Spaghetti anyone?

Here is Baby Girl last night after getting a hold of her brother's spaghetti. She tells me "I cookin' noodles mama". So I let her play until she started smooshing them into the carpet and it was a bit of a battle to get her to pick them up. Thankfully, Boog was a nice little boy and helped me out.

Fun Times with Friends at the Park

It was such a beautiful day today, almost like Spring. We got out and enjoyed it while we could. It was 75 degrees today and sunny, but tomorrow will be back down into the 50's. I hope the kids were able to get out some of their energy, I swear they ran for 2 hours straight.

Book Review: The Duggars: 20 and counting!

I actually finished this around Christmas time, but kept forgetting to put the review up. This is a very easy read. It mostly just talks about their family and answers some questions they have received. It gives a bit more insight into their early life together than the TV show get around to showing. If you like watching them and are interested in their life you will like this book.


I was watching the latest episode last night about the oldest son getting married and I found it so ironic that the episode was sponsored by a commercial for Plan B(which is an emergency contraceptive that can be taken up to 72 hours after unprotected sex or failed birth control. It says it does not get rid of an existing pregnancy, which again is a lie. It is used to get rid of a fertilized egg that has not yet implanted in the womb.) Anyway just found it ironic that this goes against everything this family stands for but it was one of the sponsors for that episode.

Trying to be Patient and have Peace...

I am now just about 11 weeks along. This is my worrisome week. We lost our first baby around this time, although I was having troubles before learning the baby had no heartbeat. This pregnancy has been fine and for the most part I have had much peace about it, until this week. I am just not "feeling" pregnant. I am still having symptoms, nausea, hurting boobs, indigestion and tiredness, but that feeling of loss always creeps in about this time for me.

I hate not being able to be naive about pregnancy, but at the same time know that God took me through that loss for a reason. It was a time of great faith growing for me and God started directing me towards the Biblical understanding of motherhood. I am just ready for the next few weeks to be over with, so I can officially be in the 2nd trimester.

Hormonal Birth Control and IUD's....

This is something that I have been thinking a lot about lately after talking with friends who have no idea how these particular types of birth control can work. This includes the pill, patch, ring, depo shots and long term implanted hormones. This is geared as an informative post, especially to those who are pro life and believe life begins at conception. It frustrates me that most doctors are not up front with this information. I even remember being taught in nursing school that hormonal birth control prevents ovulation and that is a partial lie.

Here is an excerpt from Contraceptive Info:

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All hormonal contraceptives have at least three mechanisms of action. Artificial female hormones are the active ingredient in all hormonal contraceptives — estrogen and progestin. Some products contain both hormones and others progestin only. Using both hormones together is somewhat more effective than progestin alone, but the estrogen component is responsible for most of the serious health hazards associated with hormonal methods.

1. Hormonal contraceptives prevent ovulation. No egg is released so sperm cannot fertilize it. It is widely agreed that this is a major mechanism of hormonal birth control.


2. A woman may ovulate anyway. Hormonal contraceptives may also prevent fertilization by changing the consistency of natural secretions in the vagina, making it harder for the sperm to reach the egg. It is not clear how effective this mechanism is in preventing fertilization.


3. A woman may ovulate anyway, and sperm may still reach the egg, resulting in fertilization. When this occurs, hormonal contraceptives make it difficult for the embryo to implant in the uterus by keeping the edometrium (lining of the uterus) thinned. This results in the death and expulsion of the embryo. Most scientists agree this occurs, but it is not clear how often. Some doctors do not prescribe hormonal contraceptives because they find this mechanism objectionable. [more about this...]

IUD's

Hormonal IUDs: Hormonal IUDs prevent pregnancy by releasing the hormone progestin, which thickens the cervical mucus, acting as a barrier to prevent sperm from entering the uterus. This type of IUD also affects the lining of the uterus to prevent a fertilized egg from being implanted, should fertilization occur. Progestasert IUD must be replaced every 8-24 months. Since this IUD was discontinued in 2001, any woman who had one implanted should have had it removed by now. The Mirena IUS is the next generation of hormonal IUDs and can be used for up to five years. More about the Mirena IUS...

Non-hormonal IUDs: For copper IUDs, the metal itself seems to exert a spermicidal effect. The copper also affects the lining of the uterus by not allowing a fertilized egg to implant, and it stimulates the production of prostaglandins, chemicals that affect the hormones needed to support a pregnancy. ParaGard is a long-term IUD that may be left in place for ten years.

All mechanisms of the IUD are not completely understood. The IUD may also cause inflammation of the uterus, preventing implantation of an embryo and making it more difficult for sperm to enter. Unlike regular hormonal contraceptives, IUDs do not prevent ovulation.

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I am not anti birth control, but believe in barrier or natural methods. I just want those of you out there who believe life begins at conception to know the truth: Birth Control does not always prevent ovulation and as the information stated they are not sure how often a woman actually ovulates and a fertilized egg could be not allowed to implant in the womb.