May 1, 2008
Kaleb & Letters
So if you have a minute and 40 Cents ( I think that is the cost of a stamp these days), and feel like making a kids day, drop him a short note, a picture drawn with highlighters from your desk, a cute picture cut from a magazine, or a love note, well he would just love it. So would the other kiddos as well!
I promise if you write to him, he will write back. Does anyone want a 5 year old for a pen pal? LOL!
I guess the Laundry CAN'T wait...
Jasmyn hasn't throw up since last night around 3am. Mason threw up this morning around 8 but has been fine since. Kaleb is now onto the diarrhea stage of the bug and has had a few bouts of that. Yuck! And ya'll don't even want to hear about where I am at in the cycle of the bug!
So this morning as I was caring for Mason and cleaning him up (again) Kaleb and Future decided to help themselves to breakfast. They could reach the bowls, cereal, and milk. But then they got thirsty. The couldn't reach the glasses, but could reach the curly Q straws. So I come into the kitchen and see Future and Kaleb giggling around the full gallon of milk. 2 curly Q straw sticking out of the top. Boys drinking milk straight from the jug. oy vey. So now we are out of milk. And I wonder why we all get sick.... with that kind of germ sharing... yay it is NO wonder!
Awww reinforcements are on the way! I just got a call from Tim and he will be home by 6ish. Only 7 more hours to go until he gets here. So if I throw a nap in there and lunch and a snack, it will almost be dinner time and he will be home! Thank God. I need Tim's help... I am almost out of laundry soap!
House of the sickies part 2
Hopefully Tim will be home tonight some time.
I have never before wanted a maid to come and clean my house for me as bad as I wish for that today!
sigh. I guess the laundry will wait for another day.
April 28, 2008
Calling my Girls!

So Tim & I had our "mishap" on Cycle day (CD) 14 and I ovulated on CD16. I started taking the prometrium on CD 18. Not surprisingly, I started to spot on CD24 and my period started full force on CD 27. That gave me a 11 day Luteal Phase (LP = the time from Ovulation to period starting). Considering this was my first cycle since weaning it was not alarming that it happened this way. But once the baby bug hit me I could not get it out of my head. So we decided to actively TTC the next cycle. My pre-ovulatory temps were kinda all over the place and the day that I actually ovulated is still kinda debatable. Because I did not have a clear thermal shift and Tim was working out of town we again were unsure if we catch the egg or not. And I had a delay in Ovulation which I am not sure of the cause. I probably started taking the prometrium too soon and it delayed or even prevented a viable egg from being released. So again our timing was off. This time thanks to the prometrium and a decrease in my Breastfeeding hormones my LP was 12 days long. During my LP I thought for sure that I was pregnant so I had a blood test drawn when I went in for my routine thyroid blood draw. The pregnancy test came back negative, but my thyroid test was within normal range. So again at this point my hormones seemed to be in somewhat of a balance. Once I received the 2nd negative blood pregnancy test I stopped taking the prometrium and my period started within a few days. See chart below:

When we did not conceive on the last cycle we decided to sit the next cycle out and let my body kinda reset and also avoid conceiving a baby that would be due in December. We thought that the next cycle would be easy peasy, just wait it out and then get back to TTC in April. Well I am still currently ON that cycle! Today is CD50. Yes you read that correctly... 5-0, 50, fifty. Yup. Long cycle. It seems that my body has "geared - up" to ovulate a few times without actually releasing the egg. We thought I Ovulated on CD27, but 12 days later and no period. All the pregnancy tests are negative. Then I thought perhaps I ovulated on CD 40. But my temps took a nose dive to a pre-ovulation range of temps. So then today I thought perhaps I have ovulated since my temp is higher today (97.6*) than it has been the previous 31 days. But I won't know for sure for another 2-3 days. I need a few more temps to confirm ovulation. The sad thing is that since I have "thought" I ovulated like 3 times now, and I "thought" Tim and I were safe to go without birth control, we have done so on a few occasions. While the potential for pregnancy is a LOOONNNGGG shot, there is still some potential. This is only a problem because pregnancy is one of those things I really LIKE TO PLAN! Ugh. Here is my current (and somewhat never-ending) cycle:
You can go to: http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/35660 there you can see my charting homepage for a clearer and more detailed view of my chart.
The other portion of this is some new symptoms that have cropped up in conjunction with old symptoms. I am mostly concerned that all of these are indicative of a hormone imbalance, be it PCOS, Thyroid, or some other hormonal dysfunction. My "old" symptoms are:
- Low Thyroid function - but has been well controlled on meds
- skin tags
- thin/thinning hair
- dark pigmentation of skin folds and groin area
- low waking temps
- Long patches of fertile quality CM (more than 4-5 days)
- Ovarian cyst on right ovary that causes constant dull pain for most of cycle.
New symptoms are:
- dark hair growth on upper lip
- long cycles
- delayed ovulation/possible annovulatory cycles
- No clear thermal shifts confirming ovulation
I know that a few of my close friends have had PCOS or still have PCOS. Other close friends have had other non diagnosed hormonal imbalances. So I am hoping to hone in on the minds of my girls and the collective research we have all done to find some answers. I am really wanting to avoid things like Birth control pills, clomid or other fertility drugs if possible. Tim & I have been doing some soul searching on what these developments mean in terms of our family planning, but feel we don't have enough information yet. Please if you have information to share, do so!
Thanks so much!!!
April 25, 2008
Megan
Happy Birthday Girl! I hope your Birthday was fantastic!
10 things I Know and Love about Megan!
* She loves to drive. I love to ride. This works out well on road trips. She likes to take the scenic route and savory the beauty along the way.
* She is amazingly talented in photography. She has a gift. Her "eye" for beauty is well trained. She captures the beauty of my children in her photography that I thought only their mother could see.
* She knows me in ways that NO other person on this earth does. She understands me to my core. And loves me in spite of it!
* She is compassionate, supportive, loyal, grounded, groovy, funny, and a straight talker. You never wonder where you stand with her. She keeps her relationships clean.
* She is an awesome wife. Her marriage to Rodd is a relationship that Tim and I look to for advice and to model. Their love, commitment and respect for one another is something we aspire to achieve in our relationship.
* She loves and respects her parents. She has such awesome relationships with her family and family-in-law. Even despite some challenging circumstances she stays true to her morals and her convictions to model the behavior she wishes to be treated with.
* She loves my children. All of them! She supports our decisions in family planning in ways no one else does. She relates to my family/pregnancy philosophy in ways that few can understand.
* She & I both hate to eat any type of food off a metal plate, but especially salad from panhandler pies. She hates raw onion and sugary soda. She eats organic and crazy stuff like flax seed, seaweed juice, and soy!
* She loves purses and shoes. And she loves lip gloss. She has extras stashed everywhere, like in her purse, car, pocket, desk, etc.
*I admire Megan in ways she doesn't even know. She is the kind of Wife, Daughter, Sister, Aunt and most importantly...Friend that I would like to be.
April 22, 2008
Let me sit on your couch.....
Her concern got me thinking about why it is that I am choosing to open myself up so wide and be so vulnerable in this blog. After about 2 seconds of thought a light bulb appeared above my head. I write about the stuff in my life that is challenging for me or gives me joy or is just plain fun, because in a normal day I don't get much adult interaction. Yes I talk to the kids teachers and the social worker at the school. They are all wonderful. But some days other than my quick chats with them about the kids, the weather, or other things involving the children I don't really get to talk to another adult. Yes I chat with Tim on the phone, but if you have ever spoke to me on the phone for any length of time you know that my multi-tasking is commonplace. I change a diaper, get a snack for the kids, console a hurt child and referee fights all within a few minutes of a phone call. And most of what I have said in the past posts, well is just not kid appropriate. I mean, I can hardly talk about masturbation and vibrators while the children are within ear shot. (can you imagine the parent teacher conference after my child uses THAT vocabulary at school?!?!)
So If I can't talk to anyone, I don't see anyone, and my children shouldn't hear what I have to say anyway, well what is left? You guessed it.... this blog and a few other message boards I frequent. And as most of you know I process my thoughts by communication. I am NOT a great introverted person whom can take a walk or meditate and feel better. I need to talk or write my feelings on an issue out to really KNOW how I feel. I talk or write to vent my frustrations and my fears and my joys. Give me a girls night out with a glass of blush wine or a margarita, a quiet booth with good atmosphere and I will talk until they start turning off the lights!
And since they would call CPS on me if I drank a margarita every time my life stressed me out, I needed a new outlet! Welcome to... The Bray Bunch. Perhaps I should change the name of my blog to something more appropriate like "the inner thoughts of Jen" or "The madness that makes Jen" or perhaps something else clever. Or maybe the title of "the Bray Bunch" is appropriate.. I am in fact the glue that holds this family together. This blog is about my entire family. And heck I like the name.... it has a nice ring.
So readers, due to the aforementioned circumstances of my life, you may occasionally read a blog or two that resembles a conversation I should be having with a therapist, if only I could find a sitter so I could keep my appointments! Putting my thoughts out there on this blog and into the universe somehow allows me to free myself from the quagmire of that day. I feel that if I write it and you read it then it is a substitute for an "Adult conversation". (although it is even MORE helpful to me if you comment on my blogs! Thanks Megan for being my constant commenter!) Thank you for reading and commenting and letting me sit on your couch!
April 21, 2008
Think BEFORE you speak!
It started a few weeks ago. Someone through the grapevine said that someone else commented that I "needed to handle my children better". In was said in the context of me asking for help with my children. Basically I asked for help by way of babysitting, this person responded by saying "she needs to handle her children better" basically devalidated my need for a sitter. I take issue with this comment on Several levels, but I will limit my comments to just 3 points.
1) If I am asking for help with my children, my cats, my house, my husband, whatever it is and you want to help then I would love for you to help. If you don't care to help, or can't help or even if you think my request is STUPID, please just respond by saying, "no I am sorry I can't help with x y or z." I understand that your time is as valuable as mine. If you can't, don't want to, or won't help that is fine. But your availability does not make my request for help any less valid.
2) The whole comment "handle her children better"implies that I am doing something wrong with my children. It implies that YOU (the person who said it) could do it better. My response to this is that until you have walked a mile in my shoes you really don't know that you could do it better. I can think of no one in my life that has had my exact situation to handle: 3 Biological children under 5, a foster child under 5, a husband that works out of town 5/7 days of the week, and being a stay at home Mom, with the isolation that occurs with that job title. Now you may have variations of my reality, but you do not have my exact situation. I am not saying that my situation is so speical or needs extra attention, I am saying that I do not know your reality and you do not know mine. So again, until you have walked a mile in my shoes, please keep your judgements and opinions in a manner that WON'T leak back to me. Or if you must share your opinion then have the courtesy to come forth to me directly and allow me to respond to you directly.
3) Lastly, I am doing the very best I can with my children, my husband and my home. I assure you I am my own worst critic. If you think that you are telling me something I don't already doubt about myself you are sorely mistaken. Not a day goes by that I don't look at my situation and think, maybe if I changed x or y or z it would be easier. And lots of times I do make changes, sometimes they work, sometimes they flop. But trust me, I critique my own parenting, my marriage, my ability to be a friend, and family member on a daily basis. Let me assure you that I am doing the very best that I can to "handle my children".
I am sure if you have read this far you are probably hoping that my Rant will end soon. Sorry folks I have a few more comments. LOL!
About a month ago the Dept of H & W invited me to attend a conference discussing trauma to children and how to help them cope. The conference is called: From Hurt to Hope. They are paying for the conference and it covers my entire 12 credits of continued Ed that is required to keep my foster care license current for 3 years. Tim & I worked out the coverage for the kids and we made plans for me to attend. Last week I found out that some of the teachers and social workers from the preschool the kids attend are also going to the conference. They invited me to carpool with them and we even all decided to go to the same speakers. Today I went into the office to discuss with a few of them the plan for the morning as the conference is tomorrow. Now mind you I have not worked outside my home since Aug 2005. And I have not attended a conference such as this well..... um ever. So I wanted to know what attire would be appropriate. I asked a few of the ladies and most said what I expected to hear: business casual. Ok fine. So I jokingly said that I wouldn't be wearing my sweats and crocs for the day tomorrow. And then this woman said something that DID surprised me " yes, well welcome to the "real" world." I was so shocked I did not even know what to say. A few of the other ladies looked uncomfortable and I quickly made haste and left. When I got to the car I thought, Man if my life isn't the "Real" world I am not sure I want to be in it. How much more "Real" does the world get than dirty diapers, piles of laundry, sinks full of dishes, kids getting stitches in their heads and teeth knocked outta their mouths, not to mention hugs and loves from my sweet babies, Flowers from my husband for 'just because', and a life full of people I love. And heck if I get to do all of that in my sweatpants, crocs, hair pulled into a ponytail and no makeup... well then I am pretty fortunate. If being in the "real" world means leaving my kids for someone else to raise in daycare, getting dressed in a stuffy suit, getting up 1/2 hr earlier to put makeup on and do my hair perfectly, never seeing my husband or my friends because I am working all the time, well I guess I will live in "fairytale land" forever! With a joyful and grateful heart!
I am probably just feeling a bit puny and emotional. Or maybe I need to up my medication! LOL! But seriously people, Motherhood is the HARDEST JOB with the most at stake and the biggest rewards. I have 4 little people depending on me for everything physically, mentally, emotionally, stability, food, shelter, clothing and most of all love. I "get" this. I really need support and love. I do not need criticism and judgement. Please think before you speak.
April 20, 2008
The Tooth Fairy!
The Tooth Fairy had left him a note with Fairy Dust and Sparkles all over the counter. Also some coins in the glass and more Fairy Dust inside the glass. Apparently that Fairy Dust stuff comes off her when she visits! Here is a close up of the letter:
And since you can't read the letter because of all the Fairy Dust the text says:
Kaleb ~
Thank you for giving me your first lost tooth! I found it here in this glass. I have replaced your beautiful tooth with some money. Ask your Mom to help you put it in your piggy bank. Remember to brush your teeth everyday to keep them strong and healthy. I will be checking up with your Mom and Dad to be sure you do. And I will visit the next time you lose a tooth!
Love ~
The Tooth Fairy
Here is a picture of Kaleb when he first saw the letter and glass full of money. He looks a bit sleepy still (and in need of bigger PJs, LOL!).
He he is with his coins and letter.
And here he is with his letter:
He can hardly wait to loose his next tooth!
April 17, 2008
Bad Bad Day!

So the Dr came in and looked at his boo boo. They put some topical numbing stuff on a cotton ball and wrapped his head up in some gauze. Next they gave him some pain medicine/sedation in some oral syrup stuff. Kaleb drank it like a champ! Then they let us sit for like an hour while the medicine worked to numb the area. Here is a pic of him wrapped in gauze:

Future, Jasmyn & Mason at this point are hiding under the bed, crawling around on the chair, laying on the floor (eeewwww, in a hospital who KNOWS what germs are lurking there), getting into the drawers and playing with the stacks of linens. Oy Vey. The nurse asked me "Is there someone I can call to come and get your kids?" Nice Huh? Doesn't she know that I had already called everyone I could? Doesn't she think I would have LOVED some help with them? No instead she had to state the obvious that yes I was alone with 4 kids and they were running a muck! I will still trying to text Roselyn to come and give me a hand, but she was unable to help me. She was my last option. We pressed onward.
I get Mason strapped back into his stroller, even though he screamed the whole time. I get Jasmyn & Future sitting in a chair together holding their teddy bears. Dr comes in and has Kaleb put his hands behind his back and puts them into a pillow case and pulled it up to his armpits with his arms pinned inside it. He called it a "cape" but we all know it was really a "straight jacket". LOL! Then they wrapped Kaleb tightly in a warm blanket with his arms still in the pillow case. He looked like a burrito. Next they cleaned the wound with Iodine. Then they had a big male nurse hold his face while I held his body and used a needle with litocaine to finish numbing it. As I was holding him down I could clearly see him injecting the wound. Yucky. I saw at the bottom of the hole was white. I asked the Dr. "ummmm is that his skull?" the Dr. laughed and said, "yup". Kaleb cried and was upset because that part hurt. Next they wiped the blood away and put the white drapes over his face. At this point Kaleb said he wanted to "look at Mommy" So I went to the other side of the bed to help comfort him. I sang to him while the Dr stitched him up. I probably sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star about 6 times. Future and Jasmyn were hiding their faces behind their teddy bears and Jasmyn was crying. Mason cried when they pinned Kaleb down and he was crying. I felt really bad that they had to witness all of this. All in all Kaleb has 6 stitches. 1 inside the wound. And 5 outside. Then the Nurse cleaned the blood off his face, put some ointment on the boo boo and applied a band aid. They gave us our discharge instructions and we were outta there. Kaleb wanted a dilly bar from Dairy Queen so we swung by DQ on our way home. Kaleb was so very brave. He really was awesome. I was so very proud of Kaleb. I was also proud of Jasmyn Future and Mason. They handled the whole thing pretty well, considering. I still wish I could have spared them the experience, but we all survived.
Here is the Nurse cleaning up the wound and putting ointment in it.
And this is a picture of him at home. All relaxed and better. I put a spider man band aid on it after I took this picture.

And then here is a smile!
I have to say that today felt LONELY. It sucks to be a "single-parent" 5/7 of the week. I know that Tim can't help but work out of town and I am thankful he has a good job that pays our way. But days like today remind me how much I need him with me and how NO ONE can fill his shoes. And apparently nobody else wanted to try! LOL!
My Red Shoes!

