Concetpion-moon

Our conception-moon (term from What to Expect Before You're Expecting book) was wonderful. David was a little bored but I had fun! We traveled many miles throughout South Dakota.

I was hoping to get just ONE picture of the many Wall Drug signs. Not familiar with Wall Drug? Check out the history of this fantastic place here! We didn't actually go to Wall Drug this trip but it is on our agenda for another trip very soon.

This picture gives you an idea of how they make the murals a the World's Only Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD. As they said on the video, it is a GIANT paint by "corn" process!

A view of the corn palace from the parking lot.

A picture of me by the corn statue in front of the corn palace. Like a true Cobber....

Pictures from our trip to De Smet, SD (the Little Town on the Prairie).

David and I in our traditional prairie men and women head wear.

He's so handsome!

This new birth control (in addition to the stress of school, work, and fertility stuff) has really done a number on my acne. I can't remember the last time I had three zits on my chin!!! Doesn't help that my stress relief is to pick at things...

This is the house that Pa built! Ma, Pa, Mary, Carrie, and Grace lived here. We highly recommend paying the $8 per person for this tour! We drove out to the Ingalls Homestead and decided not to pay the fee for that one because it seemed to be more hands on for kids. It looked really fun though!

David and I in front of last home that the Pa, Ma, and Mary Ingalls lived in.

No pictures from Brookings but if you find yourself there, go check out George's Pizza & Steakhouse! There is not a shortage of pizza joints in this town because of the university (we counted 9!!!). There are four located right downtown in Main Street. This was the fourth and last one that we walked into. We had the chicken ranch pizza (chicken, ranch dressing, bacon, tomatoes, and onions). It was so delicious! The staff and atmosphere were great too! They also serve a variety of Greek food. If you go there, let us know what kind of pizza you got because we absolutely plan to go back again!

Full-time job...

Anyone that goes through fertility treatments should know that it really is like having an additional full time job. If I was a stay at home mom, I could not imagine having to make these phone calls when I have kids running around the house. It's hard enough trying to make the phone calls in between the conference calls, homework, papers, and work!

My latest round of phone calls have been surrounding my medical records from previous surgeries. When I had my BAHA procedure done in 2007 (or was it 2006?), I was put under a local anesthetic. I want a copy of the anesthesiologist report for my consult on Friday because it will (hopefully) provide some good information. Like the fact that I am perfectly OK to have an epidural without being intubated! This has involved several phone calls, voice mails, authorization forms, trip to the medical records department, etc. I just wish I would have thought about this earlier than a week before my appointment. There is no telling if it will make it to Sioux Falls on time.

Day 3: Take 3 or 4 or ?? Not sure!!!

I'm on my Day 3 for the 3rd of 4th time! I hope this is the last Day 3 I ever have to worry about.

I am scheduled to start taking the Lupron on August 1st. The stimulation meds will start on August 12th.

We have our first appointment with the folks in Sioux Falls on Friday (the 29th of July). We will have a marathon day of appointments including the doctor, nurse to sign consent forms, genetic counselor, anesthesiologists, and business office (to work out payments).

After our appointments, we'll possibly head over to Mitchell, SD to see the World's ONLY Corn Palace! If we don't go there, we'll head straight to Brookings, SD to spend the weekend. Saturday we'll go to De Smet, SD (the Little Town on the Prairie). Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about De Smet in her book "By the Shorts of Silver Lake". I'm calling this trip our "Conceptionmoon". I read about a conceptionmoon in my "What to Expect BEFORE You're Expecting" book yesterday morning!