First blog ever by Matt

I decided since a lot of the people who read Jamie’s blog also donated to my bike ride this year, I would provide a quick update here…This is the 2nd year that I rode my bicycle for the American Diabetes Association. Last year my brother Eric, niece Samantha, and myself, completed the Ride. This year, due to an injury, just my brother and I rode. Since we were riding a bit further this year, we decided to rent Road Bikes instead of using our Mountain Bikes like we did last year. All I can say is it makes a world of difference. The bike itself probably weighed as much as my mountain bike’s back wheel alone, which made the hills a tad easier.

The ride is called the Summit to Surf and takes place in Oregon. The route follows highway 26 on Mt. Hood and ends down in Hood River. We started just outside of Welches, Oregon at about 1500 feet and rode about 24 miles to the top of Bennett Pass which is at about 5700 feet. That, by far, was the toughest part of the 52 mile trip. The rest of the ride has some nice downhill sections that are both breathtaking and fast. The majority of the ride is through tall pine tree lined roads and as you come down off the mountain you pass vineyards, farms, apple orchards and from several locations you can see the Summit of Timberline behind you. We finished with all our parts attached (lost a pedal last year) and even had my Mom and Samantha to congratulate us at the finish line.

Our team goal was $500.00 and I’m happy to say we surpassed that with $630.00 in total donations. The Ride itself was able to raise over $300,000 for the fight against Diabetes. All in all we had a great time and I am already looking forward to this ride next year and hopefully a couple of others before then.

It is always fun to spend this time with my brother and nice to see my family too. Thank you to everyone who supported us in this Ride and for helping make it a success.

I've been tagged....great.

I guess I'm supposed to come up with 7 random bits of information about myself. It's been a few days since I've been tagged and I haven't been able to think of anything very exciting....that's a little depressing. So anyway...here it is...7 not so interesting tid bits about me. :)

1. In 6th grade a won a 1st place ribbon and Best In Show for the whole Jr. High for my science fair project about plant growth. I got to take it to state competition in St. Johns (?) and ended up placing 3rd there. :)
2. I LOVE to organize things...anything.
3. I have always wished I had gone into theater / drama. I would LOVE to perform on Broadway. (Chicago, Caberet, Cats, Grease, oohh I love it!)
4. I get dileriously high on excitement in paper and fabric stores, but always end up leaving empty handed because I can't figure out what to do with everything!
5. I'm very sentimental. I love the nostalgia of old things passed down or knowing the story behind the object.
6. I'm deeply affected by my environment. I need to feel that my surroundings at home reflect my inner self. I am happiest when I'm surrounded by things / nature that feeds my soul and is a reflection of who I am. I feel very stifled when it doesn't.
7. I would LOVE to own a "you pick" flower market where I could have fields of wonderful flowers year round for people to pick bouquets from. This would fall in line with my enjoyment of working in my yard. (Except it's really hard to do at this time of the year here.).

Okay....Beth, you're tagged. :)

Isn't this Beautiful!

Matt took these photos a few nights ago and I just think they are beautiful. I don't know what I will do when we live in a house where I can't watch the sun set every evening.

Camping Trip 2007

I thought I would just add some pictures from our camping trip this past weekend to Hawley lake. It was wonderful as it is every year. :) I'd like to thank everyone who had to put up with Molly's whining, barking, howling, jumping,fighting. etc. She really is a little lovebug and she promises to get her manners under control before our next outing. :)

I thought you might use this as a reminder that even though you're not still up enjoying the mountains, at least you aren't listening to this anymore.. :)

Here's Tia and Journey Rai...just hanging having a good time.

Here are the girls posing for one last pic!

And the boys!

Next time we'll have to make sure the WHOLE group is in the picture. We're missing the Grove clan. :(

Bye Hawley Lake!! We'll see you again next year! :)

Pomegranite Thread - #814 DMC

Many of us know people or are people who have struggled with conceiving or maintaining pregnancies. Over the last six and a half years when I see pregnant women, I often wonder "was it easy for them or did they struggle through their process just as I have". I've often wished for some secret nod or look or something that would indicate the connection that we may have. Well, obviously many other women who are a part of this community have felt the same way. There is a subtle movement in place that will help open communication within the fertility challenged community and awareness to those outside of it. This movement is to purchase Pomegranite Thread #814 DMC (embroidery thread), braid it and tie it around your right wrist. Through this, women can better support each other through this emotional journey and others, inquiring as to it's meaning, will become more aware of the struggle that affects 1 in 8 couples. Just wanted to share this with you.

For anyone who has ever had a miscarriage, struggled with pregnancy, and all things infertile...there is a movement upon us that you might want to join. It's rather simple actually: a discreet ribbon on your right wrist to signal to others that they are not alone in their struggles. The pomegranate-colored thread holds a two-fold purpose: to identify and create community between those experiencing infertility as well as create a starting point for a conversation. Women pregnant through any means, natural or A.R.T., families created through adoption or surrogacy, or couples trying to conceive during infertility or secondary infertility can wear the thread, identifying themselves to others in this silent community. At the same time, the string serves as a gateway to conversations about infertility when people inquire about its purpose. These conversations are imperative if we are ever to remove the social stigma attached to infertility. Tie on the thread because you’re not alone. Wear to make aware. Join us in starting this conversation about infertility by purchasing this pomegranate-coloured thread #814 by DMC . Tie it on your right wrist. Notice it on others.
Pomegranates, a longstanding symbol of fertility, serve as a strong analogy to those suffering through infertility. Though each pomegranate skin is unique in colour and texture, the seeds inside are remarkably similar from fruit to fruit. Though our diagnosis is unique—endometriosis, low sperm count, luteal phase defect, or causes unknown—the emotions, those seeds on the inside, are the same from person to person. Infertility creates frustration, anger, depression, guilt, and loneliness. Compounding these emotions is the shame that drives people suffering from infertility to retreat into silence.In addition, the seeds represent the multitude of ways one can build their family: natural conception, treatments, adoption, third-party reproduction, or even choosing to live child-free.The pomegranate thread holds a two-fold purpose: to identify and create community between those experiencing infertility as well as create a starting point for a conversation. Women pregnant through A.R.T., families created through adoption, or couples trying to conceive during infertility can wear the thread, identifying themselves to others in this silent community. At the same time, the string serves as a gateway to conversations about infertility when people inquire about its purpose. These conversations are imperative if we are ever to remove the social stigma attached to infertility. Tie on the thread because you’re not alone. Wear to make aware.

I had a request for some information as to where this started. Here is the website: http://stirrup-queens.blogspot.com/2006/09/history-of-infertilitys-common-thread.html
Thanks! :)

Happy Birthday to Matt!

Happy 37th Birthday to my wonderful husband! You bring so much happiness and joy to my life and all of those around you. Thank you for your gentle spirit and loving heart. You make my life complete and I love you without end! Enjoy your day knowing how incredibly special you are. Happy Birthday!!! :)

I need to breathe...

Do you ever feel like you just want to shout out to the world "STOP"!, just STOP!...and ...let me breathe... I do. I've been feeling like that a lot lately. We all deal with personal tragedies. Some more often than others, but I feel so frustrated by the way society just expects us to keep on going. Put on a happy face and just keep on going. Well, some days I just don't want to, yet I go about my day...smiling...laughing (haha)...as if I care about anything other than my miserable internal dibilitating battle over acceptance and downright bitter resentment. The weight of this battle is sometimes unbearable. Yet, does this chaotic world we live in ever give us time to grieve our losses? find peace within our tragedies? nurture our sometimes dying souls? give us time to find the happiness within our hearts again? Where does a person go to just "get away"????? Expectations are everywhere. Responsibilities are...everywhere. Sometimes I just want to call a "time out". Let Jamie find her sense of balance again. Try to make sense of and find peace in the possibility of a dying dream. How is that possible when there's work, school, cleaning, trying to eat "right", doctors appts., dogs, cats, yards, etc. and in the midst of it you don't have the energy to do any of it. Pretty soon another year has gone by and you're another year older and you wonder what you've learned...what you've experienced...what more your life has become about...and you can't think of anything. "Life" just seems to wisk us away...I want to know the key to slowing it down....I need to bbrreeaatthhee. Please world...just let me breathe.
(I'm really okay ~ just sad right now and need to get it out). :) Thanks for letting me breathe for 2 seconds.