tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88716474939063018922024-03-05T16:38:46.038-08:00We & SerendipityAmanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comBlogger191125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-32859305998668721172019-04-05T05:30:00.000-07:002019-04-05T05:30:02.938-07:00Must Haves for Baby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Before Lyric was born and throughout her first few months, I feel like I was constantly scouring Pinterest to find what the "must have" items were. Having a newborn can be hard, so anything that would make it remotely easier for me was worth trying! </div>
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I feel like most of the lists that I have found have some pretty big items that aren't quite necessary. So, I decided to build my own list for what I feel like I could not live without for the first six months of Lyric's life. I'm already compiling a list for 6-12 months, but hopefully some find this helpful while researching what they should <i>absolutely </i>get their hands on! </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNCmAwzby_Q/XKJdfuxMMkI/AAAAAAABO1k/CEKw06BkXOcCxOSv1666H8OylLErqjn0wCLcBGAs/s1600/baby%2Bmust%2Bhaves.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="baby registry items" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1240" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dNCmAwzby_Q/XKJdfuxMMkI/AAAAAAABO1k/CEKw06BkXOcCxOSv1666H8OylLErqjn0wCLcBGAs/s640/baby%2Bmust%2Bhaves.png" title="" width="494" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2UpF4qv">1. NailFrida</a><br />
These aren't just ordinary nail clippers. After getting Lyric home from the hospital, her nails were already so long! Our Pediatrician said, "You'll cut her and make her bleed, but don't worry. All parents do it!" So I was slightly terrified and determined to clip her nails (and only her nails). I opened these nail clippers, not thinking they were anything special, but they are <b>so incredibly helpful. </b>There is a "peep hole" so you can see exactly where you're cutting, to prevent cutting their sweet little fingers and toes.<br />
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2WDTsst">2. Gripe Water</a><br />
I was actually pretty surprised how many of my close friends hadn't heard of gripe water. My sister got us some gripe water for a gift & we used <i>so many </i>bottles of it. From about 0-4 months, Lyric was super gassy and the gas bubbles (and constipation) would hurt her so much. While using this <i>natural </i>Gripe Water, we could literally HEAR the gas bubbles popping as she swallowed it. It was nuts! I swear by this stuff.<br />
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2Wx7SuC">3. Sleep Sacks </a><br />
I don't know how people have babies that sleep without sleep sacks! Haha. They are lifesavers! We used a few different types of sleep sacks based on where Lyric was at in her development.<br />
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<li><b>Transitioning from Swaddling: </b>We used <a href="https://amzn.to/2FGcAzk">this</a> Halo Sleep Sack to transition Lyric from being swaddled to unswaddled. This was around the time she was rolling over. It was super helpful during the transitional phase because we would swaddle her with her arms inside for a few days, one arm out for a few days, and then both arms out for a few days.</li>
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<li><b>From 4-6 Months: </b>After Lyric no longer had the startle reflex, we transitioned her to sleep sacks that zip with no velcro. <a href="https://amzn.to/2U8FDpt">This one</a> is great for the winter, and <a href="https://amzn.to/2FC7K60">this one </a>is what we plan on using during the warmer months.</li>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2U8AXjm">4. Dohm Sound Machine</a></div>
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My former boss got this for us as a baby gift. While it's a little on the pricier end for a white noise machine, <u>it is the best. </u>I highly recommend it! It's pretty loud & has different adjustable tone settings. We love it and bring it everywhere with us! </div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2WFl8xm">5. Angelcare Monitor</a></div>
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I'm pretty confident that I'm not the only mom pretty paranoid about leaving my baby in another room, not knowing whether she's breathing, or okay, etc. The Angelcare Monitor will notify you if there is not movement in the crib after 20 seconds. There is also a sensitivity setting that will allow you to avoid 'misreads' on things like fans, a washer/dryer in the next room, etc. </div>
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I researched pretty heavily prior to having Lyric on whether or not we should invest in the Owlet Monitor or something like this Angelcare Monitor. Ultimately, we decided on this. It's cheaper, and you don't have to put anything on your baby at bedtime. My sister recommended it to me and she still uses it for her toddlers. </div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2WBh3tT">6. CopperPearl Blankets </a></div>
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This is my all-time favorite blanket brand. The fabrics are <i>so </i>cute, but they are really really stretchy and soft, as well. By far the best swaddle blanket on the market! <a href="https://amzn.to/2WDu5qT">This one</a> is my current favorite for a girl, and<a href="https://amzn.to/2UaPLOt"> this one</a> for a boy. </div>
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<a href="https://payhip.com/b/sOkG">7. The Sleep Fairy Way e-Book</a></div>
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If you follow me on Instagram, you probably know how much I push this book on every mom-to-be. One of my biggest fears about becoming a new mom was the lack of sleep. I don't do well with no sleep - and I was already ready to sleep train my baby when she was 2 weeks old. That's not super realistic, Ha! But at 4 weeks, it sure is. I began sleep training Lyric at 5 weeks, and this book was a lifesaver. And it works! </div>
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Sleep Training is one of those things that I've gotten flack on over social media. For example: People jumping to the fact that I only have one kid -- and that it's not hard to train one kid to sleep train. I understand that having multiple kids could be hard, and I'm sure one day I will understand how hard it is, but I still stand by the fact that I worked very very hard to have Lyric sleep through the night each night. And I attribute her success to (a) my hard work and (b) this eBook -- not that she's an "easy" baby. </div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2UirUeU">8. Boppy </a></div>
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I think I would have died without my Boppy. My arm was constantly tired, I never wanted my dog or baby to accidentally touch my scar from my C-Section, it was so nice to have this while nursing and/or pumping, the list goes on and on and on. I even had a handful of visitors who grabbed this and used it while holding Lyric. This inexpensive item is a must-have! </div>
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<a href="https://amzn.to/2Vamyj9">9. Teething Tablets</a></div>
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These things are nature's miracle. Ha! Whenever Lyric is fussy and I can tell she is likely teething, I pop one of these in her mouth & it calms her down almost immediately. They're kind of magic. Also, you can use them every 15 minutes and they are natural! Win-Win-Win. </div>
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Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-86753231624298523512019-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:002019-04-03T06:00:05.373-07:00Lyric Lanae It's been so long since I've given any love to this blog of mine. But now that Lyric is 8 months old (what? How do I have an 8-month old?), I thought I'd share a little bit about her birth, her stats, and our time with her for those first few magical days.<br />
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On July 27, 2018, we made our way to Riverton Hospital. I was 39 weeks. Lyric's birth was a little abnormal, as I didn't labor at all for her. For health reasons, our doctor felt it was best for me to have a scheduled C-section. Once we got to the hospital, we kept saying, "This is it. This is happening. There's no going back now!" I even looked at the little cart with a freshly spread out blanket, imagining my perfect baby girl laying in there in just a few short hours.<br />
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It was interesting because as I was laying there, I started contracting. Interesting! The nurse mentioned that even if I wasn't having a C-section, I probably would have delivered Lyric that day anyways.<br />
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Once they wheeled me back into the operating room, they gave me the spinal (ouch, by the way). I immediately got suuuuper nauseous. So much that I was about to throw up. So, the anesthesiologist gave me some nausea medicine through my IV and within seconds, I felt better.<br />
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While I was pretty loopy from the spinal & pain meds, the entire C-section experience was actually super rad. Many people scared me, and I thought it'd be a pretty traumatic experience, but it was really, really special. I asked for a clear curtain so that I could watch (as much as I could beyond my big belly). The feeling of a C-section is super weird. Because you feel the cut, and tugging, and some more tugging. My abs were really hard to separate, so they tugged so hard, my body was rocking from side to side. It was kinda funny. Yet I didn't feel pain. I even saw one of my intestines squiggle out. Too far? Sorry, don't throw up.<br />
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When they pulled Lyric out, they placed her right next to me to begin cleaning her off, getting her weight, height, etc. She was so beautiful! The first thing Trevor said to me was, "She has your nose. It's crooked." Haha! He then said, "I think she looks like a Lyric."<br />
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We talked about the name Lyric for years. I'm a musician and absolutely obsessed with music -- Trevor loves music as well. We chose her middle name after my mom, and call her "Lyric Lanae." We love her so much and have been smitten with her for 8 full months now.<br />
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<a href="http://leximariephotography.com/">My friend Lexi </a>had planned on taking pictures for us for months. She is insanely talented and has a gift. If you're looking for a photographer, please consider her. She captured the moments perfectly right after we got out of the operating room, with both of Trevor's parents, and my mom there. They bring me to tears every time I see them. Here are a few of our favorites.<br />
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Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-35248627146249944382019-04-01T05:30:00.000-07:002019-04-01T09:58:11.318-07:00Infertility Pt. III<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
As Mr. Schroeder and I were gearing up to do rounds of infertility treatments, we began to become more and more open about it to those around us. Naturally, there were countless individuals who had no idea what these treatments entailed. I've said it a million times before and I'll say it again - people mean well. I don't know <i>why </i>people would be knowledgeable on the topic if they didn't have to go through it.</div>
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I remember when Mr. Schroeder and I first got married, the thought of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) intrigued me. It was super interesting to me. That was probably God's way of being like, "Hey, look into this - It's cool, and will be your reality someday.<br />
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I have met with a handful of Reproductive Endocrinologists (aka Fertility Specialist) at a couple of different clinics. Each clinic seemed to have a similar approach in regards to the process & what is tried first, at least for couples who struggle with 'unexplained infertility.' I attended a discussion with my doctor who helped us get pregnant with Lyric just a couple of weeks ago & she confirmed this process. I was actually really surprised at her statistic. She practices at Utah Fertility Center and she said, "We are able to help about 80% of our patients successfully get (and stay) pregnant prior to resorting to IVF." This was a big surprise to me! But, really great numbers if you're struggling.<br />
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For me and Trevor, we did treatments for <i>almost </i>four years. I wanted to put a little post together outlining the process we took, along with <i>why. </i>I have a few friends who have, or are currently, struggling with infertility and I hope this post helps someone out there. If not, hopefully it will serve as an educational guide :)<br />
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When Mr. Schroeder and I were first married, I was on a form of estrogen that made my cycles go complete wack. I didn't worry about it for a few years (1st mistake) because if I wasn't trying to get pregnant, not having a period was kind of nice. When it was time to start trying for a baby, I visited my OB about 6 months into it to hopefully get some help with ovulating.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Clomid </b></span><br />
Clomid is one of the most common drugs to help assist women in ovulating. It's a good first step because it's fairly inexpensive and works out well for many women.<br />
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Mr. Schroeder and I tried this for a couple of months and I'd go get ultrasounds throughout the week to ensure I had a follicle (which houses an egg). After a few months of that, we moved onto the next step.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Femara</span></b><br />
Femara is the next drug we tried. A tiny bit more expensive than Clomid, but not much. Femara is actually used for women with breast cancer, but is a little bit more of a rigorous approach to get women to ovulate.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The fun part where the husband gets involved and gets a miniscule taste of what we go through </span></b><br />
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After 6 months or so on these types of drugs, we decided to go visit a specialist. They recommended Trevor get a semen analysis to ensure nothing was wrong with him. For men, it's fairly easy to identify a problem. Women? Not so much. We're complex creatures. Ha!<br />
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This process was actually really really hard for Trevor. The room was full of drawers of pornography (in which he doesn't participate in), a TV, a couch, and a sink shaped like a sperm. Of course, I laughed my head off when he told me this. Poor Trev. Some clinics allow you to go home and do a collection, but our clinic was very protective over those little swimmers -- so, in the clinic it was!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Gonadotropins & Timed Intercourse</b></span><br />
While my OB was pretty on top of ultrasounds, the infertility clinic was much more detailed. Our doctor recommended we do a couple rounds of gonadotropins + timed intercourse. Gonadotropins are hormone medications that are much stronger than Clomid / Femara. Each day, I'd go into the clinic and they would look at my ovaries to see if they were producing follicles, housing lil eggs. Once those follicles grew to be a perfect size, I would take what is called a "Trigger shot." Exactly 36 hours after taking this shot, the follicle would burst, release the egg, and we'd, well...get it on.<br />
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Let me just tell you that infertility takes the fun out of sex. Like, completely. When you absolutely HAVE to do it at 3:32 PM and your already feeling like a crazy person, it makes it <i>really </i>hard.<br />
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<b>*Side Story, because it's really funny*</b>
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One time, Mr. Schroeder and I were on our way to Idaho to visit his parents. We had to do it at a specific time and the vehicle we were driving in was packed full of stuff, so we couldn't do it in the car. I called my mom, explained the "situation" to her, and she told me to come over real quick because she just made the guest bed. She's so sweet. She was like, "I'm home! But I'll just go in my room, turn on some music, and pretend you're not here. Have fun!" Seriously the most awkward moment of my life -- yet that's what the infertility world brings. A whoooole lot of uncomfortable moments. TMI is no longer a thing, folks. </blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>IUI</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;">This used to be called "Artificial Insemination" but is now referred to as "Intrauterine Insemination." Now, the success rates of IUI aren't super high. My doctor once told me that the success rates are basically just about as high as a healthy, normal, fertile couple trying to get pregnant on their own. But, once again, the cost is significantly lower than IVF, and there are still successes out there! </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">We consulted with our doctor and decided to try <i>three </i>of these treatments before looking at other options. After three failed attempts, the chances of conceiving this way decrease drastically. </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My house for two years. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">IUI works by putting sperm directly into your uterus when you are ovulating (so yes, Trevor must do another collection, and I continue to do ultrasounds to watch for follicles and take a trigger shot when it's time). The hope is that the sperm is being put "further up there" to get closer to the egg. That cuts down on the time and distance sperm has to travel, making it easier to fertilize your egg. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">For the last two of these cycles, I started taking injections to stimulate ovulation. These were <i>much </i>more intense than Clomid and Femara, as I'd inject them into my stomach area, encouraging my eggs to mature quickly and "get ready" for insemination. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;">After three failed rounds of IUI's, it was time to have "the talk" about IVF with our doctor. It was pretty overwhelming and rather discouraging. Health insurance does not cover <i>any </i>part of IVF (yet it covers gender reassignment. #eyeroll. That's a conversation for another day). So, we were looking at anywhere from $15K - $35K, depending on the plan you select. </span><br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">IVF</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;">Woof. Where do I start with IVF? This was a really intense process. It challenged our marriage in so many ways. I was a monster because of all the drugs I was on, and Trevor was a massive trooper throughout it.<br /><br />There are five steps in the In Vitro Fertilization Process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: small;"><b style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br />1. Fertility Medications</span></b></span></div>
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The majority of these medications are used to stimulate egg production. My doctor explained it in kind of a neat way. Each month you have 1 (sometimes 2) egg(s) that will drop With IVF, we are trying to get about two years worth of eggs to develop. Insane, right? Multiple eggs are desired because a lot of the eggs will not develop or fertilize once they are retrieved.<br />
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Throughout taking medications, ultrasounds happen all the dang time (to look at the eggs) and constant blood tests are taken to determine hormone levels.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Measuring all of the follicles</td></tr>
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<b>2. Egg Retrieval </b><br />
For me at least, this was the <i>hardest part </i>of IVF. They put me under and extracted my eggs. They used ultrasound imaging to guide a hollow needle through the pelvic cavity to remove the eggs.</div>
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The number of eggs retrieved varies greatly from patient to patient. We were able to retrieve 38 eggs. THIRTY. EIGHT. It was nuts. I was pretty much bedridden from a few days afterward from being so sore. I even looked pregnant because of how swollen I was.<br />
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<b>3. Sperm Sample</b><br />
The sperm collected is used to combine with the eggs retrieved.<br />
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<b>4. Insemination</b><br />
The coolest part, in my humble opinion. This is where an embryologist will mix the sperm and egg together in a petri dish to encourage fertilization. We chose 5 eggs to chill in a petri dish and "do their thing."<br />
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ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is also an option that could be used. We took the rest of our eggs (33 eggs) and did this process. Through ICSI, a single sperm is injected directly into the egg in an attempt to achieve fertilization. These are monitored closely to confirm that fertilization is taking pace. It basically forces the two together.<br />
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I cried crocodile tears when our doctor called to let us know that all 5 eggs that they had "do their thing" in a petri dish took. ALL of them. This told us that his sperm and my eggs liked each other. There is a possibility of natural pregnancy in the future, and that was <u>so comforting </u>to me.<br />
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Once this process occurs, the fertilized eggs (that are still alive) are considered "embryos." Or, as I like to call them, "embabies."<br />
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<b>5. Transfer</b><br />
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In some cases, the embryo will be transferred into the woman's uterus 3-5 days after fertilization. This is called a "fresh transfer." In my circumstance, we had to do a "frozen transfer" where the embryos were frozen and kept in a freezer for an additional month. This is because my ovaries worked their little butts off to produce all those eggs. My body was really tired, which created 'hyperstimulation.' I had to take a break. There's no increase or decrease in success by doing a fresh or frozen transfer.<br />
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With a frozen transfer, you have to start taking shots again to get your body ready. It's almost like you're tricking your body into already being pregnant.<br />
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During the transfer (which is a SUPER cool process, by the way), a catheter or small tube is inserted into the uterus. It's pretty painless. If the procedure is successful, BAM! You're pregnant!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The white line in the center of the ultrasound are the embryos that were transferred </td></tr>
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After the egg retrieval and sperm collection, the embryologist would call us every day to give us a report with how many embryos were still healthy. This gave me SO. MUCH. ANXIETY. We lost a lot of embryos at first, making me think we might not have many left toward the end. We ended with 11 embryos, which is awesome! </div>
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We had 1 "excellent" egg, which we transferred. 10 days after the transfer, we get a blood test to see if we're pregnant. It didn't take. And yes, this nearly killed me. Or so I thought. The pain was unreal.<br />
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A few months later, we got ready to do another frozen embryo transfer, and transferred 2 eggs that were graded as "good." 1 Took.<br />
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And we got our miracle babe, Lyric. </div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Other Fun Stuff</b><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">If you have stayed </span><span style="font-size: small;">with</span><span style="font-size: small;"> me this long, Congratulations. You are amazing. There were so many parts to our infertility journey that aren't even covered here. I don't know how to cover it all! But hopefully this gives you a gist of what those who are struggling with infertility go through. It's a lot. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. And it's draining. There are a few other steps we took to get to the point of IVF. </span><br />
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<b>HSG (Hysterosalpingogram): </b><br />
A HSG is an x-ray examination of the fallopian tubes & uterus. During the procedure, a thin catheter is inserted through the cervix and into the uterus. Dye is then injected. The dye allows the shape of the uterus & fallopian tubes to be seen. The progress of the dye is watched through the x-ray to see how it moves through the reproductive system, and whether or not there is a tube blockage.<br />
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Lucky lucky me, there appeared to be a blockage on my left tube. This procedure isn't too painful for most, but for me, it was probably the most pain I have ever been in my entire life. My mama was there with me to hold my hand and cry with me, but because of the blockage, the dye had nowhere to go. I turned white and was pretty darn miserable.<br />
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Because of the blockage, this led to an exploratory <b>laparoscopic surgery. </b>Blocked tubes could lead to removal of one (or both) tubes so I was pretty nervous. I was very fortunate because they were able to fix some tissue around my tubes and also laser off some endometriosis they found. The recovery for this was a few days.<br />
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<b>Water Ultrasound (Sonohysterography)</b><br />
A small amount of saline is inserted through a catheter into the uterine cavity. During this procedure, any abnormalities (fibroids, polyps, scar tissue, etc) can be identified.<br />
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This, too, shouldn't be painful for most. But for me, I again turned white and threw up. It was really painful.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The picture I sent Trevor after the procedure. Haha! </td></tr>
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The reason for the pain was because I had about 30 (benign) polyps. So, yay! Surgery again. This surgery was called a <b>Hysteroscopy. </b>This is where endometrial polyps are removed by "scraping" the uterus. Recovery was similar to by <b>laparoscopic surgery </b>and I was good to go after a couple days.<br />
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After both the HSG & Water Ultrasound showed some abnormalities, my doctor encouraged me to get an endometrial biopsy to learn if I had something called "endometritis" (not to be confused with endometriosis). This is basically an infection that causes inflammation of the uterus and can be the reason for infertility. Luckily (drumroll, please), everything in my biopsy came back clear.<br />
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This post was so much longer than I intended it to be. It's really difficult to put our infertility journey into words. There was <i>a lot </i>we went through. But I would do it all over again if I had to to get this perfect angel. We are <u>so happy </u>and oddly enough, I'm really thankful to God for putting us through this. I never thought I would say that.<br />
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But Lyric is 8 months now, and I haven't had 1 week where I haven't cried while putting her to bed as she's snuggling me, because this. life. is. so. good. And I wouldn't have had our journey any other way.<br />
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If you're going through infertility struggles and want to talk, please feel free to email me. I am so happy to share more of my experiences with you or even just be a listening ear. If I had any words of advice, it would be to not give up. Because we almost threw in the towel multiple times - and are <i> so so </i>grateful that we didn't.<br />
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Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-33812763690748534722017-08-10T06:00:00.000-07:002019-03-25T11:03:44.472-07:00Strengthening our MarriageI've certainly become lazy the last year or two with blogging. I ditched social media for a good 4 months and strived to become much closer with Trevor and God. Once we hit 5 years in February, I mentally wrote down 5 things that have strengthened our marriage and allowed us to become closer than ever!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">1. Forgiveness</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boating in Bear Lake</td></tr>
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Trevor really needed to forgive me for dying my hair pink. Ha! In all seriousness, our marriage has been smooth sailing for the most part. We've had a few happenings that set us back, as any couple will. If you haven't experienced that, it's coming. :)<br />
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Mr. Schroeder has taught me so much about forgiveness. I've been completely blown away at things he'll shrug off because it's not worth dwelling on. I also used to be a bit of a drama queen before I got married, and he's calmed me down quiiiite a bit. It's allowed me to sit back and be more chill about things that come my way. I'm grateful for his example on forgiveness.<br />
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I love that quote, "A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers."<br />
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No human is perfect. Forgiveness is mandatory.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>2. Adventure</b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chiang Mai, Thailand</td></tr>
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Traveling together and getting out of our comfort zones strengthens us in ways I didn't see coming! A few weeks ago, we went to Las Vegas with some friends and did a zipeline through Fremont Street. It got my adrenaline running for sure! Thailand was also a huge comfort challenger. From riding on elephants, driving scooters in the crazy traffic, and trying to speak to Thai people, it was a blast and brought us so much closer!<br />
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Though adventure typically involves travel for us, it doesn't have to. Go paintballing! Go camping! Do something out of both of your comfort zones and watch it strengthen your relationship. It's pretty amazing!<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">3. Laughter</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He'd literally pose himself in any odd way he could while in Vegas.</td></tr>
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Mr. Schroeder makes me laugh all of the time. Whether he's dancing in his underwear or singing like a crazy person, he makes me laugh every single day. I can't even imaging what our lives would be like without laughter.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>4. Service & Worshiping </b></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Draper, UT LDS Temple</td></tr>
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We talk a lot about who we would like to serve and how we should go about doing it. It allows us to become closer together but also to our Savior. I always tell people that by serving each other and serving others (together), it does insanely good things to your relationship.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">5. Date Night</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Date Night @ Mulligans</td></tr>
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Almost all marriage advice I've ever heard had something to do with embracing date night and making sure to go on a date once per week. People say it for a reason. DO IT. We get <b>so </b>caught up in the ridiculously mundane tasks of our daily lives, that it's so easy to forget. By going on dates, or even making a date night at home, it has allowed us to make sure we are getting that one on one time. There have been periods in our marriage where it seriously feels like room mate style. And I hate that! So making the effort to go on date night once per week has allowed us to not only flirt more and continue to be passionate in our marriage, but really focus on our priorities.Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-27647715513496936542017-08-08T05:30:00.000-07:002017-08-08T05:30:30.015-07:00A birthday to rememberThis year for my birthday, my mom bought me concert tickets to Dashboard Confessional & All American Rejects. Dashboard was my favorite band in high school so it was a blast to take it old school for a night.<br />
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My good friend also decorated my car, which made it fun for me to drive around for a good 2 weeks (Don't judge me for not washing it sooner). It was a chill day filled with good food and stellar people. Here's some photos that documented my day.<br />
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<br />Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-91813017747477085842017-08-06T19:13:00.000-07:002019-03-27T22:47:56.372-07:00An IVF Cycle DownI went back and forth with myself for days, weeks, on whether or not to post anything about our failed IVF cycle. There is a selfish side of me that thinks people are way too nosey nowadays and don't need to know the details. After my other posts about our journey, there were quite a few people who were rather impolite about what we had gone through. I realize after sharing previous stories about infertility, people just care, and want to know more.<br />
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On the other hand, other parts of me want to raise awareness, educate, let people know they're not alone, and let the vulnerable parts of me out there because it is therapeutic and healing. And today, this part wins.<br />
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Mr. Schroeder and I have officially completed multiple IUI cycles, one IVF cycle, and a frozen embryo transfer. All of those have not worked in our favor. I decided to share this picture of me and my embryo prior to transferring. I hyper-stimulated and was extremely swollen and large, so while I hate this photo of myself, I love that I'm holding a photo of something that means so much to the both of us.</div>
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I've learned so much in the past two years. So I'm incredibly grateful. I have been writing countless items in my journal about what I wish I would have done differently, what I wish I would have known, advice I'd give to others, and more. I hope to be brave enough to share all of that someday.</div>
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The process is grueling. My faith has been shaken, but then solidified. I'm so grateful to have Trevor, who is so understanding and wonderful, to go through this process with me. For now, we're taking a break. We hope to transfer more of those beautiful embryos in the near future, but have to save our pennies. Not to mention, I gotta get all this weight that I gained off my body pronto. IVF does fun things to you, folks! </div>
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I am incredibly grateful for all of our family and friends who have been praying for us, hoping with us, and being there for us. I've had many people reach out to me asking for an update, and here it is. Right now, this is it. We're working on strengthening our relationship with each other and God. </div>
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If there are any of you struggling with conceiving, I invite you to contact me. There's nothing like going through something without venting and talking it out with someone else. </div>
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Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-51433245417098677922017-05-11T18:14:00.000-07:002019-03-25T11:04:33.536-07:00Class of 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I wrote a post last August explaining that I had graduated college. Whoot Whoot! Yes, I was class of 2016. Buuuut...I finally just attended commencement & walked. I found it odd to walk and celebrate such a big accomplishment and then go right back to school. So I waited 9 months...and THEN celebrated. It feels so much more real now!<br />
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We had a family & friends get together to celebrate and my mom threw me an amazing little party. The amount of people I have supporting me is overwhelming! If you're reading this, you probably played a big part in me graduating. It wasn't a walk in the park like so many people experience. But it was so incredibly worth it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My best friend and I. I can't even tell you how many times my dad said, "Stop being so stressed! If it stresses you out so much, I thin you should drop out!" Or...."Drop out!" When I was doing homework and he and the rest of my family were doing something fun. He was always joking, but rooting for me. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My #1 Supporter</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My amazing in-laws! BTW..check out my father in-laws back brace. It's got a sticker resembling granite on it. He so fancy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My other #1 Supporter. Mama Bear.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After graduation, we went to Milagros for lunch. Speaking of Milagros...I absolutely hated Mexican Food until I tried this place. Now, I can't get enough. It's in Orem, UT and so so yum!</td></tr>
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I'm feeling so so grateful for everybody who has supported me in accomplishing one of my biggest dreams: to graduate college! It's still amazing to me that I did it, especially after hours and hours crying, having panic attacks, and countless sleep lost. I did it! And I also wish you knew that if I can, you can too. </div>
Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-15823311714235069772017-04-15T22:51:00.000-07:002019-03-27T23:09:57.272-07:00Infertility Pt. II Infertility has been a road I never really thought I'd walk down. Actually, I take that back. I think subconsciously, I knew. As a kid and teenager, I never thought I'd actually be a mom. Now, in reality, I never thought I'd want it this bad. Heavenly Father's probably laughing at me right now, tilting his head back and thinking, "I knew that would happen."<br />
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Navigating along through this long, confusing, journey has allowed me to not only learn so much about myself, but learn about what other people have gone through. In my head, I'm constantly discussing my battles with myself and conversing phrases like what I've learned, what I feel I'm becoming, and oftentimes (but really should be more often), what I'm grateful for. What better way to write this all out? If one single person finds this post and understands my struggles on a more personal level, this post will have been well worth it. I think I'm willing to take that risk.<br />
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One thing that I know to be true is...that every infertility journey is different. I haven't come in contact with one person who understood each of my trials. That being said, I'm no expert in infertility. But these are my personal experiences. And these are some things I want to share.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>A Learning Curve</u></span></b><br />
At the beginning of this process, I knew what IVF entailed....and that's about it. The human body is absolutely amazing. Modern day medicine is inspiring and incredible. The things that I have learned through this journey have been nothing shy of overwhelming, yet pretty cool too. You guys..there is a whole world of acronyms. Hundreds of thousands of acronyms. When you get into an infertility support group, each post goes something like this: <br />
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<i>"Help! I'm 12DPO and on CD26. What days would you think BD are the best to get a BFP?" </i><br />
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I literally took that post from an infertility page I'm a part of. If you too are about to start infertility treatments, you're gonna want to know these fancy schmancy acronyms. I'd recommend <a href="http://www.resolve.org/support/Managing-Infertility-Stress/infertility-acronyms.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/">The National Infertility Association.</a> I even made it as an app on my home screen. I'm telling you. I use it <i>almost </i>more than text messages.<br />
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I am a needle hater. In fact, it's a pretty large phobia. But I got over that pretty quickly when I had to inject myself like mad. At first, I made Mr. Schroeder do the first few injections. I recently did my first one and am feeling like I just gradated with a doctorates or something. I called my mom on cloud 9 because I INJECTED MYSELF WITHOUT ANY HELP! (I should have rewarded myself with a Kit-Kat or somethin). It's the little things, guys!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>This</u></span></b><br />
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Ha! This is actually how infertility feels. There are ups, what? There are lots of ups! The months that you found out your body actually produced a follicle on its own? Or the months that you actually have a menstrual cycle so that you can start a new treatment cycle? Those are little blessings that you <b>absolutely have </b>to find in each moment. Otherwise, you'll drown in your own sorrows. It is all an unexpected journey. Just this week, I went in...expecting to have another treatment. But my body didn't react. Instead of waiting until the next month, my doctor said, "We just need to keep pumping your body full of medicine until it responds!" It's hard. It's really really hard.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>TMI. Too. Much. Information.</u></b></span><br />
Guess what? There's no such thing! You want to talk about your man's sperm analysis with me? Hit me up! Want to talk about how many times this week you bruised your swollen stomach due to the injections and feel like Bloat (from Finding Nemo). Wanna talk about how many burritos and kit-kats your medicine pretty much forced you to devour? Let's chat.<br />
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Infertility is crazy strict on timing. You have to take some injections to. the. hour. You can only be intimate on certain days. A few weeks ago, I was panicking because I wasn't sure what days Mr. Schroeder and I were and weren't supposed to <i>you-know-what</i>. I remember barging through the doors at my doctor and pretty much yelling, 'WHAT DAYS ARE WE SUPPOSED TO HAVE SEX AGAIN? BECAUSE WE DIDN'T YESTERDAY, BUT WE DID THE DAY BEFORE AND NOW I'M WORRIED!" The nurse immediately said, "Go do it...like right now. Don't even wait 60 minutes." I then look to my right, and there were a good 12 people just listening in on that fun discussion. It gave me a good laugh.<br />
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There's no such thing as too much information when it comes to infertility. Make it comical. Otherwise, you'll be uncomfortable constantly. Ha!<br />
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<b style="font-size: large;"><u>People</u></b><br />
Part of the struggle with infertility is talking to people. I'm a people person and I enjoy chatting. But at times, it's hard to even talk about. For a lot of reasons. (Especially the point above regarding TMI). I'm not one to boast about my trials or even bring it up out of the blue.<br />
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It's not only hard to talk about our own struggles, it's hard to understand others at times. What I've learned is that everybody defines 'infertility' in a different way. Some define it as "I've been trying to get pregnant for 3 months and it hasn't happened for me yet." While some wait to call it infertility until they have gone through infertility treatments. It's been eye-opening for me to be sensitive to others struggles, regardless of what stage they are in. I'm a caring person, but it has allowed me to see in others lives in a different light.<br />
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<b style="font-size: large;"><u>The Advice</u></b><br />
I've said it twice before, & I'll say it again. People. Mean. Well. But the amounts of advice I get is pretty astonishing. What I'd love to stress is "What worked for you probably won't work for me." Our bodies are different. You have no idea what diagnoses I've been given. You don't even know what issues I'm facing. While I'm grateful that you care enough to let me know what you believe WILL work, please just spare me. I've heard some crazy stuff.<br />
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<li>The core of a pineapple has bromelain in it! Bromelain helps your uterine lining thicken so that the embryo can stick and it makes you not miscarry!</li>
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<li>(Said to my husband): If your wife just washes herself out with warm water and honey, it'll help!</li>
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<li>Just have sex like every day. That's what we did (they have like 8 kids) and it worked every time!</li>
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<li>Stop trying, or adopt, and then you'll get pregnant.<br />This one is a constant message that I'm receiving. I understand that many have been in this scenario, but it does not mean that I will be. And how in the heck am I supposed to stop trying when that's what one of our biggest desire is? Whatevs. </li>
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Regardless of what, I receive crazy amounts of advice each week. But the thing is...I have medical diagnoses that are the reason for me not getting pregnant. My doctor is doing the best she can. And that's all I'd love advice from. </div>
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<b><u>Feelings that you never thought you'd feel</u></b><br />
One of the most common feelings that come along with infertility is being extremely uncomfortable. These last few months, I have felt feelings I never imagined I would feel.<br />
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<li><b>Anger</b><br />This is probably one of the feelings I have been experiencing the most lately. I am typically not an angry person, but lately, I can't help but be extremely frustrated. Frustrated toward those who get pregnant without having solid support such as marriage, job, etc. Frustrated toward those who don't want a baby and get pregnant. Frustrated toward any thought whatsoever about abortion. It seriously seems like everywhere I look, there are pregnant people that may not make great mothers. Though that sounds a bit harsh of me, and though I will certainly not be a perfect mother, it has caused a lot of anger as I stand on the side line and watch a pending disaster.<br /><br />Today, I read a post about a mom who had 3 boys and was pregnant with her 4th child. She said she was so nervous to go to the ultrasound because she didn't want it to be a boy. She also said she was worried she wouldn't feel a connection with her baby if it was a boy because she wanted a girl so bad. I completely understand having a preference and being a little sad if you don't get what you want. But this infuriated me. So many women want babies and could care less what the gender is. The fact that she said she wouldn't feel a connection with her baby because it's a boy is one of thee most selfish things I have ever heard. Rude? Yes. I'm sorry. I haven't walked in this woman's shoes. But quite frankly, I'd give up many things to do so.<br /><br />My mother received a letter in the mail from her insurance carrier that stated that they now cover gender reassignment surgery. In my eyes? This. Is. Not. Right. The insurance is going to pay for a sex change, but won't cover help for something your body should do <b>naturally? </b>Give me a break. </li>
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<li><b>Confusion</b><br />Going along with the above point, I'm so confused. I don't understand why the big man upstairs doesn't have this plan for me but has this plan for other people who could potentially destroy their babies lives. Though it has been extremely challenging for me to keep the faith, I've realized that I have a decision: to let it destroy me, or to let it better me. I choose the latter. Infertility brings confusion. But it can (and will) increase faith, if you just allow it to.</li>
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<li><b>Sick Sick Sick</b><br />I fainted at my work the other day. That was an adventure! Woosy, grumpy, and again, feeling like Bloat..it's going to happen pretty much the entire time you're on treatments. Expect it!</li>
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<b style="font-size: large;"><u>The amount of support is overwhelming</u></b><br />
Infertility is a journey that most people don't necessarily want to share the details on. If you're going through infertility, I <i>beg you </i>to join a Facebook Support Group (as long as the negativity is kept to a minimum), go to Live Support Groups, look through support forums.<br />
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There is a plethora of support groups out there and I don't think I'd be where I am at in my journey without the support. Girls are constantly striving to give each other advice, discuss different ideas, and help each other out. You may be surprised once you realize how many women really are struggling the way you are. They may not understand exactly what you're going through, but it's extremely helpful to talk through the steps of your journey, get advice, and have listening ears.<br />
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I'm 1 in 8. You may be 1 in 8. Let's step it up & talk.<br />
<br />Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-25741300678382908822017-03-21T09:00:00.000-07:002017-03-21T09:00:05.059-07:002017 Girl's TripI've mentioned a plethora of times in my blog how blessed I am to have such an amazing family. My sisters are two people that I (a) look up to a ton and (b) enjoy spending time with! Like....all of my time. We hadn't been on a girl's trip in about 5 years, so we felt like it was about time. We went to Dallas to a trade show and shopped until we dropped (literally).<br />
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The best part is that we all understand each other's weirdness. And that takes <b>a lot </b>considering how weird I really am. We got the opportunity to go to Magnolia Market at the Silos in Waco. If you're a fan of Fixer Upper, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Between Magnolia, Joy Macaroons, and Sprinkles Cupcakes (why didn't anybody tell me how good those are, by the way?), it was a pretty successful trip. It was so much fun and I already want to go back!<br />
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<br />Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-7027962104314874482017-03-17T14:00:00.000-07:002019-03-25T11:04:46.937-07:00Ma BoysWhen I was a junior in high school, my family had the unique opportunity to sponsor some children from Kenya that were part of a group called "The Singing Children of Africa." They toured to the UK and then to the US to try to raise money for their school and families. This opportunity was one that I will never forget. These children were <i>so happy </i>when they had <i>so little. </i>At a fairly young age, I was extremely grateful that my parents provided me with the chance to learn about what I had and why it was so important.<br />
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These kids knew the actual definition of hunger.<br />
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These kids had homes made out of mud. Each time it rained, their homes would wash away and they would have to re-build.<br />
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These kids didn't know what a birthday was, nor did they know exactly how old they were.<br />
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If these kids had the opportunity to actually go to school, it was once in a lifetime and extremely rare.<br />
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These children would do everything in their power to succeed in life.<br />
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These children had lives that were so extremely rough on so many levels. Yet they were still the happiest kids I have ever met. They taught me how to be grateful. They taught me that I have more than most of the world. They taught me what happiness is: Happiness is simplicity.<br />
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A couple of months ago, my parents sacrificed so much time and efforts into getting these children here again...8 years later. Therefore, they weren't necessarily children anymore. I haven't cried those types of tears in awhile. Tears of happiness to see them. And then tears of sadness once they left. 8 years later, my African siblings truly taught me how to live and love. They reiterated that happiness is simplicity and that the less you have, the richer you are.<br />
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I hope to travel to Mombasa, Kenya to visit them soon! So, if anybody has any tips or feedback, please contact me.Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-59935431522274776112017-03-16T10:30:00.000-07:002019-03-25T10:42:58.724-07:00A pretty matchless experienceI can't even tell y'all how proud I am to be writing this post. I have put it off for a few months because I don't even know how to describe how I feel. My oldest brother, David, made the decision to get <a href="https://www.lds.org/topics/baptism?lang=eng&old=true">baptized into the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints</a> on December 10th, 2016. This is something that I have dreamt about my whole life.<br />
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We drove down to Fresno and my dad baptized my brother David. I have never been to a baptism that was so incredible and had the strongest spirit about it the entire day. Though there aren't enough words to adequately describe how I feel, I am so so proud of my brother and the choice he made to follow Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful for my family!<br />
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My nephew Joseph made the decision about a month before my brother did to also get baptized. It was super crazy how quick this all came about. I definitely believe the Lord is all about the right timing! My heart is so so full.<br />
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<br />Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-73550807448034499732017-03-13T07:00:00.000-07:002017-03-30T13:59:44.538-07:00How to save money....easilyI've never been the best at saving money. Heck, I'm still not amazing at saving money. It's something that Mr. Schroeder and I are constantly striving to improve on. I felt the need to write about an app that has seriously <i>saved us </i>these past 6 months or so. It's called <b><i>Qapital. </i></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Here's How it Works</b></span><br />
You set up rules for your purchases and the app will automatically deduct amounts out of your checking account to save.<br />
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Huh? Every time I tell someone that they respond with, "Wait...give me an example."<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Rules</b></span><br />
I only have two rules in place right now. Initially, when I setup the app, I didn't expect the huge impact that it actually had.<br />
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1. Round Up Rule: Each purchase that I make, Qapital will automatically round it up $2. You can choose whatever amount you'd like for it to round up. Within 3 months, and using my debit card (I literally use this card for <i>everything), </i>I had saved over $500. It was something that I <b>didn't even notice </b>coming out of my checking account. It was nuts!<br />
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2. Guilty Pleasure Rule: Now, if you're struggling going to Mcdonalds often....or Starbucks (ehh hemm...this is my struggle), you can make it so that Qapital actually takes an additional amount out each time you go. That $5 drink at Starbucks? Nah...it's actually gonna cost ya $15. It has allowed me to not only break bad habits, but to save money as well when I do cave in.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">My Recommendation....to YOU</b><br />
Download Qapital. Like, right now. I promise you won't regret it. Whether you have troubles saving money or not, this app will surprise you when you login and realize how much money you've saved over something you may have not noticed coming out of your checking account anyways!<br />
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<br />Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-28777908249668774692017-03-08T09:30:00.000-08:002019-03-25T10:42:15.590-07:00Phuket & Phi Phi IslandsOh. My. Gravy. Have I mentioned how huge of a dream the Thai islands were? Well, you're about to get a mouth full. I don't think Mr. Schroeder and I adventured here as much as we did in <a href="http://www.weandserendipity.com/2016/11/visiting-chiang-mai.html">Chiang Mai, </a>simply because we were <b>too busy relaxing! </b>After all, it's not quite a vacation if you're go-go-go- the entire time, ya know? <b> </b><br />
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Phuket was a dream. In fact, months later, and I'm still dreaming about it. I talked to a few people who went to Thailand and didn't even explore the islands. PEOPLE. If you're going this far away, you must explore the islands. The hardest part is choosing which islands to explore. Especially if you're like us, and didn't have, you know, a whole month to look around. The good part? You can't really go wrong. I mean, whatever islands you choose, it's going to be gorgeous. The only thing you need to be aware of is WHEN to go. We went late October into early November. We beat the crowds apparently, but the rainy season was just getting over.<br />
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">First & Foremost....</b><br />
You'll go to restaurants that have 100-page long menus. Why? Because they are trying to satisfy literally every tourist in the world. I love them for caring about us, but we'd suggest you just eat the freakin curry. Eat chicken curry with rice wherever you go.<br />
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Look at this piece of heaven! Pair curry with a bottled Coke, and your tummy couldn't love you more. I personally don't like spicy food (I wish I did). So if you are the same as me, don't say "little spice." Say "no spice." Ha! Even little spice was killing my taste buds. I'm a woos, I admit.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Get a Hotel on the Beach</span></b></div>
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This isn't necessarily difficult to do in Phuket. Because Thailand is so cheap, we paid about $35/night in a 5-star hotel. You can certainly go cheaper, but in my opinion, it's pretty fun to go all out live a little luxuriously (Can I even call it luxurious if it was only $35/night?). I suppose it depends on what you're trying to accomplish. A few of my friends had a goal to spend as little as possible. That's pretty awesome, too! We stayed at Chanalai Garden Resort. The beach was across the street and it made for a gorgeous view. I'd highly recommend it! </div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Visit Bamboo Island & hire a freakin Gondola driver man</span></b></div>
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Bamboo Island is a part of Phi Phi Islands. It was gorgeous. My recommendation? Go early in the morning. There were so many tourists when we went. But it was still ah-mazing. I sorta fell in love with the gondola boats. If you follow me on Instagram, you were more than likely annoyed with all of my posts. But they are just so cute. And they are pretty obligatory for Thailand, don't ya think?</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Monkey Island? </b></span></div>
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One of my biggest to-do's while in Thailand was to go to Monkey Island. When we went, we were told that there were recent monkey attacks and people were getting hurt because they were feeding them. Freaky, ehh? The monkey's will also steal your sunglasses and belongings. Most people walked away wishing they hadn't gone. I was sorta bummed to hear this, but the boat we were on drove past an area with lots of monkey's. We threw food to them and they were jumping from all over the place swimming around to get the food. It was pretty entertaining! (PS, look at that water. Millions of heart eyes!)</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Viking Cave</span></b></div>
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Viking Cave was really incredible to see. The cave was named due to the drawings that were found inside of the cave on the walls that resemble ancient viking ships. Apparently, the cave is no longer open for tourists; however, you can drive by it to look at it. It's north of Pilay Bay on the east coast of Phi Phi Ley.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Pileh Lagoon</span></b></div>
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This was probably one of the prettiest sights we saw while in Thailand. Photos just don't do it justice. It really was breathtaking. We snorkeled here and I never thought I'd see clearer water than Bahama Blue water. It's indescribable!</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Maya Bay</span></b></div>
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One of the most famous islands in Phi Phi. It's where "The Beach" was filmed, if you've ever seen that! T'was gorgeous indeed. </div>
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<b style="font-size: x-large;">Rent a Scooter</b></div>
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I was anti-motorcycle before going to Thailand. We rented scooters (for $6/day!!!!) and rode around the island. It was honestly the best decision ever. I was a bit hesitant, but HIGHLY recommend doing this in Phi Phi. I'm not quite sure if I'd feel safe riding around in Chiang Mai or Bangkok, but it wasn't near as bad in Phuket...probably because the majority of the island is one lane each way. Trev and I had the funnest time breezing around and adventuring to different beaches.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Nai Harn Beach</b></span><br />
I was lucky enough to have a contact in Phuket that I asked a few questions to. He let me know that a popular beach that's not crazy touristy that many locals go to is <i>Nai Harn Beach. </i>And the sunsets are incredible. Trust me. Rent a scooter. Drive to Nai Harn Beach. Fall in love. Make out on the beach, maybe. Ahhhh. There are also temples around the beach that you can explore. Restaurants and shops are fun to gander around as well. </div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Big Buddha</b></span><br />
We went on a scooter ride up the canyon to see Big Buddha. This was incredible. It's funny because the photos don't even show how large Buddha really is. It overlooks the island & is a MUST. Just be sure you're covered up. Because if you're like me, they make you put modest clothing on. I was oblivious and didn't do my research prior to going. It was a bit embarrassing but I'm grateful for the opportunity to experience the culture!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Karon View Point</b></span><br />
This was another spot we stopped at while riding our motorcycles. It's a stunning viewpoint (where you can also hold some eagles, too!) Completely free and a must-do while you're there.<br />
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I would love to chat with any of you if you are planning on going to Thailand. It was a trip of a lifetime and I want to go again and again! The people are so friendly, respectful, and make you feel welcome (even if your beliefs don't line up....eh hemm...America needs to work on that). It was also an amazing little getaway for Mr. Schroeder and I. An escape from all of the health issues and garbage. Once we got back, we felt so rejuvenated and ready to tackle anything!<br />
<br />Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-41593944137608782372017-01-03T22:20:00.000-08:002019-03-27T23:10:10.825-07:00The truth about the hell we are going throughOh, boy. I knew this post was coming. It may have taken me a year to cool my pride down and realize that I really need to write. I'm going to chuck this out on the table. Because I don't really know another way to put it...especially eloquently. (I wish I was still an eloquent writer...not so much anymore). Trevor and I are struggling. Immensely. With what? Trying to conceive. Infertility. So how's our marriage? It's good. It's great. I mean, really, 99% of the days, we are solid. And I'm so thankful for that. But I have felt the need to sit down and write, and here I am. Infertility is the devil. I feel like we go through the stages of grief over and over and over again. Let's do this treatment. Oh wait, there's something wrong. Let's fix you. K, it's fixed. Let's start again. Oh, it didn't work. Darn. Next step. Oh wait, there's something wrong, we can't do the next step. You can't have expectations. Yet you feel guilty for being pessimistic. It's this cycle of stress, anger, acceptance, sadness, confusion, frustration, excitement, then despair. Repeat. You go through hell to learn there was no reason for you to go through it anyway, because it didn't work. You go through awful treatments that make you feel icky to only throw away your 20th negative pregnancy test that year alone. Your husband feels helpless and you feel bad for being so sick, but so appreciative that he's willing to give you back tickles and cry with you.<br />
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Now, if there's something wrong, I want to fix it. If there is confrontation that is needing to be had, I will have it. I found myself putting a list together of all of the things I wish I could tell everyone. And then thought, "Why the hell not? What is stopping me?" My pride has been stopping me all along, but I'm ready to set that pride aside....and let it all out. So, here goes. A handful of things I not only wish I could tell you, but things I wish everyone would understand, take into consideration, and know.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">01. I think I'll start off with a quick apology</span></b>. Throughout the last year or so, every time somebody asked me something that involved children, pregnancy, adoption, IUI, IVF, etc...this was my reaction.<br />
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Get out of my uterus. Get out of my business. You're insensitive to ask me that.What I've learned: People mean well. They really do. There isn't any friend or family member that I can think of who just wants information to gossip or to use it against you. My pride got in the way (aaaagain). If you are reading this, and you have gotten blank stares from me or not-so-sweet reactions to a sincere question, <b>I am truly sorry. </b>I am still learning on proper reactions, tact, and kindness.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">02. I'm sharing this for two reasons, and two reasons only: to help you, and to help me. </span></b>You see, nobody talks about this crap. I didn't want to talk about this crap. But there are SO MANY women going through it! And SO MANY that feel alone, including me. When I read posts about people struggling with something similar, it gives me hope. You are not alone. And if you ever want to talk, please email me, text me, call me, or let's go to lunch! This is <b>not </b>something you can handle by yourself. I've been so incredibly grateful for my sweet husband. But on top of that, friends who have dropped everything to be by my side when Trev is out of town and I feel like I can't take another breath. This is not an easy thing to go through.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">03. I'm happy for you. I really am. </span></b>Those beautiful human beings around me that are announcing their pregnancy and giving birth, I am totally happy for you. I've been so blessed to never be a very envious person. I'm a fairly optimistic individual, and if you are pregnant, please don't feel like you have to walk on eggshells around me. I am so happy for you. I want this for you. Seeing you become a mother, or a mother again, makes my heart incredibly happy. Wanting it for myself is another story. Luckily, I haven't felt the tinge of jealousy quite yet.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">04. I am always exhausted. </span>I have never known this type of exhaustion before. My hormones are on a roller coaster. Even ask Trev: I cried the other day when he made me chicken noodle soup. It was just SO good. While it's not always funny, it's often mood swingy, and frustrating. It's not only physically debilitating, it's emotionally tiring.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">05. I feel really really stupid some days. </span></b>More times than not, I'm striving to count my blessings. I've only been dealing with fertility troubles for a couple of years. There are couples out there who have tried several rounds of IVF, or been trying with multiple fails, and miscarriages for over a decade. I feel so blessed and know it could be worse. Oftentimes, I want to shake people and say, "It could be SO MUCH WORSE." But it's okay to still feel bad for myself every once in awhile. Or so I think. :) I feel really lame for feeling bad for myself, because I know that I don't have it as bad as many do. On top of this, I feel extremely inadequate. I feel like I came to Earth to do something I cannot. And it hurts.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">06. I have moments where I question my faith. It's embarrassing to me and also terrifying. </span></b>I know everyone struggles, so I'm not afraid to admit it. However, I feel bad that I have let God know that I am struggling with Him. I oftentimes have a hard time understanding the whole plan. 16-year-old girls are getting pregnant, oftentimes aborting them. Drug addicts who don't want a child are giving birth to addicted babies. I'm not perfect, but what I want is a righteous desire. So, why exactly can't God give us what He has promised us? Clearly, after reading this, you will probably think, "Oh, yep. That's why she doesn't have a kid yet." The big man upstairs is trying to teach me much more than patience. I love the gospel. I know we all have a plan. I just have my days.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/179542450/even-miracles-take-a-little-time?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share">via</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>07. What hurts me.</b><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span>While I'm not one to tell you how to live your life, there are a handful of things I'd love to express that have hurt me in the past that I wanted to bring to people's attention. Things that aren't true. My rebuttals. My thoughts. My feelings. Perhaps it's just me being sensitive, but in order to raise awareness, some problem and answer type situations should be addressed, right?<br />
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<b>Phrases</b><br />
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<li><b><i>'Just relax and it'll happen!'</i></b><br />I completely understand that stress can play a big part into your hormone levels. But there is a medical diagnoses that I have received that has proved to contribute to infertility. The problem isn't that I 'need to relax.' It's that there are medical issues that we are working on clearing up.</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">'At least you know you can get pregnant.' </i><br />This one. This. One. Yikes. I had an early miscarriage. This phrase has been said to me from quite a few people. And as I mentioned earlier, they mean well. But, it doesn't help. At all. In fact, I'd rather not ever get pregnant than get pregnant and lose a baby. It's <b>extremely </b>painful.</li>
<li><i style="font-weight: bold;">'Stop thinking about it and it'll just...happen!' </i><br />Ha. Don't get me started on this one. Just....don't</li>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Pregnancy complaints</i></div>
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<li>Pregnancy is hard. It is. And I'm sure it's much harder for others as well. But please don't post on FB about how miserable your week is due to the glucose drink you had to drink when you have a healthy baby growing inside of you that you didn't try very hard for. That may sound extremely heartless of me, but the complaints amaze me. </li>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">08. What you can do for us:</span></b> Just pray! I wanted to write this because currently, I'm totally dying inside. Ha! I'm currently a broken individual that is trying to find the happy 'wins' in each encounter I have. I'm still trying to find that line between not being pessimistic, but not having any expectations. If you ever need to chat, I'm always here. It can be difficult to talk so openly about our struggles, but it's something I'm constantly working on.<br />
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*Lastly..if you are a religious individual struggling with infertility, I've put a fabulous resource below that I have found to be incredibly comforting.<br />
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<a href="http://www.amateurnester.com/2015/10/13-days-scripture-during-infertility-intro.html">(Click here: 31 days of scripture during infertility.)</a><br />
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If you made it this far, I freaking love you. You're a gem and I appreciate you listening to me rant. Today was a rough day. And right when I press that beautiful orange <b style="font-style: italic;">"publish" </b>button, I'm going to sleep so good tonight.Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-6134772816395344492016-11-29T21:54:00.001-08:002019-03-27T23:10:50.671-07:00Chiang Mai<div style="text-align: center;">
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I didn't initially know what to expect when staying in Chiang Mai. It ended up being one of my favorite places in Thailand and I find myself always daydreaming about going back. It was so beautiful and the people were so generous. I had to document what I loved, what I wouldn't do again, and some tips. I refuse to mark Thailand off my bucket list because I want to go back again and again.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Visit the Local Markets</span></b><br />
Local Markets in Chiang Mai are most popular on Sunday. There's a market that's open a few times a week that is underground. My oh my, it is <b>insane. </b>Mr. Schroeder kept saying, over and over again, "How do we go home and even explain this to people? It's THAT crazy!" I concur. The photos don't do justice, so you'll just have to go visit these markets. The food is so fresh and delicious!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: bold;">Visit Elephant Sanctuaries (and do your research)</span><br />
If you haven't heard already, Thailand has been infamous for elephant abuse. Before going to Thailand, I did a crap ton of research on the most reputable companies. There were so many videos going around on Facebook and Twitter explaining that tourists who ride elephants are so selfish because they aren't thinking about what those elephants go through. It's certainly <b>very </b>sad. Most of the sanctuaries won't actually allow you to ride elephants; however, some do! Be sure to do your research to make sure you aren't supporting awful animal abuse. I did some research and have left what I have found below for reference.<br />
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1. Thai Elephant Conservation Center<br />
2. Boon Lott's Elephant Sanctuary<br />
3. Elephant Nature Park<br />
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To view information on cost, what's included, location, and more details, <a href="http://matadornetwork.com/change/3-reputable-elephant-sanctuaries-in-thailand/">click here. </a><br />
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One thing I didn't even think about when riding an elephant was WHAT TO HANG ON TO. They didn't have anything except their cute little prickly heads to hang onto. You don't realize how high up you are until you're sitting on there looking at the ground, ha! Another thing we got to do was feed the elephants bananas and bathe them. It was a blast!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Visit Bai Orchard and Butterfly Farm</b></span><br />
Mr. Schroeder and I aren't really into tours, but one private tour we went on took us to the Bai Orchard and Butterfly Farm. It did <b>not </b>disappoint. Though we only stayed there for a few minutes, the butterfly farm was unreal! Outside of the farm, you can walk around and view some crazy beautiful plants and flowers. I'd highly recommend visiting this, even if it's for 10-15 minutes. We loved it!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Eat Pocky's. Lots of Them. </b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">The other day, my mom was like, "What's a pocky?" If you haven't had a Pocky, you can try them out by going to your local WalMart and navigating to the Oriental aisle. Personally, I absolutely love them. Trevor calls them "air food" because he thinks all they are is 'air.' But it's YUMMY air! ha! When we first got to Bangkok, I was completely dying over the selection they had. I wanted to try all of them. Here in Utah, I've only ever seen strawberry and chocolate. If you go to Thailand, please just try some Pocky's. And tell me what you think. I promise they're de-lish, even if they just taste like air! </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Go on a small hike (*cough* walk) to Mok Fa Waterfall</b></span></div>
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Initially, we were told that the Mok Fa Waterfall was a hard hike,but a short hike. I'm not quite sure what their definition of 'hike' was, but Mok Fa Waterfall is a must-see. As with most things in Thailand, pictures just don't do justice. The water was falling <b>so </b>hard and it was incredibly beautiful! Also, if you happen to bring a GoPro, good luck getting good pictures. Ha! Our GoPro is waterproof, yet still had water marks all over the camera. Must of been that crazy water pressure? </div>
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Every piece of advice I read prior to going to Thailand mentioned the absolute need for riding in a TukTuk. We went to a couple of different temples and hired a TukTuk and had thee best time. It was nearly impossible to get a good photo, but this is a MUST! I'll be posting a video in the next few days that will show it better.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Visit Hundreds of Temples</b> </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(but really..)</span></div>
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One thing that was extremely intriguing to me, even before we arrived in Thailand, was the Buddhist temples. I wanted to make sure to visit quite a few of them because of how gorgeous and interesting they were. One thing I would recommend is to <b>stay in Old City </b>in Chiang Mai! We stayed here and didn't need a taxi pretty much everywhere we went .We were able to walk everywhere and in the span of 2 blocks, you're guaranteed to see like 10-15 temples. It's pretty unreal and awesome! This particular temple below is Doi Suthep. We had quite the experience at this temple. My recommendation? Cover up! I didn't do my research (that was bad of me) and I was referred to the "immodest table" to get a long skirt and something to cover my shoulders and arms. Keep this in mind when visiting temples, as it is considered disrespectful to show a lot of skin.<br />
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Another thing that you will probably want to be aware of is that oftentimes, monks will encourage you to worship. Now, Mr. Schroeder and I had absolutely no idea what we were doing. We didn't know if it was a bad idea to worship in the temples and we had no idea <b>how </b>to worship. The monks encouraged us to come in, donate money to them, and pray to Buddha. They flicked water on our heads and tied a yarn around our wrist while chanting. Something I wish I would have done was get the prayer in English so I knew what was going on. It was super comical watching Trevor. He was so uncomfortable. He was super worried that we had become Buddhists without knowing it. Ultimately, I think it was a super great experience, just interesting. And comical, especially if you're traveling with Mr. Schroeder.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Drink Fresh Coconut Water </span><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Well, if you're into that sort of thing)</span></div>
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Everybody told me that drinking fresh coconut water was a <b>must </b>while traveling through Thailand. I'm not a fan, but Mr. Schroeder was excited to try it out. I took the obligatory photo of him with his coconut. Then I happened to snap one to get his reaction. He didn't like it either. BUT. As my mama always says, it's something that everyone must try. So give it a shot! Nobody said you have to buy another one.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><strike>Tiger Kingdom</strike></span><br />
Tiger Kingdom was included in a tour that Mr. Schroeder and I did. When I got there, I instantly couldn't shake the feeling that these tigers certainly seemed like they were drugged or something due to how loopy they were (and, tired, like the little guy in this photo). Let's just say...In my own humble opinion, I don't think this place is entirely ethical. There are so many opinions out there, and while I don't want to cause any controversy, I don't think I'd recommend this place, nor do I think I would go back. As much as these sweet little tigers are the sweetest things to see and pet, it broke my heart more than anything.<br />
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And last..but not least...play with your GoPro and take super awkward photos of yourself before lounging at the pool.<br />
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<br />Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-51900193059893151652016-03-24T20:42:00.000-07:002019-03-25T10:43:10.331-07:00An almost faith crisisWrite. Erase. Write. Remove a paragraph. Write. Erase the entire novel. Eh, it's been going on for a good hour. Sometime, I'll make some progress with what my mind is trying to say. This is a post that is going to be a little raw, a little emotional (maybe, if I don't delete that part), and perhaps even confusing to people who aren't members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.<br />
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I think everyone goes through their ups and downs, right? It's totally ordinary, and fairly typical. As I've been warned and cautioned a countless amount of times these past few months, <b>this world is under attack. </b>Even more terrifying, <b>marriages and families are under attack.</b> I can't even begin to describe the alarming experiences I have recently had to confirm this.<br />
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Where am I going with this post? Ah, right. Just venting it all out. Continue.<br />
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The last 5-6 years or so, I've noticed people in my life who were <b>so strong </b>in the LDS church to completely fall away. Not only are they just not a practicing "Mormon" anymore, they are entirely anti-Mormon and maybe even anti-Christian. I have seen this happen to countless people around me. Each time I see or hear about it, my heart breaks a little bit more.<br />
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Why was this happening? How could something that is so comforting and beautiful be causing so many people to leave? Not only that, but 100% of the people in my life this happened to were so angry. They were contention-causers. And their Facebook, Snapchat, and blog posts only consisted of endless rants of attacking the Christian people. I could not stop thinking...What. Is. Freaking. Going. On.<br />
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As most people usually go through, I got in the awful habit of not praying and not reading my scriptures. I didn't really attend all of my meetings and <a href="http://www.weandserendipity.com/2014/01/fence-sitting.html">I was totally just chilling on the teeter totter. Dangerous waters, my friends. </a><br />
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One day, I walked into my room, I nearly collapsed, and I cried out to God. "Will you tell me if this is true? Why is everyone leaving? People I absolutely love and people who are so smart are leaving. Why is this happening?" You guys, I was totally being a drama queen. I was bawling. I was a blobbery little basket case. Giggling while typing this only because I was soooo dramatic.<br />
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<i>But then, the Spirit told me it was true. I felt nothing but peace and comfort. And that was it. </i><br />
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And then some topic came up within my church that I didn't agree with. It made me angry. Then I prayed about it. And I was like, "Heavenly Father. What the crap! Why?!"<br />
<i><br /></i><i>But then, the Spirit told me it was true. I felt nothing but peace and comfort. And that was it.</i><br />
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Then the church released a statement that made me question literally everything. It made me question whether or not I had been brainwashed from the start (that's what all the anti-Mormons say what happens to those who grow up in the gospel). It made me want to give up and be done. Quit. Move. Start over. I remember the whole drive home from one of my friends house, being sooo nervous to talk to Trevor and explain that I wasn't sure what was true anymore. I talked to him. He took me by the hand, and we prayed.<br />
<i><br /></i><i>Then, the Spirit told me it was true. I felt nothing but peace and comfort. And that was it. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>Remember when there was an annoying amount of quotes going around from one of the LDS general conferences? Doubt your doubts, guys! Doubt them! I swear that saying was haunting me in my sleep. I thought it was, you know, a fine statement. But everyone was having a cow over how great that statement was. And I didn't understand. Until recently.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.thisisnick.com/typography-and-stuff-general-conference-october-2013/">via. </a></span></div>
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Allowing ridiculous and far-fetched ideas into my head, that would eventually allow me to doubt my faith were tearing me apart. They were truly destroying me. I've never felt so depressed. So lost. So utterly hopeless. BUT YOU GUYS. I PRAYED. I prayed to Heavenly Father. And I asked him, genuinely wanting to know. Then, I felt nothing but peace and comfort. And that. was. it.<br />
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If you're going through a faith crisis, or about to, I'm not even sure this blog post would make sense to you. Because like I said, I'm doing a fabulous job at blabbering. But there are 4 things that truly made me realize that <b>this is the true church. </b>4 things I wish everybody would do prior to doubting that unshakable faith of theirs.<br />
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1. If you don't want it to be true, it won't be. If you're constantly seeking for excuses, accusations, reasons the Book of Mormon couldn't be true, or other nonsensical nonsense, then you are going to find exactly that. Your mind is a genius, folks. And if you're talking yourself out of something, or telling yourself it isn't true, then voila! <b>That is exactly what you will find.</b><br />
<b><br /></b>2. Most people don't deeply understand the definition of faith. They are too caught up in historical and physical proof. People are constantly seeking reasons for it not being true. They lack faith. They can't obtain faith because they are stubborn.<br />
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When people are seeking physical proof, this is when you know they lack faith. If we had proof of everything, we would all be perfect humans. There would be no point.<br />
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Wondering how to identify, develop, and utilize strong faith? You're in luck! Because I wrote a post about it once. <a href="http://www.weandserendipity.com/2014/01/how-to-develop-strong-faith.html">You can find it here. </a><br />
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Truly, I think we all struggle with faith from time to time. Obviously, I did, otherwise, I wouldn't be jabbering.<br />
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3. Pray. This is such a simple task to do. Because if you just read people's "awful experiences with the Mormon church" or other things that may not even be true, you're going to start doubting that awesome faith of yours. Just pray. A man cannot prove to you God is real. God can only reveal to you what is true. So just pray. Sincerely, and ask.<br />
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4. Lastly, the attacks from those I love once used to be hurtful. But now, they are just proof to me that what I'm doing is right. The anger some of these people have inside of their hearts is gut-wrenching and unreal.<br />
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The truth is going to be attacked.<br />
And it will be attacked more than any other truth out there in the world.<br />
It is part of the test.<br />
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Though I used to get offended by these types of 'shares' people were hatefully creating, I get a firm confirmation each time I see something like that. What I'm living is true. What I know is true. And nothing will change that for me, regardless of how many downs I experience.<br />
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Why? Well, because <i>the Spirit tells me it's true. And that's it. </i>Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-22461798045664035152016-03-03T06:00:00.000-08:002019-03-25T16:51:38.772-07:00Number 4<div style="text-align: center;">
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Trevor and I celebrated our 4th anniversary on the 11th of February. We ran away to Arizona to spend some much needed time with our family and spend time together. On our anniversary, we got a couples massage, ate some delicious food, went swimming, and just relaxed. It was a perfect day. </div>
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If any Arizona peeps happen to read this little space of the internet of mine, you have got to go to this crepe place. It's called Cupz N' Crepes and it's in Phoenix. I've tried to start a little tradition of eating crepes every time we go out of town or on vacation. I got a sweet crepe (obviously) and Trevor got a savory breakfast crepe. Heaven, I tell you.</div>
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We celebrated by going to dinner at Ruth Chris. It's one of our favorite places. In Salt Lake City, the people aren't usually insanely and fancily dressed, but with the restaurant we visited in <strike>Snottsdale</strike> Scottsdale, we felt a little out of place to say the least. We pulled our Hyundai rental car into the parking lot next to ferraris, tesla's, and other crazy nice cars. We had a good time laughing and teasing. It was certainly a much needed night. </div>
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Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-28038569938875830472016-03-01T09:10:00.001-08:002019-03-25T16:51:31.117-07:00Try to think<div style="text-align: center;">
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I don't know where I got this "lovely" trait of mine; however, from the day I was born, all I wanted to do was go-go-go. If I wasn't involved in 3-4 things outside of school, I was too bored with my life. I always needed more. I wanted to accomplish multiple things at one time. At the time, I couldn't decide if it was because I wanted to impress my parents, or if it was because I actually enjoyed the act of being overly-busy.</div>
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Fast forward to six months ago. I got a new Full-Time job at an amazing company, and was starting school the day before my new job. I was enrolled for 15 credits, and I was confident I'd succeed greatly. Throughout these last few months, I can't stop thinking about why I thought this was a good idea. I received a calling in church, and between work and school, the responsibilities were just too large.</div>
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I've put the things I love most on the back burner: my dear husband, my family, and the life I ultimately loved to live. My sister moved to Utah with her 4 adorable kids, and I can count on one hand how many times I have seen them. For some reason, there is some sort of satisfaction of being so drained I can't even walk anymore. I pass out in my bed every single night from pure and utter exhaustion. And for some reason, I enjoy it. Though I've come to realize that my priorities must be on God and family, I think I've also learned that becoming ridiculously busy is just in my blood. </div>
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Twenty One Pilots is my favorite band. If you know me at all, you're probably annoyed of me talking about them constantly. But the very first song I heard of theirs talked about the importance of sitting in silence and allowing your mind to think. YOU GUYS. After following these small and simple words of advice from these lyrical geniuses, my life has forever changed. I don't know if it's a rare thing to actually take some to think. But if you don't, your mind will explode. </div>
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Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-87838728109296253482016-02-01T13:01:00.002-08:002019-03-25T16:51:04.080-07:00A Love Challenge<div style="text-align: center;">
It's officially February! Which is, well, super crazy. But it's also Valentines month, which is my favorite. I'm not really ashamed to admit that I decorated my house for Valentines day on January 1. January is boring anyway..why not celebrate love? </div>
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When I saw the church's 14-day <a href="https://www.lds.org/blog/love-one-another-14-day-challenge?lang=eng">Love One Another challenge</a>, I was super stoked to hop on and join the challenge. My grandmother's favorite hymn was always "Love One Another." I've always strived to show love to all of those I encounter. The best part of this challenge is that each day, your "challenge" is actually rather simple, or maybe for some people. Focus on these things for the next 14 days, and feel free to share with me how much you can feel your heart growing! Because I promise it'll happen.</div>
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May we all just..love one another..a little more. </div>
Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-63789135672448583472015-12-28T04:30:00.000-08:002019-03-25T16:50:53.052-07:00An open letter to you before you get married<div style="text-align: center;">
I got married at the ripe age of 19. That is <b>young. </b>That is <i style="font-weight: bold;">really </i>young. The divorce rate on those who marry at 19 is fairly high! Luckily for us, Mr. Schroeder and I have chosen to beat the odds. It's extremely common to get married young here in Utah, especially among those who are members of the church. Though I don't (and won't) ever regret my decision to marry young, there are some things I've reminisced about these last five years that I feel are beneficial to type out. It's my experience. But it's also others experience. As I've talked with other friends of mine, there <b>is </b>a common factor. And I think it's worth sharing.<br />
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• <strike>Know who you are</strike>. Love yourself.<br />
For the longest time, I thought if you didn't know who you were when you got married, you were toast. I've changed my mind. I don't think I will ever be the<b> </b>same person who I am right this second. We screw up. We learn. We realize what we want. We go after it. We stumble along the way. Life gives us things we didn't expect. We're constantly thrown into change. Nothing is ever expected or planned. You never really <b>know </b>who you are. You can have your standards, and live up to them, but there is a line. That's where I would change it to "Love yourself."<br />
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I learned this the hard way. I was totally set in high school. I had my head on straight. But I let a few instances and situations in college destroy me and my self esteem. I got married when I did not have a self esteem. I wasn't confident with who I was. I relied on Trevor's love to make me feel okay. Oh my goodness golly gee. Y'all. Don't do that. <b>Please </b>do not do that. Learn how to love yourself. Learn what kind of person you want to be, and go after her/him. If you don't have a strong sense of the individual you are, and if you ever say or do hurtful things to yourself, your marriage will suffer. I can promise you that. I truly believe the first year of my marriage was the hardest because I was searching and searching and trying to figure out how the hell to love myself. It's crucial. Trust me.<br />
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• Realize that life is no longer about you.<br />
Ha! Everybody warned me about this one. You have your entire single life to be selfish. Not in a ridiculous way, but in a true way. Everything you do is about you. You go away to college, for <b>your </b>education. You work at a certain place because it is where <b>you </b>want to work. You move away for the summer because <b>you </b>want to. You are sure to never cook dinner with onions in it because <b>you </b>hate onions. Mr. Schroeder and I have quite a bit in common. But we still found countless differences. We moved out of the state because of <b>his </b>job. I had to take a break from schooling because of <b>his </b>situation. He was supporting our family, and I am incredibly grateful for that. And sometimes, marriage takes sacrifice, but mostly selflessness. If you just remember to forget yourself in the service of your husband, and husbands forget themselves in the service of their wives, the difference is astonishing. He also likes onions. So I do my best to cook with onions sometimes, too ;)<br />
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• Don't get mad at the whole..toilet paper being backwards thing<br />
The first year of our marriage I would get so frustrated over the tiniest little things. Looking back, I'm definitely giggling over them. The toilet paper was constantly backwards. His socks were left <b>everywhere. </b>"The dryer steals them!" he'd always yell. I'd always respond with "Maybe try looking in the couch creases." They were always there. These are silly examples. But I promise you that there will be quirks come up that make you think..."What the crap are you doing/thinking?" Remember to just take five breaths and get over yourself. Everything is totally fine.<br />
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• This is the biggest one. So listen, up. You getting married...<b>is about your marriage.</b><br />
Wait, what? Duh. Okay, but for real. So many people get way too caught up in wedding stuff. My wedding was the best day of my life. No doubt. I swear once a girl gets engaged, all she can think about is planning the wedding, finding the prettiest and yummiest cake, the honeymoon, all the pictures she's going to post, and the way she can't stop thinking about the wedding wedding wedding. I think we all get caught up in it, honestly, at least to an extent. Because we want it to be perfect and we want what we want, which is completely acceptable. But please. Don't get so caught up in planning the wedding that you forget what comes after. I remember coming home from touring a few reception centers and I was telling my dad about them. He said, very calmly, "Amanda. The wedding is <b>one day. </b>Please know that." Yes. It was the best day of my life. But I have had multiple friends who live their entire lives dreaming about the perfect wedding. It comes, and goes, and then they're like, "Shoot. What? It's over. What the crap am I going to do now?" Perhaps this is part of getting married young, immaturity, and the stigma attached to <i>marriage. </i>People. Please. Stop putting 100% of your focus into the wedding, and put it into the kind of husband or wife you are going to be.<br />
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Lastly, I do want you to know that marriage is amazing. It is a sacred union that is incredibly important to your happiness. Selflessness is required. Forgiveness is mandatory. You are no longer your own person, you are two. And hard times <b>will </b>come. But if you stand together, pray together, and be there for one another, you can face anything.</div>
Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-43292047979061514032015-12-23T21:23:00.000-08:002019-03-25T16:50:46.129-07:00Merry Christmas!<div style="text-align: center;">
The day after Thanksgiving, I was blaring the Michael Buble Christmas album. Mr. Schroeder walked in the door, gave me a big fat hug and said, "I'm so happy you're in the holiday spirit, because I'm not!" I got most my Christmas shopping done in November because I wanted to <i style="font-weight: bold;">really </i>enjoy the Christmas spirit this year. It's been a fabulous year, but I'm 110% certain that I'm going to make 2016 a muuuuch better year. Here's our Christmas card from this year! We hope all of you had an amazing year as well and have a great rest of your holiday season.</div>
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Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-54965953515216039272015-11-24T05:30:00.000-08:002015-11-24T05:30:01.872-08:00A needed little getaway<div style="text-align: center;">
A couple of my friends got sealed in the St. George temple a few weeks back. Mr. Schroeder and I had the opportunity to drive down and attend it. This temple might be in my top 5. It is so gorgeous! Having a little getaway with my sweetie was just what I needed. We went and drove through Zion National Park and it took us like 20 minutes. We didn't bring hiking shoes, so I'm not sure why we thought it would be a good idea to just drive through it. The coolest part was a mile long tunnel. Trev and I were making jokes throughout it and we were certain it was going to collapse on us. </div>
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Our last night in St. George consisted of Trev buying me a cat onesie (yep, weird) and eating Ben & Jerry's in our hotel room. I love this man of mine. I love our life together. I'm so ridiculously grateful for everything the Lord has given me. And I'm dang grateful of those little reminders.</div>
Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-12101838935819749582015-11-22T06:30:00.000-08:002019-03-25T16:50:25.724-07:00The battle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I haven't blogged in 2,000 years! Maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but it sure feels like it's been that long. My brain has been so tired, and blogging fell victim to me placing it on the back burner. Before I knew it, hundreds of thousands of millions of words were constantly bizzing and buzzing in my head and that's where they have stayed. I think I've learned my lesson with more breakdowns than the normal Amanda Schroeder and am ready to write once more. Though it might not be every day like my old passionate self was, it will be more often. I can promise myself that.</div>
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Lately, I hate social media. With a fiery passion. I think we all go through that phase, right? Maybe it's just me, but I hate all the ignorance, the stubbornness, and the pride in this world right now. It actually breaks my heart. Every single day when I wake up, I think about how much worse the world is actually getting. That's not the pessimist in me, it's just reality. It's fact. And it's not going to get better. The best part? We can become better. That's all we really need to worry about.</div>
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Social media is filled with a whole bunch of meaningless crap right now. Part of my job is to be on Facebook all the time, so with that comes a whole lot of snarky articles, hilarious memes, and, for the most part, argumentative "I'm right" types of articles and statuses. Here is my short and simple take on everything: </div>
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You can have your view. You can have your lifestyle. And I'm not going to judge, react harshly, negatively, or care for that matter. Why? D&C 37:4, which says, "Behold, here is wisdom, and let every man choose for himself until I come." It is one thing to stand up for what you believe in. But by bashing others for believing something different, being rude, harsh, and completely ridiculous gets you nowhere. In fact, I believe it makes you take a step backwards. The entire world isn't ever going to be consistent with your beliefs. It took me 23 years, but I'm now understanding that (a) I cannot save everybody. (b) If people are being angry and conflicting and flat out rude, they are battling with themselves.</div>
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<br />Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-61600098742692409062015-06-11T04:30:00.000-07:002019-03-25T16:50:19.863-07:00Reminiscing<br />
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Mr. Schroeder and I have been married for about 3 1/2 years. Though it really hasn't been <b>THAT </b>long, I do feel like there are so many moments, memories, and amazing things that have been forgotten. This past weekend, Mr. Schroeder and I went up to Logan for a family reunion. We spent a little bit of time on the Utah State University campus, right by where we met. It was a really cool experience reminiscing. </div>
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I still remember being so shaky and nervous prior to meeting Trevor, yet calm at the same time. My room mates helped me pick out an outfit, curl my hair, and look super cute. I distinctively remembering Mr. Schroeder pulling around the roundabout with a big smile on his face. I get in the car, my heart beating fast, and we begin talking. Before we got to dinner at Olive Garden, I told him that I liked his eye balls. That made him laugh. </div>
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At our family reunion, we spent time at first dam. At second dam, that's where I told Trevor I loved him. He didn't say it back though, not yet, that little punk. I hugged him tight, he kissed my forehead, and I was the happiest that a girl could be. </div>
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Though I don't think I could ever live in Logan again, it was a lot of fun to think back to all of the good and bad times I had. Unfortunately, I think about a year out of two of my time at Utah State was pretty rough. The second year was one of the best, though! I met amazing room mates and married the love of my life. </div>
Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8871647493906301892.post-60014497319671059662015-06-10T07:10:00.000-07:002019-03-25T16:50:12.111-07:00Dusty Keys<div style="text-align: center;">
There's something that intrigues me about dusty keys of a piano. I'm sure if my mom heard me say that, she'd think, "Oh. Is that why you always refused to dust the piano growing up?" The piano at my house is an antique. It's extremely old and the ivory has scratches and marks. I've lived in my house for almost an entire year now, yet I have never dusted the piano. I tried explaining it to Mr. Schroeder just the other day. It went a little somethin like this..</div>
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You know when there is something you're extremely passionate about and you haven't driven it, experienced it, played with it, spent time with it....for awhile? Then when you finally get the chance to be with this thing you're passionate about, you never want to stop? You never want to quit riding, you never want to quit playing, and you feel like you could just do it for hours because you missed it so much? I'm pretty sure Mr. Schroeder likened this with his dirt bike. He never rides the thing, yet he loves his bike like a child. This is the explanation of my dusty keys analogy. Though I play the piano more than not, the idea of dusty keys gets me feeling like I never need to stop simply because 'it's been a little while.' </div>
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Amanda Schroederhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13730445996277619629noreply@blogger.com