Christ, Coffee, and Cornfields

  I've had many people ask me what they can do or how they should approach me and this topic. I really appreciate that, because reaching out shows love. **A little disclaimer: every person is different, so my pointers may not be applicable to every person at every time. User discretion is advised.** I've compiled a list of some do's and don't's, but it's by no means the most thorough list. It has been organized to where each set of do's and don't's are complements of each other. However, the best thing to do for someone struggling with infertility is to just ask them how to approach things. Do ...inform them of your pregnancy one on one and invite them to your celebrations. Text or phone call is probably best when breaking the news, if you're able. Infertile couples still love you and your baby! They want to celebrate with you. Don't ...complain about your pregnancy symptoms to them. It's like getting punched in the gut. Do ...share...

  We have just begun National Infertility Awareness Week, and I thought I'd start it off with telling our story. I've written about our journey within other posts, but this time I'm going to dedicate an entire piece to it. Infertility definitely has the hush factor surrounding it, and it's important to me to break the stigma and to help foster a dialogue. We aren't looking for pity or anything like that; we just want people to be aware that this cross is very real to more couples than you realize.   When Jordan and I got married in December of 2017, we told ourselves that we were going to try to avoid conceiving, at least for a little while, till we could get settled into being married. At the same time, though, we would have been overjoyed at being gifted a child. That's what we told ourselves, anyway. If you look at what our intimacy timing actually was though, we were definitely not trying to avoid getting pregnant. So every month, I was keenly aware that m...

  That's what I always explain to people when discussing cycle charting. It's more than just trying to avoid or achieve a pregnancy. It's way more than that, and to sell it short is a disservice to women.   What is charting, exactly? Basically, it's a way of keeping track of your menstrual cycle by noticing the signs your body gives you throughout your cycle. It's quite amazing how God created our bodies to keep us in the know; if only we listened to it more. I think most women subconsciously notice changes that happen to their bodies as it moves through each month, but don't actually file it away to look back on. I mean, let's be real here, sex ed and the puberty talk in school never discussed that sort of thing. All we heard is "you're gonna bleed for a week straight" and "your body is going to be changing." Nobody talks about what happens after puberty is over, when these kids grow up. It's no wonder why so many people are co...

  I've written before how patience is something I would really like more of. Something I'm still working on. Someone once said that God answers us in one of three ways: "yes", "no", or "I have something better"....the last one is code for "just wait." It seems like I get that answer from Him quite often.   It's really frustrating when we don't get the answer we want, and especially when it isn't immediately following our request. This doesn't just pertain to prayer, either. It might be waiting for test results or waiting to hear back on the offer you put in for a house. You may also be waiting for the right person to come along to marry or maybe you're like me and are waiting to become a parent.   Life is full of waiting.   It's inevitable, really. So what do we do when we're faced with a time of waiting? Well, there are two options: you can focus on the wait and stress about it, or you can choose t...

  This morning, I was thinking about one of the Gospel readings this week that talked about separating sheep from goats because of what they did for others during their life. Today's first reading discusses how our eternal destination is not determined by whether or not the good we've done outweighs the bad. It's a matter of if you turn away from evil and seek good. It's determined on if you follow Jesus with both your words and your works, or if you turn away from those things. Jesus saved us, and by His Grace the doors of Heaven are opened to us, but we make the choice of if we get to walk through the pearly gates. Luckily, the Lord basically spells out what we need to do. One of the resources He gives us are the Corporal Works of Mercy.   All of the Corporal Works of Mercy have to do with the body. Most of them are pretty straightforward, but there are unique ways to do all of them. I'll go through each of the 7 individually, and how it applies to us today: ...

  It's crazy that Ash Wednesday is tomorrow already! Lent is one of my favorite parts of the Liturgical Year, and I think it's because it leads to the greatest season of all...Easter!! Besides that, though, it gives us a reason to restart. It's a time dedicated to drawing near to Christ and His Passion and Death. It's a time to do our best to give ourselves back to Him, for all He has done for us. The Church sets Lent aside to work specifically on prayer , fasting , and giving alms .   I've never been good at New Year's resolutions, because in my mind a new year technically starts every day. Lent, on the other hand, is a short season with a tangible finish. We know the ending to the story. Jesus died for us, and he went on to beat death! But for now, we must wait and prepare ourselves. I've always kind of looked at Lent as a time to better myself and my relationship with Christ, rather than just moping about because I gave up warm showers or something. It...

  It's been two weeks since my hash-out with God. Two weeks. The stark contrast in my life is absolutely incredible. Sure, I still struggle with things, but it's way more manageable now. My mom even said that I visibly look different; it's like I'm glowing. A recharge in faith has that effect on a person.   I know that if you've never experienced a Saul to Paul moment, it may be difficult to comprehend what I mean by all of this talk about being changed. So....I have an analogy! We serve a God who also wants to be our best friend. Now, this concept has always been a little difficult for me to grasp because God is not quantifiable the way humans are. But I keep on trying at this relationship, anyway.  Everyone has had a miscommunication at some point with somebody you love, whether it's your best friend, spouse, coworker, child, or sibling. I know I have. It's such a crummy feeling. Like you want to say something but don't know what to say or how to say...