Ten

1. WEEE'RREE BAAAAACCKK! We had an absolute blast in Alaska for my family reunion. Seriously, I am blessed with the awesomest, hippest, kindest, funnest family EVER, as evidenced by these photos of my incredible parents:

Come on, you know you are looking at these photos and wishing you could be a Binder too.

2. While weighing our luggage at home before our departure on July 2nd, my hubby broke our wonderful digital bathroom scale. Alaska Airlines' luggage weight limit is 50 lbs; my bag weighed in at 50.4 lbs. No extra charge for this savvy traveler. We have this luggage thing down to a science, people. Anyhow, until such time as we replace said broken bathroom scale, I will continue to believe it when it reports that I lost 5 lbs while in Alaska.

3. Which is more tragic: a grown man wearing a fanny-pack or a grown man toting a fanny-pack like a purse? I witnessed the latter on my way to work - and he was going into an auto-parts store, no less. Perhaps my sister Jaimee, the family fanny-pack expert, can answer this one for us. See, I told you I have the hippest family members. LOVE YOU, JAIM!

4. No week before a vacation would be complete without the "check engine" light going on in my car. And no week after a vacation would be complete without the "check tire pressure" going on in my car. Sheesh!

5. This week's Disney movie trivia:

"Tuesday night's plastic corrosion awareness meeting was, I think, a big success. We'd like to thank Mr. Spell for putting that on for us, thank you Mr. Spell."

Answers? Anyone?

6. During our trip Kendry learned "uh oh", only it still sounds like "uh uh". He woke up around midnight night before last and was somewhat inconsolable (probably due to teething). After a little Tylenol, I had him just about rocked back to sleep when his binky fell out of his mouth. I heard him mutter a sleepy "Uh uh", and then he was wide awake again and we were back to square one. This whole talking thing might be a bit overrated.

7. Even though we just got back home we are going on our first family camping trip this weekend near the Tucannon River. Fun fun!

8. Today Kendry is wearing a John Deere t-shirt that reads: GOT DIRT? Its quite fitting since he is a total dirt magnet these days. He spent quite a bit of time in my parents' sandbox in AK, only coming to find me once he was all lathered up in sand:

9. My 12 week half-marathon training has begun! Bring on the miles and miles of running!

10. To my parents, grandmother, siblings, siblings-in-law, nieces and nephews: We miss you guys soo much already! Now, when is the next reunion?

Breaking Heart

This last weekend a fellow member of the infertility blogger community went into premature labor and gave birth to her daughter at just 22 weeks. A precious angel gone as quickly as she came.

This fellow blogger is someone I have never met, but would consider a friend just the same. She and her husband were blessed with a successful IVF cycle earlier this year. Just one month ago our community celebrated with her at the news they were having a baby girl. Today there are no words, only confusion and a horrible aching for my friend's loss.

When this friend first started blogging she posted this statement she had heard from another member of the IF community:

"What do I think God meant when he gave me infertility?

I think he meant for my husband and I to grow closer, become stronger, love deeper. I think God meant for us to find the fortitude within ourselves to get up every time infertility knocks us down. I think God meant for our medical community to discover medicines, invent medical equipment, create procedures and protocols. I think God meant for us to find a cure for infertility.

No, God never meant for me not to have children. That's not my destiny; that's just a fork in the road I'm on. I've been placed on the road less traveled, and, like it or not, I'm a better person for it. Clearly, God meant for me to develop more compassion, deeper courage, and greater inner strength on this journey to resolution, and I haven't let him down.

"Frankly, if the truth be known, I think God has singled me out for a special treatment. I think God meant for me to build a thirst for a child so strong and so deep that when that baby is finally placed in my arms, it will be the longest, coolest, most refreshing drink I've ever known."

-author unknown-

I know from our own experience that God can take a struggle like infertility and use it to make you stronger as a person, stronger as a couple, and draw you closer to Him. But sometimes it feels like the struggle just keeps knocking you down.

One of my favorite Christian songs says "I am not skilled to understand what God has willed, what God has planned." But even amidst the truth of that statement, today I cannot help but ask God "why?" a lot.

Lord, I cannot make sense of this situation, but I know that You are still God. Please comfort my friends in their loss. Help them to cling to each other and to You.

Ten

1. I count myself blessed to have a husband who actually encourages me to buy new shoes. Tennis shoes, that is. But tennis shoes are to this jeans and t-shirt gal as Manolos are to my sister. Need I specify the sister to which I am referring? :) I love me some cute running shoes! Here are my new kicks, which will be leading me on my 1st half-marathon come October:

They even have a pink paisley design on the inside - how cute is that?!

P.S. - ASICS ROCK!

2. Am I the only one completely confused with today's fashion trends? Is it grunge? Is it maternity? Is it see-through? And its not just women's fashion either. One of the first observations Justin shared with me after his recent Seattle business trip: "Babe, all the men over there were wearing skinny jeans!" Which naturally leads me to visualize my hubby wearing skinny jeans. Hmmm.... nope, never gonna happen. But seriously, I'm ready to boycott clothes shopping for a few months until someone actually starts carrying some realistic clothing that doesn't scream "80's!" and that won't be out of style again by summer's end.

3. I love Disney movies, and I love quoting lines from movies; hence, a new touch to my weekly Ten blog is a "Name That Disney Movie" challenge. Here is the first (easy) one:

"...you have been called forth to the summit of Mt. Wannahockaloogie to join with us in the fraternal bonds of tankhood!"

Think you know the movie? Show me your true Disney knowledge - and its not fair to google it either.

4. Last week I had a dream that I was enjoying a delicious piece of hard candy (sugar addict that I am), and then I awoke to find that it most certainly was not candy, it was my infamous $$$ (insert "cha-ching!" sound effect here) mouth guard! Can you imagine if I had swallowed it? Yeah, let's not go there. I've either got to start wearing this thing regularly enough at night that I stop "eating" it or hiding it beneath the covers in my sleep (is my subconcious trying to tell me something?), or I need to nix the guard altogether before I choke on it in my sleep. Think I could sell it on craigslist and make a couple bucks back?

5. OH. MY. GOSH. This just in: Brad Paisley will be in concert (w/ Darius Rucker, aka "Hootie", and others) in Spokane on September 9th. I suppose I need to update my Age 30 Bucket List to include "see Brad in concert". Brad and I are on a first name basis you know.

6. We took Kendry to the beach on the Snake River this weekend.

A boy and the sand - its a beautiful thing.

After eating a few handfuls of sand, he braved the chilly waters and waded into the river with Daddy.

Mommy (with her new hairstyle) showing Kendry how to scoop water into his sand bucket. What is even more fun than sand? MUD!

7. White capri work pants + a rough & tough toddler = disaster. I never make it to work without a spot or stain on my outfit. Why do I even bother?

8. T minus 4 days until we leave for Alaska, and we embark on our first flight with a toddler in tow. I'm not too worried about the 1 hour hop to Seattle, but the 3.5 hour stretch from Seattle to Fairbanks could be interesting. Please, Lord, let us be patient, the flight not be full, the fellow travelers be understanding, and the kiddo be sleepy.

9. The sunrise in Fairbanks today was at 3:05 a.m. The sunset will be at 12:43 a.m. (tomorrow!) I can't wait to enjoy all that daylight!

10. Kendry did his first sign last night at dinner. I have been signing the basics like "more", "thank you", "please", "all done" and "drink" for some time. A few weeks ago he started clapping when I did the "more" sign to him, so I manipulated his hands to mimick my signing. Sure enough, last night I said and signed "more" and he mimicked me perfectly. I told you my kiddo was smart!

Bite Me!

So you have the usual teething side effects: runny nose, fever, excessive drooling, diarrhea, fussy kiddo, etc. But how come no one mentions the challenge that is the teeth themselves? Cuz at the end of the day the other ailments fall by the wayside and you have a kiddo with a mouthful of fairly sharp objects - more specifically, a kiddo who is still learning self-restraint.

Kendry has six teeth now, and I have at least that many tiny bite marks on my body. I know what you are thinking: “just discipline him when he bites” or “bite him right back”. Both valid suggestions. Thank you. But here is the thing, Kendry doesn’t simply outright bite out of anger or to get your attention; he appears to bite out of affection. And this is most evident by the fact that I have by far the most bite marks out of any of his victims. Oh I can really hear your judgmental thoughts now. "Biting out of affection?! Puh-lease, Jody! Just buck up and discipline your kid already before he becomes the neighborhood biter, or better yet, before he bites my kid."

But just hear me out. Kendry's vampire-like attacks happen when he playfully lays his head into my neck and shoulder and does a little spastic snuggle, usually putting his open mouth onto the curve of my shoulder and then -OUCH!- there it is. Although this hurts, it doesn’t come close to the thigh bite, where he runs up to me excitedly and buries his head into my legs, once again doing his sneaky little "snuggle and bite" move. And his latest this week: he moved in all precious-like, as if he was going to give me a big kiss, and then the little toot bit my lower lip! My lip was numb for the next half hour.

Yes, we do discipline him when he does this. He obviously needs to know that what he is doing hurts someone. And when he starts to do his "spastic snuggle" move, we sternly remind him "Don't bite". But I can't say that these tactics have proved all that successful just yet. And in the meantime, the kiddo keeps getting more teeth! It breaks my heart to think about using the tactic of biting him back to show him how it feels because I don't want to discourage the snuggling.

What is a parent to do? Suggestions? Advice? Anyone?

Ten

1. An early "Happy Father's Day" to the two greatest men in my life: my dad and my husband. We love you!

Me with my wonderful pops and beautiful sister one year ago:

Daddy & Kendry's 1st photo together:

2. Have I mentioned that I love how organized my family is? Next month we are having our first family reunion in years (woot woot!) and I have already received my complete reunion packet: a week-long itinerary of events and meals, our family meal card, the reunion t-shirt order form, and a schedule of the setup/cleanup assignments throughout the week. This all may sound a bit over the top to you, but I come from a family of nine kids, not to mention there will be sixteen grandchildren in attendance (ages 5 months in utero through 12 years). As you can imagine, getting all of us fed or transported to an event location are not small feats. Many thanks to my sisters and sister-in-law for all your planning efforts - you are girls after my own OCD heart!

3. And speaking of family, I'm getting another niece come October! My little sis just found out that she is having another little girl. As I am incredibly close with my sisters, it makes me nearly tear up knowing that my little niece Addysen will get to know the joys of sisterhood too. And do you know what else this means?! I don't have to worry about sending my 8 tubs of baby boy clothes all the way back up to Alaska. HOO -(wait for it)- RAY!

4.

Dear Pre-Pregnancy Belly:

Its been nearly two years since we last saw each other. Your replacement just isn't cutting it for me anymore. Please consider this letter an invitation to return someday soon.

Missing you, Jody

5. I love Athleta! I would purchase my entire summer wardrobe from them, if only I could afford it.

6. I love my hubby for being one of those great dads who stays home from work to tend to our sick kiddo. And I love him even more for dealing with two very yucky, dirty diapers while on sick kiddo duty. (Can you hear me snickering?)

7. Ever the procrastinator, my Father’s Day gift for my pops and Kendry’s gift for his daddy won’t be delivered until next week. Note to self: remember to do better next year.

8. As promised, here are more of the pics I took in my recent photo shoot with Kendry:

Always exploring...

"Anyone got a fishing pole I can borrow?"

Toesies!

Toddling:

I love the angle of this one:

My little farmer:

9. I may have discovered exactly how I was able to find a pair of adorable DKNY skinny jeans for a steal of a price at Ross: the darn things have a runaway zipper!! How embarrassing!

10. And last but not least, my kiddo's official 1 year photo. Getting Kendry to smile for a photo isn't difficult, but capturing his genuine smile, as seen here, doesn't happen too often. I LOVE LOVE LOVE this photo!