The Joy of Normal

I am going to visit the topic of infertlity but from an odd place.  Most people talk about the proccess and coming to peace with whatever happens.  And I have done these things but what about after that time.  You are not trying to get pregnant anymore; or you have gotten pregnant and you are done; or whatever your situation.  But what do you do when something "normal" for everyone else happens to you.  How do you feel?  What do you think?  I am not sure what others think but here is my experience recently.

It is a little hard to explain but there are things in life that normal for most people but for some people with infertlity there is nothing normal about it.  With all the drugs or testing you often feel like a pin cushion or science experiment or just "weird" or abnormal.  You come to terms with the fact you are never going to be "normal."  So when your body does something normal you are excited.  You go wow and then you start to wonder again.

Do I suddenly expect something to change.  To just say no is not totally true but it is sort of odd.  It crosses my mind but usually not enough to take a test or prusue it.  And then it goes to the back burner.  For me there isn't an extreme high or low anymore.  But normal in itself is exciting.  Maybe because it makes me feel less like a freak and more like everyone else.  "Normal" may only be a moment in time or may become a part regular part of my life.  Either way I am enjoying my normal moment.

To women and/or men dealing with infertlity enjoy the moments of normal.  Enjoy them for not what they could mean but just for being normal.  For me that is the joy of "Normal."

Leftover Cheese Sauce

Sometimes you end up with strange leftovers.  In my case I bought a very large container of cheese sauce.  I thought I was going to do nachos for a super bowl party but things change.  So first I made tacos.  And here is the other idea I came up with to use some more cheese sauce.

Cheese Potato Soup

4 medium potatoes peeled and diced into small pieces
6 slices of bacon
1/2 onion diced
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 cups of milk
1-2 cups of water
1/2 to 3/4 cup of cheese sauce

Cook potatoes in boiling water till soft.  Meanwhile cook bacon and save drippings.  Dice the bacon to be added later.  Saute onions and carrots until soft in drippings.  Add milk and water.  Heat slowly on low heat.  When potatoes are soft drain and add to soup.  Add cheese sauce.  Stir until cheese sauce melts/mixes with the soup.  Heat until warm.  Add bacon and serve.  This fed our family of four.

You probably notice there is no celery.  You are welcome to add - it doesn't fly very well at our house.
I was putting peas in until I couldn't find any in freezer.

So I am down to a half a can of cheese sauce.  I may share a few more ideas until I am done. 

A reminder from My Sons

Most of the time I wonder if my sons are listening to the lessons we are trying to teach.  As for the millionth time, I say work it out or you are not going to like mom's solution.  Or when they have taken a swing at each other.  But once and while...

One of my sons this week reminded me that telling others about Christ and inviting them to church is not as complicated as we adults make it out to be.  He had gone on a tractor ride with a friend of ours and as the ride finished.  He simply asked him if he wanted to go to church.  The gentlemen who is a pastor of another local church let us know what he had done and said that sometime that he would come to church.  And he did today and my son sat with him.

Being a typically logical person, I first thought that they had talked about it in class.  But later learned no.  He just felt that needed to do it.  I am grateful to the gentlemen that agreed to come because with that simple answer he gave my son courage to do it again.  I am sure that many times the answer may be no.  It reminds me to just ask it is up to God to control the results.

My other son came down Sabbath morning and said I want to give my money to God.  And he proceeded to get money out of his piggy bank.  He was so excited to give his money in the offering plate.  Another reminder to me to just give.  Instead of thinking of all the reasons we can't or shouldn't.

These were my glimmers among the normal chaos.