Cute, Little, Red, Rice Cooker

Since we got married 8 years ago, there are some appliances we have found we can't live without. Number 1 on the top of the list is a coffee maker! Probably number 2 is blender, and number 3 microwave. throw some beaters in there and I think that covers the basics...at least for us cause that is all we had for years. I made toast in the oven for a long time :)

What made me think to write about this was something I overheard my husband saying the other day. We were at a Christmas eve party...and as usual all the guys on one side of the room talking about boring things, and the girls on the other talking about life and family. Then the guys conversation switched to what small appliances they or there wives used the most. a lot of them were talking about crock pots and how much there wives used them. And how they could never live with out them anymore. Then I over heard my husband talking about how he couldn't live without a rice cooker! Music to my ears! Let me back up and tell you why this was so momentous for me.

When me and Jeremy were newlyweds, I wanted a rice cooker. I grew up with a rice cooker....they are very convenient.  We were making a meal one day on our honeymoon, and we needed to make rice. I said how do you make rice with out a rice cooker? And Jeremy just laughed at me. So, for years I made rice in a pan on the stove. One summer, when we were visiting the states from Jordan, I found a cute, little, red, rice cooker on sale for $10. I thought to myself surely we can afford this..and bought it. brought it back to Jordan, and we used it at least a few times a week. Perfect rice every time, no waiting around to make sure it's not burning, and the cleanup.....well, no more soaking pans, and scrubbing till my arm felt like it was falling off!

When that rice cooker reached the end of it's life, Jeremy was the one who found us a replacement... Pretty sure he was more upset than I was at the loss of our little, red, rice cooker. And that is just one of the many ways Jeremy's life has been changed since he married me ;) haha

Starting a Family

June, 2007 is when me and Jeremy decided we would like to start a family. I admit, I always thought something might be wrong with me, and that it might not be easy to get pregnant. Those thoughts never crossed Jeremy's mind. After about 5 months I was talking to a friend in my arabic class here in Jordan, and she suggested I go get checked. She told me about her doctor and how cheap medical stuff is here. Shortly after that me and Jer went, and sure enough the problem was with me. I have poly cystic ovaries.

And so began my emotional roller coaster. I started fertility medicine, clomid to be exact. I was taking the highest dose I could. Each month that went by was one that started with hope and ended with a negative pregnancy test...which brought tears, heart ache, and depression. Yet, at the beginning of a new cycle something within me wouldn't allow myself to not hope. Hope was always there, even when I mentally tried to push it down. After a while I started to get some pretty crazy side effects from the clomid, headaches, blurred vision, cramps...which I never told my doctor about, I probably should have.

November 2008 I was at a conference, and I asked the speaker to pray for me. I rarely ask complete strangers to pray for me...but I was desperate. the next morning she prophesied I am going to get pregnant. And she says it in front of everyone at the conference. ( there is a lot more to that story that will have to wait for another day)

January 2009 Me and Jer are at the end of our rope with trying to get pregnant. My doctor suggests trying something new....so we did. I went through IVF. about 2 weeks of 2 injections per day. At the end I took a pregnancy test and I remember it being a shocking negative. I took a blood test and it was technically positive....which gave hope again. I had to take a blood test 2 days later and it was negative. I was emotionally, spiritually, and physically drained. I was done. I needed a break. And, so I took 6 months off.

August 2009 Me and Jer decided to take the month and pray, and fast certain things. It was a pretty amazing month. Let, me back up a bit. from Jan to Aug I had a regular monthly cycle.....which was not normal for me. And each month I was tempted to take a pregnancy test. At the end of July I was walking past a pharmacy, and wanted to go in and get a pregnancy test, and I prayed and told God I didn't want to be disappointed, and asked what I should do. I looked down and found a 50 cent piece and felt like God told me that when I find another 50 cent piece I can buy a test. Near the end of August I found another 50 cent piece. a couple days later bought a test, took it, and it was positive!  (again this is an extremely short version to this birth story)

April 28th 2010 We welcomed Jenna Mariah Schiefelbein into this world, and she has been such a joy in our lives.

Summer 2011 We spent the entire time in the states, and it was amazing. I was trying to think of some goals I wanted to do when we returned to Jordan. One of the things I strongly felt was to try 3 months of fertility (we could never afford fertility in the states). So, the end of August I started clomid again. I didn't get pregnant. As much as I would love another child, I forced myself to look at Jenna, and it softened the blow of not getting pregnant. While sitting in the doctors office I told him about the side effects I got from the medicine...which came back the 1st month back on them. He was pretty concerned. He wanted to try injections. this time I took 15 days of them, and instead of IVF....I did IUI.....a bit more natural. I had to wait 10 days till I could take a pregnancy test. On day 10 I took one and it was negative. I knew what my Doctor would say, so I didn't even call him, I just went to the hospital and had a blood test done. I read the number and it was positive....then I called my doctor. I knew what he was going to say, but I had to give him the update. Take another test in 2 days and see if your numbers double. So, we waited. We had been here before. I couldn't wait I took another pregnancy test the night before I was supposed to have the blood test...and it was positive! The next morning, the results came back and the number had quadrupled! Praise the Lord! Baby number 2 is on the way!

And that is our story in a nut shell. 

1st Blog, No Pressure

I have been thinking about blogging for a while now. It has always seemed so intimidating. So many options, what's a good title? How much work am I really going to put into this thing? Well, ladies and gentlemen....I have overcome my fears, and hear I am. I can't guarantee what kind of quality writing will come from this, but at least I'm writing! 

I was motivated by the lack of pages I have left in my journal. I am very picky about what kind of journal I use. and I thought to myself, " I can start a blog, until I have the chance to find the perfect journal." And who knows maybe in the meantime, I will grow to love this thing :)