Footsteps For Fertility Event!

You read the subject right! today I felt like it was a good day to sit down and blog about the amazing event we joined over the weekend!! I am still in complete shock and still so emotional, I can't even handle to hold in my tears when I talk about this event! 

Trev and I debated over doing this event or not and we really got thinking and talked about it and it was a simple decision of umm! yes we are going to join this event! and how fun would it be to go and meet new friends and learn about other people that are struggling with infertility! I have to admit I was so nervous I didn't sleep for 3 days before the event and I was a little stressed out! mainly because this was our first time! and I have to say that it was the most memorable event I will always remember! and never forget about! and not only that we have made a decision to attend every year even if we don't have a team! we want to be there and walk for couples that struggle with this mean disease! yes I said disease! infertility is a disease and they say it is just like a person struggling with cancer or a death in there family...I have to thank everyone that came to this race and supported TEAM BABY LARSEN some of the best words I have ever heard that made me very emotional was a man named Jared who has a youtube channel called Ellie and Jared who are husband and wife, go ahead and look them up! they are awesome! but some of the words he said to the crowd that he spoke out that really touched me and made me very emotional was...

"I want everyone to just look around to the people next to you, look at all the people who are here, whether you are male, female, someone you know or you are supporting, you guys are all here to support each other for one of the most amazing things in life "family"what a great cause, what a great thing these guys are doing for footsteps for fertility!"

Those words really stuck out to me...FAMILY...Trev and I wouldn't be able to do this without the support of our family that has been by our sides and wouldn't let us just give up! we are so thankful for the friends and family that supported us through this event and not only the family that stood beside us through this race and went through it with us! It was so amazing and makes me emotional to have my family there and standing by my side through this and seeing really how hard it is to go through infertility! its always so nice to have your family beside you to just hold you when you are happy or sad and this event made me realize how much I need my family and friends just to be there and never let Trev and I give up on this struggle, to push us and tell us that we got this! our sweet baby angel is waiting to be sent down to us! I am so thankful for my family and friends, I can't express enough how much I love you all and how much the world is a better place when you have family and friends! this event had me in so many emotions! I am so thankful that Trev and I got to go through this and experience this together and shed a few tears together! I am also thankful for the new couples that we got to meet and learn about and hear about there story.

Next, I need to express my feelings about Trev...I am one person that doesn't show my feelings very well and that is something I need to be better at as a wife...I hide my emotions...I don't like people seeing me cry, I don't know why, maybe its because I make an ugly cry face I am not sure! but this man of mine has been through so much and has dealt with so much of my constant no emotion, orneriness, not feeling well, bummed out, craziness and I have to just say I could have never found the most loving guy with the biggest heart ever. I am so thankful for Trevor and I am so thankful that he has stood beside me through all the hard times we have went through. I can't wait to see him as a daddy and see all the love he shows to our children just like he does just to me and Max our pup...he tries to be a hard {ass} but deep down this guy has a heart you just have to dig for his emotions at times! I love you babe and I am so thankful for each day that I get to wake up with you as my husband, thank you for all you do for me, and us as a family...

Ok back the Footsteps for Fertility event! are you guys just all waiting to hear if we won anything? well you might just have to wait till my next blog to find that out! HA! its like getting addicted to a series show! you just want to find out what happened right!? Okay! won't make you wait! and if you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you probably already know!

SO! Trev and I are so excited and so emotional to announce that we won the $5,000.00 Grant at this event! What does this mean? we get to use this $5,000.00 towards any procedure that we need to have done! we are so excited and still in complete shock! our name got called and we both just stood there like did they really just call our name? I guess you get this way because you start to expect nothing to go right after you have been through so much already you just start looking for the negative even when you try to tell yourself be positive! I have to say when we walked into this event I felt calm, I just felt like everything happens for a reason and like I said in my last blog trust in God's timing! we are so thankful for Footsteps For Fertility and this event! that they gave us the opportunity to jump on the wagon and get started again in our journey of making our family grow! I know this will be an emotional ride and I stress for Trevor and all that he will have to go through with my craziness while I am on meds but if I have to be on crazy meds to get our angel baby here I will do anything as long as I have Trevs shoulder and love!  what an amazing weekend! thank you all for supporting us through our journey! and we will keep you all updated! Love you all! I do want to express my love to my dad! I got the most amazing text message that I will always cherish close to my heart, I don't share a lot of personal stuff and I have thought really hard if I want to keep this text just between my dad, Trev and I but this blog is my blog and I am blogging sharing about our journey, the ups the downs and the love so I have chosen to share my text because I want it to touch you as much as it touched me! I will upload it below in the pictures! Thanks for reading todays blog! XO 

Here are a few pictures from the weekend! Enjoy!

{Letting The Small Things Go}

Hey Friends so I wrote this blog awhile back and never uploaded it! so you all are in for it today! you get two new blogs! and you all deserve it because I have slacked on the blog updates!! but I have so much new information and lots to write about today! so here we go! 

Blog number one for today! read below!

So a lot has been on my mind these last couple weeks and I have been thinking about a lot lately more so thinking a lot about stress, with the combination of happiness...can you be these two things at the same time? I tell myself all the time I will not let stress bring my happiness down...this takes me back to last year...when everything I did revolved around having a baby, or trying to get pregnant...I was stressed, emotional, exhausted, you get the jiff...but I sit and think to myself about last year, I was miserable I never did ANYTHING, I never just enjoyed myself or having time with Trev, basically all I ever wanted to do was sit at home, I didn't care if I was there with Trev or by myself...I didn't care!

Where am I going with this? my goal this year after I stopped having IUI's done, and took a break from the baby problems, I told myself I was going to enjoy life...this baby journey isn't going to hold me back from the things that I love to do! basically that is what it did to me the last couple years, I never enjoyed life.

We haven't just enjoyed life, I was holding back on going and having fun in fear of always running into situations or conversations of "when are you guys going to have a baby?" or the constant happiness and talking about another person being pregnant...there were so many times that I would leave somewhere and get in my car and sit there for a minutes and just bawl, I would think to myself "why, why me" there were days and nights that I would scream and yell at God, times where I absolutely felt alone and hated everything and everyone around me including myself...sounds pretty scary right? more like a scary emotional broken hearted girl that felt like she wasn't good enough and that is why I haven't been blessed with a baby. But is that really true? I threw a pity party, do I want you to feel bad for me, NO.

I look back at growing up and how much love I have given my nieces and nephews, I treat those kids as if they are my own, I get so happy when I get to see them or be able to babysit...I have showed so much love to those little kids and spoiled them as they have grown and I look at all those times and think to myself; God has seen me with little kids, he knows that I would be a good mother and the love I have for all children! so why am I still sitting here at the age of 29 with not one child? I have learned to trust in God's timing...HE HAS A PLAN! we can get frustrated, yell/scream and tell him you hate him and his plans but his plans are the best thing that can ever make life go right when you just believe and understand to wait for his timing...

{ Jesus Replied "You don't understand now what I am doing, but someday you will" }

John 13:7

{ The pain that you've been feeling, can't compare to the joy that's coming }

Romans 8:18

Just a few scriptures that I always read and tell myself when I start to think down on myself!

I just wanted to sit down and share what has been on my mind lately and to always remember don't let stress ruin your happiness and the things you love to do in life! I have realized how miserable I was compared to now! I go out and I do the things I enjoy in life! one of the things I have done this year was make a bucket list! it has helped so much and I have seriously made it a goal to accomplish my bucket list by the end of the year of all the things I love to do during each season, holiday, or just life activities! I have learned to just enjoy and love on everyone else's babies until I get some of my own and that is one thing that has made me feel like its really going to be ok! I love cuddling new babies! I could sit and hold a baby all day everyday!!

Thanks for reading todays blog!

XO

{Happy Fourth} {Happy Four Year Anniversary!}

HEY FRIENDS! Thought I better get on the blog and give some updates!! and what the Larsen's have been up to lately! we just celebrated the 4th of July and our 4 year anniversary! Yes I said 4 Year! I look back and think to myself how much I wish I could re-live that day all over again!! I don't think I stopped smiling the whole day!! even if the owners of the place we had our wedding at made it awful and didn't care one bit about our day...they got there money and rushed us out as fast as they possibly could! we had the place till 3 pm and they were picking stuff up at 2:00 pm...I was not a happy girl and yes I spoke some words to them and wrote a letter! never heard back from them, basically tells ya they only care about the money! but it was a good day for what it was and I think back on that day all the time! Happy to be married and trying to build our little fam!

We celebrated by going to our favorite restaurant Fredricos in Logan, Utah, and getting 4 scoops of ice-cream from Charlie's! can we all say YUMMA! if you haven't been to either of these places and you are coming to Logan, Utah they are a must try! 

I need to bring up some things about my husband! 4 years ago I made the best decision of my entire life! I knew when I started dating Trev that he was the one...I never stopped laughing at the guy and honestly that is what I needed! I always think to myself Trev and I came into each others lives at exactly the right time...he needed me and I needed him, he struggled through an ending of a relationship he went through and he had just lost his Grandpa Stone and I had just got out of a 4 year relationship a couple months back that turned upside down and hurt me pretty bad...Trev and I went on our first date together and of course anyone that knows me I am pretty quiet till I get to know ya! so I pretty much said like two words to him the whole double date we went on ha!! but hey he still got a hold of me for a second date! Trev and I are so different but so much alike in so many ways its hard to describe...we are both SOOO hard headed that when we are upset with each other neither one of us will admit we are wrong or want to admit it because of course we are both right! lol! this is something we have worked on and tried our hardest to be better at admitting when one is wrong. We did so many fun things together while dating!! from going to Lava almost every weekend to float the river, going to movies, getting Pier 49 Pizza, hanging out at my sisters house or brother and sister in laws, going to Yellowstone, Jazz games, temple square, Park City, or just relaxing all day every Saturday watching football. I will never forget the dating memories! we had so much fun together and I fell in love more and more every day with Trev! until 7/9/2011 came along and we went to Salt Lake City, Utah! I fell in love even more with the most caring/amazing man I have ever met! Trev proposed that night at Temple Square while walking around and looking at the lights! Best day of my life! and so thankful each day for him in my life! we have been through so much together and we have got through it all together side by side! lots of ups and downs but I wouldn't want to live any other day without him in my life! we have realized in life that marriage can be so hard, being adults can be hard, trying to have a family is basically what our big concern in life is all about right now...its not the fun we used to have while dating! we stress every day over a baby, money, being a good husband and wife to each other, jobs, pretty much life just like everyone else in the world! we stress! but always know loving each other and working together will get us through anything!

 Love you Trev and thanks for always being my rock!

{07/09/2011}

Fourth of July! we went to Bear Lake for the day on the 3rd and hung out with Trev's family and enjoyed some sun, beach, and lake! and did I forget to mention sunburn! we both got fried even with spraying tons of sunscreen on! obviously wasn't a good sunscreen and needed some stronger kind! tons of fun in the sun! 

We came home took a little nap and headed out for some fun at the Logan Fire Works! they were awesome! one of my most favorite holidays is the fourth! from growing up when I was little it was always one of my parents favorite holidays and to put us kids in the foot race at the ball field in the little town of Malad, Idaho! we always went and had some lunch at the Deep Creek Restraunt (can't remember if that is the name of it? its now closed) and then headed straight over to the race! it was always a bet to see if I could beat Kimberly Williams in the race! it usually always ended up against her and I as first and second place! for as short as I was and as tall as she was it was always a good race! Kim you always rocked those races girl! the Malad Fire Works were always so much fun at the ball field that place was always packed!! Love Love Love the Fourth of July and Proud to be an American!!

ALSO We celebrated our sweet pup Max's birthday!! our puppy child turned 3 on July 6th! so happy we have Max in our little family and thankful for him always being right by my side whenever I need him the most! he always has been one concerned pup and always knows when something is wrong, he is such a big part of our family and will always be known as our first child! I don't care how much crap people give me especially my bro (Brandon you punk) Happy Birthday Max Boy we love you!!

Here are some pictures of all the fun we have had during July!

{Livin in N Town}

Hey Friends!

I thought I would get on and do some blogging! Sorry I haven't been on for awhile! we have been moving and with no internet for a bit! and just enjoying some family time! but I am back! we are moved and settled! and we love our new place in Nibley, Utah!! Just a few questions we have been getting as to why we wanted to live in Nibley, Utah, here are your answers friends!...

From Idaho to Utah, Why? we never wanted to be in Idaho...we just lived in Idaho because it was in the middle of Preston and Logan where both of us worked. We were never a fan of living in Franklin, Idaho to be honest! the Mink smell was awful! if you don't know what mink are Google them! we had a mink farm right next to us!

Trev and I have always had a love for Utah! trust me we are always driving to Logan, Roy, Layton, Ogden, Salt Lake, Sandy, Park City, ALL THE TIME! so why not live in Utah we questioned?? if anyone knows me I love a city! I love living in cities! and just a secret about me I could honestly live in San Fran, San Diego, or EVEN New York! I love the taxi's, Being able to walk basically anywhere you want to go, Broadway, Dollar slice pizza, Starbucks, The parks, Serendipity, All the cute little apartments in the city, Grand Central Station!, or San Diego I love the nice weather all the time! Trev and I aren't much winter fans!, San Fran!? well whoever doesn't know us we are big time Giants fans! and who wouldn't love living in those awesome houses in San Fran?  I love it all! and everyone has a dream right? Mine and Trev's dream will always be to one day live in San Francisco or San Diego! just a dream! maybe someday! Next move Trev? :)

Ok so we decided on moving to Nibley because we knew we didn't want to live right in Logan, we really were even deciding on moving to Park City, Utah!, {we love Park City!} so when we found this cute townhome in Nibley we fell in love because it wasn't right in the middle of Logan but still in the city if that makes sense...we both knew Logan would be best for right now...my parents are always in Logan, Trev's parents are in Logan, my baby Dr. is in Logan, we have just really fell in love with the city of Logan! we were mainly looking for a place as to where we wanted to raise our family when we start to have kids, isn't that everyone's first thoughts when trying to find a place to live? where will we be happy? where is the safest place to live? where is the best place to raise your children etc...we live right next to the elementary school, across from Logan River, The Golf Course! next to a Walmart!!! I mean what is there to complain about? besides....PUSSYWILLOWS!! I have seriously had the hardest time breathing because I am allergic to all the pussywillows around here! yes laugh it up! my mom and dad have laughed so hard about this! HA! but I will deal with those over mink farm!

We basically wanted to move to a place where our pup would be happy basically he is our puppy child so that was my biggest stress because I didn't want him to go through a depressed stage! he is a happy pup and to see him sad makes me sad! we knew living next to the Logan River, his favorite place to go for walks he would be okay! so here we are! Nibley, Utah living!! and we are so happy with our decision! we are so thankful for this cute little town home we found that we are renting for now till we decide if this is our home city! if this is where we want to be for good! also can I just say we have some awesome landlords that own this town home! the nicest people ever! So just a few favorites of our new home!

 

Vaulted Ceilings

Wall Colors

Windows in our living room

The Master Bathroom tub with a separate shower on the other side of the bathroom

Our Friendly Neighborhood!

We love our Nibley Home! and we hope you enjoy all the pictures as I promised!

Enjoy! -XO

Front Door Entry

Front Door Entry {when you first walk in}

Front Door Entry Way

Living Room Area

Living Room Area {those windows! love!}

Living Room Area

Kitchen

Dining Room

Hall Way

Hall Way To Garage and Upstairs

Half Bathroom Downstairs 

{paint is coral/orange, it looks hot pink but its not}

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Master Bedroom Bathroom 

{same paint as the coral/orange, not hot pink}

Master Bedroom Bathroom Master Bedroom Bathroom 

{same paint as the coral/orange, not hot pink}

Laundry Room

Just a Corner Upstairs I am getting a desk to put here for office Area/Computer

Hall Way Upstairs {and a cute pup!}

Stairway to go upstairs

Spare Bedroom {still decorating}

Hope you like it!! Welcome to our cute town home!

XO!

Team Baby Larsen

FAMILY, & FRIENDS!

This summer Trev and I have decided to participate in the Footsteps For Fertility Foundation on August 29th, 2015 at 8:00 am to 10:00 am in Salt Lake City, Utah. We are asking for as much help as possible, please if you can spread the word to all family, any friends, Co workers, anything! we would appreciate it so much!! This event is based on running/walking in a 5k race for people who are struggling with infertility. As we all know, Trev and I have been struggling for 3 1/2 years to bring our baby angel into our home, a lot of people don't understand the emotions that husband and wife deal with while going through this whole process...it is honestly emotionally exhausting. We have gone through so many failed procedures over and over...procedures that insurance does not cover any cost...basically our only steps left through this whole journey are Injections, IVF, or Adoption, most all of these we cannot afford.

So what are we asking? We are asking all family and friends to help us out! Register for this race! you don't have to run! you can walk, or you can just come and hang out! you don't have to even be in the race! if you can't make it you can still just join the team and mark entry type as Sleep For Fertility, just come or help support Team Baby Larsen!!

How does this work? For anyone that registers on the Footsteps For Fertility Race under Baby Larsen that is one raffle ticket that goes in the drawing for us to win a grant, what is a grant? The Footsteps For Fertility Foundation Grant is a grant which is awarded to couples who require fertility treatments to have children. Grants through Footsteps For Fertility Foundation are either, in kind donated services from Clinical Partners, or are monetary typically valued at $5,000 each or less depending on the cost of required treatment. The Footsteps For Fertility Foundation Grant can be applied toward treatments such as In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Frozen Embryo Transfers (FET), or up to three Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) transfers taking place within a 12 month period of time. Grants are awarded by random selection and process takes place at the fundraising event. Each registrant will receive one complimentary ticket with their event registration that may be entered for random selection to be awarded a Footsteps Grant for someone they know who requires fertility treatments.

Trev and I have had so many caring family and friends that have helped us out so much through this journey! we don't know where we would be without all of you and your support while we have been through this emotional struggle we have been going through. We appreciate all the love and support!! Please help Team Baby Larsen out!!

What it is you need to do to sign up!

Go to this link:

https://endurancecui.active.com/event-reg/select-race?e=19041353&int=29-110-1

WE ARE REGISTERED UNDER SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH RACE

Select RACE CATEGORY if you are running/walking and coming to the race click the Run/Walk 5K for Fertility, if you can't make it to the race but want to donate for Team Baby Larsen click Sleep-In for Fertility {yes each member you register is $35.00} Click Continue Button.

Fill out all your information
TEAM NAME find BABY LARSEN,
If it asks for a TEAM PASSWORD it is larsen04, not sure if it will or not

Then type in all your information listed below

 {please remember! if you do come, you don't have to run! you can walk! or dance if you want! ha!}

 

After signing up please go to your email that you listed when you filled out your information and confirm your registration, then print your ticket if it tells you too, I think the print your ticket will only be for people if you are walking/running but I am not positive! if it tells you to print a ticket just print the ticket and make sure you keep it or bring it with you to the event!

Again, thank you so much for all your love and support! we love you all!!

Love,

Trevor, Brittney, & Max {pup} Larsen

{Lots of Change}

So I thought I better get on and do some blogging! I haven't been on for awhile! lots of change in the Larsen home has happened and is happening! first off to start out I wanted to share some exciting news! The Larsen's are OFFICIALLY MOVING!! we are headed to Nibley, Utah! I couldn't be more excited and happy to start our new journey! and of course I will be sharing pictures when we get all moved in! I promise! So we have been busy preparing for our next step! we have been doing some shopping here and there and buying a few things for our new home! We are going to be living by the most amazing beautiful place we love to take our pup for walks at, its called The Logan River {if you don't know where this is, google pictures! {we love it!} April 1st is our big move! we have so much to do and so little time! 

On to the next news! we bought a new car! we traded in my cute Toyota, Corolla that had way too many miles on it and was starting to have problems and not start very well in the mornings-so it was time for a change! we have had our eyes on a Hyundai, Sonata so that is what we went with and we are in love! 

So what else has been going on in the Larsen home? we have met with a Fertility Specialist in Clearfield, Utah that we were referred to by my Dr in Logan, Utah...we went in, sat down in his office and discussed options, affordable options...and as affordable as it gets basically our next option is to try injections, along with fertility meds, our next options that are left after this are only Invitro, or Adoption so we decided on giving the injections a try, so basically what are the injections for, your probably questioning? they are a follicle stimulating hormone injection {FSH}.

Follicle stimulating hormone is used to stimulate a follicle {egg} to develop and mature. It is used when  a woman desires pregnancy and her ovaries can produce a follicle but hormonal stimulation is not sufficient to make the follicle mature. Follicle stimulating hormone is also used to stimulate the development of multiple eggs for invitro fertilization.

For women, follicle-stimulating hormones help to control and regulate the woman’s menstrual cycle and is also partially responsible for the production of ova, or eggs, in the ovaries. It is normal for a woman’s FSH levels to vary throughout her usual monthly cycle, with there being a spike in the levels immediately before ovulation.

However, if FSH levels are generally too high or too low, it can signal fertility issues for the woman which can prevent conception from occurring.

What are the most important things couples should be aware of? 

Treatment with follicle stimulating hormone increases the likelihood of multiple births.

Yes, this does worry Trev and I...we have stressed over having a baby, we have been through so many ups and a lot of downs! but the best thing about going through all this is the person standing right next to you and I can honestly say I am so thankful for the husband that I have that hasn't left my side through it all! he has helped me believe, love more, be thankful, be a stronger person, and to let it all out when I am frustrated...crying is okay! and to do this with him makes it all seem so much easier! I wouldn't have been able to get through any of this without him telling me "its going to be okay" yes I have went through a lot of procedures where I have been in so much pain/tears and right then and there I have said "I am done, I give up, I can't do this anymore" through all this I have realized so much about myself...I have become a stronger person inside and out...yes behind closed doors you might not see the emotional break downs but that is not what I am here for...I am here to walk out of my house and put a happy smile on my face and show that I can handle anything! just bring it on! even though yes inside my heart hurts and I am an emotional mess at times...sometimes when you hold back the tears for as long as you have trying to be strong, you have a moment and they just burst out! but that is where I wipe my tears, stand up, be strong, and move on. I have learned to stand up for myself and decide, make decisions on if I want to do something or if I don't! and I don't need an excuse as to why I am not doing something...just accept my answers when I say no and move on, this goes for daily life living, appointments that I have been through, Dr's questioning my decisions, anything that comes my way I have started to put Trev and I first, what's best for us as a couple and our family to be!

Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try...

I have always loved that quote, if you don't succeed, try a little harder! and I feel like every accomplishment does start with the decision to try! you have to try to succeed and as Trev and I keep battling this journey we are going through we are going to try a little harder with more researching, praying, and loving more through the process we are about to overcome!

On a more exciting note! I have to tell you guys what I was surprised with for my big 2-9 birthday! I have seriously been dreading the big 2-9 because the big 3-0 comes next! I am getting old! and as always I had my life planned when I was younger, I was going to be married by 20 and have my first kid at 24...lets just say you can't plan your life and God has other plans for you! ha! here I am almost 30 with not even one child-I keep telling myself this! it makes me nervous, and scared at the same time. So my husband decided to surprise me and help me feel younger again and be a kid! we went to Disney on Ice in Salt Lake City, Utah! I had a blast! I honestly haven't been that relaxed, and just enjoyed myself in so long! if anyone knows my mom she is the person that is always stressing about everyone else, or putting everyone else before herself...yep I am the same way. So this adventure was so fun! I felt like a little kid again! and I will admit...I didn't care if we were the only adults there without children! HA!! 
Hope you all enjoyed todays blog! XO!

Also for all my blogger readers, can I please ask a favor! Trev and I have been to the most amazing fertility Dr's that have helped us so much, please go to this link and help us out and vote for 

Utah Fertility Center! I would refer any family, friends, blogger friends ANYONE to these Dr's any day if you lived near Utah! its all about trust and I highly trust these Dr's!

Click link below and read:

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/1772707/2d49f0e312/543505555/87043dd524/

After you have read about everything, follow these instructions on what to do:

Click on this link below

http://www.heraldextra.com/bestofutahvalley/  

it will take you to a page that you will see at the top it says Best of Utah Valley 2015 Voting going on now, click on that. Then NEXT, then at the top it will have a blue drop down that says JUMP TO: Click that drop down and click on Best of Health, then in the 8th box down on 2nd column where it says Fertility, write in Utah Fertility Center! Then go back up and click on the drop down again where it says JUMP TO: and put SUBMIT MY VOTES! fill in your name, email and zip! and that's it folks!! Please help all of us infertility couples out! we are doing everything we can to get costs to come down or at least make insurance help out! Thank you friends!!