Chasing Joy

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Live IUI # 3: How Many Sperm???

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Happy Friday Joy Chasers!  I know that being a mother will come with some unique challenges that I cannot even imagine at this stage of my life.  I would like  to think that as I go through this trying to conceive process I am being prepared for parenthood.  Things don’t go as planned and are often stressful.

Last week I shared my plans for my 3rd IUI.  I also shared how this IUI was already starting out on the wrong foot with miscommunication with the clinic and feeling unsure about how the timing was going to work out.  Well I had the IUI and things continued to go NOT as planned.  The video below is of me getting the IUI.  Pay attention to the conversation I am having with the doctor in the beginning.  Spoiler Alert! The sperm count was low!!!!

 I left the doctor’s office so disappointed.  The sperm count was less than half of the amount guaranteed by the bank.   IUI #3 is the most stressful one so far.  After the insemination I started praying and hopping that this cycle would show evidence of God’s sense of humor and irony.  Maybe the cycle where everything goes wrong will be my lucky cycle.  But before we find out we must wait, as in the two week wait.

IUI #2 Results Are In! But Are They Joyful? Pregnant Or Not Pregnant?

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Pregnant or Not Pregnant, that is the question.  I was much more optimistic about this IUI than the first one. I used the IPAD App Fertility Friend to track my temperatures and determine my ovulation.The timing for the first one was not good.  I ovulated three days after the IUI.  That’s just too late.    This time the app showed that I ovulated the same day as the IUI.  That is great timing much better than the first time.  I was a nervous wreck during the two week wait.  But mixed in those nerves was a lot of hope because the timing was so good.  Now, the wait is over.  The results are in.

Thank you all for your continued support, prayers, and baby dust!

Lunch Would Be More Joyful If My Salad Smelled Like Cake

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Does your salad have a smell?  I’m not talking about the salmon, chicken, or dressing that you put on it.  I’m talking about the lettuce and veggies.  Do they have a smell?

Well mine doesn’t and that’s the problem.  OK if I lean in really close to my salad I can smell something. What it does not smell like is stew, pizza, or a pot pie.  Why oh why can’t my salad smell like fried chicken?  LOL  I know you are wondering what I am talking about.

I have always struggled with my weight.  I have written about it many times before.  It is an on going battle.  Since starting my journey towards becoming a mom the battle has intensified.  The stress of the two week wait and the disappointment of the IUI not working has not been good for my eating habits.  I have been trying to get back on track by focusing more on my nutrition to increase my fertility odds.  I have been trying to eat more lean protein, calcium, and vitamin C.

In this spirit I brought a salad into work yesterday for lunch. But what happens about 15 minutes before its time for my salad?  My co-workers start warming up their left over pasta, opening up their take out containers, and bringing back slices of pizza from one of the celebrations that seem to take place every other day.

Their food smells so good.  My salad is suddenly the last thing I want.  I want something warm and fragrant and savory.  Yesterday I weakened and got a cup of soup to go with my salad.  But more often than I’d like to admit I give in, abandon my salad, and get something much less nutritious yet much more satisfying.

All of this could be avoided if only my salad had a smell, a smell like cake, Chinese food, or bacon.

Do you have to deal with this problem at your job?  How do you stick to your healthy meal when the unhealthy stuff around you smells so good?.

Test, Test & Test. Am I Expecting A Bundle Of Joy???

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Do you think you are a sane person?  I thought I was one too.  I mean, I have a few issues (anxiety, emotionally eating and a little melancholy, hence my Chasing Joy) but overall I considered myself to be a sane and stable person.  That is until I tried to get pregnant.  OMG!!!!  Now I know I am indeed insane.

This process makes you crazy!.   Deciding it’s time for plan B. Stressing over picking a sperm donor.  Getting all kinds of tests done.  Finally, getting inseminated.  Followed by the dreaded two week wait, two long weeks of over analyzing every little twinge, pain, and waive of nausea.

Around week two of the wait is when you really start to lose it.  Every trip to the bathroom leaves you hoping for signs of implantation and a desire to capture your pee in a cup so that you can carefully stick a pregnancy test in it and count one one thousand, two one thousand, three one thousand… all the way up to 5, 15, or 20 depending on the test. You start doing this way too early and when the test does not say pregnant you do it over and over and over again, day after day, up until the time that you should have waited to test in the first place.  
For those of you who know me or have been reading Chasing Joy for a while and don’t believe that I am now insane. Here is the video to prove it.  I tested, tested, and tested some more…..

Now you are a witness to my insanity.  I actually did more tests than shown in the video.  SMH!  It was bad!!!  
I won’t leave you hanging.  I know you want to know what the official verdict was.  What the blood tests results showed.
Have you ever tried to get pregnant?  Did you get pregnant the first month or did it take a while?  Did you have an IUI, IVF or do good old fashion (and much more fun) baby dancing?  Give me the details. Let’s compare notes!!!  

And The Torture Goes on: Baby Making Update, 5 Days Post IUI

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They say nothing worth having comes easy.  That definitely seems to be the case for me when it comes to building a family.  Having my own family has always been something I’ve wanted.  One of the reasons I choose to work for the government was because I knew I wanted a good work/life balance when I had a family. Yet having my own family is not happening easily.  Even know that I have decided to go for the baby before finding my Mr. Joy Chaser its not happening easily.

The two weeks between getting the IUI (Intra-Uterine Insemination) and waiting to find out if it worked are super hard. You over analyze every little ache and pain wondering if it could be the beginnings of a baby. This first video is more of my thoughts and over analyzing 5 days after the IUI.

Don’t even get me started on the progesterone.  It is the hormone your body makes to support a pregnancy and is responsible for many pregnancy symptoms like sore boobs and morning sickness.  A week after the insemination they test your blood to see if your body is making enough progesterone to support a pregnancy.  This 2nd video Is my thoughts after the progesterone test.  Spoiler alert I ended up needing the progesterone.  They like it over 10 and mine was 9.28.

Click here >>> For 2nd video about the progesterone test <<<

This two weeks is tough.  This entire process is tough.  Knowing there will not be another parent to help you through the pregnancy, the expense of the sperm, the medical tests, not knowing it works, etc, etc, etc…  I just have to keep reminding myself nothing worth having comes easy.  I know my future bundle of joy will be worth having.  
Do you have any advice for getting through the two week wait and through the process of getting pregnant?  Did any of you have to take progesterone while pregnant or trying to get pregnant?  

Joyful End of Year Goals

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Joyful End of Year Goals

Joyful End of Year Goals

Waiting to start the SMART Goals meet up.

I can’t believe it is Fall already.  Fall is not my favorite season.  Despite the heat I do like Summer best. I love the long days.  Then Spring because it is proximity to Summer and the flowering trees.  Fall actually is my 3rd favorite leaving Winter for last.

There are two things that I do really like about Fall.  I do enjoy the vibrant colors of Fall foliage.  The other and more important thing that I like about Fall is the feeling of renewal and fresh start. This is 100% a leftover from childhood.  Growing up in Philadelphia, in the Northeastern United States, we always started school in September.  September, and the Fall, represented a new school year, new school supplies, new back to school clothes, new friends, and new, new, new. After college I started my career working for the federal government in September. So even now, the Fall represents a new work year for me.

That feeling of renewal makes me reflect on goals and setting end of year goals. That is why I had the Free SMART Goals meetup on Friday.  The meetup was great for me. Taking those few hours to focus on goals helped me to get a clear plan for several end of year goals (I’ll share some below).  It also helped me to prioritize my goals. There is always a list of about 15 things I feel like I need to be working on. I shared the tool that I use to help me prioritize my goals with those who came out.  I also shared the SMART Goals worksheet I created to help transform those vague, shall I say wishes, into SMART Goals.  With clarity on these end of year goals I feel more confidant that I will end 2017 Joyfully.

Remember SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time Sensitive. Two of my personal SMART goals are below. In addition to these personal goals other goals worked on at the meet up included business goals, and financial goals (making money & saving money).

Initial goal 1. Get back to focusing on bible scriptures.

Initial goal 2. Eat better.

SMART Goal 1. I will focus on bible scriptures by writing out by hand a new scripture each week, sharing it online, and then reading it every day in the morning and before bed. Specific✔ Measurable✔ Actionable✔ Realistic✔Time Sensitive✔

SMART Goal 2. I will eat better by eating at least 1 fruit every day during breakfast or lunch and 1 serving of vegetables every day during lunch or dinner. Specific✔ Measurable✔ Actionable✔ Realistic✔ Time Sensitive✔

It is not too late for you to set some end of year goals.  Make sure they are SMART.

End Of Year Smart GoalsPlease share your SMART Goals in the comments. Also feel free to share any goal that you are having trouble transforming into a SMART Goal and I will try to help.

What are your end of year goals?

P.S I have shared the SMART Goals worksheet in the Chasing Joy Facebook Group. Click here to join >>> Add me to the group!!!  I will also be sending out the SMART Goals worksheet in the next Chasing Joy Quarterly Newsletter .  Click here to subscribe >>> Subscribe Me!!!

Chasing Joy in prAna Active Wear

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Chasing Joy in prAna Active WearThis is a sponsored post for the prAna. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Believe it or not I  don’t like exercising.  It is hard. Sometimes it hurts while you are doing it.  If you do it really well you get to be sore and achy after as well. Let’s not even mention the sweating, smelly post workout clothes, and extra laundry. Despite all of this I have managed to have a consistent workout routine for most of my adult life. I once even worked out for 100 days in a row. A little while ago I shared some tips on Instagram and Facebook on how to develop a consistent routine.

 

A post shared by Arlett R. Hartie (@chasingjoy) on


Number 1 is have cute workout clothes that you want to wear.  This is so important, especially when you are new to working out or trying to start working out again.  When I get cute new workout clothes I cannot wait to go to the gym or go out walking so I can wear them.  That’s exactly how I felt a few weeks ago when I got my outfit from prAna.

prAna makes active clothing that can take you from casual time with friends, to the gym, or out walking and hiking without a wardrobe change.  When I visited the site I liked what I saw but I was not really sure if their clothes would fit my curvy plus size body.  Honestly, I was a little nervous when I found out I was included in the bloggers selected to review the line. The clothes looked so cute online.  I hoped they’d fit and look cute on me.

Well I was not disappointed.  The cute teal outfit I chose fit and looked awesome on my curves.  I went with the teal because I loved the bright color.  I feel more confident about my body than when I was younger.  So, I don’t feel the need to blend in with dark colored workout gear. I don’t mind standing out and that teal color definitely does that.

Another reason I chose this particular outfit was because of the detailing on the yoga capri pant.  That simple little design kicks the capri pant up a notch from just something to wear to the gym to a fun capri tights to wear anywhere.

Once I tried the outfit on and saw that it fit I could not wait to test it out with a workout.  We have had some really hot days in Philly this summer and that day was one of them.  It was so hot that I had to wait until almost sunset to go out walking.  So, I decided to get dinner first and then walk it off.

CHASING JOY IN PRANA ACTIVE WEAR

Wearing my cute prAna workout outfit I was fashionable enough for dinner out at Grand Lux without having to change clothes.  I simply put on a sparkly shirt over my teal workout tank.  It looked super cute and appropriate for the restaurant.  prAna says their clothing is great to wear anywhere “from city streets to mountain peaks” they can add restaurants to the list as well.  The clothing is created to be fashionable, comfortable and versatile.  My outfit definitely fit that description.

CHASING JOY IN PRANA ACTIVE WEARWhen I did finally get to my workout I liked that everything stayed in place.  I walked about 3 miles that day.  My shirt did not ride up and my pants stayed in place.  I hate when an outfit does not fit properly and you are constantly pulling at.  That was not the case with my prAna outfit.

I am a new prAna fan.  In addition to their clothing being cute, functional and versatile it is echo friendly.  All of the items given to us bloggers are either made of organic cotton or hemp. A lot of prAna’s items even use recycled materials. If your not sure why organic cotton or hemp is a big deal check out these videos.

If you are ready to start a new workout routine or get back to regular workouts then start buy getting a cute new workout out fit from prAna.  You will be excited to wear it. It will function properly and it will be Eco friendly.  Win! Win! Win!

If those three wins are not enough here is a 15% off coupon code so  you can save a few coins

Use code S17BLAR for 15% off

 

CHASING JOY IN PRANA ACTIVE WEARWhat do you wear to workout? Do you feel better about exercising when you have cute workout clothes? What are you thinking of buying from prAna?

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of The bLink Marketing Network and prAna. The opinions and text are all mine.

Comments submitted may be displayed on other websites owned by the sponsoring brand.

5 Reasons I Need To Go To Disney

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I met Mickey Mouse and hung out with the folks from Disney!!!

5 Reasons I Need To Go To DisneyLast week I had the best night ever. I had the opportunity to have dinner with a bunch of Philadelphia area bloggers and the social media team from Disney. It was an amazing experience. For starters, I was honored to even be invited to dinner. As a blogger and social media influencer I often feel like I’m talking to myself. It’s nice to know that people are reading and being inspired by my posts here and on social media. Also, It is really nice to be on the radar of an awesome brand like Disney.

Disney invited us to dinner so that they could tell us about the great new things happening in the Parks and to give us some information about the Disney Dreamers program.

I have never been to Disneyland or Disney World. I have not even been on a Disney cruise. I’ve always wanted to go. Unfortunately my family didn’t have the finances to take us on vacations like that when I was a kid. I always had it in my mind that I would take my kids when I have them. For some reason I always thought of Disney as a place to go as or with kids.

Well last week’s dinner changed my mind. After hearing about the amazing new attractions coming to the park I can’t wait to go. As a matter of fact, because I love lists so much, below is a list of the five reasons I have to go to Disney.

  1. Happiest Place on Earth – Disney is supposed to be the happiest place on earth and I write about happiness so clearly we are a perfect match.  Seriously Disney is about optimism, hope, fairy tales, fantasy, and happily ever after.  With so much negativity in the world the concept of going somewhere and being completely immersed in happiness sounds amazing!
  2. Avatar Inspired Attractions – I do not love sci-fi movies.  However, when Avatar came out I actually saw it twice in the theater.  The story line was good but what blew me away was the beauty.  To this day Avatar is still the most beautiful movie I have ever seen. The movie’s world, Pandora, was simply amazing.  I knew back then that it would have to become an attraction here on earth.  Disney has done just that. The Avatar themed attractions come complete with floating mountains, the Na’vi river,  and rides on the back of a Mountain Banshee.  I need to go there.
  3. Animal Kingdom – Having never been to Disney before I did not know much about the different parks.  Well at dinner last week I learned that the Avatar attractions reside in Animal Kingdom. But that’s not all.  There are also attractions like The Tree Of Life Awakening and Rivers of Light that illuminate at sunset. If you know me in real life I love anything that sparkles or has pretty lights.  The Animal Kingdom is the place for me.
  4. Childhood dream –  Like I said above, my parents did not have the money to take us to Disney.  None of my friends were going either.  The only people I knew of who went to Disney were people on TV or the few people that I thought of as rich.  I have imaged taking my kids there since then.
  5. Disney Without Kids – So I have been putting off Disney because I don’t have kids and imagine going once I do.  But just last year a friend of mine told me she went with her sister. Just the two of them, adults, running around Disney.  She said they had a  great time. Since then I have been thinking I should go too.  At diner last week I learned that not only do adults go to Disney without kids there is a name for them.  They are called DWOKs (Disney Without Kids).  I want to be a DWOK!

Have you been to Disneyland or Disney World? Which do you prefer? What attraction should I make sure not to miss when I get to go.

My Recap of the Chasing Joy Spa Day

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My Recap of the Chasing Joy Spa Day.

I can’t believe it has been a week since the Chasing Joy Spa Day.  Time goes so fast.  All that prep and the event had come and gone.

Hopefully you could tell from my Facebook and Instagram posts that the #CJSpaDay was a success. We had a great group of women.  I consider it an honor that they spent their Sunday afternoon at a Chasing Joy Event.

My favorite thing about the Spa Day was interacting with these women.  I love blogging and writing.  But being able to discuss what makes us happy, the importance of self care, and our own unique ways of practicing self-care in real life with real women was awesome.  These women have jobs inside and outside of the home, spouses, children, parents that they care for, and all kinds of unique situations.  But they all put their guards down and shared how they take care of them.  The interaction was amazing and I enjoyed it more than anything else.

My second favorite thing about the spa day was the giveaways  I have always enjoyed gift giving.  That’s why prizes are always a part of Chasing Joy Events.  We were so blessed to have eight sponsors for the spa day check them out on the events page.  These eight sponsors provided swag and door prizes totalling over $600.  That does not even include the many discounts and offers still available for Spa Day attendees to take advantage of.  It was so awesome hearing the squeals of delight and seeing the looks on the attendees faces when they realized they had the winning tickets.

Chasing Joy Spa Day Recap

The face you make when you win a Bloom Beautifully Box

The Chasing Joy Spa Day was an awesome afternoon. Here is m recap.

The face you make when you win registration to Blogalicious.

Last but not least I really enjoyed the guided meditation hour.  Allison knew there would be a lot of the same women from the first spa day so she treated our session like a part two.  She did a great job of recapping what we learned back in the fall for the new ladies while still kicking it up a notch for the rest of us with the singing bowl.

I am so happy with how the Chasing Joy Spa Day turned out.  I’m looking forward to hosting it again in the fall. This one sold out so make sure you are on the Chasing Joy mailing list so you don’t miss the next one.   Actually there very well could be a presale so that you regular readers and event attendees can secure your spots.

P.S. Stay tuned to the Chasing Joy FB page.  I will be sharing all of the professional photos there.  I can’t wait to see them when Photographer Chanelle is done editing.

A New Product to Help with Getting Pregnant Naturally, The Stork OTC

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GETTING PREGNANT NATURALLY, THE STORK OTC

This is a sponsored post for The Stork OTC. However all opinions expressed herein are my own.

Happy Monday!!!  Normally I only talk about baby making or my efforts at getting pregnant on Fridays.  But, I found out about an awesome product to help with getting pregnant naturally and couldn’t wait to share it with you guys.  It is called the Stork OTC.

As you guys know I have been trying to get pregnant for two years now.  While Chasing Joy is not a fertility blog, Chasing Joy is about going after the joyful life you want.  For me that includes motherhood and I am not alone.  That is why it is important for me to share my journey.  Similarly, It is also important for me to share information on getting pregnant that is not specific to my journey but may help you with your own efforts at getting pregnant.

Since my effort at getting pregnant is a solo project I started right away with going to a fertility specialist and having an IUI.  This is likely not where you will start if you are getting pregnant with a male partner aka husband, boyfriend, or BAE.   You will start trying to get pregnant naturally aka the fun way.  The Stork OTC is a fertility product that you can use to help you.  Think of this as a step you can take before you head into a fertility specialist.

Here is how it works. BAE will wear something similar to a condom while you guys have sexy time. It will capture his swimmers.  When he takes it off the The Stork OTC will then allow you to place those swimmers inside of you way up near your cervix. The placement is similar to that of a diaphragm. Getting those swimmers close to the cervix is what increases your chance at getting pregnant.  Future Single Mother’s By Choice like myself or same sex female couples don’t feel left out.  You can use The Stork OTC with donor sperm as well.

To see exactly how The Stork OTC works click here >>> Show Me How The Stork OTC Works.

If i had known about The Stork OTC I may have tried it before I did an IUI.  Oh well I am on the IVF train now.  However, despite the fact that I had medical intervention from the very beginning I still did a lot to boost my natural fertility. Despite my first transfer not working I attribute ending up with a total of 5 embryos from the IVF to those efforts. So if you are working on getting pregnant here are a few things to try in addition to The Stork OTC.

  • Take a prenatal vitamin.  This will give you additional nutrient support but most importantly it will give you the folic acid that your baby will need in those first few weeks.  Lack of folic acid in those first few weeks when you may not even realize you are pregnant can cause neural tube defects.  So pretty much all women of childbearing age should take a prenatal just in case.  The down side is the pills are kind of big.  But you can find smaller ones.  The bonus (outside the benefits to baby) is you may see an improvement in your hair and nails.
  • Take Vitamin D.  Vitamin D comes from the sun.  Our milk is fortified with it but the main source is sunlight. Depending on your skin tone and the climate you live in you may likely have a vitamin deficiency. I am a black girl living in Philly (Northeastern United States) where we don’t get a lot of sun during the fall and winter. Not surprisingly I was Vitamin D deficient.  You can get vitamin d over the counter and it even comes in gummy form.
  • Get your thyroid checked.  I was surprised to find out I had a thyroid issue.  It is technically not a thyroid problem as my levels are considered normal for a grown woman. However for pregnancy a thyroid number between 1 and 2.5 is considered optimal.  Mine was a bit over this so I started taking Synthroid.  One bonus from this is that I now find it a little easier to lose weight.  It’s still hard AF though,  Yall see me posting my workouts on Instagram, LOL.
  • Get your blood sugar levels checked.  If your body is not metabolising sugars properly that will have a negative impact on getting pregnant.  I found out my blood sugar levels were a little too high and was given a medication to help. I also met with a nutritionist.
  • Speaking of losing weight, get to a healthy weight range.  Being either overweight or underweight can impact your ability to ovulate.  There are also studies showing women who are not in a healthy weight range have a harder time getting pregnant even if they are ovulating.
  • Take Vitamins E and C.  A while back I told you guys about the book It Starts With The Egg.  The book talks about how toxins may play a role in diminished fertility.  After reading it I started taking Vitamin E and C as they are both antioxidants which help protect our cells from toxins. Remember our eggs are cells and cell division is how we go from sperm and egg to little bundles of joy..
  • Look into CoQ10 and DHEA.  I also took these supplements to aid in my fertility.  I think these two are responsible for performing a Benjamin Button on my ovaries.  At one point the fertility tests showed I had the ovaries of a 40 year old woman when I was only 36.  Both of these help with egg quality.  I don’t know of any negative of using CoQ10.  Unfortunately you have to be a bit more careful with DHEA.  It is a form of male hormone.  If your male hormones are already on the higher side it can actually be harmful to take it. So look into it and discuss with your doctor. Have them give you a blood test to check your hormone levels first.  Other supplements mentioned in the book included myo-inositol and  royal jelly. These seemed a little controversial so I stayed away from them.
  • Lastly make lifestyle changes.  I lost weight by exercising and  eating  healthier (sometimes I fall off though). I also made changes to my skin, hair, and makeup routines to avoid unnecessary chemicals.  Now I only wear foundation on special occasions. I switched my nail polish to ones with fewer chemicals.  In addition I also switched my hand soap, body wash, lotion,  and dishwashing liquid to natural products.  I also stopped relaxing my hair.  That’s why I am rocking these lovely braids.Getting Pregnant

So there are lots of things to do to help naturally improve your fertility before moving to fertility drugs and procedures.  I’m glad we can now add The Stork OTC to the list of things that can help you with getting pregnant.

Click here to find out where to buy The Stork OTC >>> Buy The Stork OTC.

Keep in mind that as we get older fertility goes down. The general rule of thumb is if you have been trying on your own with no luck you should reach out to a Reproductive Endocrinologist after a year if you are under 35 and after 6 months if you are over 35.

I want us all to have the Joyful lives we deserve. If your joyful life includes becoming a mom I hope you found this helpful.

Would you try The Stork to help you with getting pregnant?  Have you done any of the other things I mentioned to help with getting pregnant? Did they work?

This is a sponsored post for The Stork OTC. However all opinions expressed herein are my own.
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