[*becky*]

THE MEMBER OF THE WEEK IS: SHANNON!!</span>

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

<span style="color:#008000">on Friday: you'll post anything you know about TTC , share your knowledge!

[*becky*]

**bump**

[Hopingfor1soon]

Shannon where are you? I want to see your posts! haha

[ShannonMVT]

How did I miss this?

Okay I'll play catch up now.

I grew up in a small town in East Texas. I have one older brother (5 years older) and one younger brother (7 years younger). I loved living in a rural area. When I was in 8th grade, my dad was diagnosed with a rare brain lymphoma. He survived and it influenced my future interest in biology.

I actually met Dh in middle school. He is one year younger than me but we were both into band so I saw him hanging out in the band hall with his bests friend, but neither of us really paid any attention to each other.

We had mutual friends in high school and became friends. We both liked each other but nothing ever went from there. Finally, my senior year of high school, David and I started dating. Years of being friends of flirting with each other made it all the sweeter when it finally happened.

I majored in biology in college and now I work as a medical technologist, doing laboratory testing in a hospital. Dh and I got married June 2004. We waited several years for TTC until he had a good job and we had a house. We started TTC June 2007. I was so completely schocked when we got pregnant in 2 cycles. I was overjoyed.

My pregnancy was a huge emotional rollercoaster. My hcgs didn't double correctly, we didn't see a heartbeat, then a week later we DID see a heartbeat, 10 days after that I started spotting and went for another u/s and saw our baby had died. It has affected me profoundly, I still feel like I will always be missing a piece of my heart and I think of Thomas every day.

We waited one cycle and started TTC again. I thought since it happened so fast last time, that I'd be pregnant again in a few months. As time went by I got more and more nervous. All our testing so far has come back fine, no problems, it's just that we have gotten BFNs for 9 cycles in a row. I am seeing an RE and using Clomid now in hopes that it will give me more eggs or better eggs. I'm also getting an HSG done.

That's the major stuff!

[Hopingfor1soon]

Aww thanks for sharing hun!! What a story!! Its so cute that you and DH met in high school and are still together today! I LOVE those stories!

[ShannonMVT]

20 facts about me

1. I didn't get my ears pierced until college. I accidentally let the holes close up a few months after my wedding and haven't been back to get them pierced again.

2. I have two cats, Stormy and Justin, who (almost) always make my day brighter. They're so cute!

3. I play French horn and band was very important to me in middle school and high school. Now my horn is collecting dust in the closet.

4. I love nature and the outdoors.

5. I am growing green beans, basil and bell peppers in our backyard in containers.

6. We've been in our house a little over a year and I LOVE not being in an apartment anymore.

7. I'm very sensitive to noise and some other sensory stuff and think I may have Sensory Processing Disorder, but haven't been to a doctor for it.

8. I can't imagine life without cheese.

9. I can't sleep without some kind of white noise.

10. I am starting to almost want twins.

11. I plan to cloth diaper, breastfeed and keep the baby in our room for at least the first 6 months or so.

12. My 4 year old niece recently stayed with us 2 nights and had me doubting my abilities to be a good mom! She was so demanding.

13. I like to play tennis even though I'm not good, but Dh won't play with me because of his weak ankles.

14. When I was 4-5 years old I used to pretend I lived with the Care Bears.

15. I had a gut feeling the baby I lost was a boy, so when I later decided to name him, I used the name Thomas which was on our list of names to consider. Shaw is the last name of my grandfather who died several years ago and I have always wanted that as a boy's middle name. I like to imagine my grandfather in heaven, holding Thomas.

16. I am generally an introverted person. Dh is more introverted than I am.

17. I was high school valedictorian in my class of (I think?) 167 people.

18. Dh proposed to me on the beach at sunset.

19. We went on our honeymoon to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It was beautiful and the snorkeling was amazing.

20. I know all you women may think I'm crazy, but I don't like shopping that much. Just give me my jeans and t-shirt (or scrubs for work) and my tennis shoes and I'm good.

[Emilymac]

Great facts! I used to love the Care Bears too!

[snsgirl336]

That's some great info Shannon! Thanks for sharing all of that! I had to laugh when I read that you couldn't live without cheese. I love cheese too! It makes an appearance at every meal and snack in my house!

[*becky*]

Thanks for telling your story and the 20 facts!!

I'm a band geek too! My flute is in the closet collecting dust too.

I'm a cheese lover too, give me a chunk of cheese and some bread and I'm a happy camper!

[*becky*]

Wednesday Questions for you!

1. So...what is your favorite kinds of cheese?

2. What is your favorite meal?

[snsgirl336]

Questions!!! Fun!!!

What's your favorite "date" like thing to do with your DH?

Who did you admire when you were growing up?

[mom 2 haley & tyler]

I loved reading your story and the 20 facts. I hope the Clomid gives you that much deserved BFP soon my friend.

BTW, I miss you

[ShannonMVT]

1. So...what is your favorite kinds of cheese? Umm, sadly I think my favorite is some yummy processed Velveeta! Sadly I am going to try and cut back on the amount of cheese I eat because I read it can produce/thicken mucus.

2. What is your favorite meal? It's hard to pick one meal. Right now I am craving enchiladas, chips and salsa.

What's your favorite "date" like thing to do with your DH?
When we aren't being couch potatoes, we like outdoorsy/adventury stuff. Hiking, canoing, indoor rock climbing.

Who did you admire when you were growing up?
When I was little, probably my older brother, because I thought he was cool.
After my dad's illness, it became my mom. I honestly don't know how she kept it together, knowing she could lose her husband, taking care of him and still taking care of us kids.

I loved reading your story and the 20 facts. I hope the Clomid gives you that much deserved BFP soon my friend.

BTW, I miss you [/b]

Thanks Michelle...going to Pm you tomorrow.

[ShannonMVT]

Hi ladies,

Just thought I'd let you know, yesterday was kind of busy and crazy/emotional so I didn't get the pics done. Today I'm at the library because our internet is down. Hopefully Dh will get it working and I can post my Thurs/Fri stuff over the weekend.

[Hopingfor1soon]

Thanks for the update Shannon! I hope he can get it working too....I want to see some pictures! haha

Oh and just a quick question, how is the Clomid going? Do you go in for a follie check at all soon? Do feel its working? Are you having any S/E? I so hope it works for you girl, you are very very very deserving of a BFP!!!

[Emilymac]

No problem! I can't wait to see your pictures this weekend!

[snsgirl336]

Thanks for letting us know! I can't wait to see pics too!!!

[*becky*]

Oh I hate computer problems! No worries...we'll be here!

[ShannonMVT]

Sorry this took so long! Dh got the internet fixed but then I was sooo sick yesterday. Diarrhea, fever that got up to 101, chills, body aches. Ugh. Thankfully I am better this evening, just in time for my HSG tomorrow.

Thanks for the update Shannon! I hope he can get it working too....I want to see some pictures! haha

Oh and just a quick question, how is the Clomid going? Do you go in for a follie check at all soon? Do feel its working? Are you having any S/E? I so hope it works for you girl, you are very very very deserving of a BFP!!![/b]

The Clomid...is okay I guess. I took it CD 3-7 and on days 6-8 I was pretty emotional. Very sad and anxious, crying a lot. And I got one headache from it, but that's it. I assume the sickness I got was just some viral stomach bug or something. I've got my HSG tomorrow and a follie check on Thursday (CD 14). Thanks for the well wishes.

Onto pictures! Just a warning, this is picture overload.

Most important thing in my life is Dh. Here's a picture of us on our first date, "as friends". He was 15 and I was 16. We didn't really start dating until 2 years later. (Dh would kill me if he knew I was sharing this! )



A more recent picture of us from this summer.



Here's a picture from our wedding in 2004. This was taken by a friend just a minute or so after we were pronounced husband and wife.



Just have to show off our cake topper, I searched high and low for one that had a dark haired groom and a blond haired bride.



Also since a lot of my pics on my photo bucket account are wedding pics, that's how I'll show you my family, also so important to me. My mom is my biggest supporter.



My dad walking me in.



My brothers giving me a kiss.



I love this one because of the stained glass behind us.



Just for fun, a few honeymoon pictures. We went to St. John, one of the U.S. Virgin Islands.









Other members of my family, our two cats. My girl Stormy...



And my boy Justin...



We get practice breaking up "sibling fights" already.



We just bought our first house a year ago. It's bigger than what we need right now and I made Dh promise me that we'd fill it up with babies when we decided to buy it.



Also very important to me, my angel baby Thomas. I have 3 pictures from the one ultrasound where his heart was beating.








And now, my tips and tricks for TTC. I'm not sure here, because if I had all the answers, I wouldn't still be TTC, right? But I'll give it a go.

1. Cervical position is really not that hard to figure out if you keep at it and is a very simple way to know if you're fertile. You may not pinpoint your exact day of ovulation, but you can get a ballpark.

2. You can never use too many OPKs. Buy internet cheapies.

3. If you don't have a lot of CM, use Preseed lubricant, but be aware that a full tube is too much lube for some.

4. Charting is good but it can also make you crazy.

5. Don't be afraid to take the next step and ask your doctor for help.

6. It will all be worth it when it finally happens.

7. When you do finally get that BFP, try not to worry too much. I know that may sound weird coming from me. But as much as you can, spend your moments just loving your baby and enjoying the fact that you are pregnant.

[snsgirl336]

Those are such great pics Shannon! Thanks so much for sharing! You're wedding pics are so pretty and your house is amazingly beautiful! I'm so jealous! Thank you so much for sharing the pics of your little Thomas too!