You guys – your overwhelming support and validation over my last post – relapse – reminded me of why it’s SO important for people to be open, vulnerable and authentic. Thank you to everyone who connected with comments and love. I don’t know whether to feel comforted by or cry over the fact that well over a 100 of you reached out and said ‘me too’. To everyone who understands this feeling, I am so sorry. I am so sorry you have felt this too. Now, I urge us all, don’t get stuck. I know it’s hard, so hard, but please, promise me you will keep moving past the anger. Anger is sticky. Anger is flammable. Anger is toxic. Anger has to be dealt with and is okay to feel, but after a point, we have to dust ourselves off and move past it because otherwise the anger will consume us and we will become permanently bitter. When we begun permanently bitter people, then infertility wins. And under NO CIRCUMSTANCE do we give infertility that power. Stay strong friends and thank you for meeting me in the dirt and reminding me that the roller coasters of emotions are okay.
Now onto Friday Favorites!
Favorite Flashback: This Jimmy Fallon ‘Saved By the Bell’ sketch this week was the ultimate ‘flashback’. I mean seriously, the original cast members are in their 40’s and they were looking GREAT! Such a fun blast from the past.
Favorite Instagram Pin: Wahhhhh! A few people tagged me so that I saw the new show line made by Sahnda Marie Kids. I mean, look, mini Starbucks Velour shoes. If my heart didn’t already ache for tiny baby things, it’s now official. Aching and loving. If only I could justify this purchase. SO CUTE.
Favorite Tip: I have yet to find a brand of gluten free breadcrumbs that I love for cooking so I make my own! SO EASY! I just buy a bag of gluten free bread (I use Udi’s), throw it on a cookie sheet and toast it in the oven, leave it out for a while so it’s nice and crisp, and then pulse it in a little food processor. I sift out the larger pieces and reblend them until all of the toast is finely powdery. Store them in an air tight container and season as need for each recipe. Sometimes I just add a little salt, or some italian seasoning or leave plain – I make up a batch in bulk and it’s fast and easy and has the same consistency as real breadcrumbs.
Favorite Date: I got to spend some quality time with my sister this week which was just the best. We took advantage of a groupon at a local bistro and then roamed the mall while catching up. I am so blessed to have a sister who I can have deep, real, meaningful conversation with and our time together just filled me up. She really is amazing (and beautiful).
Favorite Cali Pic: Cali’s Auntie Bella (yellow lab) drives her a little crazy, but she wouldn’t of course fully admit that. Cali’s hilarious little diva attitude has her thinking that Bella should play by her rules and I actually think Bella gets a kick out of that. This weekend there were two pictures that made me chuckle – the first, Cali and Bella outside. This was taken right after Bella and Cali got tangled up walking and Bella tried to sit on her. The camera came out, Bella turned into a perfect sitting angel and Cali stood there like “what the heck just happened mom?!”
The second picture is from when Cali was sitting on the stairs at the cabin and Bella came down to the top of the stairs and wanted to pass her. Cali just wasn’t having it and was completely irritated by this big dog trying to take her stair space. This series made me chuckle.
Favorite Selfie: I found this awesome fur hat in Josh’s dads truck (SO WARM!) and being the weirdos we are, a husband-wife selfie had to occur. I love this guy.
Favorite Meal: We got to eat halibut cheeks this weekend, caught from an Alaskan trip Josh’s dad was on and whoa, they were delicious! They tasted like crab claw meat and I am drooling thinking about them right now. SO GOOD. And clearly gone fast because I only got a picture of the last one.
Favorite New Friend: Wednesday night I got to spend time with my girlfriends, hanging out around the kitchen counter, painting nails, eating snacks, laughing so hard. Finally around 10:30 or 11, we pulled ourselves from the counter and snuggled up on the couch to watch Man in the Moon when my new BFF, Bentley, came over to snuggle with me. I mean, seriously, if Cali only knew, she would be so jealous, but we won’t tell her now will we?
Favorite Funnies: 
That’s it! Hope you have an awesome weekend. I’ll see you next week for our first Q&A series post, plus the first of three February giveaways! YAY! Until next time …
Trials Bring Joy 
Chelsea,
I have been so worried about you the past couple of days and I’ve been praying for God to give you peace and comfort. I am glad you are doing better! I’ve been in my own angry funk the past two days, but today’s post encouraged me to step up my game and get over it! I needed that! Also, thanks for the Fallon video! I love Saved by the Bell, and that was a delightful blast from the past! Have a great weekend!
Charity, thank you so much for thinking of me and being concerned for me. I really appreciate your heart and thoughtfulness. I am so thankful for the peace He has provided me. And so glad you liked the Fallon video too! So funny! I wish they would recreate a Boy Meets World one too! :) Hope you are having a great week!
Friend!!!! Love your Friday post!!! Behind on life, but want to go check out your other post shortly!!! I LOVED the Saved by the bell clip! Wouldn’t it be great if they could just recreate a couple episodes? So glad you had good and sweet sister time!!!
I would love it if they recreated a few episodes! Now that would be hilarious!!!
Username/password problems….. My poor IT department. I swear I’ve had to start baking them cookies and sweet talking them for how often I have to ask for a reset… Don’t even get me started with personal passwords… One word: Excel.
I think those Sbux baby shoes are a completely justifiable purchase. I mean, you are trusting and believing for a baby. Regardless of how that comes to be, I believe God is going to honor that, so you may as well buy in preparation of what IS to come. :) Just my two cents. XOXOX Hugs, sweet friend!
Oh my gosh I am sooooo guilty of resetting every password because I can’t figure out logging in. Argh! Love that you have started baking for you IT department. That is hilarious!!! Way to be organized enough to keep an excel spreadsheet! So imoressed! I would try to start that but can’t remember any of the passwords – just thankful for the save feature on my computer, hehe! And the shoes, I know, right? The pre-order was sold out by the time I convinced myself it would be okay to look in to. So, I guess it wasn’t meant to be, but come on, sooooo cute right!? Much love friend!
Love you sister! Love the bella and cali photo :)
Love YOU! XO! And Cali loves you too.
Thank you so much for all of your posts but especially the relapse post and even today, about not letting anger get the best of you. I have been trying to have a baby for 2 years and have gone through 4 miscarriages. I have had times, especially the 4th miscarriage were the anger was so vivid and strong. My husband felt the same anger too, But we worked through it, with the help of our church homegroup/bible study family J I don’t struggle as badly as most of your readers to get pregnant (although we are trying again and have gone much longer than ever to get pregnant this time). I turn 36 real soon and I am dreading my birthday this year, just makes me feel like each birthday is going to make it harder for us to have a baby. The losses my husband and I have experienced are so raw, so heartbreaking. I wouldn’t be able to get out bed and continue to move forward down this journey without the hope and strength I feel from God. And also from people like you who write and express those feels all of us women feel but sometime can’t express. Your strength and your love for God are very inspirational! Thank you so much for everything!
Amanda Koch
Clearwater, FL
Amanda, I am hurting with you for the losses you have experienced and the pain you have felt. I am so thankful that you have your homegroup to help you through the touch times, but I know the sting of pain you are feeling as you navigate so many emotions. I also know how hard those birthdays can be and feel … so hard. Thank the Lord, literally, that He is with us, providing us strength and comfort when it feels like we can’t go on. Thank you for sharing your heart with me today, praying for you tonight! XO!
I always end up saving at least one of your Friday funnies.
:) Yay! That makes me happy! I always laugh, glad to know someone else does too!