tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39676917402645896302024-03-13T10:57:51.029-04:00The Idle Mind Of BethStill here, now pregnant, working to redefine normal...IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.comBlogger323125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-31120719111482080882010-03-23T16:20:00.002-04:002010-03-23T16:26:26.398-04:00GriefGrumpy's mom passed away the day after I last published here. She was home, she had family with her, and she went as peacefully and painlessly as we could have hoped for under the circumstances. Since then, we've planned and attended/hosted the memorial service, and are working on the business of "getting on with life".Grump's is hanging in there, but - as anyone who either knows him, or has beenIdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-70470638345014485392010-02-08T15:25:00.003-05:002010-02-08T15:46:48.027-05:00Cranky McCranky-PantsFirst off, all things pregnancy related are still moving along swimmingly. I had a doctor appointment this morning, and Lil H and I are right on track in all measurable categories. I'm being kicked in all kinds of fun places as a regular occurrence, and sometimes I swear the lil sucker is trying to break out through my cervix. It's very strange - very strange indeed!Now, if you're not interested IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-32371008478590479282010-01-11T12:32:00.003-05:002010-01-11T12:38:47.725-05:0020 weeks!All seems to be going remarkably well in pregnancy land over here. We had the BIG ultrasound (results of which will be kept private until immediate family is made aware), but the important thing is that it was another showing that our Lil H is doing just lovely in there.I've been feeling movement consistently for a couple of weeks now. Its - bizarre. Very bizarre in deed. In the best possible IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-21784141935309951732009-12-11T10:17:00.003-05:002009-12-11T10:27:48.430-05:00Again?First things first, since I know I've been HORRIBLE about updating... at 15.5 weeks, everything pregnancy related seems to be moving along swimmingly. Doc is happy, my stomach and appetite are getting there, and my jeans are not. I figure that's about all I can ask for that this point.I seem to be struggling again. Be it seasonal, situational, or my own fucked-up-edness, the depression seems to IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-14066238684038407652009-11-02T15:03:00.002-05:002009-11-02T15:13:55.956-05:0010 Weeks?That's where the calendar says I'm at. 10 weeks pregnant. If that's not the most surreal thing I've ever typed here, I don't know what is.I'm discovering another problem with my infertility experience. I'm not suggesting this is a problem EVERYONE would encounter. Just one that I am, and I'm struggling with it. So, I figure if I am, someone else may, too. And this whole community thing is IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-90028503359251518422009-10-26T09:22:00.003-04:002009-10-26T09:33:29.486-04:00A Month(ish) In ReviewLordy Lordy, this last month or so has been crazy! Bare (or is it bear?) with me while I sum up!My Mom, after a ridiculously UNspectacular fall (she missed the last step on the staircase into the basement) resulting in ridiculously spectacular injuries (7 breaks in 5 bones, including both ankles and a foot), is well on her way to recovery! She's down to 1 plaster cast and 1 cam-walker, has tossedIdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-34232057425031764832009-09-17T11:21:00.002-04:002009-09-17T11:24:06.861-04:00Thankful ThursdaysYes, I know, its been awhile - but.... I'm here now!This weeks Thankful list:The Grumps made the Dean's List!Mom is settled @ Grandma's with her 2 casted, broken ankles, and seems to be adjusting ok.I've gotten the opportunity to reconnect with an old friend, and now get to call him a good friend!It's fall! Cool breezes, clear blue skies, and pretty soon the leaves will be changing color.Almost IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-12449145398199823412009-09-08T10:10:00.002-04:002009-09-08T10:15:15.816-04:00Anyone need Lessons?If anyone out there needs lessons on how to help/manage their parents through a medical crisis, I think I'm about to be pretty damned qualified to give them!My Mom fell on Saturday, in an incredibly spectacular way. She was walking into the basement with a laundry basket, and thought she had reached the bottom step. Unfortunately, she was 1 step up. 2 broken ankles and a broken foot (7 fractures IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-48121788132018302162009-09-01T10:40:00.003-04:002009-09-01T10:43:44.259-04:00Feel the Fur Love!It's been awhile since you've seen the kittens, so I thought I'd give you a peek!They will be 6 months tomorrow, and are FREAKING HUGE! Bob, in the blue collar, with his little paw over his sister, is 8.2 lbs. Izzie, in the red collar, is 7.8 lbs.We've resigned ourselves to being the house with 2 20lb cats.They're trouble, and crazy energetic, and mischevious, and maddening... but they're sweet, IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-87022215604190113602009-08-31T12:28:00.004-04:002009-08-31T12:47:04.231-04:00That Old Familiar FeelingIt used to be a constant, dull ache that wasn't usually noticed, but never really went away, either. Silly me had gotten almost confident enough to say that for now, I've gotten beyond it.And then?Then that stupid bitch that is infertility sucker punched me in the gut.I was getting our dinner ready on Saturday when there was a knock at the door. It's back to school season, which - at least in ourIdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-6917419743198816132009-08-28T08:47:00.002-04:002009-08-28T08:57:07.472-04:00Desperately Seeking....Serenity? Well, kind of, but that's not quite right...Sanity? Close, but again, not quite right...Simplicity! Ding ding ding, winner!This last trip up north solidified it for us. We are not urban, or even suburban, people. We crave the peace and quiet that comes with not being able to see (or hear!) your neighbors, and of being able to tend to a garden without worrying about breaking some IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-20136507656497235872009-08-20T11:11:00.003-04:002009-08-20T11:11:00.584-04:00Thankful ThursdaysShort, sweet, and to the point:This week I am thankful thatI AM ON VACATION!Gone camping with Grumps and the furkids! NO INTERNET ACCESS! Just us, good friends, good food, a few board/card games, some books, a local county fair, and a whole lotta booze!Back in town on Monday, but may not be back online until Wednesday!WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-64092620174766225112009-08-14T08:47:00.002-04:002009-08-14T08:47:00.588-04:00The Original BFF, Part 2There was a falling out, and this was a big one. It was over men, of course. She suddenly didn't like the choices I was making, and I was so wrapped up in my choices that I no longer had time for her. I'd like to say that I was torn up about it, inconsolable even, but that would be a lie. I was so wrapped up in the warm fuzzies of new love that I hardly noticed the loss of my best friend.Years IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-25870118365117612502009-08-12T10:58:00.003-04:002009-08-12T12:46:52.128-04:00The Original BFFI think we all had one... that first person you shared everything with. Bad grades, horrible crushes, silly giggling secrets shared in hushed tones while listening to Journey (I can't be the only one that came of age in the 90s that thought I was OH SO COOL to be listening to "old school Journey", can I? CAN I?).H wasn't my first best friend, if I'm to be honest. There were childhood friends IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-49497758623566295352009-08-07T08:54:00.001-04:002009-08-07T08:54:00.534-04:00Ch-ch-ch-changes!I look around at my life today, and it's completely different from what it was a year ago. And I know there are many, MANY more major changes to come in the next 18-24 months.My marriage is better, stronger, happier than it's been in a while. It's not perfect (I'm not a believer in perfection anyway!), but it's good. Genuinely good.Our house, our health, our conversations, our connection - have IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-49887760676276664042009-08-06T11:48:00.002-04:002009-08-06T11:54:24.580-04:00Thankful Thursdaysso I missed last week, but I'm back at it again! This week, I'm thankful:That the patch seems to be working for me. I'm not a non-smoker yet, but I'm much MUCH closer than I've been in a LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG time!That Grumps and I are really and truly, for the first time since we've known each other, completely on the same page about our finances. It's wonderful to have a real partner in the fightIdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-81906933371996966802009-08-03T09:21:00.003-04:002009-08-03T09:27:44.020-04:00Picture ThisYou've lived in your new home for a few weeks now. You're finally unpacked and settled in. It's summertime, the weather is gorgeous, and you decide to throw yourself a housewarming party.You cut the grass, plant some flowers, and buy a screened in gazebo for the yard. You get the charcoal heating up on the barbecue, the beer chillin' in the cooler, and the ribs marinating in the sauce.You've IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-34512592234943590472009-07-28T09:58:00.002-04:002009-07-28T10:13:34.016-04:00Ghetto Livin'When we moved into our house (almost 13 years ago!), it was a little bungalow in a quiet, well-kept, working class, family neighborhood. Today, it's still a little bungalow. Unfortunately, that's about the only similarity.The house across the street has sold 4 times, and is now rented by a mother, her 3 grown sons, a minor son, and a grandson (whose mother is clearly not involved). All 3 of the IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-25014693153392050522009-07-23T15:27:00.002-04:002009-07-23T15:29:49.928-04:00Thankful ThursdayYep, it's Thursday again! This week I'm thankful:That I get a 3 day weekend!That I get to see a cousin from out of town (that I see far too little) on Saturday!That I'll have the house to myself this evening (well, plus the animals... and from what Grumps has told me, the kittens are CUH-RAZY today!).That Grumps is STILL holding his 4.0!And that I am less than a month away from a long weekend of IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-7115415256323189602009-07-22T13:50:00.003-04:002009-07-22T14:03:37.065-04:00DefiningI've been thinking a lot lately about my infertility, my blog, my place in this community. I feel like I don't really have a place in the community right now. (And Lori, before you tell me to draw a bigger circle - keep reading!)If you're one of the few that has been following me regularly for the last year or so, you'll agree that very little I have written about in that time has dealt at all IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-72587980680268483192009-07-20T15:41:00.011-04:002009-07-20T16:13:58.516-04:00My weekendin *stolen* internet pics, because I was an idiot and forgot my camera! Friday night, we met up with some friends for dinner: Lafayette Coney Island, a Detroit Institution! And then we headed off to Comerica Park to see: And:Kid Rock, early on in his OVER 2 HOUR performance!!!!The concert kicked all kinds of ass, and we had a great time! I had to get out the Kid Rock CDs so that I can listen in IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-51931741172507142132009-07-16T15:44:00.004-04:002009-07-16T15:52:37.518-04:00Thankful ThursdaysYep, it's Thursday again! Here's what I'm thankful for this time around:That the visit with our friends was FABULOUS! We had cocktails and fire and lots and LOTS of laughs!That my horrid end-of-last-year has provided me with insights that I would not otherwise have, and that I was recently able to share some of those insights with someone that really seems to need a little guidance. Whether they IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-16815850453201191812009-07-14T08:15:00.002-04:002009-07-14T08:15:00.473-04:00A typical afternoon in our house Grumps took the above picture one afternoon while doing homework in his office. The kids like to be near him, but can't seem to stay awake during naptime. Kaylah is the big reddish-brown one, Bob is the black blob above her, and Izzie is next to the black garbage can on the right side of her (you can spot Izzie's legs sticking out towards Kaylah).IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-21236355354620261572009-07-13T12:09:00.003-04:002009-07-13T12:19:45.442-04:00Raising a Handand waving at all of you out there in blogland!I'm still here, still bobbing along in my own little journey. Nothing too exciting or blog-worthy going on (or, at least not when a CERTAIN UNNAMED BLOGGING PROGRAM will actually allow me access to my account!), thus the ridiculous level of silence over here these days.To be honest, I've been struggling a bit this last week, as the 7th was 1 year IdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3967691740264589630.post-48399800884918335542009-06-25T11:37:00.003-04:002009-06-25T11:44:08.196-04:00Thankful ThursdayJust need to reground myself in the things that are GOOD in my world right now. Since that was the entire purpose for starting this not-nearly-weekly theme, I suppose it's a good idea to publish another one of these, so here we go.This week, I'm thankful:That some of our best friends are coming up this weekend, and will be staying with us for a few days. It's been far too long, and I look forwardIdleMindOfBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03981681283810950397noreply@blogger.com4