Here are the rules to the award:
- Tell your readers how your journey into blogging began. Be as verbose or shy as you like.
- Nominate 3-5 fellows whom you adore and write exactly what you value about that person or blog. The more that you write about them, the better. This is a chance to really appreciate your blog friends who have been there for you through thick and thin.
- Let the blessed winners know they have been awarded.
On April 11, 2008, I wrote my very first blog post. I had been hanging out at the WebMD clomid support group board and the Trying to Conceive: Infertility Treatment Support Group (ITSG) board for several months, and got to know quite a few ladies. Several of the ladies had blogs where they posted their stories about TTC. One gal, Nancy, was brash, straight forward, balls busting at times, but always very supportive. I would read her blog and finally realized that I wanted to do it too. She helped me figure out what to do.
As a kid, I tried keeping a diary, would write entries for a while, but would always stop after a couple of weeks. It's been 20 months now, and I'm still writing in my blog. This has worked much better than any ol' diary. I have shared my feelings, my thoughts, my goals, my dreams, my fears, basically I have shared me with you.
I started this blog thinking I'd surely have a baby within months. Maybe a year. It's been almost two years, and still no baby. I haven't given up on my dreams, but they are not on the front burner right now. But they are still on the stove! Right now, we are taking a bit of a detour. The fertility doctor, as you most likely recall, said that our best option at becoming a parent is with donor eggs or donor embryos. In order to do this, to have the most healthy pregnancy possible, I need to lose weight. The fastest way to do this with the best succession rate is using the lap-band. That's where we are right now.
In two Thursdays, I will have the lap-band surgery. I really haven't set a goal for the first year, but I'd be very happy with a 75 pound weight loss. It's going to take a lot of work. Eating less, exercising more, relearning a whole new lifestyle, basically. But, if I want to make the donor eggs a success, then this is what I need to do.
Anyway, I suppose this is a lot more than just an recap of how I got started blogging. It's a short story of my progression as a blogger. I'm glad you have been with me during my journey. I know I have new followers now, and I thank you for joining me. I hope we get to know each other better as time goes by.
Here are my nominations:
1. I've already given you some of her finer points, but Nancy is such a wildcat and isn't the least bit predictable. She is an awesome mom. You can see it by the way she talks about her kids on her blogs. Any time I have been down or in need of a shoulder, she has been there. She gets what IF can do to a person. While she has been blessed with three children, she still feels the pain of infertility. Nancy is fierce, loyal, and a kick-ass woman. I'm privileged to call her my friend.
2. I have "known" Sky for almost a year. She is currently trying to fulfill her dreams of becoming a parent through the use of donor eggs and donor sperm. Sky has been an inspiration for me from the get go. She's been through many IVFs, a painful miscarriage, and now is planning a FET for early next year. I have my fingers crossed for her that her dreams come true in 2010.
3. Life has been rough for Dagny. A mom and family who has put her through hell. A uterus that has betrayed her time after time. However, she has a loving husband and many blog friends that have benefited from her sage advice and gentle xoxo's. Dagny is quick to defend the underdogs, and will hold no punches. She's got your back if needed. I'm glad I clicked on her name after reading one of her comments on another's blog. I've had her in my reader for quite some time now. She's one of the first blogs I look at to see if there is a new post.
I know that there are others who have touched my life through this thing called the Internet. I could list almost my entire reader list. However, these are the three that I wanted to highlight.
Please stop by and check them out if they aren't already on your "must read" list.
