiety, stress and depression results.

In my struggles with infertility, I hid my feelings and struggled alone for the greater part, because I felt that people would think that I was over reacting. What I was feeling, I did not understand that they were as natural as air is to breathing. I did not know that feeling jealous of persons, including close friends and even my family members who were having babies, was natural. I did not know that feeling a sense of loss, anger, pity and inadequacy was also natural. How could I, when I knew of no one who was going through similar circumstances, which would make me understand more. As a result of this, I held on to the notion that I was overreacting and for far too long, until I started believing it and felt a lot of shame. Sadly when people finally found out about my struggles, some did in fact felt that I was over reacting. I guess the saying “don’t judge a man unless you have walked a mile in his shoe” comes to mind here.

I came across an article recently that looks, in detail, at the psychological effects of infertility and how these symptoms, continue into treatment. It also looks at types of interventions that might help to deal with these symptoms. 


Please refer to the link below for more on this subject.

http://www.womensmentalhealth.org/specialty-clinics/infertility-and-mental-health/?gclid=CMDGq4rDoLACFQiynQodSUuaWQ

 From the article:-

“Stress, depression and anxiety are described as common consequences of infertility. A number of studies have found that the incidence of depression in infertile couples presenting for infertility treatment is significantly higher than in fertile controls, with prevalence estimates of major depression in the range of 15%-54% (Domar 1992; Demyttenaere 1998; Parikh 2000; Lukse 1999; Chen 2004). Anxiety has also been shown to be significantly higher in infertile couples when compared to the general population, with 8%-28% of infertile couples reporting clinically significant anxiety (Anderson 2003; Chen 2004; Parikh 2000).”

LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS - FEATURE 36 - SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON

Sunday School Lesson

Little Janice was not the best student in Sunday school. Usually she slept through class. One day the teacher called on her while she was napping, "Tell me Janice, who created the universe?" When Janice didn't stir, little Johnny, a boy seated in the chair behind her, took a pin and jabbed her in the rear.

"God Almighty!" shouted Janice and the teacher said, "Very good" and Janice fell back asleep.

A while later the teacher asked Janice, "Who is our Lord and Saviour." But, Janice didn't even stir from her slumber. Once again, Johnny came to the rescue and stuck her again.

"Jesus Christ!" shouted Janice and the teacher said, "Very good," and Janice fell back asleep.

Then the teacher asked Janice a third question. "What did Eve say to Adam after she had her twenty-third child?" and again, Johnny jabbed her with the pin.

This time Janice jumped up and shouted, "If you stick me with that thing one more time, I'll break it in half and stick it up your ass!"

... the teacher fainted!

N.B. Sorry if you found some language contained herein, offensive, but I just had to share this one.

Source: Sustain Jamaica Sunday Humour
              Like them on facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/sustain.jamaica

TEN REASONS FOR WANTING ANOTHER CHILD

When we began thinking about having another child, I had several reasons for making this decision, and a few reasons for thinking we might be biting off more than we could chew.

Here are some of the reasons we wanted another child:-

1. Family advertisements on television usually feature two parents and two children, oftentimes a girl and a boy and so I thought that this must be what is largely portrayed as the ideal family and I did not want to miss out.

2. I wanted our son to have someone to grow up with, someone who he can interact with and who could have his back when the need arises and vice versa.

3. Which parent would not want a break at times, and so I saw where our son could actually help in this regard, by spending time with his younger sibling, probably watching television or something while mommy and daddy gets a break.

4. I like the sound of ‘the kids’ used in conversation.

5. I wanted to relax and enjoy a pregnancy because I was never able to do that with my son’s pregnancy, as I was just too nervous after coming out of a recent miscarriage. Want to know a secret? the pregnancy with my daughter was far from relaxing and enjoyable at times, because I had the advance maternal age issue and its effect on a pregnancy to deal with.

6. Even though our home was not really quiet with just one child, I did at times miss what it would sound like with two kids constantly engaging in horseplay and annoying each other.

7. We wanted to give our son as much as we could, and this included a sibling of his own.

8. We wanted to teach our son to share and to care for someone else.

9. We wanted to balance out the parent/child ratio – 2 parents, 2 children.

10. Last but not least, I wanted to feel confident that I had indeed conquered infertility and I also felt that I/we deserved more than one prize for such a difficult struggle with infertility.

So there goes my 10 reasons for wanting another child.

See what someone else has to say courtesy of ‘Circle of Moms,’ by following the link below.

 http://www.circleofmoms.com/article/10-reasons-have-another-kid-03772?trk=digest_editorial_3772&email_enc=ldCm0N6nmtfcz8TLk5aRZXmc0azYy5yllc3Vzg%253D%253D&email_src=1337443782aa8230767c40513a232e6ee97f9b7902&template_name=digest_weekly_2&subject_id=bfd6309b4a21bfa0340e7db77743f785:0&has_fb=1




image courtesy of :- https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0UWqZoEu1KrY0UbND6yNQeUOlNrDcI8oy7BFysBB0cQ74odFzS_TEj0Es48cv5WZDl4zLBnxXO5ibYmsXFzZZPkkPQ7J8-PXyo47Yabgdt10-X70l4FtHoByxDkM_0f8mOW4zCEDScQ/s400/siblings-sticking-out-toungue-at-each-other.jpg

GETTING PREGNANT NATURALLY AFTER IVF

Women who have done Invitro-Fertilization (IVF), must have often wondered if they could still get pregnant naturally. 

According a recent article, turns out, this is very possible.

Follow the link below for more

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47282814/ns/health-pregnancy/t/after-ivf-some-women-get-pregnant-without-help/#.T7E3ZOj2a_g

From the article:

"It must be borne in mind that infertility did not mean no chance to conceive but low or very low chance to conceive," Troude said. Dr. Johannes Evers, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Maastricht University Medical Center in the Netherlands, said that couples' behavior can explain why people whose IVF didn't work out had a higher rate of natural pregnancies afterward.

Successful couples already had their child(ren), so they will have used contraception," Evers, who was not involved in the study, wrote in an email to Reuters Health. Men and women who were younger had a better chance of having a baby naturally, as did couples whose infertility didn't have a clear cause.

For instance, among women younger than 35 with unexplained infertility, 45 percent became pregnant after failing to have a baby through IVF.”

Post image by: http://www.trt.net.tr/medya2/resim/2012/04/15/330a44e7-e636-4487-990d-d02f6063b1d9-444x333.jpg

LIGHT MOMENT FRIDAYS – FEATURE 35 - “DO UNTO OTHERS..........”

When I started my light moment Fridays, at first I wondered if I would be able to find material that would make it worth it. Turns out our 4 year old son has all the material we need, as he is just so funny and comes up with the most witty and unexpected things.

The other day I heard his dad scolding him for wetting up the bathroom. I could not believe what he said next – “Do unto others.........thyself.” You know the Golden rule, “Do unto others as you would like them do unto you? Well he apparently could not remember all of it but it was still impacting. I could not believe he was actually saying this and thought I probably heard wrong.  He repeated it and for sure that was what he said and it was used in the proper context. I could not help but laugh. His Dad said to me later, "see how your son is chastising me.

I guess he is just reminding his Dad that if he himself does not want to be scolded, he should not scold others. Another teachable moment, I dare say, from the school of ethical and practical living, administered by our son.

How do children too often become the subject of abuse. You ‘gotta’ love them

MIRACLE MOM SURVIVED PLACENTA PERCRETA AND GAVE BIRTH TO A HEALTHY BABY GIRL

I have never heard of the condition Placenta Percreta before. This is the rarest and most fatal form of placenta accreta and occurs when the placenta implants into the lower portion of the uterus and can invade the bladder. 

This occurs in 1 in approximately 500 pregnancies and sadly, 1 in 7 women with Placenta Percreta does not make it.

Gina Walker had this condition and had to do a blood transfusion in which almost 35 gallons of blood was used to save her life.  The miracle mom is now showing off her healthy baby girl and telling her story.

Read her story by following the link below:-

http://todayhealth.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/30/11470996-miracle-mom-survives-massive-blood-loss-to-deliver-healthy-baby?lite

So much can go wrong in a pregnancy and when you come out on the other side with your health and healthy baby, it is nothing short of God’s favour.

Post image by: http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/MSNBC/Components/Video/120430/tdy_curry_baby_120430.vembedmed.jpg

10 YEAR OLD COLUMBIAN GIRL GIVES BIRTH

A 10 year old Columbian girl gave birth to a baby girl weighing just about 5 pounds recently. This makes her one of the world’s youngest mother.

I really did not know this was even possible but according to an ABC article, the explanation is that, because ovulation usually starts before menstruation, it is very possible that girls can get pregnant before having their first period.

Follow the link below for more on this story:-

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/04/06/10-year-old-girl-gives-birth-to-daughter/

Many times throughout my infertility struggle, I would think that if I had become pregnant earlier, not at age 10 by any means, but in my early teens as I began noticing evidence of my PCOS condition in my late teens, then I would have had the child or children I so wanted and my infertility struggle would have sure turned out differently.

Not that my parents would approve of this and I would definitely have to fit all my belongings in one travelling bag and run for the hills.

post image by: http://www.thelifefiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/wayuu.jpg