[*becky*]

Our MEMBER OF THE WEEK IS: Emily!

on Monday: you'll post your story of your life and TTC, etc.

on Tuesday: you'll post 20 random/interesting facts to get to know you better

on Wednesday: Will be Q&A time, others will ask you questions and you answer

on Thursday: Is show and tell, show/share pictures that relate to you and your life and tell about them

on Friday: you'll post anything you know about TTC , share your knowledge!

[Emilymac]

Good morning. I just got invited to a friends cabin on the lake today. I'm taking DD out of the city to play at the lake! Couldn't pass up the invite! I will write my first post (life story) this evening. I hope everyone has a great Monday.

[*becky*]

Oh what fun! I'm jealous!! Have a great time!

[Emilymac]

Geography:

I was born on a small island in the Republic of the Marshall Islands (southwest of Hawaii) in 1978. The island we lived on was an American missile defense testing site and my dad flew the army engineers to various islands in the atoll. My mom was a grade school teacher. The island is so small that my mom was actually my second grade teacher! My parents, my older sister, and I lived there for eleven years. My family and I then moved to San Diego, CA, for two years. We then moved to Washington State when my dad took a job with United Airlines. I have also lived in Idaho (for college) and Virginia (where my husband attended law school). I now live in Washington State.

Interesting Fact: Although both my parents were American citizens, I was required to obtain citizenship papers before applying for a passport because my birth certificate was foreign. When I was seventeen I had to take an oath to the United States before I traveled to Germany for a semester exchange my senior year. I guess I can’t run for president!

Education/Profession:

I received my bachelor’s degree in Business at the University of Idaho. While I was going to college I worked at an early children’s center. I quickly discovered that I enjoyed working with children more than my economics and accounting classes! After graduation I attended Washington State University and received a Masters in Education. I taught middle school math in Virginia and Washington State, but I am currently a stay-at-home mom. I intend on returning to teaching after my children are in school!

Love:

I actually met my husband in high school in Washington (about 13 years ago), but we did not hang out together. We ran into each other again during our sophomore year in college and the rest is history! We dated for 3 years and have been married for 6 years now! My sweet husband is an attorney. The other love of my life is my two-year-old daughter, Molly!

Random:

I’ll save these for tomorrow’s interesting fact list!

TTC:

My husband and I were blessed to have “accidentally” conceived our daughter during his second year of law school. We were not quite ready for a baby, but welcomed her with open arms! (I was actually on the pill...how ironic.) We started trying for baby #2 last summer. I was lucky to become pregnant again quickly the first cycle. We lost that baby in October due to a blighted ovum (a missed miscarriage). We tried again and 5 cycles later we were pregnant. We lost this baby girl due to a chromosome problem called triploidy (three sets of chromosomes). We are now on our second cycle of trying AGAIN.

[snsgirl336]

That's a great life story! Thanks so much for sharing it! It seems like you and your DH were meant to be parents to your little Molly! She's adorable by the way! I'm sorry about your losses, I can't imagine those were easy to deal with.

I can't wait for the rest of the week to get to know you better!

[*becky*]

Cool! I didn't know you are a foreigner!! I have a friend who was a military kid with a similar situation. Molly is getting so big too...

[caseyb]

What an interesting place to grow up! And, your daughter is adorable! Thanks for sharing!

[samspain]

Your daughter is beautiful, and you look such a happy family at the zoo.
My Dad was in the Royal Navy (UK) and he was offered a transfer to the Marshall Islands, but my Mum was 6 months pregnant with me, so he was posted to Plymouth (UK) instead. Or I would have been born in the Marshall Islands in December 1978!!. He was an aeronautical engineer.

I can´t wait to read your interesting facts (and see some photos of the lake).

[Emilymac]

1. I started swimming competitively when I was 4 years old. I even went to the state championships in swimming my senior year in high school. I still enjoy swimming with DD.
2. I am ADDICTED to reality TV.
3. I wear a lot of black (it makes me look thinner…right?)
4. I love Neil Diamond and I have tickets to see him in Seattle in September. So excited!
5. I am an cleaning/organizing freak! I used to be a lot worse (before having DD). I even straightened the remote control on the coffee table! Cleaning is relaxing for me…it’s how I relieve my stress.
6. I’m tall for a girl at 5’9.
7. I love sugar. I can eat sweets/desserts for every meal. Often I will skip dinner just so that I can eat more dessert. I especially enjoy candy bars with peanut butter, s’mores, and cookies.
8. I am deeply in love with my husband. He can still give me butterflies!
9. I love going out to eat for dinner. Eating out = no dishes!
10. The eighties rock! I LOVE eighties music and listen to it all the time. I was “Jessie’s Girl” for Halloween last year. Depeche Mode, Def Lepard, Duran Duran…I love it all!
11. I teach middle school students math. Most people call me crazy, but I just adore working with middle school kids. And with my organized brain…I enjoy breaking the “math curse” that many middle school girls have.
12. Although I was born on a island (3 miles long and ½ a mile wide), I hate being hot. My husband teases me that I have a 2 degree window of being comfortable. I’m always either too hot or too cold!
13. I live in the Pacific Northwest and think caring for the environment is important. I am a religious recycler, I drive a Subaru Forester, and I try to save water and energy in my home.
14. I love sushi and margaritas. Maybe not at the same time. 
15. I feel like I’ve been pretty laid back about TTC this year, but after two losses, it’s starting to get old. I don’t want BDing to become a chore. I just want a baby in my arms soon.
16. I’m turning 30 in August. Not too bummed, I think turning 40 will be more difficult for me. Thirty is the new twenty.
17. I love college basketball. March Madness is my FAVORITE time of the year. Seriously…it’s right up there with Christmas.
18. I love playing cribbage (a card game) with my hubby. I’m not too bad. I was actually the 2000 Woman’s Cribbage Champion at my university. I’m such a geek.
19. I have a horrible shoe and purse habit. And this is a bad thing because I tend to buy expensive purses and shoes (Kate Spade is all over my house!)
20. I would loose my mind without all the wonderful girls at JM! You all are the BEST!

My Dad was in the Royal Navy (UK) and he was offered a transfer to the Marshall Islands, but my Mum was 6 months pregnant with me, so he was posted to Plymouth (UK) instead. Or I would have been born in the Marshall Islands in December 1978!!. He was an aeronautical engineer.[/b]

Wow. It really is a small world. We would have been little friends on the island!

[*becky*]

Great job!! Its hard coming up with 20, isn't it?

I'm picturing you in some sassy shoes, kicking back watching March Madness with a margarita and sushi while Def Leopard plays in the background. Oh...and a dessert buffet...like a mega smorgasboard of sugar!! Wouldn't THAT be cool!

[snsgirl336]

Great job!! Its hard coming up with 20, isn't it?

I'm picturing you in some sassy shoes, kicking back watching March Madness with a margarita and sushi while Def Leopard plays in the background. Oh...and a dessert buffet...like a mega smorgasboard of sugar!! Wouldn't THAT be cool! [/b]

LMAO!!! I can picture that too! Those are great facts! They paint a really great picture of your life! LOL!

[*becky*]

OK - Wednesday Questions for you!!

1. What is one of your most embarassing moments?

2. What is one trait of yours that you hope your children inherit?

[Emilymac]

1. What is one of your most embarrassing moments?
This one is easy. It actually happened not too long ago in February of this year. I was going to return a book to Target (I love Target) and I got out of my car and shut the door locking my DD (then 22 months old) in the back seat. My heart sank as soon as I pulled on the handle. I thought I was going to throw up. My purse was sitting next to her with both my keys and cell phone.

Fortunately I saw two girls getting out of their car. I called out to them to see if they had a cell phone. I didn't want to leave my DD to use the phone in Target. First they called AAA, but it was going to take them too long. Then they called the police. The police dispatcher sent a fire truck! There I was in the middle of a busy parking lot when a HUGE fire truck with 6 fire fighters pulls up. I was mortified. (By the way, DD was happy looking at the big red truck!). Fortunately they were able to get her out quickly and without damaging my car. The fire fighters gave me a hard time...lots of jokes at my expense.

The worst part was that the two girls from the parking lot turned out to be popular morning DJs in my city and they talked about the incident the next morning on the air! Once again...mortified. I shouldn't have told DH...I will never live that one down!

2. What is one trait of yours that you hope your children inherit?
Since I have a daughter, I hope that she gets my strength and the drive to be anything she wants to be. Girl power!

[snsgirl336]

1. What is one of your most embarrassing moments?
Um, this is my most recent as I am always having lots of embarassing moments LOL.. I was a 4th of July picnic at DH's Aunt's house and we were all sitting around the pool after dinner talking and having a nice time. Let me mention that for dinner we had normal picnic foods including homemade baked beans, homemade cole slaw and homemade saurkraut. Well, it got quiet and I lifted myself up to readjust where I was sitting and I let out this loud fart. Fortunately it didn't smell, but everyone heard it and laughed. I was so embarassed!

2. What is one trait of yours that you hope your children inherit?
I hope my children inherit my optimism and my work ethic. I know that's 2 things, but I can never make a decision (THat's something I hope they don't inherit!) LOL

[*becky*]

The worst part was that the two girls from the parking lot turned out to be popular morning DJs in my city and they talked about the incident the next morning on the air! Once again...mortified. I shouldn't have told DH...I will never live that one down![/b]

OMG - That is hilarious!! It's bad enough that the firefighters teased you, but the girls were DJ's!! You poor thing! I'm glad Molly enjoyed herself though!

[Emilymac]

.

[*becky*]

Those are great pics!! I LOVE the pic of Molly at the baseball game!!

You guys are such a cute family

[snsgirl336]

Aww, those are great pictures!!! I love the ones of Molly! Especially the one with the leaves! That is just way too cute! You and your DH make a really great looking couple and you have the best smile!!! Thanks for sharing those!