Please Help!!!!

Ok bloggers, I am trying to raise AT LEAST $250 for my half marathon in October. The money will benefit the Children's Hospital. Please click on the link below to find out more information and donate if you are able or choose to do so. Please know that every dollar is greatly appreciated. I will do all of the hard work (13.1 miles to be exact), I just need your help in raising the money. Thanks bunches!!

http://jazzhalf.com/fund-raiser/2011/kristen-stone.

Have I Lost My Mind??

First of all, I want to show you how cute my apple tree turned out. Megan wanted me to put the student's pictures on an apple and put them on the tree she painted. It looks so cute, but I'm short - so I need to get a step stool or something so I can move a few of them up high!

Love my apple tree!

Okay. A while ago, Megan asked me to run a half marathon with her in October. I said that I would, but we never trained for it or anything. Well we have been talking about it again lately. So she convinced me to do this with her. I just signed up to run the Jazz Half Marathon in New Orleans on October 29! Have I lost my mind?! Megan says that starting this week, she will come over and we will walk/jog 4 evenings a week. A bonus is that my brother will also be doing it with us. I am also trying to convince my husband to do it as well. So I am excited and nervous at the same time. Surely I can walk/run/jog 13.1 miles in 4 hours, right?!

Busy Busy

This has been the longest week ever and it's not even over yet! I have been busy, busy, busy! I forgot how exhausting the first full week of school is. I'm too tired to even type a full post!

Back to School

Well tomorrow is the day where I meet my 19 kiddos and their parents. It's always a crazy day and I'm not really ready for it yet! Here are the pictures I promised you a while ago:

My wonderful husband put Magnetic Paint on my desk and turned it into a Literacy Center!

Megan made my Question Words Poster for me!

This is our "Morning Board" Section - we will go over our calendar, numbers, letters, etc. each morning.

My goodie bags are ready for the kids tomorrow!

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Welcome To Our Room!

I love my Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Tree!

Hydro-Ultrasound

Well this morning I couldn't decide if I needed my waterproof mascara or not. I went with non-waterproof. I figured that I shouldn't need it today. And I was right for a change!

I was so nervous on the way to Shreveport this morning. Scared actually. So I text a friend of ours and told her I was scared. Her response was "take deep breaths and truly believe and I know it's hard b/c I know - but God does have some plan in all this craziness. Hold on for the ride. We are with you". This is the point to where I needed my waterproof mascara. I teared up a little bit. Because here I am struggling with not having a baby and there she is with her husband fighting "The Good Fight" - Mantle Cell Lymphoma. But I guess it's hard for both of us to see God's plan right now - I'm glad I'm not the only one who has a problem with believing that this is His plan for me. I'm trying really hard to believe that it is, but it's tough.


Anyway, Dr. London explained what he would be doing and said that it was just like a pap smear ... just more fun! Well it must have been fun for him, because it was NOT fun for me! It was painful: like a really terrible pap! I'm still cramping right now - not as bad as when we left the clinic, but still - that's not what I was expecting to happen I guess.

Okay, so they insert a catheter and fill a "balloon" with air to hold it into place. He then shot water or saline into my uterus. He said that my uterus filled up nicely and everything looks good there. He then pushed air through the catheter with a syringe. The air bubbles immediately left the uterus and went through the tubes. That means that they are free and clear of any blockage. Yay! So we know that is not the reason for us not getting pregnant. The doctor was very excited about this. He kept telling us how beautiful it looked on the ultrasound. I couldn't see the screen and was in too much discomfort to really care, but Ryle said that it was pretty amazing to watch - at least someone enjoyed the procedure!


I then told Dr. L that we were considering skipping the remaining two IUIs and just moving on to IVF. He said that they would like for us to try an IUI again, but it was our choice based on how we were emotionally and financially. I basically told him that I was frustrated and couldn't take it anymore. So the plan is to go back sometime in November for an IVF consult where they will go over the procedures involved and the finances. Well I asked for a ballpark figure today and he said we were looking at about 12 grand! So I guess we need to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE! But good lord - I'm a school teacher. How are we going to save $12,000 and have money to live on?! I just don't see it happening. Not at all.


So bottom line ... good news today and I stayed tear free (for the most part)! Bad news ... I need 12 grand!!

Painting With A Twist

My sister-in-law, Ruthie, and I had an adventure tonight! For the first time ever ... we picked up a paint brush! Okay, so yes - we have painted walls in a house. But never have we tried to actually paint a picture. Let me just say, for $35 - it was the best time I've had in a while. We live in a town where there is nothing to do! You can go out to eat or go to a movie. Those are your two options, but Painting With A Twist opened this week. I would totally recommend it to anyone - even if you think you can't paint.

My Blank Canvas

The "Twilight" Moon as my husband calls it!

Ruthie drying her moon

Kind of looks like a Halloween Tree!

Group Picture

Ruthie, Me, and our MASTERPIECES!

Moonlit Cherry Blossoms

On a side note, I just want to say that I have the sweetest husband - in case you didn't already know! I rode with him to take pictures of a field the other day. Well he was trying to explain to me how the flower on a cotton plant changes color - from white to pink (apparently it changes color in like a day). While he was taking pictures of the field that we drove two hours to see, he picked me a flower from a cotton plant. We couldn't find a pretty pink one. But he was just so sweet about it so I had to share!

Well it's time to get ready for bed. I get to wake up early for our doctor's appointment. I will let you know what they say!





Busy Week

Next week is going to be so busy. I'm getting my hair done and going to Painting with a Twist on Tuesday. On Wednesday I am getting my tubes checked - not the HSG (dye study with xrays). We are using an ultrasound. On Thursday and Friday school officially starts with two full days of inservice meetings.

I can not believe that Summer is over. I have one sad little week left! But my classroom is going to be so stinking cute! I have the best husband in the world. He has been helping me get my room together. I will have to post pictures later. But we decorated my door with the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree. And last night we painted the front of my OLD wooden desk with magnetic paint. I'm going to turn the front of my desk into a reading/spelling center. Seriously, he is the best. No one else's husband at the school helps them! What can I say, I'm one lucky girl!

Conflicted

As the date for checking my tubes gets closer, I have conflicted emotions. On one hand, I would love for them to say that my tubes are free and clear. That would mean that's one problem that I don't have! It seems there is always something wrong with me, so I would welcome the news that they are not blocked. But on the other hand, I almost want them to say that they are blocked. That way there will at least be a reason for not being pregnant yet.

I'm just ready for my cycle to start so I can call and make the appointment!! So glad that my mom offered to pay for the test in case my insurance company won't. Ryle and I have really been blessed with amazing parents. My dad bought all of my medication for last cycle, his parents help us out almost anytime we need it, and now my mom is helping us get answers as to why we aren't parents yet. I love my family ... just wish that we could start our own!