Are you catnapping or are you alert?

Cats sleep more than any other pet on the planet.  The average cats sleeps away 2/3 to 3/4 of its life. Still, cats have been favorites throughout history even though all they do is asleep.  Four thousand years ago in Egypt, the penalty for killing a cat was death! Some cats were mummified after death, just like the pharaohs, and placed in tombs with saucers of milk.

Even though cats sleep a lot, they only fall into a deep sleep for 3 to 4 hours a day. The rest of the day, cats enjoy catnaps.

A catnap is a state of light sleep. While napping, a cat can still hear the slightest sound and be ready to pounce at a second's notice.  Cats have a third eyelid underneath the regular eyelid and keep it rolled up and out of the way while napping.  He is staying tuned in to the world around him even while sleeping.

Nobody can think about God every second of every day, right?  Ordinary things like work, school, dinner or talking with family- they all require our attention too.

But even when life gets busy, you can still stay tuned to God. You can keep your soul's "third eyelid" open and ready to respond.  Don't let yourself sink into spiritual deep sleep times, when you wouldn't hear God if the earth shook and your name flashed in neon lights.  Instead, be easy to wake up, prepared to give God your full attention.

Stay tuned to God, sensitive to his whispers.

I stay awake through the night, thinking about your promise.  PSALM 119:148

Think about 3 things you will be doing today that will require a lot of thought ( taking a test, playing a sport, reading, cooking, grocery shopping, work). Make it a point to check in with God during those busy activities.

Dansko Shoes Discount – Up to 70% Off

Dansko Shoes Discount – Up to 70% Off

Right now, 6pm.com has select Dansko Shoes up to 70% off!

Inventory is limited and prices are always subject to change. Check out the deals here.

Stride Rite Coupon Code: B1G1 50% Off Online & In Stores

Back to School is right around the corner, and I know that sneakers were on my list of items to purchase for my soon to be kindergartener. Now through September 6, 2011, Stride Rite is offering B1G1 50% Off All Footwear - both online and in stores. Use the Stride Rite Coupon Code BTSBOGO to take advantage of this offer.

I have been buying Stride Rite shoes for my kids since they were old enough to walk – and I love that Stride Rite makes durable footwear at all price points. In fact, my 15 month old is currently wearing a pair of Stride Rite sneakers that my 5.5 year old wore as a baby – and they are still stylish and functional. :-)

I was given the opportunity to review the Stride Rite Alicia Sneaker for my 5.5 year old and we love it! It is not only cute, but super easy to put on.

She’ll be tearing up the playground at her new school in a short time – WOW did 5 years go by fast!

Learn more about the Stride Rite B1G1 50% Off sale and browse their awesome selection for both boys and girls here. You can also find a Stride Rite store near you here.

What if your blessings come through raindrops

Yesterday, a former employee of where I work came in to visit everyone and she brought her 8 month old son with her. Everyone started talking about babies ands asking questions about what he was doing. I'm not sure why this affected me so much but it did. I couldn't stay in ICU where they were because I could feel the tears coming.  I went back into the wards and cried out to God. "Why does this have to hurt so much?"  "Why do some get it so easily and I have to work so hard"? " If a bigger family is not in Your plan then please let this not hurt so much"! "Please take this pain away!" I wanted to fall on my knees and cry but couldn't.  I can't start crying at work. As I was praying this song popped in my head.

Perfect timing. It was what I needed to pick myself up and get my work done.  It didn't take the pain away but it made it possible for me to keep going.  I'm not sure what the future holds.  But I do know that HE is listening even if it feels like He is not.  I have to remind myself that His plan is better than anything I could ever dream up.  I just have to wait to see how it all unfolds. The problem is that I HATE waiting!  I feel like I have waited long enough!  But why do I question God? Why do I feel like I am entitled to some answers?  God is eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. Why should I (someone who is not eternal, infinite, omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent) expect to be able to fully understand God’s ways? I can't.

All of this has been a lesson in trust. Oh its so easy to trust when things are going great. but to trust when things are falling apart is hard.  Everyone has those moments where it seems really hard to trust God. Where you feel completely alone and abandoned, where it feels almost impossible that anything good could come from what you’re going through. Where “God has a plan” just rings hollow.

But the bottom line is that trust isn’t about feelings. It’s a choice. An act of will. It’s a decision to hold onto faith, even when everything around you seems to be falling apart. I believe that’s the kind of faith that God finds most pleasing, and rewards accordingly.  And this is what I have been learning.

This is the first song that came on when I turned my car on to leave work.



Things I have learned during our fertility journey

Things that I have learned during my fertility journey. Some are funny and some are sad, but they are all true.

1.) Saliva kills sperm

2.) My follicles are lazy! I have 2 that are pulling their weight and the rest are lounging on the sofa!

3.) There are a lot of people in this world struggling with trying to build and expand their families.

4.)That deep down inside, I can be a very jealous person.  

5.) That simply relaxing will NOT get you pregnant. NEVER say this to someone!

6.) That a pregnancy doesn't always equal a baby.

7.) That it does not get easier, each cycle is just as hard as the last.

8.) That there is nothing to aid conception in the water at work, despite what some may say.

9.) That a simple blood test costs $648! 

10.) That some people around me would become more insensitive as time goes on. "It is so hard having a new baby." or "Be happy you only have one."

11.) I'm not alone

12.) That despite the losses that my family and I have experienced, that we are very blessed and lucky.

13.) I have learned that taking risks is important and worthwhile, even when we don't always reach the goals we have in mind or get the outcomes we are hoping for.

14.) During difficult and uncertain times in our lives we make the best decisions we can with the information we have at the time.

15.) We need to do our best to be kind to ourselves and not spend too much time reflecting on what we could have done differently.

16.) That infertility is not as rare as I was led to believe.

17.) Every day, a healthy adult male can produce around 70 to 150 million sperm, while an average teaspoon-sized 'serving' contains between 200 and 500 million of the lil' guys.

18.) Sperm are produced in the testes, where it takes about 10 weeks for a single soldier to reach maturity

19.) An egg lives for about 12-24 hours after you ovulate, and sperm can live for five to seven days.

20.) Fertilization process occurs near the middle of the fallopian tube, not in the uterus. And that is where my eggs like to stay. LOL

21.) Most of all, I have learned that joy really can be found in the journey.

My journey is not over, so I may add more over time.




The brook that flows over stones makes the sweetest music. If you remove the rocks, the brook will lose its song. ... You will never be the person God wants you to be, if afflictions, trials, and disciplines are taken out of your life. 

A week of Swag Buck Excitement!

First of all, Swag Bucks is rolling out an all-new series of collector's bills, which they are calling the "Score Four and Twenty Swag Bucks" challenge, because there are four Memorial Day-themed collectible Swag Bucks bills, and if you can collect them all before Thursday, you'll get a 20 Swag Buck bonus applied to your account (that bonus will be applied later that following week). Also, they are going to have a new area of the Swagbucks Ledger where you can track the Collector's Bills as you get them, share your wins on Facebook/Twitter, and keep them after the promotion is over as a kind of trophy case.

Also, they are going to have a BIG Swag Code Extravaganza Thursday, where they will give out over 40 Swag Bucks in codes through the day. 

Swagbucks, the best place to get free stuff from searching and more is celebrating Memorial Day next week  - they'll have 4 special Limited Edition collector's bills available!

Swag Bucks : Happy Mega Swag Bucks Day

If you haven't joined Swag Bucks yet, today is a good day to join.

Happy Mega Swag Bucks Day! Every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Day, which means you can earn Swag Bucks in increments of 50, 100, 200 or even 1000 just by doing routine web searches.  I LOVE Swag Bucks!

If you’re new to Swag Bucks, it’s a free rewards program that lets you earn points for online shopping, web searches, taking polls and more. Just a few searches a day can help you earn points quickly. Then trade them in for prizes like Amazon gift cards, iPods, DVDs, video games and more. And who couldn’t use some Amazon gift cards!

You’ll earn 30 Swag Bucks just for signing up for the free rewards program. As a bonus, you’ll also earn an extra 50 Swag Bucks on your birthday!

If you’re new to Swag Bucks, or even if you signed up some time ago, here are five tips to help you earn Swag Bucks quickly.

• Search Regularly at SwagBucks.com. Most recently I’ve been able to win Swag Bucks when I search for items that are popular in the news, but not too popular. I haven’t had any luck searching for terms that everyone is gabbing about. It may take a few minutes, but it’s always a rush when you win Swag Bucks!

• Once you Win, Come Back in a Few Hours. Once you winSwag Bucks doing web searches, come back again in a few hours. It does happen, but it’s rare to win back-to-back. I generally doing searches in the morning, at lunchtime and in the evening.

• Download the Swag Bucks Toolbar. I love having the toolbar because not only does it update me on how many Swag Bucks I have, but when I have my web browser open, I always wake up to a fewSwag Bucks that are waiting for me when I first hop on my computer.

• Check out Swag Bucks Outside of SwagBucks.com. Visit Swag Bucks on Twitter, Facebook and on the Swag Bucks Blog to get codes that you redeem for more Swag Bucks!

• Tell Your Friends. Once you sign up for Swag Bucks you have the opportunity to grab a referral link that you can send to your friends to encourage them to sign up. You’ll earn a Swag Buck for every one each one of your friends earns (up to 1,000 Swag Bucks). So add your referral link to your email signature, your Facebook page, your Twitter page and more.