Nerdy Sir Mix-a-Lot

I like big butts WORDS!!!

(My apologies to all the Sir Mix-a-Lot fans.  It was very wrong of me.)

But seriously, I adore words.  I think the English language is fascinating.  I think all language is fascinating, which is probably why I studied three different foreign languages in undergrad.  It makes me very sad that I have to consciously simplify my speech and writing so that I don't offend or alienate my audience.

I own eight dictionaries, I have a dictionary app on my iPhone, and I have a dictionary link in my bookmarks bar.  I wish we lived in a world where everyone else wanted to learn more words, rather than wanting me to use simpler words.  Yes, I do understand why I can't always speak as I will or write as I will.  But I don't have to like it, and daresay I never will.  (Lovely example, isn't it?  I would use the word daresay constantly if it wouldn't make people roll their eyes at me.)

So, instead of just ranting about it, I am going to use this blog to share some of my favorite words.  :)  As the first installment, I will share a single word that sums up very nicely why "big" words can be ideal.  How often is it that you have to use a number of "small" words in lieu of a single "big" word?  Laconic is one example.  Look at the options:

"He spoke laconically."
"He spoke using few words."

It's not only more laconic to use the word laconic, it's also more picturesque.  There is so much substance to that word.  Maybe it's just me, but I think laconic has a beautiful connotation that is lacking in any "plain English" version.  

Ok, ok.  Any readers I may have had quit reading this post ages ago.  I'm sorry.  I promise that any forthcoming vocab posts will be more fun and less rant.  But I do feel better now.  :)


Official definition of the word of the week courtesy of Dictionary.com:

la·con·ic

[luh-kon-ik]

–adjective

using few words; expressing much in few words; concise: a laconic reply.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/laconic

The Thing I Need to Talk About but Don't Want to Talk About

I'm impressed that I made 5 whole posts about fun stuff before I got around to this one.  This is the thing that my friends will know I talk about all the time, but it's because I need to talk about it rather than because I want to talk about it.  Some people have to spill their guts about things they are struggling with, just to make those things bearable, and I'm one of those people.  So it's not so much that I want everyone and their uncle to know about this, but it helps me to share.  Therefore, I share.

I should get to the point, right?

Infertility.

Did you know that one in eight American couples struggle with infertility?  And please, don't kid yourself into thinking it's because they all waited until they were 45 to start trying to have kids.  Sure, there are many who struggle who are older.  And there are also many, many, many who are in their 20s and early 30s.

(WARNING - if you are needle-phobic, don't scroll down to the pics at the bottom.)

Also, before you tell me to relax or that it's stress related, do some research.  Infertility causes stress, stress doesn't cause infertility.  In our case, we have a very specific defined medical problem that has absolutely, positively nothing to do with stress.  It was there before we even knew that we had a reason to worry.

I'm 33 years old.  I'm in law school.  I previously had a successful career with an amazing company.  I've spoken in front of hundreds of people.  I lived in four different cities in three different states in the first five years of marriage.  And infertility is by far the most difficult thing I have ever dealt with in my life.  Nothing else comes anywhere close.

In some ways, it's what defines me now.  I can say all kinds of things about myself, about who I am, but in the back of my mind there is this little voice that is telling me that I am the girl who's never been pregnant, but not by choice.

In a few weeks I'll start stabbing myself with needles and making myself a regular presence at my doctor's office as we go through another round of IVF.  I don't want to, but I'm going to do it.  I don't like all the hormones.  I hate that this is the only way we can have a child.  And yes, we will consider adoption, but I'm not quite ready to give up the dream of carrying a child, of breast feeding, of all the amazing things that go along with giving birth.  For me, it's less the issue of biology, and more the issue of that connection with another living being.  But yes, adoption is an option.  Just not quite yet.

I promise this entire blog won't be about infertility.  But some of it will be.  How can it not, when IVF looks like this?

 

And by the way, I didn't include individual pics of the big needles.  :(  Also, the needles are the easiest part of the whole process.  It's the waiting, and wondering, and worrying that it might just be throwing money out the window that gets to you.  If it works, it is totally worth it.  It's the fear that it won't work that is so devastating.  

But we'll do it again in about a month, and hope that this is the time that makes everything up until now all worthwhile.  

As a final note, infertility is one of the most taboo of all medical issues.  Most people won't ever tell you that they've dealt with it.  There's a stigma attached to infertility.  I talk about it not just because it helps me, but because I hope that it helps others, helps them to know they aren't alone.  

Anniversary Mini-Trip

The hubster and I had an excellent little mini-trip for our anniversary last week.  Unfortunately, we couldn't go out of town right now thanks in part to the all day Trial Advocacy boot camp that I had on Saturday.  (For my non-law school friends, Trial Ad is one of the summer classes I am taking, and there are two "boot camps" where we are in lecture all day.)  But, we had a great anniversary nonetheless!  The day was just the way we like it.  At our own leisurely pace, no hurry to be anywhere and enjoying every moment.

The day started out with cinnamon rolls for breakfast, which is always a good thing!  Then we took our two rascally pups to my parents' house.  On the way back into town, we stopped at a gun store so the hubster could do a little browsing.  Also looked at a couple possible handguns for me, but it will probably be some time before that purchase is made.

Then we had lunch at Lafayette Fire Company No 1.  The food was quite tasty, but not so much that we'll be headed back there soon.  It's not a bad place at all, just not one that we want to add to our list of faves.  I should mention that it rained ALL day on our anniversary, which spoiled most of our outdoor plans for the day.  So, we headed to the City Museum instead and spent some time exploring the World Aquarium, which was pretty awesome.

How can you not love faces like these?  (And yes, I am intentionally including the one with the hubster...)

Then we headed to the Four Seasons, where we had the Heart's Delight package.  The package included valet parking, champagne and chocolate delivered to the room, and a gigantic, delicious in-room breakfast in the morning.  

It was freaking good chocolate.  We had dinner at Cielo, and the food was excellent!  Sadly, the atmosphere was really lacking.  If we ever stay at the hotel again, I think we'll opt for room service instead.  Because the room itself was fantastic.

I seriously want one of these chair thingies, it was so comfortable.

The bathroom had a tub that was almost two feet deep, and there was a TV in the mirror.

See, it's really a mirror!

Can you imagine what one of the good rooms with the good view would be like?  This is essentially the worst option you can get, but it's hard to attach a word like worst to it.

Checkout time was at noon and we checked out at about 11:59.  I didn't want to leave!  But we had to pick up the pups and I had to do the reading for my Saturday class, so alas, we had to come back to reality.  But it was a lovely day, and a lovely way to celebrate our first 10 years together.  

10 Year Wedding Anniversary

I am blessed and humbled to be able to say that 10 years ago today, I married an incredibly amazing man.  The hubster is kind, considerate, handsome, fun, and always puts a smile on my face.  I would be hard pressed to find anyone who is a better match for me, and I certainly don't ever want to try.  I would also be hard pressed to put into words how much the past 10 years have meant to me.  I love you Mister!

Since most of my current friends have met me in the past 10 years, you wouldn't have been at our wedding.  So I've picked some of my favorite pictures for this post.  I am proud to say that I was the florist and decorator for our wedding, and I think for someone who had no experience working with silk flowers, I did ok!  It was a beautiful day, and an amazing experience all around.  After the wedding, our guests released butterflies as we walked out of the church.  The hubster and I also released a butterfly together, which you can just see at the top of that pic.  I hope you enjoy the images of all of us from 10 years ago.  I know I loved poring over the album once again.

  

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 

Early Signs of Summer

No, I'm not crazy.  I realize it's 50 something outside and it's been generally gross and un-spring-like, much less summery.  But, there were a few signs around my house today that we are moving along in the year and getting closer to summer, and I do always love those first signs.

1.  My mimosa tree finally has noticeable leaves.  The mimosa is always the last tree around our property to leaf out, and to me it means that all the early signs of spring are already past.  The hubster will tell you that this tree is a giant pain, and it is.  It sheds four times a year and makes a gigantic mess.  But it is so, so gorgeous in the summer when it is in bloom.  Stay tuned, because I will most certainly post pics in the future.

2.  The first Stella de Oros are in bloom.  I'll be the first to admit that they are in an awful location for blooming, since they almost always are in shade were we planted them.  But, it's a perfect location to have some lush green foliage from spring through fall, and that's why I like them.  The few blooms I get are a bonus.

3.  The hubster drove his motorcycle to work for the first time this season yesterday.  It's been so rainy and gross of late that he hasn't been able to until now.  But it's a treat to see his bike in the driveway all ready to go.  I only wish mine could join, but sadly there is something wrong with the starter and I haven't gotten her to the shop yet, so it's 4 wheels for me still.  :(

4.  Finally, I ate the first baby crop from my vegetable garden!  The last few years we've planted mostly tomatoes and peppers of various kinds.  We've had some eggplant too, and one year I planted a zucchini in a bed by the house.  Since then that spot has been filled by a lovely plant whose name escapes me at the moment, and my little corner vegetable garden just can't fit any kind of squash.  But, I digress.  This year I wanted to change it up a bit to help the soil, and planted garlic, onion, broccoli and radish.  The last two were planted from seed, so I'm going to have to pull a bunch to give the others room to grow.  I pulled a baby radish this morning, and it was DELICIOUS.  Mmm.  Radishes.