Book No. 3: The Chance

This was a quick and easy read! The storyline was appealing and taught the reader to Trust God no matter the circumstance. His plans are far better than we can ever begin to imagine. The main character, Ellie, has to go through several trials in life and eventually finds her way back to God and has a chance with her one true love, Nolan. The book takes rotating chapters for each of the main characters and their perspectives through their life and messy deck they've been dealt in life. Definitely a good read! A perfect Christian Romance.

I started my next book, Leaving Time, on my day off yesterday by and in the pool. Our townhouse neighborhood has a small pool for the residents to use. 

Most of the time, I have to myself, and I don't hate it. 

Even though I'm not life guarding this summer, I'm getting a pretty good tan up here in Michigan.

Summer can stay as long as it likes!

First Fertility Specialist Appointment

On our way!

I wanted to do a 'quick' update with how our appointment went. I know we have a lot of prayer warriors that have been praying for this appointment and I'm so thankful that you were/are! Because of your alls prayers, I think our appointment went really smoothly. We had a doctor who was very knowledgable, had a calm demeanor, and went into detail about our plan to tackle this.

Snapchat pic! (faithannpatters)

I didn't know what to expect for our first appointment. I didn't know if they were going to do a HSG today. I didn't know if we were going to have lab tests done or if Jaime would have to have any tests done since they highly suggested he come with me. There were lots of unknowns but I tried not to be too nervous or worry so much. But it was okay!

We went in and talked to an assistant or nurse (not sure, she just said, Hi! I'm Jennie...haha) to verify all our information in our paperwork. She took my vitals and then left to get the doctor.

He came in and asked me to take breaths and listened with his stethoscope. I then remembered I hadn't got out my Basal Thermometer Temperture charts out from the last 5 months and told them I had them. My back was turned from the doctor when I told him I brought them, Jaime said he looked at him and gave him a thumbs up and gave a cheesey smile. I'm going to take that as he has some humor about him and he liked that I was prepared. haha! Gotta find the good and funny in this somewhere!

Then we left and went to his office to discuss options. He laid out my game plan, went over why's and his logic for his plan. He talked so slow and calmly. But at the same time, I felt like it went by so fast, I couldn't grasp it. So I had to ask a lot of questions of things he had just said. haha.

I did not get an HSG done today because I could have clear tubes and still have endometriosis. We may do that test later though. I can also still get pregnant even if I do have it. Which I already knew that because my mom had all four of her children while most likely having Endo. He will look for cysts when I have an ultrasound next week. I go in to do labs to see if I have PCOS in the morning. Jaime will have an analysis done. After our labs come back, they will have a better idea of what is going on with both of us.

I'm going to take Femara and a trigger shot called Ovidrel for the next 3 months/cycles.
Hopefully, I'll get pregnant. Obviously...haha!

I feel pretty good about the game plan. But mostly, I feel nothing. ha! I know that sounds weird but I'm kind of numb to getting too excited. After 11 months of getting my hopes up and being let down over and over again. I think your heart starts to go numb.
And then some days like this past Sunday when I started my period, I was FULL of emotions and felt raw. I basically cried or was on the verge of tears All. Day. Long. I didn't expect that to happen but it was good. I had the house to myself so I cried hard and out loud. I prayed out loud. I cried and poured my heart out to God that day. I hadn't done that before.

You know how people say, "Everything happens for a reason."? But then you don't ever know what the reason is and most of the time you never will.
I think I know why God let me be 10 days late and start my period on Mother's Day.

Because I'm only on Day 5 of my cycle, I can start Femara this cycle and not have to wait until the next one. You can only start this drug in the first 9 days of your cycle! That was a 'God thing' for sure!

Second 'God thing' from today:
The brand name drug Femara is expensive. Like $500 for 10 pills expensive. HolyMoly! The pharmacists called me to tell me that until we meet our deductible, we have to pay out of pocket. Ah! I felt sick to my stomach. She made me feel very aware how expensive it was. I told her I would call the doctor and see if I could try anything less expensive. But they had closed 10 minutes prior. Great! So I called my husband to see what he thought. He said, "come get our insurance debit card and just pay for it." I was glad he was supportive but I knew that price tag was bothering him.

Just a little infertility humor. ;) I only wish that I could have had a "free" baby.

I thought maybe this is just the price we have to pay to have a baby. I know it only gets more expensive from here. Thankfully, we don't go to the doctor often so we've been saving since he started working for Gray. So I drove 25 minutes to get the card and then another 25 back to the pharmacy.

I was standing in line, feeling nausous to have to pay so much. (Oh! The trigger shot costs $157 additionally.) I went up the counter and the cashier pulled out my presciptions and instructions but something was wrong. She talked to a couple different pharmacists. I could hear them talking "She's going to like this price much better." I was standing there, anxious to know what was the matter. She came back and said this is the generic: Letrozole, it only costs $15. WHAT??
Talk about a huge blessing and relief! I talked to the pharamacists who reassured me that it has the same chemicals and strength. It's just generic! She made me feel better but I plan on calling the doctor to make sure it's okay. I'm praying that it is.

But wow!
God really took care of us today. He provided and watched over us just like He promises He will. I type that with tears in my eyes because I'm just so thankful. God has been so good to us.
He will be with us every step of the way.

So, thank you all for praying for us and this appointment. I don't know that I'll blog or post about every appointment, but this first one was worthy of it.

You may want to pray for Jaime because the side affects of Letrozole for me aren't pretty: hot flashes (I'm a furnace when I sleep already), hair loss (I'm surprised I'm not bald anyways), unusual sweating (I already sweat like a man), dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, joint pain, etc.

Regardless, Baby Patterson will be so worth it.

In The Meantime

So, it's out there. I've told the world. We are trying to have a baby. We have been for going on 10 months. Ten months of our lives have revolved around praying, crying, begging, pleading, questioning, reasoning, wondering, researching, and now we're starting the journey to get medical help. I'm not sorry that I shared publicly. I've gotten to talk to so many women who have been and are going through infertility. 

I know my struggle, trial, and pain is worth it because I'm getting to help and be there for other women like me.

We're just kind of stuck in the "meantime" of this part of our lives. There's only so much we can do. Only God can give you a baby and it's in His timing. Anything extra we do beyond praying, is for our peace of mind, to know that we tried this and that. It's hard to accept that we can't make this baby on our own. 

But God can. 

And so, while I wait, I've listened to some really good podcasts (thanks to my cousin for telling me about them) on what to do in the meantime. 

Why is God answering their prayers but not mine, at least not yet. 

What do you do when there is nothing you can do?

Andy Stanley started this six part series called: "In The Meantime"

(Click the links to listen to each one.)

1. The New Normal - God's silence does not equate to his absence.

2. A Purpose and a Promise - If you believe God can change your circumstances but chooses not to, you have the option to receive those circumstances from him as a gift with a purpose and a promise: grace. If that sounds absurd, remember your salvation and the salvation of the world, hung in the balance of a similar decision made by your Savior the night before his crucifixion.

 3. Yes You Can - We all face circumstances that stir deep discontentment within us. But when it’s happening to you, you feel like you’re the only one who faces loss. The secret of contentment is Christ in you, empowering you. Think about your primary source of discontentment. You can’t. He can . . . and he will through you.

 4. Where's Your Focus - When you focus on what’s wrong, you lose sight of what God makes right. There’s something important you have to keep in mind: your idea of making something right may not be God’s idea of making something right. When you realize and accept this truth, it changes everything.

 5. Believe It Or Not - Because God can redeem, use, or work through the undeserved, unavoidable, circumstantial trials in our lives. But in order for that to happen, we have to believe and persevere.

6. Comfort Zone - People who’ve suffered are uniquely equipped and qualified to comfort people who are suffering. 

For even easier access, you can find this series in the podcast app on your iPhone, search: Your Move-Andy Stanley. Then you can play them in your car on your commute like I did. If you're going through this time in your life, give yourself 5 min to pull yourself together before you go into work after listening to these because I cried several times. They are just so good.

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Update: We have an appointment May 12th with a fertility specialist to do or plan to do an HSG. A hysterosalpingogram or HSG is an x-ray procedure used to see whether the fallopian tubes are patent (open) and if the inside of the uterus (uterine cavity) is normal. HSG is an outpatient procedure that usually takes less than 5 minutes to perform. Once we do that, we will move on from there. I'm taking Metformin in the meantime to make sure that I'm ovulating regularly. Thankfully, it hasn't made me sick or have any side effects. But I think it did mess up my cycle so we'll see how long I'll keep taking it.

I have a long list of couples I've been praying for and although I wouldn't wish this on anyone, it has been so comforting to know I'm not alone. 

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me and shared your story!

Hope you all find these podcasts encouraging! I know I did and still do. Have a great Wednesday!

Unmet Expectations & Selfishness

So my commute is a little over 30 minutes, which is the perfect amount of time to listen to podcasts. I feel like I'm already in my mid-thirties when I type that. haha. But the older I get, I feel the need to listen, and I mean really listen and soak it all up, to sermons, advice from my elders, read more devotionals, and etc.

As a 23 year old wife, whose been married for a little over 3 years,  I feel like I've gone through more than I ever thought would happen to me. Between the long distance, deployments, moving 5 times, changing jobs 5 times, and just life in general, it's been quite the ride. This period of time in particular has been the hardest for our marriage; Jaime getting out of the Marines, starting a job in the civilian world, moving, being together more, and just trying to navigate this life together. We're getting close to our first whole year of being together with no interruptions-no deployments, no training, etc. So it's kind of like our first year of marriage in some aspects and we've fought more than we ever have. But, we've also loved harder than we ever have. I don't want you to think I'm airing out my dirty laundry. I just want to encourage anyone who's going through it in their marriage. You're not alone. Everyone goes through these seasons.

My cousin has shown me several great series of podcasts for me to listen to. While our situations have been different in our marriages, God has always remained faithful to us. We need to hear certain things at different times.

So recently she introduced this series to me. I loved it so much, I just have to share with you guys. He goes through the book of Solomon and applies it your marriage and relationships. If you don't know what the book of Solomon is all about, you will be shocked and amazed that this is in the Bible! But I promise you won't blush. He's just very open about it and I love it.

Craig Groeschel-Love Song

Faithful Attraction

Perfect Seasoning

God-Honoring Sex

Reconcilable Differences

Love In Action

My favorite were probably the last two. Jaime and I listened to the third and fourth ones together this past Sunday on our way home from Kentucky. 

The fourth one talks about about what the two main reasons fights start: unmet expectations and selfishness. BAM! It hit me like a brick. Definitely unmet expectations is why I start fights but never thought about it like that. 

So Craig Groeschel says (in my own words), you need to tell your spouse why something upset you, maybe start the conversation off with I expected you to..._____, and that's why I'm ticked. I thought that was genius. 
If we could divide the number of arguments in half by explaining these things through, we both would be so much happier. Jaime and I discussed that it would significantly help us. 

Not even 5 minutes after our long 6 and half hour drive, we're carrying in the luggage. I'm working fervently to get all this stuff put away (its 9:30 and my bedtime), and Jaime is NO WHERE to be found. I'm thinking, 'I could use a little help down here and he's upstairs probably ironing his clothes and clipping his toe nails...grrr.' I carried some bags upstairs and find him ironing. Ah! I think I have him now! I can pounce.

"I expected you to help me carry some of these bags upstairs. I'm tired and need to get ready for bed too."

"I did carry bags up. I carried the luggage and put away all our clothes and just now started to get ready."

"Oh. Thank you." I smiled and turned around.

It could have gotten heated. I could have raised my voice. Jaime could have got mad and not told me all those things he did for us. But we didn't. The argument ended. I wasn't mad. I told him what I expected and he told me what he did. Is it really that simple? Yes! He can't tell what I'm thinking and I can't tell what he's thinking. Communication is KEY. Now all arguments won't be that simple but those stupid ones can go away when both people know what the other is expecting.

Craig Groeshel made a comment that really stuck with me because it's so true.

"If you want what everybody else has, do what everybody else does. If you want what few people have, do what few people do."

I think the way the world glorifies putting down your husband, talking bad about him with your girlfriends, trying to control him, and so forth makes me want the opposite even more. 

I want my marriage to be wonderful and last until death do us part. I want to work on my marriage and take care of it. So bring on all the sermons, devotionals and advice! Listen to those messages I've linked for you when you have some time together or alone. It's good to fill our marriage tanks up with positive and helpful information.

Hope you feel inspired to protect and honor your marriage today.

Oreo Skillet Brownie + Valentine's Day Recap

This recipe has a different name that made me blush to type as my post's headline so I opted out for it. haha! But you can probably google it if you're really curious. 

So I made this for our Valentine's weekend. We munched on it all weekend. It was so good! I've been on my meal and workout plan for two weeks. I only cheat on really good stuff.

So, if you're like me and looking for a cheat worthy dessert, THIS IS IT!

Make the batter like normal. I urge you to get the Ghirardelli brownie mix. There's nothing better. 

Place a thin layer of batter on the bottom of the skillet.

Covered the bottom of the skillet with Oreo's. I got birthday cake oreos because I love them! Would really be good with Red Velvet Oreos! Mmmm.

Pour the rest of the batter over the Oreos and spread it around, make it even. If that wasn't sugary and bad enough...THEN! Plop some spoonfuls of vanilla icing on top. 

Take a toothpick and spread the vanilla icing on top around. Makes it pretty and you can taste the goodness!

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

I couldn't get a pretty picture of it but, my oh my, it is so rich and delicious. Would be even better with ice cream on top of the hot gooey goodness!

So in case you don't follow me on Instagram or we're not friends on Facebook. Let me explain these droopy, sad looking flowers.

Jaime picked these out Saturday night (unbeknownst to me) when I sent him on a trip to the groceries to pick up a few things. He was being sweet and romantic. His plan was to surprise me with them Sunday morning by placing them on the sink after I got into the shower. And he did, but he left them in the trunk of my car overnight...in 3* weather! So this is what I opened the curtain to. Bless his heart. It's the thought that totally matters. I love his stinky dead flowers. They are sitting so prettily next to the front door so I can see them everyday. haha!

This is real life. Things don't always go as we planned but when you see the heart behind it, it's even more special. I love my husband and his romantic gestures.

The girls got Valentine's toys! Charlie ran away when I pulled out my phone. ha! She's a dweeb. We had a good lazy weekend. Jaime took me to local place Sunday after church for lunch. It was cool but the food wasn't too good. Bummer. But I got to be with him for our 4th Valentine's day together and I'm thankful for it.

As of 4:30 pm today, I have survived my first week as a Nanny for 4 little kiddos. They are awesome and sweet kids! I can't wait to show you some of our fun crafts we've been doing! We'll be heading home tonight to go to my Father In Law's wedding tomorrow. It'll be a fast trip home but we're excited to see our families for a little bit. Have a great and safe weekend guys!

There's Love In the Patterson House!

That little yellow handle is our beloved snow shovel.

I love LOVE! I love the colors red and pink. I love heart shaped everything. I love all the romantic gestures done around this time of year. I love my best friend. I love getting to actually spend Valentine's Day with him unlike years past. I don't take it for granted, not one day or holiday.

But mainly... I LOVE DECORATING SEASONALLY!

This picture has nothing to do with Valentine's Day decor but it does have to do with the love in this house. My mom got us a devotional, "The Love Dare" that we've been reading every night before bed. There's nothing sexier than seeing the man you love most talk about the Man who loves us most and why working on your marriage everyday is not only worth the effort but a way to strengthen your relationships with God.

I don't have a lot of Valentine's Day decor but since we are in a house, I brought my decor with me! Here's a little tour. I say little because the decor in only in one-ish rooms. haha! Just so happens to be the room I spend the most time in!

Tiny tour, I know. But I do love the little bit decor in here. Next hoilday that I decorate for is Easter and I have even less decor for that but I'm hoping to build my stock when everything goes on sale. The only way to do it ladies!

Are you a seasonal decor lover? Why? Not really? Why?
(I like to know why for every question...Jaime loves when I ask why. haha. Not.)

It's my One Year Blogversary!

Pic: Pinterest

Yay! I've had my blog for a whole year! It's crazy it passed by so fast!

I hope my blog grows this next year right along beside me! So look forward to more recipes, outfits, DIY's, and everyday happenings from #PattersonsAdventure. If you are new or haven't been following since I started my blog: WELCOME!

Here are some of my top blog posts to get you started! They help you get to know me and my blog!

My First and Only Love (Part One) with 1,406 views

My First and Only Love (Part Two) with 1,533 views

My First and Only Love (Part Three) with 1,241 views

Making the Best of It: Camp LeJeune Edition with 1,041 views

Homemade Window Cleaner with 1,640 views

"You're gonna be hobos!" with 1,445 views

At the end of my first year blogging, I had 113 posts with my blog being viewed 64,118 times! I hope to double both those numbers and gain more followers and friends!

Not only is this a place I can record memories during the year but a place I can connect with you guys.

What would you all like to see more of on Faith In All Things? 

Please feel free to comment or shoot me an email or message. I'd love to hear from you!

Today I also start my custom meal plan & work out plan from my friend and personal trainer Ashlee. No, it's not pills, wraps, shakes, etc. She and I believe in losing weight the healthiest way possible and that is to simple work out and eat healthy. I used her services when my husband deployed in 2014 and I was training for my marathon. The fittest and healthiest I've ever been, was that summer!
The proof is in the pudding.

From the beginning, after month #1, after month #2.

Shoot her a message if this is something you'd be interested in. I was the happiest I've ever been and I'm so looking forward to that!

Have a great Monday! Thanks again for following my blog this past year! I appreciate you all!

Why I Started Running

I plan on getting back into running. I used to love it. This post is mainly for motivation for myself. 

Not everyone knows why I started running, so I'd thought I'd tell my story.

My Dad was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in January 2005.  After going through six  treatments of chemotherapy, God saw fit to keep my dad alive and he went into remission after just the second treatment! My big and strong dad physically was at an all time low after chemo. He couldn't even do a sit up, the very same man who worked on a farm all his life! He was determined to take control over his health and continue to be there for his family. That's when all our eating habits changed as a family. We rarely have fried chicken now. Grilled chicken, asparagus, and quinoa is more so on the menu each week than not. Not only did our eating habits change, my dad started becoming more active. His running motto is "Running for my Life". And he literally is by keeping his body fit and maintaining alkalinity, which is key to keeping those cancer. He runs to keep living for us all. There are A LOT of people that depend on and love him. 

(Basically, he's the best.)

So how did I get started?

Well, the summer before my junior year, I was a late night cell phone abuser. I stayed up late talking on the phone and used a lot of minutes doing so. I thought I was being so sneaky and cool with my silver flip phone. Until one summer afternoon, Dad got the phone bill and found me out! Also, whoever thought it was a good idea to put what time the phone is being used on the bill totally ratted me out. Thanks AT&T. Anyways, Dad took my phone away. Like a little teenager, I was aggravated. Maybe even a little bratty. I would do anything to have that "precious" phone back. 

So dad said, "you can have this phone back if you run 3 miles without stopping." 

WHAT?? The very idea! I was somewhat athletic growing up, as in, I joined the golf team in middle school to be with my friends. Also, my parents said I had a better chance at getting a full ride to college with a golf scholarship over any other sport since not many played. So, I wasn't that athletic, I mean, I didn't run for golf, that's for sure! I did play tennis, however, and we ran around the school during practice and, while I did get winded fast, I could still do it... right?

So I said, "Alright dad. I'll do it!"

I think Dad was really shocked I said yes, so he said, "Your Aunt Karen is going to run with you the whole time to make sure you don't stop."

Oh crap. Well, whatever. I was pretty determined so I still agreed.

So one hot summer evening, we ran from the house and did a 3 mile trail we have had mapped out in a subdivision when Dad first began running (a trail that I could now run blindfolded). Now it was hard, but it wasn't that hard. I just had to find my pace. I know I was not fast at all, but I did it and WITHOUT STOPPING! 

Dad gave me my phone back and admitted that he should have just grounded me since He originally thought I couldn't do it. Ah, dad, I was at the mere age of 16. I could do anything I set my mind to. especially if my phone privileges were on the line.

Then Dad started asking me if I wanted to go for a run with him, and I surprisingly did want to! It became a fun way to connect with my dad and what little girl doesn't want that.

We started running 5K's. We ran one almost every weekend that summer! I began to shed a lot of weight and it changed my mentality. Everything became relatable to running. It's such a mental sport! I do more praying on the pavement than anywhere else. I bettered myself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It wasn't easy at all but finding your pace makes it much more enjoyable. 

Post half-marathon, rushing to get home to get ready for my first Prom!

We moved from 5K's to 10K's and then I did my first half marathon the morning of my Junior Prom! That was crazy but I still danced the night away and wasn't sore!

From there, we just kept running. It turned into a family thing from the beginning, Mom, Jacob, and Alex later joined. We are a tight-knit family anyways, but this gave us something healthy and fun to do together. We have cousins and aunts that run with us too, which is fun. Not to mention the running friends who turned into family along the way!

Morning 5K

Evening 5K

Every time my parents came to see me in college, we ran a 5K. This particular trip we ran two in one day! So fun!

In fact, we ran so many 5K's that we all have several running t-shirt blankets. This one is special because it's Dad's running shirts that he told me to make for myself, so I'll always have him with me. I made it with my Grandmother so it makes it even more special.

We love running the 4th of July 10K in Lexington, KY.

Running gives us endorphins and endorphins make you happy (and sassy).

This was my first Bourbon Chase experience. It's a 200 mile race from Bourbon distillery to distillery in central KY, where we are from. We don't run for the booze, just the fun overnight running experience with our group. Each team has 14(?) runners who split up the 200 miles in 24 hours. It's a whole lot of fun. If you ever get the chance to do it, do it!

Completing the Bourbon Chase together.

Another Saturday training for my first Marathon. I started training the summer of 2014 while my husband was deployed for the second time to Afghanistan, but that's a story in itself that I'll tell another day.

Our Marathon Group! We did the Savannah Rock N Roll race. Beautiful city!

Before we started the Bourbon Chase. Family. Old friends & New friends.

Getting our Marathon Bibs!

The morning of our Marathon!

We finished and made it out alive. 

I found my dad around mile 14. He didn't leave my side and we ran all the way to mile marker 26.2 with me. He's my biggest motivator and encourager, especially when it comes to running. He's done so much in my life to better me so that I can see the positive side to things. It's because of running that I can appreciate and see life differently and thats just thanks to my dad. He is why I started running. 

Thank you for giving me a hobby that pushes me past my limits, makes me stronger physically and mentally, improves my prayer life, and joins friends and family together. 

It's so, so much more than running!

Homemade Dishwasher Tablets

So happy to have a house where I can make homemade house products and save money doing it.

Before we moved into the camper last May, I gave mom all my dishwasher tablets since in a camper...you are the dishwasher. Then I realized when we moved to our cute little townhouse, that's one item I didn't have. So I waited until I could get to the grocery and get the ingredients to make my own. I also went to TJ Maxx to get the ice cube trays, 2x12 cube trays for 4.99. Plus they have a silicone bottom which helped pop out the cubes without breaking when they dried.

So here's your ingredients:

Original Recipe

1 Cup of Super Washing Soda

1 Cup of Borax

1 Cup of Vinegar

1 Tablespoon of Lemon Juice (oops, not pictured)

Stir in the dry ingredients, break up in lumps before adding the wet ingredients.

My mixture bubbled up some when I added the vinegar and lemon juice but it didn't spill over. 

Next, stir all ingredients really well. It looks good enough to eat, but I suggest not doing so.

Pour into tray. One batch filled up 12 cubes, so I made another batch to fill up the other tray.

Let set for 1 to 2 hours. I made mine before I started dinner and after dinner I popped them out and into the jar. Which you might remember the jar from when I made my homemade laundry detergent (here)...that I made last January and am still using!

The first and second load, the dishes came out chalky with a white film. So I did a little research and by putting vinegar in the rinsing agent spot in the dishwasher, I have clean dishes for 50% less of the cost as store bought dishwasher tablets. And they are in a pretty jar on the counter to look at. ;)

If you have any questions, feel free to email me or leave a comment! 

Enjoy saving your family money!