Support Forums (TMI Warning)

I had a great weekend in MN with the husband! He tells it all here on his blog.

It was great to get away for the weekend and have some time alone with the husband in a fun environment. We stayed at a fun hotel located right downtown so we didn't have to take cabs or anything, it was awesome to see downtown Minneapolis! I really liked the city, it was MUCH cleaner than Chicago!

We ended up leaving really early on Sunday morning and getting back home around 1:00! That was a miracle because typically we don't get home from long weekends until like 5:00!

All weekend long I was looking forward to participating in a gift exchange that is being started in the message board that I frequent. The theme of the gift exchange is summer/beach stuff. So I kept that in mind when I went shopping at IKEA this weekend! I didn't come up with much but I did find some stuff that I thought would be a fun summery gift for my lucky person who's name is yet to be drawn!

What I really enjoy about the message board that I frequent is constant support. I haven't seen anyone on there really "trolling" or anything. The board is sacred in that way, we are all in the same boat and no one is going to mess with us. Now that we're doing this gift exchange, I think it's going to bring me closer into this group of women who have gone through something extremely similar to what I've been through. None of our stories are exactly alike but it's great knowing that there is a community out there for me even if it is virtual.

Thinking back to ye olde times - there was a huge stigma on miscarriages. Women didn't talk about it, but sheltered their grief within themselves. There was a sense of decorum that needed to be upheld and people never discussed their feelings about miscarriages for whatever reason. Now I feel proud to be part of a time when I can share my feelings very publicly.

That being said, there are a lot of topics that I notice on some TTC blogs that discuss things that are definitely better left to a more anonymous forum. When the time comes to start actually trying again, I'm going to move that discussion to a different blog - one that you have to ask for the address!! Why? Well, here's a flavor of what some TTC blogs talk about and I wish to be able to be open about myself in my journey to a baby:

• Ovulation charting
• Talking about *whispers* vaginas (including the stuff that comes out of them!)
• BD - That's message board speak for "baby dance" - I'll let you figure out what that means, mom.

Note to those that found my blog via a message board, I will update my signature with the new address. Or please feel free to email me for the address. I'm looking forward to being even more candid than I ever was before!