And then there were four..

Four knee surgeries that is!

My fourth and (possibly, maybe) final procedure is complete on the ol' knee.

I had what is called a manipulation under anesthesia on my knee to break up scar tissue that had formed and frozen my knee joint. The procedure required anesthesia because of the level of pain involved during the breaking up of the scar tissue. Dr. Hottie McGropesalot also had my anesthesiologist pal give me a femoral nerve block to help deaden the pain that was sure to follow. I was one of the supremely lucky people out there who had a block that lasted for almost 48 hours!

Oh sure, I couldn't walk without crutches for that time, but I felt nooooo pain at all and kept my knee moving in my therapy chair thus keeping scar tissue from reforming.

I'm at 75% range of motion in my knee and I'm trading in my flexion chair for an extension brace that I have to wear a couple times a day just to keep my knee where it will straighten all the way out.

So... maybe this will be the last post about knees and surgery and therapies to bend and straighten and manipulate my lower extremity and perhaps we can get into more exciting stuff like how Ava has grown, yet still refuses to potty train and Faith being a tween and such silliness in her life like her friend who is a boy, yet is not her boyfriend whose nickname is Corn (he calls her Taco, so it must be a good match).

And, maybe- just maybe- we will pickup a new character along the way in the form of a baby. Not in the immediate future, but that dream is by no means lost.

--The Milk Maid says stay tuned!

The I Almost Forgot It Was Friday Mish-Mash

Today feels like Tuesday people! I have been so off this week. I blame it on not having school Wednesday. My final exam in Med Term is Monday- I'm ready to get it over and done with!

In other news: Our new Tar.get opened this week! Whoooo! This thing is huge AND it has a Star.bucks! Or maybe the Star has a Tar.get? They are both so equally huge, I couldn't decide.

I am picking up K this afternoon at her hotel in Atlanta and stealing her away from her teacher conference duties for the rest of the day! As most of you will recall (rather hazily for some of you) K was part of the gathering had in Houston last weekend. I'm sure our evening will consist of just chilling out and chatting B up on the cell phone! B- I promise to return your gal to ya safe and sound sometime tomorrow. Big J will be at the helm to get her to the airport safely and on time, so she's in good hands all around!

The Great Baby Discussion of 2008 has flared up again. Pending a couple of details, we might be putting our TTC hats on sooner rather than later. Details are to follow, of course. However, seeing that my ovaries and uterus are very shy (I feel them blushing now) the ins and outs blow by blow comings and goings happenings will be kept mostly under wraps on this blog. I've got a dedicated site in the works, and as soon as the place is spiffied up I'll call everyone in for the ribbon cutting ceremony!

Not a lot else is going on around the humble abode gang- I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

--The Milk Maid says she keeps her book by Mimi Smartypants on top of a stun gun and she uses these little cheap eyeglasses to see the fine print!

The "Where Are We Going, And Why Am I In This Handbasket?" Friday Mish-Mash

Does any one else watch Hell's Kitchen? Does anyone find Gordon Ramsey attractive besides me? Sure, he needs a little forehead botox, but dont we all? A sexy chef with an accent and a temper-- hot y'all, hot!


In other news, the "Great Baby Talks of 2008**" has started up again.


**To my dearest underfertile/infertile friends... this is me asking you, especially if you are having a sensitive moment right now and want to eat my ovaries much like zombies would eat brains, to please refrain from reading the next paragraph and scroll down to where the RED WRITING is... that's where we can pick up, okie dokie? See you in a few...


Between Jef's friend Matt and his wife having a baby yesterday (the mostest cutest smallest sweetest babyiest boy named Brady- oh wee, oh weeweewee) and Jef sending me a picture of said cuteness AS I WAS READING the fabulous blog of RaJen which had preggie belly pics and baby clothes and blankies and... well, it was the kind of day where I truly felt like shaving all the hair off my body from the neck down, throwing on something that could be described as "sexy" and "see thru", and have Jef find me waiting at the door- hair tossled, slutty eye makeup perfectly applied, holding a Cosmo in one hand and a bottle of KY in the other.


That's how they make babies in the movies right?


For the rest of us who have to call and make an appointment and arrange for the Stork Express to carry us to our final destination, that's all pretty much a silly little fantasy. Anyway, the Stork's line was busy when I called... I took that as an omen to pass instead of play for a little while longer. Oh, that and the whole "I should probably mention this to Jef" thing. Which I totally would have... honest!


Ok- were back friends!


I have 2 Med Term tests next week- Monday and Wednesday. I'm actually feeling pretty confidant already! After those tests we move into male and female anatomical terms... Bring it, yo!


My Big J is getting off work early (we hope, we hope) to take me to dinner at the restaurant where we had our 1st date. I'm totally excited... I can't wait to have him all to myself for a few hours.


Zeus refrained from eating anyone at class last night. He is doing really great, and I will try to get a new picture up of him soon... he's growing up so fast!

I hope everyone has a nice weekend!


--The Milk Maid says you can't make a race horse out of a pig, but you can make a really fast pig!


engraved plaques

Gut Punched

Wow, November already, huh? Where did the year go?

In case I hadn't informed you (or let it slip out, however we're phrasing that today) November was the month that Jef and I were gearing up for TTC again. With the job change, and ensuing lack of insurance coverage (well, we have Cobra temp insurance, but it will all change again 3 months from now), Jef's magical kidneys and their issues, and just a slew of other stuff- like life in general, my school commitment after the first of the year, 2 very rambunctious kids, my renewed love of karate, the alignment of the stars and the moon and the sun and Mars and..., and oh yeah- some one being a little wishy-washy on the subject of "more baby" (that'd be me this time)- I guess we sort of let it slip out of sight for a while.

Even with everything that is going on right now, knowing that this wouldn't be The Month kind of hit me somewhere near that string of nerves that goes "AWWWW" when I see a tiny baby being clutched ever so tight by his mommy.

I mentioned this to Jef, and with him being my center and my calmness and my light and my everything, he said his sorrys many times over. But I wasn't looking for sorry. I am not sure what I was looking for, actually. I know he and I are on the same path together... and I know we will get there.

I just didn't expect a brief delay to hit me where it did, and as hard as it did. One day I wake up only to find myself getting gut punched by a very large force-- time.

I'm not depressed about it, by any means, so please don't even think that. I suppose all this made me realize that, even with 2 children there is still a hole that needs to be filled by a tiny little person.

--The Milk Maid says, "Siiiigh."

Found It...

My LH surge that is (finally at CD18):


So, game on? Soon...

We were doing the name-game last night...
Guess I need to put this back up:

I totally blame peer pressure ;)