So, today I started my grade 8 English class by giving them an overview of the Greek gods. You should have heard the giggles when I told them that Hephaestus was hit by the ugly stick but that he was married to the hottest woman in the world Aphrodite. I finished up that little story by telling them that it gives some of you hope, doesn't it. When I mentioned that despite this marriage, Aphrodite was stepping out on him with her uncle Ares, they really started laughing.
I walked into the class and was initially met with "are we learning about the gods again?" and "can we do more greek stuff today". Apparently they all were all discussing it and decided that they really liked this whole mythology stuff. One boy even said "you know, this is so much cooler than I thought it would be when you told us we were going to learn this stuff". That was pretty cool.
So after we discussed each of the gods, I asked them which one they wanted to report on. Lots of people wanting Poseidon, Aphrodite, and Dionysus. So then the question came up... "what's going to happen when two of us want the same god?" My response "well, I'm glad that you asked that my fine fellow [yes, I actually said fine fellow], we are going to have THE OLYMPIC GAMES"
They all cheered and then I told them that it was going to be Mrs. L's Wild and Wacky Olympic Games! They weren't so sure anymore, but all game.
Today's events were
1. Balancing Act - because all myths have balance (monsters/heros, night/day, etc), the competitors needed to have balance. The goal was to be the last person with their eyes closed standing on one foot.
2. Weight of the World - just as Atlas had to carry the world on his back, they had to stand, arms extended over their heads and hold a basketball for as long as they could.
This was all hilarious to watch. Four of the kids lasted 13 minutes with the basketball, and then the bell rang so now we need a tie breaker tomorrow.
Some of the other events include discus using paper plates, javelin using straws, thumb wrestling, paperclip archery, and the list goes on. I expect that this will take at least a whole other hour, if not two, but the kids are into it and it relates to what we're doing in class, so it's a way to draw them in.
I'm really excited for this unit. The kids are getting really excited to read the Lightning Theif. I had my grade 6s starting Harry Potter 1 today, which they are really excited for.
If only I could draw my 9s into Romeo and Juliet in the same way... time will tell... I have a very cool CSI thing planned to start that unit.
Overall, it was a pretty good day.
On other fronts, I've decided to try to do the photo challenge that Belle at Scrambled Eggs is doing. It looks like it might be a good distraction for me - we'll see if I can stick with it, but you should check it out if you haven't already - it looks kinda fun.
Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Monday, 27 February 2012
Excerpts from the Classroom
So I just had to share this bit of humour from my class today. It involves nothing about babies, nothing about infertility, nothing about any of that... but it had me laughing so hard I nearly peed myself.
Background: I am currently teaching a unit on Greek Mythology to my grade 8 English class. I told them today that we were going to be talking about Greek creation stories tomorrow. I also warned them that we would be discussing a god by the name of Uranus. This naturally resulted in giggles. So I said the name again and again until the giggles were no longer so noisy or instant. Good, they got it out of their systems a bit. Anyway, this one boy, we'll call him Andy, was in the washroom when I was talking about this, so when he came back into the class, this is how the conversation went.
Me to whole class: Ok, so once again, tomorrow we will be talking about the creation story and we will be discussing Uranus.
Andy with a look of sheer shock on his face: What? My anus? Why my anus? I don't know if I'm comfortable with that! You should discuss Kenny's anus instead!!
He said this without any bit of a smile, and knowing Andy as I do, this was not a joke - he was dead serious!!
My response was to start laughing - I was laughing so hard I was crying. Then the bell rang and I dismissed them through the laughter.
Sometimes I absolutely love love love middle years! So honest and so real!
Background: I am currently teaching a unit on Greek Mythology to my grade 8 English class. I told them today that we were going to be talking about Greek creation stories tomorrow. I also warned them that we would be discussing a god by the name of Uranus. This naturally resulted in giggles. So I said the name again and again until the giggles were no longer so noisy or instant. Good, they got it out of their systems a bit. Anyway, this one boy, we'll call him Andy, was in the washroom when I was talking about this, so when he came back into the class, this is how the conversation went.
Me to whole class: Ok, so once again, tomorrow we will be talking about the creation story and we will be discussing Uranus.
Andy with a look of sheer shock on his face: What? My anus? Why my anus? I don't know if I'm comfortable with that! You should discuss Kenny's anus instead!!
He said this without any bit of a smile, and knowing Andy as I do, this was not a joke - he was dead serious!!
My response was to start laughing - I was laughing so hard I was crying. Then the bell rang and I dismissed them through the laughter.
Sometimes I absolutely love love love middle years! So honest and so real!
Friday, 24 February 2012
So not fair
Why do bad things happen to good people? I just got an email from my sister-in-law. They went for follow up blood tests on tuesday which showed her levels were good and then an ultrasound yesterday. They found out from the doctor today that she had miscarried. This is her 4th miscarriage. Sure she has two beautiful children but this is complete bullshit! Nobody should have to deal with this!
I'm so sick of infertility and it's ugly face showing up!! It's just not fair!!
I'm so sick of infertility and it's ugly face showing up!! It's just not fair!!
Monday, 20 February 2012
Precious, precious life
First of all, I am asking that you all send out your prayers and well wishes to Mo. After a long struggle TTC, she is now facing her precious baby boy at 23 weeks - so close to the line of viability, but so far away. I'm still holding out hope that she will get her miracle and her precious baby boy will be able to fight and beat the odds. It's happened before. Babies born as early as 22 weeks have survived against all odds. Please send your prayers that this precious little boy will be one of them.
Life isn't fair sometimes. I'm discovering that more and more. I've been on my own emotional roller coaster. As you know, in the last two weeks I've found out that my sister-in-law and two of my cousins are expecting. Then last night I called my brother to wish him happy birthday (yes, our birthdays are a day apart). What I heard from him is not what I had expected.
Apparently, on Thursday, my SIL started having mild spotting. She called the doctor who said not to fret too much, just stay on bed rest. On Saturday, she woke up to "period-like" bleeding and clots passing. She said she was sure it was a miscarriage, so off they went to the hospital. When they got to their local hospital, they discovered that she was dilated 3 cm, and told her that she had miscarried. They sent her to the city to get checked by her specialist - they were worried that she hadn't passed everything.
When they got to the city, they did blood tests and checked her again - her cervix had closed up completely, and her blood tests, and the pee stick showed that she was still pregnant. They tried to do an ultrasound, but the specialist said that she rarely finds anything on a 7 week ultrasound, but in her opinion, my SIL was still pregnant. She told her to go home and stay in bed for a few days.
SIL told me that she went home expecting to continue with a miscarriage. She got up Sunday, expecting all the pain, etc, and it never came. She said that Sunday, there wasn't even a spot, and no pain at all.
On Tuesday, she goes back for blood tests - provided that the levels haven't dropped from Saturday, they are going to call it still viable. Then on Thursday, she goes for an 8 week ultrasound and hopefully they find a viable fetus.
As SIL said, she's miscarried 3 times previously, and this is nothing like any of those times.
The specialist said that if there is still a viable pregnancy, then this is one of two things... either she has an incompetent cervix issue starting and they will stitch it, or she was pregnant with twins and miscarried one of them, but her body is still holding onto the other one.
So, if you have an extra prayer to send out, I ask that you please send one to my brother and SIL for a healthy viable pregnancy, and good results on the tests tomorrow.
As much as this pregnancy has made me somewhat sad and jealous, this is still my niece or nephew and I am struggling so much with the idea that this might end before I can even be ok with it. I feel awful for having anything other than positive feelings about this pregnancy. I haven't ever wished them harm, I just haven't been able to enjoy this pregnancy and celebrate it like I have all of her other pregnancies.
I just hope beyond hope that her results are good tomorrow...
Life isn't fair sometimes. I'm discovering that more and more. I've been on my own emotional roller coaster. As you know, in the last two weeks I've found out that my sister-in-law and two of my cousins are expecting. Then last night I called my brother to wish him happy birthday (yes, our birthdays are a day apart). What I heard from him is not what I had expected.
Apparently, on Thursday, my SIL started having mild spotting. She called the doctor who said not to fret too much, just stay on bed rest. On Saturday, she woke up to "period-like" bleeding and clots passing. She said she was sure it was a miscarriage, so off they went to the hospital. When they got to their local hospital, they discovered that she was dilated 3 cm, and told her that she had miscarried. They sent her to the city to get checked by her specialist - they were worried that she hadn't passed everything.
When they got to the city, they did blood tests and checked her again - her cervix had closed up completely, and her blood tests, and the pee stick showed that she was still pregnant. They tried to do an ultrasound, but the specialist said that she rarely finds anything on a 7 week ultrasound, but in her opinion, my SIL was still pregnant. She told her to go home and stay in bed for a few days.
SIL told me that she went home expecting to continue with a miscarriage. She got up Sunday, expecting all the pain, etc, and it never came. She said that Sunday, there wasn't even a spot, and no pain at all.
On Tuesday, she goes back for blood tests - provided that the levels haven't dropped from Saturday, they are going to call it still viable. Then on Thursday, she goes for an 8 week ultrasound and hopefully they find a viable fetus.
As SIL said, she's miscarried 3 times previously, and this is nothing like any of those times.
The specialist said that if there is still a viable pregnancy, then this is one of two things... either she has an incompetent cervix issue starting and they will stitch it, or she was pregnant with twins and miscarried one of them, but her body is still holding onto the other one.
So, if you have an extra prayer to send out, I ask that you please send one to my brother and SIL for a healthy viable pregnancy, and good results on the tests tomorrow.
As much as this pregnancy has made me somewhat sad and jealous, this is still my niece or nephew and I am struggling so much with the idea that this might end before I can even be ok with it. I feel awful for having anything other than positive feelings about this pregnancy. I haven't ever wished them harm, I just haven't been able to enjoy this pregnancy and celebrate it like I have all of her other pregnancies.
I just hope beyond hope that her results are good tomorrow...
Saturday, 18 February 2012
My New Love
I finally went to the new Sephora store in the city. It's been open for a while, but I hadn't gotten there yet - primarily because it's in the big mall downtown and it's a pain to get to, plus that mall gets crazy busy on weekends.
Anyway, today hubby suggested that we go shopping for the afternoon... he knows me so well :)
We went to the big mall and I checked out Sephora while he went on the hunt for video games. After telling him I'd meet him in 15 minutes, I walked out of the store nearly 45 minutes later and about $100 poorer. I got some great stuff though... I could spend hours in there. I got some philosophy body wash. I had some years ago as a gift, but haven't been able to get it in this province (as far as I know). I got some great lip stuff and some eye shadows. Oh, and some dry shampoo (I have very oily roots, but the rest of my hair is super dry and so fine - if I wash every day it gets brittle and frizzy, but if I don't, my roots look disgusting... hence dry shampoo for the roots). This dry shampoo is actually meant for dark hair, so that's good - the typical stuff often leaves my hair looking like I'm going grey.
So, a very successful shopping trip. I think I love that store. Even better was that when I signed up for a points card, they asked when my birthday was. When I said "today". She got all giddy and said "Oh, I NEVER get to give out the birthday gifts - other people always get birthday customers... you just made my day". She gave me a lip duo from "Sugar". It's pretty good stuff (lip moisturizer, and a tinted lip moisturizer and it tastes like lemonade!)
Hubby also followed me around a couple of department stores where I ended up getting five tops for about $70 total. I paid full price for one of them, but the rest were all less than $10.
For supper, my inlaws took us out for seafood - it was so good... and I'm so full!!! I came home and collapsed on the couch!
Tomorrow I"m going to have a much needed girl's day with a friend who also needs a day off from her crazy family who have gone skiing. We're actually going to have a sleepover - stay up late, watch movies, etc. Should be fun!
All in all it was a pretty good day. I nearly cried when we were waiting to be seated for supper and the woman standing right across from me was pregnant. She kept rubbing her stomach and was so happy. It made me sad. I know that it shouldn't. And I know that I don't know her story. If I'm lucky, I could be that woman in a few months and someone could be sad because of my situation. Who knows, maybe that woman was pregnant after years of pain of IF. But in my mind, that wasn't true and I was sad... even if only for a few minutes... it's impossible to escape it completely.
---------
I just remembered something funny that happened while shopping though. We were walking by one store and my husband pointed out this little onesie (diaper-shirt). He said "when you get pregnant, I'm buying that one". It had the following saying on it... "I'm cute, my mom's cute, my dad's ... lucky!!!" It made me giggle a bit. :)
Anyway, today hubby suggested that we go shopping for the afternoon... he knows me so well :)
We went to the big mall and I checked out Sephora while he went on the hunt for video games. After telling him I'd meet him in 15 minutes, I walked out of the store nearly 45 minutes later and about $100 poorer. I got some great stuff though... I could spend hours in there. I got some philosophy body wash. I had some years ago as a gift, but haven't been able to get it in this province (as far as I know). I got some great lip stuff and some eye shadows. Oh, and some dry shampoo (I have very oily roots, but the rest of my hair is super dry and so fine - if I wash every day it gets brittle and frizzy, but if I don't, my roots look disgusting... hence dry shampoo for the roots). This dry shampoo is actually meant for dark hair, so that's good - the typical stuff often leaves my hair looking like I'm going grey.
So, a very successful shopping trip. I think I love that store. Even better was that when I signed up for a points card, they asked when my birthday was. When I said "today". She got all giddy and said "Oh, I NEVER get to give out the birthday gifts - other people always get birthday customers... you just made my day". She gave me a lip duo from "Sugar". It's pretty good stuff (lip moisturizer, and a tinted lip moisturizer and it tastes like lemonade!)
Hubby also followed me around a couple of department stores where I ended up getting five tops for about $70 total. I paid full price for one of them, but the rest were all less than $10.
For supper, my inlaws took us out for seafood - it was so good... and I'm so full!!! I came home and collapsed on the couch!
Tomorrow I"m going to have a much needed girl's day with a friend who also needs a day off from her crazy family who have gone skiing. We're actually going to have a sleepover - stay up late, watch movies, etc. Should be fun!
All in all it was a pretty good day. I nearly cried when we were waiting to be seated for supper and the woman standing right across from me was pregnant. She kept rubbing her stomach and was so happy. It made me sad. I know that it shouldn't. And I know that I don't know her story. If I'm lucky, I could be that woman in a few months and someone could be sad because of my situation. Who knows, maybe that woman was pregnant after years of pain of IF. But in my mind, that wasn't true and I was sad... even if only for a few minutes... it's impossible to escape it completely.
---------
I just remembered something funny that happened while shopping though. We were walking by one store and my husband pointed out this little onesie (diaper-shirt). He said "when you get pregnant, I'm buying that one". It had the following saying on it... "I'm cute, my mom's cute, my dad's ... lucky!!!" It made me giggle a bit. :)
da da dum....
key the ominous music.
Today is my birthday! Happy Birthday to me! I have now hit that age where every appointment I have is going to be cursed with the prefunctory age comments.
Today I am 35. No longer am I considered to be within safe, baby-making age limits.
We all know that 35 is the magic age where your chances to conceive drop, and your chances of complications and birth defects go up.
I hate getting older! My cousin said that last year she went to the fertility clinic one month before her birthday and nothing was said, then a month later, two days after her 40th, they started telling her all the horrors of TTC after 40. She just laughed and said if the horrors weren't there for the past month, then why bring them up now.
Yesterday I had a day of medicals. We managed to pack six appointments into one day - chiro, dentist, and GP for me; optometrist, dentist, and GP for hubby. This is what I got out of them...
1. Chiro really does help my back problems, and I really shouldn't wait four months between appointments (my chiro was on mat leave, so I just didn't bother going to anyone else).
2. I still hate going to the dentist. Actually, it's the dental hygienists that I hate! This one had zero sympathy - at one point I was shaking and actually had tears rolling down my face and she wouldn't stop for a few seconds for me to calm down. I have a bad history with dental procedures. I did really like the dentist - he was very nice (and actually cute too), but I still hate trips to the dentist. I have to go back in three weeks to get a few fillings - not impressed. We're going to try to do it without freezing because I don't take freezing well and those needles hurt worse than the drilling. He said if I was willing to try, he was. Frankly, if I can handle an endometrial biopsy without medication, then a filling should be a breeze.
3. my GP is awesome, but really willing to do anything without question. She just wrote a bunch of prescriptions for me and sent me for a bunch of tests - so that's the plan for later this week, to get those done. Hopefully we find something so that this exhaustion goes away.
So, I got a lot done yesterday and then went shopping today... bought way too much, but hey, it's my birthday so it's ok... right??
Today is my birthday! Happy Birthday to me! I have now hit that age where every appointment I have is going to be cursed with the prefunctory age comments.
Today I am 35. No longer am I considered to be within safe, baby-making age limits.
We all know that 35 is the magic age where your chances to conceive drop, and your chances of complications and birth defects go up.
I hate getting older! My cousin said that last year she went to the fertility clinic one month before her birthday and nothing was said, then a month later, two days after her 40th, they started telling her all the horrors of TTC after 40. She just laughed and said if the horrors weren't there for the past month, then why bring them up now.
Yesterday I had a day of medicals. We managed to pack six appointments into one day - chiro, dentist, and GP for me; optometrist, dentist, and GP for hubby. This is what I got out of them...
1. Chiro really does help my back problems, and I really shouldn't wait four months between appointments (my chiro was on mat leave, so I just didn't bother going to anyone else).
2. I still hate going to the dentist. Actually, it's the dental hygienists that I hate! This one had zero sympathy - at one point I was shaking and actually had tears rolling down my face and she wouldn't stop for a few seconds for me to calm down. I have a bad history with dental procedures. I did really like the dentist - he was very nice (and actually cute too), but I still hate trips to the dentist. I have to go back in three weeks to get a few fillings - not impressed. We're going to try to do it without freezing because I don't take freezing well and those needles hurt worse than the drilling. He said if I was willing to try, he was. Frankly, if I can handle an endometrial biopsy without medication, then a filling should be a breeze.
3. my GP is awesome, but really willing to do anything without question. She just wrote a bunch of prescriptions for me and sent me for a bunch of tests - so that's the plan for later this week, to get those done. Hopefully we find something so that this exhaustion goes away.
So, I got a lot done yesterday and then went shopping today... bought way too much, but hey, it's my birthday so it's ok... right??
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
That's it... I quit!
I talked to my grandmother tonight...
Apparently, one of my cousins on the other side of my family is pregnant and due at the end of June.
Just kill me now! I think that I've cried more in the last two weeks than I have in years.
That's it... I quit.
Apparently, one of my cousins on the other side of my family is pregnant and due at the end of June.
Just kill me now! I think that I've cried more in the last two weeks than I have in years.
That's it... I quit.
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