Day 20: Nicknames and Day 21: Picture of yourself

My nickname is Dip.  Well, to be more specific, my brother started calling me Dippy when I was 13 and it just stuck.  Then he and my friend got together and decided it needed to be a full, long name, so it became DippyDo Itchybutt (I sat in insulation) Dumpling (apparently I looked like a dumpling when I ran?)  I also respond to Becca but never Becky, it's too cutesy for my taste.

And a picture of me: This is from this September in St. Louis at the Ram's home opener:

Day 19: Something you miss

I intentionally skipped day 18 because I don't truly regret anything-everything I have done in my life has led me to where I am now and I've learned a lesson from the bad and embraced the good.

Now as to what I miss-I miss my Grandmother and Grandfather.  When I was little my parents were flat broke and both had to work full time jobs to even begin to make ends meet.  Because of this, I spent a lot of time at my grandparents house and they became "second parents" to me.  When my grandfather passed away in 2004 (he actually died on February 29th-so like him), it devastated me.  It was sudden, he'd been in the hospital for a bilateral leg amputation and was doing great-my mom had literally just left the hospital because he was doing so well when I got the call at home to get back asap as he didn't have much time.  I didn't make it in to talk to him and have so many things I wish I'd said before he died.  I told him every time I saw him that I loved him and I'd see him again so I have no regrets, I just wish I could have told him how much he truly meant to me.

 Grandpa and "his boy," my younger brother Greg.

Last January, Grandma went to be with Grandpa again after 6 long years without him.  He was her only love and she actually threatened any girls who gave him the time of day so that she could be with him.  He was friends with her older brother and when Grandma saw something she wanted, she went for it.  I loved her spunk and she and I were very close.  I was the only grandchild who could just sit and talk to her for hours on end about my life, her life, and just any subject in general.  I feel like we had a special bond and I miss her every.single.day and probably will for the rest of my life.  I made sure that when I lived in NY I saw her at least once a week, even if it was for just a couple minutes over a drink (her-tea me-diet coke).  Then when I moved to KY, I tried to make sure to talk to her on the phone as much as I could and visited at least every other month.  I spent time every Christmas with her and stayed at her house any time I could.  She was a wonderful, warm hearted, gracious woman who wouldn't ever say a bad thing about anyone, even if she knew they would never hear it.  Even though she's gone, I still talk to her every day and tell her how much I love her and miss her.

Grandma having fun at our wedding with Sean, Geoff's dad.

A demonstration of how much I've changed since I was 20

This link is to my old livejournal I had when I was 20 and had no clue what was going on with my life (I was also still undiagnosed with bipolar (II) disorder.).

Also-I apologize for the use of the word "retarded" in a negative form-I have learned so much about how negative connotations of a relatively benign word can hurt in the last 6 years.
http://irishbabydoll17.livejournal.com/

I'll re-do the first questionnaire just to give a little example:
LEVEL ONE
-- Name: Rebecca
-- Birthdate: 07.10.1984.
-- Birthplace: Rochester, NY
-- Current Location: My bedroom, studying for my Medical Terminology test :)
-- Eye Color: green
-- Hair Color: brown
-- Height: 5'8..
-- Righty or Lefty: righty
-- Zodiac Sign: Cancer-but now it's changed according to the 13 signs theory I'm a Gemini

LEVEL TWO
-- Skin Color: I'm white-almost see-through
-- The shoes you wore today: Adidas that look like bowling shoes according to my 10 year old neighbor
-- Your weakness: still chocolate...love the stuff
-- Your fears: losing Geoff still, losing my dad
-- Goal you'd like to achieve: well, I got married!  I'd like to get KTFU and finish college still.

LEVEL THREE
-- Your most overused phrase: I don't really have one that i know of other than " I want a baby" haha
-- Your thoughts first waking up: Will this month be the one?
-- Your bedtime: Around 12am

LEVEL FOUR
-- Pepsi or Coke: Still diet coke
-- McDonalds or Burger King: BK-I love their chicken
-- Single or group dates: Group-I love getting to know other couples around our age or a little older
-- Adidas or Nike: Adidas, though Puma is still my first love
-- Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Lipton Peach Green Tea-yum!
-- Chocolate or vanilla: Vanilla 
-- Cappuccino or coffee: not much of a coffee drinker-still true

LEVEL FIVE 
-- Smoke: ew
-- Cuss: a hell of a lot less-sorry for the previous profanity :(
-- Sing: yes-all.the.time.  I have a decent voice and love to sing.
-- Take a shower everyday: most of the time, sometimes I come home and I'm exhausted so I skip til the next day (I know, I smell)
-- Do you have a boyfriend: nope, I have a hubby
-- Do you think you've been in love: definitely, just not how I thought before...now I know what love is
-- Excited to go to college or university?: I'm still in college, hopefully I'll finish before I'm 40 lol
-- Like high school: still hate high school-it was a bad 4 years for me
-- Want to get married: I already did so I hope I wanted to!
-- Believe in yourself: more now than before
-- Get motion sickness: absolutely-I have felt nauseous every time we drive down country roads or when I fly
-- Get along with your parents: still do-they're amazing people
-- Like thunderstorms: not a fan but not afraid of them
-- Play an instrument: I used to play clarinet, some flute, and some piano.  I want to learn the guitar

LEVEL SIX
In the past month... 
-- Drank alcohol: nope-trying to have a baby so I don't drink anymore (I haven't really drank in 3 years so not a big deal to give it up)
-- Smoked: no
-- Gotten kisses: yes, of the puppy, baby, kitty, and hubby kind
-- Gone to the mall?: nope, can't say I have..we had MAJOR money issues the last year (like, we only made $24k combined last year while Geoff was unemployed) but now I'll be shopping more often
-- Eaten an entire box of Oreos: nope, I haven't eaten a single Oreo
-- Eaten sushi: nope-but I've tried it now (hated it)
-- Been on stage: nope
-- Been dumped: nope
-- Gone skating: no, I haven't gone in years actually
-- Made homemade cookies: nope
-- Dyed your hair: last time I did was summer '09
-- Stolen anything: nope

LEVEL SEVEN
Ever...
-- Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: yes..to the point of alcohol poisoning..go me (sarcasm)
-- Been caught "doing something": nope-the family is pretty well aware we're trying to have a baby and they keep away haha
-- Been called a tease: yeah
-- Gotten beaten up: yes
-- Changed who you were to fit in: yup-I'm starting to get more comfortable in my skin though

LEVEL EIGHT
In a guy/girl...
-- Best eye color? brown
-- Best hair color? black
-- Short or long hair: short 
-- Height: as tall as my geoffrey is <---Did I really talk like this??? ::gag:: he's 6'2 by the way
-- Best articles of clothing: hoodies and jeans
-- Best first date location: restaurant
-- Best first kiss location:  somewhere quiet-not like mine with Geoff-parking lot at BK when I was at work because the girls yelled at me for not having done it yet

LEVEL NINE
-- Number of drugs taken illegally: 1 if you include alcohol-I don't know why I lied previously
-- Number of people I could trust with my life: several, like, my whole family
-- Number of CDs: none-I have an iPod now :)
-- Number of piercings: 0-all of them closed and my bellyring fell out so I never put it back in
-- Number of tattoos: none but I'm wanting one now
-- Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper?: three times-high school, engagement, marriage
-- Number of scars on my body: zillions-I'm clumsy what can I say
-- Number of things in my past that I regret: hating my tiny body then getting upset and gaining tons of weight<-still that one

Day 17: Something you are looking forward to

I am completely looking forward to going to NY either in March or August (not sure yet).  I have a new cousin coming in March (due on my dad's birthday, the 9th) and I can't wait to meet him!  If I go in March, I can see him in his cute little newborn phase, and I already know I'm going in August, it's not an either/or, it's a one or both situation.

In August, there is a carnival in my cousin's very small town (literally about 50 people live there).  I have looked forward to this carnival every year since I can remember.  There's a big parade before the carnival officially opens and my whole family gathers at Aunt Cathy's house to have dinner/drinks before the parade.  Then, during the parade, we all sit in her front yard while Jackie (my 6 year old cousin) sells lemonade to people walking by.  She makes quite a bit of money before/during/after the parade and brings it down to the carnival with her.  After the parade, it's about a 2 minute walk to the fire department where the carnival is held.  You can literally take a roll of quarters down there and have a great night, everything is about 50 cents to play and food is super cheap (just thinking about salt potatoes is making my mouth water).  My uncle runs the beat the dealer table and that's where we end up spending most of the night.  It's a great time and there's lots to do (beat the dealer, bingo, the rat game-where a rat runs around on a table with colored wedges and you bet on which wedge he will go into).  I have gone back up north every year to go to this carnival and I don't plan on doing anything different this year.  Jackie will be 7, Sophia will be 4, Ben will be 1, and Baby C will be about 5 months and I can't believe they're all getting so big!!!

Days 15 and 16...

So I took yesterday off to clean the house for our Superbowl Party.  The party was a hit but the game, not so much...oh well.


Day 15: Bible verse
Galatians 5:14
For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”


I chose this verse because it is something I try to live by.  I am kind to a fault and would never intentionally hurt someone.  I will call them out on their bullshit but I always reach out a hand to help people and forgive others faults easily. 

Day 16: Dream House

Geoff and I will never be able to afford my true dream house, so I'm living vicariously here:

I have always loved Victorian-era mansions.  There was one in the town my grandparents lived in and I always dreamed I would buy it.  ::Sigh::

Day 14: A picture you love

This is my favorite picture in the whole world.  It was taken about 3 weeks before my grandmother passed away and it shows our big, happy family on my mom's side.  In the back row are my brother, my Uncle Paul, my cousin Alex, my dad, and Geoff.  The middle row is Sarah (about 4 months pregnant with Ben), Grandma, my mom, Aunt Leen, and Aunt Cathy.  The front row is Kenzie, Karen, Kristen, Sophia, Jackie, and me!  This picture reminds me of happy times and it was our family's 2nd annual Christmas Brunch.  We are a very tight-knit family and would do anything for each other.  Grandma had a wonderful last Christmas and we were all so happy that she knew Ben was coming before she passed away.  He has many of her qualities and even makes a face she used to love making.  I'm saddened that she will never get to meet Karen's little boy or any of my (or my brother's) future children, but I'm glad that we got to spend so much time with her and that she got to, after 6 years, be with my grandpa again in Heaven.

I really need to stop being so bad at this!

So I've missed 3 days again, I've gotta stop being a horrible blogger!  Nothing new to report on the fertility line, other than I'm at odds with a nurse at my Dr's office because she won't schedule me for a 7DPO progesterone check.  I circumvented her and will be going to a local lab that does certain tests without a doctor's orders.  I want to make sure that I ovulated this cycle and the only way to do that is with this bloodwork.


Alright, now onto the 30 day challenge: Day 11: Favorite TV shows
Day 12: What you believe
Day 13: Goals

Day 11: 

My favorite TV shows are varied but mostly I'd say:

I obviously love TV haha and I love shows that make me think at some times (like Criminal Minds, Jeopardy, and Law and Order: SVU, and at other times I love shows that are just light and easy to watch (like Glee, The Simpsons, Greek, True Blood, and ANTM).  The only kinds of shows I don't really like are Science Fiction like Star Trek, which kills Geoff because those are his favorites!

Day 12: 

I believe in God, but I don't believe in all the tenets of the church, especially the Catholic Church in which I was raised.  I hate the way that religion is skewed to fit a certain warped point of view (ie: anti-gay, anti-IVF, anti-Muslim, etc).  I believe that all things are created by God and if they are created  by Him, how can they be bad?  All religions have the same basic idea, one or more deities who require a certain moral code.  There are slight differences between them but I don't understand why people think that their one religion is better than another.  

Day 13: 

Right now my main goal is obviously to get pregnant.  Geoff and I want 4 kids before we're 35 (hopefully even sooner than that) so being 26 with a difficult time getting pregnant scares us.  Hopefully this first round of treatment will work and we'll be on our way to fertile city!  

Other than that, my goal for my career is to be either a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner or a Family Practice Nurse Practitioner.  I have always wanted to do something in medicine and I love children so pediatrics seemed to be the way to go.  Midwifery also appeals to me, but I am still not 100% sure of that path.  I want to achieve my BSN by 35 and my MSN by 45 so I think that I have put myself on a good path to achieving my goals.