Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

Hey guys! 

Long time, no blog. I've been at a standstill with blogging lately because, well, I have felt like I have absolutely nothing to blog about. As much as I love Elsie, I don't want this blog to just be about her. I'm not super crafty, so that's out. I don't like cooking. I don't get the chance to travel as much as I used to. My life centers around a number of things.
1. God - I have no intentions of blogging about religion. It's something that is very near and dear to my heart, and I'd like to keep it that way.
2. My family - while they are my whole life and posts may still occasionally focus on them, I don't want this blog to be all about us.
3. Photography - I have a blog just for my photography, so I'll keep that out of here, unless it's a simple tutorial or something.
4. Health & Fitness - when I'm not taking care of any of the previously mentioned things, I'm probably exercising or working on my Beachbody Business.

As many of you know, I'm pregnant with our second child & due in March. I really let myself go when I was pregnant with Elsie, and I DON'T want to do that again. So... I'm changing the focus of this blog. It's still going to be a lifestyle blog with a little bit of everything, but my primary focus will be on health and fitness. For now, I'm going to schedule out the time to blog once a week. If I can make it more often than that, great! If not... oh, well.

I miss you guys and this community, I really do. But blogging is not a priority right now. I've got a lot going on, and I've had to change my priorities around. Anyway, I'll be seeing you more often. Love you guys, and thanks for sticking around!

Recovering.

Happy Monday!!

At just over three weeks since giving birth, I'm a little more than halfway through the standard recommended recovery time for a c-section. I thought I'd take a minute to let you guys in on what that "recovery" has been like for me, both emotionally and physically (note: this is not meant to be a "this is what recovery from a c-section is like for everyone" post).

Physically

I feel like I have been incredibly blessed in the "physical" aspect. Within a week, I could walk about 6 blocks without any pain (I probably walked slower than your 90-year-old grandmother, but I could walk!). At two weeks, I got the "okay" from my midwife to start exercising (no Jillian Michaels or Insanity - just simple things). At three weeks, I can comfortably jog 2-3 blocks and briskly walk 1-2 miles.

Exactly one week after the c-section

That first week, though? Let me tell you about it.

For the first 24 hours, I could barely move. The nifty hospital bed was the only way I could sit up or lean back. I couldn't laugh, sneeze, cough, or pass gas because it hurt so badly. I was drugged out of my frickin' mind - first it was morphine via the IV, but when that wasn't killing the pain, they switched me to 2 percocet every 4 hours. I was still hooked up to the catheter (thank goodness, because I don't think I could have gone to the bathroom if I'd tried!) and every two-four hours, a nurse would come in and push and prod my tummy, dangerously close to my incision. It hurt like a beep.

After about 72 hours, I could get up from the bed with help from Michael. I could go to the bathroom... with help from Michael. I could walk through the halls of the hospital... with help from Michael. Are you sensing a pattern, here?

Once we came home from the hospital, it took virtually all of my strength to get from our bedroom to the bathroom. There was one point where it took me 20 minutes to get from point A to point B, and that was AFTER I spent five minutes getting up off the bed. Once again, I couldn't do anything without, you guessed it- help from Michael (thank goodness his boss gave him a week off).

For me, the first week was definitely the hardest. I still get frustrated that I'm not 100%, but I keep reminding myself that a c-section is frickin' major surgery!

This brings me to...

Emotionally

I was (and still kind of am) a wreck. For two weeks, I felt virtually every emotion imaginable. I was happy that I had a perfect, healthy baby girl. I was pissed that I couldn't do a dang thing for myself. I was disappointed that I didn't get the birth that I wanted (and can never have the water birth that I hoped for). I was sad that I had to have a c-section. I felt an immense amount of love for both Mike and Elsie. I felt hurt. I felt cheated. I felt annoyed. I felt weak. I felt frustrated. I felt like I wasn't good enough - like there was something wrong with me and my body. At one point, I even blamed Elsie for the way things played out. That was the limit. 

The problem with me feeling all of these emotions? I am a bottler. I bottle everything up, then I let it explode. Lucky for me, Mike could tell that something was seriously wrong before I reached the explosion. I honestly don't know what I would do without him. One night around midnight, he laid with me in bed, trying to get me to talk through all of my emotions. Eventually, after me saying, "It's nothing, it's not a big deal," about 500 times, everything just poured out. I cried and cried and told him how I felt like a terrible, weak human being for feeling this way. He was there for me - he held me close, told me how strong I was, and told me that it was okay.

It didn't all get better right away, but after that night, I didn't feel quite so bad. Since then, every day has gotten better. I still have moments where I'm frustrated, I still have days that I cry because I will never be able to experience birth the way I want to, there are times when I look in the mirror and wish that I was physically capable of a good, hard workout, and, yes - there are days that I am disappointed in myself and wonder if there was something I could have done differently.

Those are the moments I am so thankful to have these two people in my life to remind me that God is good and everything happens for a reason.

Part Four (AKA A Happy Ending).

Part One. 

Part Two. 

Part Three. 

At 5:45 pm, I saw the doctor hold up a purple thing that looked a little bit like an octopus who was missing a few limbs. It took me a minute to realize that 1) it was not an octopus… it was my baby! And 2) the surgeon had literally just barely taken her out of my stomach – she was real. Mike jumped up out of his seat and ran to be with the baby while they did her APGAR scores. All I could do was lay there and wait for them to stitch me up and wheel me to recovery so that I could finally hold my little girl. As I was waiting, though, I had tears running down my face. 

Just watching Mike “become” a daddy was the most amazing thing I have ever witnessed. The pure joy on his face as he took it all in was simply surreal. 

I probably looked like a wreck as I was laying there, tears running down my face, shouting out, “She’s so beautiful, my baby, my baby! That’s my beautiful little girl,” but I just didn’t care. I couldn’t wait for them to put me back on the bed and transfer me to recovery so that I could finally have some skin to skin time with our baby. As soon as I was on the bed, Carol brought Elsie to me and laid her on my chest. It was only then, as I watched my little girl begin to breast feed, that I could comprehend the miracle that had been occurring in my body for the past 41 weeks and four days. All I could do was look at my little girl and whisper, “I would do it all again for you. Every second of labor, every ounce of pain, every moment where I wanted to give up – I would do it all again in a heartbeat.” And that, my friends, is how I learned what a mother’s love is.

Did my birth go “according to plan?” Absolutely not. You know what, though? My midwife told me that I had just had one of the most positive births she had gotten to witness. I am absolutely convinced that it is because of the amount of time I had spent preparing my mind for the possibility of something other than a natural labor. I did everything I could to maintain a positive outlook on birth, making sure to remember that my health and my baby’s health were the two most important things. If I had had this labor and delivery in a third world country or another time, I may not have made it. Elsie may not have made it. There is a time and a place for medical intervention, and I am so, so happy that we live in a world where those options are available. I’m thankful for a midwife and a nurse who stood by my side and supported me in every decision I made. Above all, though, I am thankful for my family. I’m thankful for Mike, who has been there for me every second since this journey began and I am thankful for Elsie, who, within seconds, completely changed the way I look at the world.

It truly is a miracle.

Part Three.

Part One. 

Part Two. 

I was so upset. I wanted a natural water birth more than anything, and had there been any progression, I wouldn't have given up. But when you're going through hard back labor for 12 hours and you are still only 2 cm dilated, it's nearly impossible to want to keep going. I had it written on my birth plan that they should refuse to give me an epidural if I asked. Dude. I am so glad they didn't refuse it. I think they could see how much pain I was in. I was given the epidural at 2:00 pm, and holy cow. It was amazing and strange. I was having the same super intense contractions, but I couldn't feel a thing.

At 2:30 they started me on pitocin. Carol came in and talked to me about the possibility of a c-section. At this point, I didn't care about anything other than having my baby in my arms. We went ahead and scheduled a c-section for 5:00 pm just in case there was still no progression by about 4:00. At 4:30, Carol came in and checked me. Guess what?! I was still at a 2, 80% effaced, and baby had reverted back to a posterior position. A c-section was pretty much all we could do at this point, and I was more than ready to meet my little girl.

We ended up going in for the c-section at 5:28 pm, but my epidural was starting to wear off and I could feel the contractions and back labor again. I was terrified that they were going to slice me open without upping the epidural, but Carol ensured me that they “aren’t into torture.” J I was wheeled into the operating room, moved from my bed to the table, and a sheet was put up so that I couldn’t see what was happening. Mike was by my side the entire time, holding my hand and comforting me, being sure to let me know that I was strong and that I could handle this. The anesthesiologist upped the dosage of my epidural and the surgeon gave me a hard pinch to make sure that I couldn’t feel anything.

There was a ton of pressure – it was the strangest sensation. I could feel everything, but nothing hurt. That does not mean that I didn’t shout out, though. After hours of dealing with incredibly intense pain almost completely silently, I was shouting for the entire five minutes that the doctor was pushing and prodding. 

Stay tuned... the best is yet to come (and it's about dang time, this is a stinkin' novel of a birth story). 

Part Two.

Part One

Once my water was broken, the contractions spread out to about 3 minutes apart and had intensified quite a bit. I labored on the birth ball a bit, but because of the back labor, it was not incredibly comfortable. I ended up pacing back and forth through our room, so we decided to wander through the halls. After roaming the halls for about 15 minutes, we headed back to the room so that the nurse could take my vitals and check the baby's heart rate.

Once it was determined that everything was okay, I asked if I could labor in the jacuzzi. At this point, my pain was probably about an 8 on a scale of one to ten, and it was getting harder and harder for me to breathe through them in silence. I started to moan a bit as I was breathing out, and it was surprisingly helpful. After quite a while, I had a contraction that was so painful it threw me out of my "zone" and I just looked at Mike and started to cry. I couldn't take it anymore! Luckily, my nurse had just walked into the room to check baby's heart rate, and she knew exactly what to say. She told me that I was strong and capable, to take the contractions one at a time, and to remember that every contraction I went through was one less that I would have to face in the future. I labored in the tub until the water cooled off, then it was time to be checked again.

At 11: 35 am, it was determined that I was still at a 2 and about 80% effaced. After hearing that, I wanted to break down and cry! The only plus here was that baby had finally decided to rotate a bit and was no longer completely posterior. Mike and I decided that it was time to go for another walk in the hopes that it would help get things moving. We walked the halls one more time, and standing during contractions was one of the most painful things ever. I had to get back in the tub. We went back to our room and I had Mike fill the birthing tub with warm water. I labored in the tub until about 12:55 pm when it was time for the nurse to do another cervical check (we needed to know if we were going to have to start pitocin).

When the nurse reached in to do the check, I knew that something wasn't right- the baby was posterior again (of course, I could have told you that based on the back labor). It hurt so badly, and when she told me that I was still only 2 cm dilated after 12 hours of hard labor, I lost it. At 1:05 pm, I had a major breakdown. My body was shaking from exhaustion, and I was only getting 2 minutes to rest between each contraction. My breathing was going out of whack and my relaxation techniques were going out the window. Normally people tell you that when you've reached the point where you want to give up, you're the closest to the end. I knew that wasn't true for me - my body just would not do what it needed to to get this baby out, and I was upset. I cried to Mike that I couldn't do it anymore - if they were going to give me pitocin, I was going to get an epidural, because my body had reached its limit.

Part One.

Meet Elsie Lyn Garner, born May 24, 2013 at 5:45 p.m. via c-section.

Here's part one of her birth story (it will be four parts... sorry it's so dang long and that the pictures in this post are not the greatest - still at the hospital). 

As many of you know from this post, I was scheduled to head to the hospital at 7:30 pm on May 23, 2013 to be induced. Mike and I arrived at labor and delivery at about 7:45 pm (that's us... always so punctual) and I was prepped for cytotec. Part of this "prep" involved a vaginal exam to see how far dilated and effaced I was. I am going to be completely honest and say that this exam hurt more than ANYTHING ELSE I experienced while in labor. I know that sounds ridiculous, but because of Elsie's positioning (she was posterior), my cervix was back incredibly far and it was nearly impossible to check. Once the exam was over, it was determined that I was at about 2 cm dilated and 70% effaced.

At 9:03 pm, the nurse gave me my first dose of cytotec. Mike and I sat back and relaxed, waiting for the pill to work its magic (we watched Fever Pitch on E! in case you were wondering. Good movie). I was hooked up to monitors to watch for contractions and make sure that Elsie's heart rate was regular. After the movie was over, Mike ran home to get the insurance card (kind of an important thing to have... oops) and I laid down to try and get some sleep.

Right around 1:00 a.m., my midwife checked me and determined that I would need a second dose of cytotec because the first dose didn't do much. At about 1:35 am, a second dose was inserted, and I laid down to get some rest through the minor contractions I was having. The contractions started getting stronger and stronger, and by about 2:45 am I was having very strong, steady contractions that I could no longer sleep through. They were bad, but not bad enough that I felt the need to wake up Mike. I knew he would be helping me through labor on Friday, so I let him sleep.

By about 3:05 am, Mike was awake with back pain (poor guy was sleeping on an incredibly uncomfortable "couch") and moved to the recliner next to the bed. As I breathed through the contractions, he was able to get a little more rest. Finally, at 4:10 am, I decided it was time to get Mike up for the day - I really had to pee, and needed him to help me get all unhooked from the monitors so that I could walk to the restroom. I sat down on the toilet and when I stood up, I realized there was quite a bit of blood there. I freaked out a little bit and Mike called our nurse in. Totally forgot that there was this little thing called the "bloody show" that is totally normal - oops! Better safe than sorry though, right?

Anyway, the contractions continued and were about 1.5 - 2 minutes apart and very intense. My midwife was called in to check dilation at about 5:30 am and I was still at a 2 and 70% effaced. She determined that it was a good time to break my water. I asked for about 10 minutes to get myself "in the zone" and by the time I was ready, she had been called into a c-section for another one of her patients. At 7:03 am, she was back and ready to break my water. Mike was such a trooper and put his arm under my hips to help lift me up so that my cervix was more easily accessible. I don't think he really thought that one through, but I was so grateful for him. It took Carol (my midwife) about a minute to get in there and break my water, and it was such a relief. I immediately felt so much lighter and the contractions felt like they were so much more effective.

Thoughts as of Late.

First of all, I'm not allowing comments on this post. This is one of those posts that I'm writing to get things off my chest. I love you guys and I appreciate your support, but this is kind of a post for me. If you REALLY want to reach out and say something, you can email me.

Tonight is the night. I'm going to the hospital at 7:30 pm (unless this little girl decides to be a gem and throw me into labor before then, which is doubtful). I'll be given a small dose of Cytotec (a pill used to ripen and dilate the cervix - please do not email me with potential side effects, okay?) this evening, then spend the night resting up for the work to come tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, my midwife will break my water and give my body a few hours to start labor on its own. If that doesn't work, we will start on a small dose of pitocin and slowly up it until my body begins to labor. If and when my body regulates itself, I can be taken off pitocin and have the water birth that I've been hoping for.

How do I feel about all of this, considering the fact that I was hoping for a natural water birth with as little medical intervention as possible? 

I'm torn. It's been really, really difficult for me to come to terms with being induced. Let me begin by saying this - I trust my midwife wholeheartedly. I have been able to build a fantastic relationship with her since I switched from an OBGYN about three and a half months ago. She knows my birth plan, and she is absolutely dedicated to giving me the birth I want. Sometimes, though, things just don't go according to plan. We had a heart to heart at my appointment on Monday and discussed my options. She made it clear to me that it was my decision, but she also laid out the facts.

- There is a HUGE push for induction once a pregnant woman hits 41 weeks.
- Induction greatly increases the need for even more medical intervention, and the risk of c-section is much higher with induced births than it is with natural births.
- Because I hit 42 weeks on a holiday weekend and our hospital was booked for inductions the Tuesday following Memorial Day, I could either be induced Friday (tomorrow) or go in the following Wednesday night to be induced next Thursday.
- If I chose to be induced Friday, I would only have to undergo one non-stress test and one ultrasound.
- If I chose to wait it out, I would have to do four non-stress tests and possibly 2 or more ultrasounds.
- My baby has been engaged for over three weeks, but, for some reason, my cervix is not dilating at all.

I'm going in this morning to have my cervix checked. If I'm dilated at all, my midwife will strip my membranes in the hopes that it will help with the onset of labor.

So. Now onto how I feel about all of this. I wish I could say that I'm totally A-OK with being induced. I am... to a point. I would not have agreed to an induction if I didn't think that it was the best choice. My midwife reminded me that it is my choice, and that I could refuse induction if it was not what I wanted.

That being said, I'm disappointed. I always knew that induction was a possibility - many first-time-moms end up being induced. I guess, though, that since I've had such a perfect, easy pregnancy (don't punch me), I thought that labor would come on its own. I assumed that I'd be able to have the water birth that I so desperately wanted. I told myself that a water birth might not happen, but I think I wanted it so badly that my subconscious just blocked that out.

I'm also relieved. Relieved that, in a couple of days, I will finally be holding my little girl in my arms. Let me be completely honest here and let you guys in on a secret - I have broken down a few times in the past week as I've watched friends have their babies. I was so, so happy for them, but so jealous. Why did they get to have their babies and I still don't have mine? When I had an appointment postponed because my midwife had to go deliver a baby, I lost it. It just wasn't fair. I should have had my baby days ago - why wasn't that me? I know the hormones are a huge reason I'm feeling these emotions, but let me tell you this - there is nothing more frustrating (to me, anyway), than not being in control of a situation, and lately, I've felt like an out of control whale without any clothes that fit.

Basically, I'm still praying that I won't have to be on pitocin for the entirety of my labor (or at all, for that matter), but I am absolutely determined to not let this "bump in the road" ruin my plans for a natural birth. I may not get a water birth, but that doesn't mean that I can't still have a completely natural, completely beautiful experience. I'm trying to remember the things that are most important - the fact that my baby will come into this world safely, the fact that my husband and midwife will be by my side, supporting me, and the fact that everything happens for a reason. I have a loving Heavenly Father who will be watching over and protecting me tomorrow as I welcome my little girl and her precious spirit into the world.

Five Things You CAN Say to a Pregnant Lady

Happy Friday!! 

Still no baby, but instead of complaining about that, I'm going to take this girl's advice and enjoy these last few days to the best of my ability.

Anyway. You all remember this post, right? Well, Anna pointed out that I should do a post of things you CAN say to a pregnant woman, since apparently almost every comment gets old or annoying. So... in light of the recent pregnancy epidemic, I thought I'd share:

1. You can do it. DO NOT EVER SHARE YOUR STUPID BIRTH HORROR STORIES. EVER. EVER. EVER. Instead, be encouraging. If you really thought birth was that bad, keep your trap shut. Don't tell me how you screamed throughout the entire delivery. Don't tell me how awful it was. Instead, be encouraging. Tell me that I can do it. Tell me how rewarding it is. Tell me what an amazing experience it was for you to finally meet your sweet little baby. I could go on for days about how much it pisses me off when people tell me about how awful birth was. Put yourself in a first-time-mom's shoes. She is probably nervous and a little scared. Do you think you're making it any better for her when you tell her how awful your labor and delivery were? Look. We are under no illusion that giving birth is easy, so just shut. up.

2. Your belly is so adorable! Do not comment on size, large or small. All women carry differently. I know it can bother me when people tell me how tiny my belly is. Chances are, a pregnant woman feels anything but tiny. If you think she's huge, don't insult her and tell her that. And never, EVER ask if she's having twins.

3. You look so radiant/ you are glowing! We probably feel a lot like a bloated, swollen whale, so it's nice to hear that we look radiant. If you can't say this and sound genuine, though, it's best to skip it. I don't want your pity!

4. You're going to be a great mom. Ummm this is probably one that you want to save for someone you actually know (because how awkward would it be to walk up to a random pregnant lady at the store, tap her on the shoulder and say, "Excuse me, but you're going to be a great mom. I can tell by all the oreos and pop tarts in your shopping cart." Just... don't). But if you know someone well enough to tell them this, please do! I know I sometimes get discouraged and think of all of the things that I could be doing better, and all the things that I can't do in the first place. I'll never be the mom who has freshly baked cookies for the kids when they get home from school - that's just not me. Does that mean I'll be a bad mom? Absolutely not, but when hormones are raging, it's REALLY easy to think of all the things you're not going to be the best at.

5. You look great! It's always good to hear that you still look like a human being instead of an elephant, so if you see me at the store and want to tell me how great I look, I will never pass up a compliment! HA!

In other news... Blogger Book Club! In case you've forgotten, the book for this month is 1984 by George Orwell. We will be linking up our reviews on Tuesday, May 27th. In order to give you some time to get the June book, we are voting on it now. Genre is paranormal. Vote below by Next Friday, May 23rd!

What paranormal book should we read for June book club?

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Gone by Michael Grant

Soulless by Gail Carriger

Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

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The Top Five Questions Pregnant Women Hate

1. How are you feeling? Look, we know you're trying to be nice, but when you get asked this question by everyone you know every time you see them, it gets old. Chances are high that I'm feeling like I want to punch you for asking me how I'm feeling.

2. Are you still pregnant? Look. My due date was two days ago. We talk regularly. You're friends with me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I take pictures of my food and share them on an almost daily basis... you think I'm going to forget to update the world on whether or not I've had the baby? No way, dude. I'll be instagramming myself in that sexy hospital gown with my swollen ankles and big belly at four in the morning while having a massive contraction.

3. Are you ready? Ready for what? To pop a baby out? To take care of a human for the next eighteen years? Is there such a thing as being ready? I mean, really. We all know that this first child is going to be a huge wake up call. I like to think I'm ready, but we all know there's no way anyone could possibly be 100% ready for what's about to hit me upside the head.

4. Aren't you afraid? Why do you automatically assume that? Why do people associate giving birth with fear? WHY DO YOU TELL ME THAT YOUR LABOR AND DELIVERY WERE SO AWFUL THAT YOU SCREAMED AT THE TOP OF YOUR LUNGS THE ENTIRE TIME?!? WHY? What good could possibly come of that? How about you do us both a favor and 1) skip your stupid horror stories and let me experience my own birth and 2) don't even ask this ridiculous question.

5. Did you know that ___________ makes the baby come? You know what, I've researched pretty much every "natural induction" technique there is, and nothing has worked. Therefore, I don't want to hear your "did you know that sexwalkingcastoroilspicyfoodsbouncingonabirthball makes the baby come" questions. I can answer you with a, "Yes, I've heard that that can induce labor, and believe me, I've tried..." but just know this - I'm annoyed when I give you that answer. This little terd will come when she's ready. No sooner, no later.

And now that I probably sound like a huge witch with a capital "B," I'm done. Ha, let's just blame this post on the pregnancy hormones that are making me increasingly insane and irritable.

Happiness & Changes

Before you ask... 

YES. I AM STILL PREGNANT. 

See? 

Phew, now that we've got that over with, let me let you guys all in on what's been going on in my life lately (you know, besides growing a human). I'm going to be a bubbly Betsy and share ten things in life that are making me happy.
1. Yesterday was my last day of working full-time. I can't really describe the feelings that have come from ending this chapter of my life - part of me is absolutely ecstatic that I've chosen to be a SAHM this summer to my sweet little girl, but part of me also feels guilty - guilty for leaving people and a job that I care about behind. Guilty for taking away our primary source of income. Guilty for taking away our health, dental, and vision insurance. Guilty for not working. After a lot of prayer and running the numbers, though, Mike and I know that this is the right choice for our family. This makes me happy.

2. In the fall, I will be going back to school. I am so, so excited to be going back to school for my master's! I'll be in a dual major master's program, getting master's degrees in teaching and German. 

3. I was offered a Graduate Teaching Assistantship position at UNL! This is a huge blessing, you guys. HUGE. As in, I was past the deadline to apply, but a professor approached me and basically offered me a position that wasn't even technically open. I will have my graduate tuition waived and will receive a monthly stipend (that just so happens to be enough to cover all of our bills). If ever you doubt that things will work out... just stop. Because things have a way of working out. Always. 

4. The weather has finally warmed up. Obviously I am ecstatic about this, considering the fact that there was snow on the ground a week and a half ago.

5. I got to spend the entire weekend with my husband. We were able to spend every waking moment together this weekend, and words cannot even begin to describe how happy that made me. I know that our time as a family of two is limited, and I will always cherish the simple, lovely weekend we just had where it was just the two of us.

6. I get to meet my little girl soon. I am so excited to be able to hold this precious babe in my arms and learn what it is to be a mother.

7. I'm about to rediscover my wardrobe. At least I hope I can get small enough to squeeze into some of my pre-pregnancy clothes. Regardless, I am happy that I'll be getting my normal clothes back soon!

8. I will finally have a little bit of time to blog! I have missed blogging so much while I've been working over the past 10 months. I don't know how people who work full time also manage to blog full-time. That was a balancing act that I just wasn't prepared for. I'm definitely excited to be able to blog again, though!

9. Husband got me a pedicure for Mother's Day. I'm happy that my husband is not only OK with me pampering myself on occasion, but that he encourages it! I'm such a lucky gal.

10. Tis the season for driving through town with the windows down and the sunroof open. All while blaring some feel-good jams. THAT is happiness all bottled up!

What is making you happy right now?