Gimme Some Oven

Currently

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Barclay and Ali Martin

Hey friends ♡

I hope that this finds you well and warm today, wherever life may have you this January. We have been snuggled up inside here in Barcelona this past week, while Storm Gloria has slowly been making its way across the country. And while the weather outside has been downright wild — I’ve never seen wind and thunderstorms this strong here! — I have to say that the Kansas girl in me has been loving it. I’ve sooo missed the cozy comfort of a good stormy day living here, and love nothing more than going to sleep and waking up to the sounds of rain and thunder. So I have been soaking it up this week, and enjoying the excuse to stay in and snuggle up with my pups, endless cups of hot tea, a few good books, binged seasons of “Cheer” and “Project Runway” — and it’s been great.

Anyway, I’m overdue for a life update on here. So today I thought I would take a break from recipes and share a few of the things happening behind the scenes around here in the new year — some highs, some lows, some fun new adventures, plus a new little section at the bottom listing out some random things I’m loving right now.

As always, thank you for reading. And I’m sending you big hugs and the warmest wishes for a good new year ahead!

Infertility | Negative Pregnancy Test

Infertility

An excerpt from a post I shared on my personal Instagram last week. All my love to those of you who have been down this road before, or are currently making your way through a season of infertility too.

Translation: (still) not pregnant. ♡

Barclay and I had really hoped that 2019 might be the year that a little one would finally join our family. But instead, it ended up being the year when the fun and excitement of “trying” transitioned into the complicated medical world of infertility. When our calendars became filled with doctors’ appointments and tracking apps galore. When we had to learn a whole new set of Spanish vocab words about infertilidad, and got used to discussing the most intimate details of our lives in stark clinical settings. When I went on a strict fertility/candida diet and faced my needle fears to do regular acupuncture and got poked/prodded/wanded/analyzed by doctors on the reg. When the roller coaster of cautiously getting our hopes up every 28 days ended with a negative pregnancy test every. single. time.⁣

That said, 2019 was also the year when our friends and family said, “hey, we’re right here with you”— with long hugs and loving check-ins and fun distractions and ongoing prayers and lots and lots of chips and salsa. It was the year we learned that we had unknowingly moved to one of the top cities in the world for fertility clinics, where tests and treatments and medications all stunningly cost just a small fraction (even smaller with our insurance) of the price that they would for us in the States. It was the year when I came to realize just how deeply I hope to be a mom someday…and also saw more clearly than ever what an incredible father Barclay will be.⁣

2019 was many things — deeply good at times, hard and exhausting at others. But while I had originally decided awhile back not to mention anything about this side of our lives online, I have to say it has felt increasingly odd to be posting about every other random thing when this is really what’s been at the forefront of our minds and hearts.⁣

So for what it’s worth, I just wanted to take a moment today to say hey…this is us right now. ?? ⁣

We don’t have any big news to share. Just currently figuring our next treatment steps, which has us feeling all the feels about the year ahead. But today is one of those days when I’m feeling hopeful about it all. So…I’ll take it.

Montepellier France

Mini-Retirements

On a lighter note, Barclay and I both got inspired last year while rereading The 4-Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss’ idea of “mini-retirements” — basically, traveling somewhere to intensively study a new skill (versus spending the majority of your time sightseeing). We had already been craving a deeper dive into some of the places we travel, and of course, loved the idea of a focused window of time to study a new skill. So we did some dreaming together about what might sound fun (and nearby!) in this season of life, and each came up with a mini-retirement of our own to try in 2020.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Barclay has really been wanting to study French so that he can better communicate with his work partners in Mali, so he’s currently kicking the year off with a trip to Montpellier to stay with a host family and do a 2-week language intensive this month. (I’ve been posting a few updates from his trip on Instagram stories if you want to follow along — he’s absolutely loving it, and bonus, his sweet host mom is teaching him all of her favorite French recipes! I’m going to go visit him there this weekend and can’t wait to have him show me around.)

Then in either February or March, I am planning to head down to Valencia for a few weeks to study all things rice (since it’s the home of paella!) and do an advanced Spanish intensive while I’m there too. We’ve already been to Valencia twice before — it’s just a 3-hour train ride from Barcelona — and I completely fell in love with the city while we were there. So I’m excited to head back to spend some extended time there. And of course, share everything I learn about Spanish rice dishes with you guys!

So anyway, we’ll see how it all goes. It’s definitely a different style of travel than we’re used to, but we’re both really excited about our plans. And grateful, as always, for this season of life with flexible jobs and schedules that make travel possible.

Kuishi the Elephant

Elephant

This January, we also adopted an elephant!! ♡♡♡

After having watched, oh, a thousand elephant vids together over the years, Barclay and I agreed that we wanted to research new ways to better support our favorite animals in 2020. We ended up stumbling across a cool project in Kenya that invites people to “adopt” (sponsor) elephant orphans as they are being rehabilitated. So for our Christmas/Reyes gift to one another this year, Barclay and I sponsored Kuishi!

She’s 3-yrs-old and as cute as could be, and she’s currently being reintegrated into the wild after being rescued as an orphan when her mother passed away. (You can learn a bit about her story here — just have Kleenex ready.) We think she’s extraordinary, and are excited to be able to support and cheer her on for many years to come.⁣⁣⁣⁣
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Anyway, if you need an extra smile this weekend, just click on the #elephant hashtag on Instagram. It’s our favorite rabbit (er, elephant) hole. ;)

Homemade Kimchi

My 2020 Resolution

I’m one of those people who typically loves to make NY’s resolutions and thrives on the adrenaline of starting a fresh year with a bang. But with an unusual number of Big Life Questions looming that could take our year in any number of extremely different directions — especially with regards to our family, work, health, where we live, etc. — I’ve been feeling zero desire to hustle and make lots of big goals the new year. Which, any of my friends will tell you, is a bit unusual for me (especially as an Enneagram 3). Instead, I have been journaling and reflecting these past few weeks about this year ahead, I’ve found myself returning to the same word again and again:

CARE. ♡

More than anything this year, I want to take better care of myself and those around me. I want to prioritize better care of my body and the food and exercise and sleep that go into it. I want to take more gentle care of my heart and spirit, especially in the moments right now that feel particularly vulnerable and hard. I want to take good care of my mind, and feed it things that are good and expansive and fascinating. And I want to create more margin in my life to have the time to better care for dear friends and family around me.

Nearly one month in, this word has already been re-shaping my life in some profound ways. And it feels like the right place for me to be dwelling right now, and I’m curious to see how it unfolds over the next eleven months too.

All that said though — I couldn’t resist starting the year without at least ONE official resolution. So on a lighter note, I’ve decided to make 2020 the year that I finally learn how to make (really really good) homemade kimchi! Like, you know those friends who always have an extra batch of cookies, or bread, or kombucha on hand to share? I have this little dream of becoming “that friend” who’s always giving away kimchi. ♡♡♡  So if any of you have experience in this specific world of fermentation, pretty please, I would love for you to send any good tips or recipes my way! I’m a few batches in at this point, and learning a lot about what flavors/processes I like along the way, and for sure promise to share more once I get more confident and actually feel like I know what I’m doing. But so far, I’m really enjoying it.

USB Lighters

Things I’m Loving Right Now

Finally, I thought I would add a new section to these posts with all of the random stuff I’m loving right now (that doesn’t particularly fit into other categories!). The first half are things I brought home from our trip to the States this Christmas

  • USB lighter: I ordered one of these for us on Black Friday from Anthropologie (along with, ahem, a few too many candles). And it’s so cool! As a family that burns multiple candles a day, I’m thrilled to no longer have to buy new lighters constantly. All you do is plug this puppy in anytime it needs a recharge, and it holds 130 lights per charge. (It looks like there are also some cheaper ones for sale on Amazon if you are interested.)
  • Blueberry acai face scrubSo this was a total impulse buy while I was at Trader Joe’s over Christmas, and may not be the most natural skincare product in the world. But you guys — it smells exactly like blueberry muffin batter — and I am loving it so much. Not sure if it was just a holiday item or whether it’s available year-round. But if you happen to see it at TJ’s, I highly recommend picking some up. (Btw, it’s considerably cheaper in the store, but I included the Amazon link in case you don’t have a TJ’s where you live.)
  • New yoga mat: For Christmas this year, my mom and dad gifted us some new yoga mats that we had been wanting from Lululemon. And good grief, I cannot believe the difference that a good-quality mat can make! Barclay and I do YogaGlo or Barre3 at home pretty much everyday, and have always just used those typical $15 yoga mats that you can buy wherever. But I’ve always been frustrated with those mats because my feet slip around on them constantly. Anyway, I happened to mention this to some yoga teacher friends a few months back, and they were like — “Girl, you need a better mat!” So we brought these ones home from the States (Barclay got the extra-long mat, which is huge), and they have been game changers. 100% worth the investment — we love them so much!
  • New duvet coverI also Black Friday-ed a new duvet cover from West Elm to pick up while we were back in the States and am so happy with it. The pattern is just lovely IRL and has really brightened up our bedroom (we had a navy duvet cover before), and looks great with these chambray sheets that I also picked up at Target.
  • Waterproof bootsI’ve logged literally hundreds of miles walking around Barcelona this winter in these boots (I bought the mushroom color) and they have held up impressively well. Love how comfortable and waterproof they are. Also, cute!
  • Cute donut cardsMy talented sister just added these adorable (blank) donut greeting cards to her Etsy store, and I think they are the cutest! If you need to stock up on cards and want to support a local artist, check ’em out. I ordered all four  donut designs, and now want to buy extras to frame too.
  • AirPodsI accidentally left my old earbuds on the plane coming back to Barcelona (womp), so I decided to take the opportunity to finally try out some AirPods…and now I see why everyone loves them so much. They’re so much more comfortable than always having to fumble with a cord hanging around my neck (my hair was always getting snagged in that cord!) and the little charging case that comes with them is so slick. I’m a fan.
  • “By The Book” podcastOk, where has this podcast been all my life?! If you are someone who’s also into business-y/self-help books, I highly recommend giving it a listen. The two hosts basically live their lives according to a popular book for two weeks and then come back to report on it, and their insights are gold. I binged nearly all of their episodes this month and found it to be such a fun listen.
  • Seed cycling: Finally, are any of you women on the seed-cycling train? I just heard about it for the first time about a year ago, and have been experimenting for awhile with adding the correct weekly seeds to my favorite energy bites recipe. And while the jury’s still out for me on exactly how well the seeds are performing, I feel like it’s a “can’t hurt” kind of thing and have been enjoying the super-seedy energy bites. If you’re interested in the recipe, let me know. And if you’ve also tried seed cycling, I would be curious to hear how it’s been!
Barcelona Christmas Lights

Barcelona looked so magical during the holidays this year.

Spain New Year's Grapes

In Spain, it’s a tradition to try and cram one grape into your mouth during each of the twelve seconds leading up to midnight on New Year’s. Lol, I have yet to fully succeed with all twelve grapes, but it’s always hilarious and so fun.

Barcelona Reyes Magos

One of my favorite nights of the year in Spain — the epic Reyes Magos (three kings) parade!

Calcotada Barcelona

It’s calçot season again!!

Barcelona Tapas

Tapas date night out with mi amor. :)

Henry Adventures

Henry got into some major mischief again last week — you can read about his latest adventures here.

Sweet Fiona

Sweet Fiona soaking up last week’s glorious 60-degree January sunshine. She was in heaven.

Barclay and Ali Martin

Excited to see this guy again tomorrow after having been apart these last two weeks! He’s going to show me around Montpellier and I can’t wait. :)

♡♡♡

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70 comments on “Currently”

  1. I’m so sorry you guys are having to go through infertility. ? We spent 4 years on that journey and it was just brutal. Hugs to you.

  2. Ali!! I have only been following your blog for like a year, but have loved every recipe I have made, and also love living vicariously through you with all of your trip photos! I have been through infertility as well, and I am so sorry. It is SO HARD, and I’m so sorry that you have to go through it. Keeping my fingers crossed for you, make sure to get lots of extra hugs from Barclay and your cute pup!!

  3. So so happy to get news from you both. Despite some hardships, you are both thriving in so many other ways. God Bless You. You will both reach your goals – you are truly inspiring. Love to both and please keep writing Martha xo

  4. Re rescuing elephants. You might enjoy the somewhat cheesy Netflix movie I watched last night called ‘Holiday in the Wild’ which has many beautiful scenes with elephants and other African animals.

  5. Great blog Ali! Love hearing all that the two of you have been up to in Barcelona! I love that it’s filled with adventures instead of recipes – I’m on a new low carb situation & hate that I can’t try out all your yummy recipes right now.
    Wishing you both all the best with your fertility! Been there. Sounds like you are doing all you can by taking great care of yourself.
    Smiles, love, & light to you both, say hello to Barclay.
    ?❤️?

  6. Thank you for sharing your sister’s Etsy shop, all of her work is so beautiful! So many of her prints are perfect for so many of my family members, they will be perfect gift ideas.

  7. Long time reader and I really wanted to let you know that I admire your bravery to share something so deeply personal. My husband and I walked through some pretty deep valleys while trying to start our family and I remember feeling so alone, and even shameful, with all these emotions stewing, just desperate to find someone that could possibly relate to what I was feeling and going through. Even just in the past 5 years, it seems like so many more women (and even men, families) are coming forward, and sharing, and pulling back the stigma around infertility and/or pregnancy/infant loss and while opening up in those vulnerable ways is incredibly scary, it can also be incredibly healing and encouraging to those seeking just an ounce of support. So thank you for bringing us in and sharing. <3 I am keeping you both in my prayers!

  8. You may have already gone way beyond this, but, have you read the book “Taking Charge of Your Fertility” by Toni Wechsler? I spent a year or two trying to get pregnant, then read that book and got pregnant on the very next cycle, by using information from the book. So I highly recommend it.

    Either way, hugs to you!

  9. I’m sorry you are going through infertility. One of the hardest times of my life. So glad you have found great, affordable doctors to assist you through the process. I fully believe in the science behind medical fertility treatments, but if you’re looking for a moment of brevity outside the city I highly recommend a trip to Val de Nuria. When you are at your wits end with acupuncture, dieting, medical treatments, thermometers, calendars, and feeling like you are obsessing over everything you eat or wear or breathe… go to Val de Nuria, visit the black virgin, put your head into the cauldron, and have Barclay ring the bell. But be careful because they say two rings equals twins. Yes, you really do try everything to get out if this awful club. All local lore joking aside, it’s a beautiful place to visit and I found solace in the beauty. I was thankful universe sending us there for a break during such a hard time.

  10. Thank you for sharing your story with so much honesty and vulnerability. I am sending good vibes your way (from Kansas City even!). I just love your blog … keep it up!

  11. I’m so sorry, Ali. I’ve been there, and infertility is awful. You and Barclay will be amazing parents, and I have no doubt that you will be parents one day.

  12. I know there isn’t anything I can say to make it easier, but from someone else who has experienced infertility… I see you and I know you’re going through something really hard.

  13. I, too, am an adoptive “mom” of an elephant…a wonderful Christmas present from a couple of dear friends. My two year old is named Pika Pika. Funny, I had seen a segment about the Sheldrick Foundation on an Animal Planet program called “Dodo Heros”. I am thrilled to now be a part of the wonderful work they are doing to save these magnificent creatures.

  14. Thank you for sharing. I wish you and Barclay the most of amazing adventures, and peace to trust the path and the process. Keep writing and sharing!

  15. I am so sorry you have been unable to get pregnant. I know it’s hard to go through that. I hope you don’t mind if I keep you and your husband in my prayers. I’ve made several of your recipes and all have turned out well. Blessings and hugs!!

  16. I’ve been down the infertility path and know how hard it is. After a few years of treatments and seeing many specialists, we ended up adopting. It was an amazing experience and we couldn’t be happier parents.

  17. You and Barclay are in my prayers.
    I love your recipes by the way.
    Take care of yourselves, please.

  18. First time to reply but I am a total fan of your recipes. You are blessed to live in Barcelona and doubly blessed to travel to Valencia – my favorite city. Publish your KimChee instructions someday.

    Wishing you a wonderful and fertile 2020. Spain is the MOST wonderful country for medical – we walked the Camino de Santiago in 2014 and it was life changing.

  19. Warm wishes, thoughts and prayers for both of you. Love your recipes, love your pictures, love you! We went through similar issues, 3 kids later….all grown now! I will be anxious to hear good news!

  20. I love you so much sweetheart !! I can’t wait for our Montpellier dates ???

  21. Longtime follower, first time commenter. I enjoyed making so many of your wonderful recipes as a form of stress relief during my own many years long experience with recurrent loss and infertility. I am so sorry that you and Barclay are going through this, infertility sucks. I am also grateful to you for your choice to share about it on your blog. It’s so important to normalize dialogue about a topic that affects so many people but has historically been silenced and isolating. You find yourself a member of a large club that no one wants to join, but that is full of amazing, strong people. There are many paths to parenthood, and I send my heartfelt wishes that yours will reach its goal destination soon.

    If you find yourself needing some tips on injections (there can be so many, ugh), Nurse Linda at the Sher Institute has put up a comprehensive series of very practical tips/instructional videos on YouTube. I also made a little ritual to help me through it. Had a playlist that helped me feel strong (faves included Q.U.E.E.N. by Janelle Monae, Tusk by Fleetwood Mac, and Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen), did the darn thing(s), then rewarded myself with sticker chart and piece of nice chocolate. If the need arises I hope you’ll find something that helps you get through it a little more easily, too.

  22. Ali, my heart goes out to you and Barclay right now. Hugs to both of you right now. Thank you for sharing your journey and making me realize they aren’t alone.

    I love the idea of a Mini Retirement and really spending time learning something from a particular place! This definitely got me thinking about 2020 travel plans.

    As always, I love what you do and how real you are with everyone. Have a blast in France this weekend!!

    Best,
    Jorja

  23. Great to hear from you, I love your recipes and all your travel articles. We have been traveling to Europe each year for the past few and Spain is on my list just need to do my homework. I’m sorry to head about your fertility issues and am prayer for you both. Stay positive and take care of yourself first.

  24. ?? Your baby comes soon. He/she is out there, just waiting to meet you!

  25. sometimes trying so hard is exactly what not to do. I have had patients that could not conceive and adopted and guess what happened within a year……yup you guessed it.

  26. Lovely pictures of y’all! Thank you for the update.

    Beth

  27. Dear Ali:
    I love your writing in whatever you post, from trips to recipes and all of your stories. You are a unique individual that inspire joy and so much creativity in just a simple way. First time I ever comment but I suppose is time for me to tell you how good your blog is and how much I enjoy it. Your recipe of cream of corn is a staple recipe in my family and among my friends and coworkers. Comes the month of November and I have to cook many of them for different people. Today this current story has touched my heart because it reflects s so close to my road. I have been in that road of infertility and I want to tell you, you are not alone. Do not get discouraged for the negative results. All in life passes and see this chapter of your life as an opportunity to even be closer to your hubby which I know is your soul mate. What is meant to happen will happen no matter what. Accept it as part of your growth, I pray for you and your husband that what God has in his plans for you both fill you with happiness, health and more love for you both. Receive my best wishes.

  28. Wearing my mushroom Blondo Vallis right now and sending you LOVE Ali!! Thanks for sharing your vulnerability – infertility is heartbreaking and common and if we keep it quiet we don’t get to CARE for each other. So thank you.

    Love to you and Barclay from stateside!

  29. Maangchi, on youtube or on her website, makes amazing kimchi, explains how, has a couple of different variations – classic, vegetarian. So if you’re looking to learn how, she’s my recommendation.
    https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/easy-kimchi

  30. Sending so much love your way Ali!! You are such a sweet beautiful soul, and you deserve everything you wish for to come true. I love following along with you and Barclay, and I’m so excited to see how things unfold for you in the coming year. Sounds like you guys are embracing life with full hearts and open arms as always :)

  31. Ali, I remember those days – club “luteal phase defect” for me. After lots of tests and finally an endometrial biopsy, the good news… all that was needed was some prescription progesterone to keep the bun in the oven. Twenty-three years later, we have a son in college. Thank you for sharing your adventures and life with us. I really don’t read any other blogs, but yours are so interesting and personally written that I feel like I’m an old friend. Keep us posted because you have an army of blog folks rooting, praying and hoping the best for you and Barclay.

  32. Hey Ali!! I am a long time reader! LOVE your blog and reading about your adventures. I am originally a KC girl as well :) I am so sorry you are struggling with infertility. Thank you for being brave enough to share. I know EVERYONE has opinions of what to do and what worked for them. I really don’t like giving advice.. but I believe in it so passionately.. so I just want to pass along https://www.naprotechnology.com/ It isn’t the flashiest website, but it aims at healing the women first and foremost and getting to the underlying causes to heal first and then try to conceive. There are NaPro doctors in a lot of places but it is based out of Omaha, Nebraska. I know everyone has their opinions and need to share, but I hope you know I just share out of love and care <3

    • I am so glad you posted about this Emily! I was going to suggest the same thing. Naprotechnology essentially works to diagnose and then treat the conditions underlying the infertility (endometriosis, low progesterone, whatever it is) to help you get pregnant naturally. You start by charting your cycles and then from patterns on your chart, doctors are often able to diagnose and treat what’s going on. The website is really dated, but the science is actually really cool (and much more cutting edge than the website) and they have up to 80% success rates depending on the underlying condition. You can look here to find European providers. https://fcce.naprobaby.ie/ you are welcome to email me if you have any questions or want more information.

      Praying for you. It is a heavy suffering.

  33. I don’t normally post on blogs but I have been reading yours for quite a while, make many of your great recipes regularly and enjoy living vicariously through all your travels!
    I had a feeling something might be going on; kept thinking there would be a pregnancy post at some point and this had crossed my mind as someone who has been down both the infertility road and has had multiple pregnancy losses (but good outcomes too!). I can’t imagine how hard it must be to share so much of your lives and stay silent about such a huge part because I know that is always on your mind. It sounds like you are in the perfect place to try to get this all figured out. I’m assuming they have checked thyroid but for me that has been a big one, I have realized I need to keep my TSH below 1 to get pregnant. A lot of labs work on out of date ranges. The being in limbo and not knowing; waiting is so very hard. Just wanted to send you huge hugs on this journey, you are definitely not alone! ❤️

  34. Beautiful picture! Love the update, hate the hurt, love that everything ‘else’ is well and still fresh with newness. Sorry bout Gloria, but you still find the silver lining – ❤️

  35. I feel updated! Lots of excitement and live the CARE theme. Sending love from Mexico. Here for the KC Heeter wedding!!

  36. As someone who struggled for years with infertility, loss of a baby through miscarriage and ultimately adopted two wonderfully amazing children, I just wanted to say that you are not alone. Through your brave act of sharing you have given us a gift – now we are given the privilege of praying for you, encouraging you and patiently waiting with you. Thank you!

    I know the road can be scary and the future unsure. Cling to God together and He will work all things together for good and His glory. I promise. Rest assured that you are in good hands when you are in His! “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

    And, someday when you see your heart’s desire come to fruition, through a divine miracle, you too can attest to the goodness of God and a plan far greater than you could have hoped or imagined, to encourage someone who is beginning a journey that He carried you through.

  37. Thank you so much for posting about your journey with infertility. I’m right there too – we thought 2019 would be the year. It’s so difficult to see friends with excited positives, celebrating them while taking space for your own sadness and uncertainty. I thought yours would be another happy announcement. This resonated with me today ? thank you.
    PS – hi from the reader who ran into you and Barclay in the gyro place on Santorini! Sending all the good luck and well wishes.

  38. Thank you for sharing your life with us…I follow and love your blog…have made so many of your recipes. Sending a (((((virtual hug)))))), positive thoughts and energy, and many prayers to you and your husband❤️

  39. My prayers are with you and Barclay as you travel what my husband and I called the infertility roller coaster. I had severe endometriosis and after five surgeries was given only a forty percent chance of ever getting pregnant. I’m happy to say that with prayer and great doctors we did have our son, who is now 21. I know infertility is a very hard road to travel. Thank you for sharing your life with us. It sounds like you are not alone, that you have great doctors and many people praying for you both. Oh, and your recipes always cheer me up. Be well.

  40. I’m so sorry to hear about your infertility struggles. Infertility is so awful, and can be so isolating. Wishing you comfort, good health and success in the coming year. (As an aside related to “care”–when I was being poked and prodded and stabbed on a regular basis during our struggles with infertility, the occasional massage was such a lovely way to feel cared for and reconnected to my body in a positive way. If that’s a possibility for you, I highly recommend it.)

  41. Thank you Ali, you always make my day! Don’t give up the ship, I’m praying for you! I love your blog and you sharing all things. God bless you and Barclay, those sweet pups too. BTW, I love “things I’m loving right now”, keep it up!

  42. Hello dear friends. Love this honest, sweet update. Because of my days of doing LOTS of OB ultrasounds, I can remember lots of stories and sweet moments along with the hard reality that some folks faced. God is GOOD all the time. I truly believe that events happen when we are NOT focusing on them. Just remember to take VERY GOOD care of yourselves, yes, Barclay, too. HE ALTHY bodies are great receptacles for EVENTS to take place.

  43. Let go………Let God…….His timing is always perfect! You will have a darling baby as you both are so cute!

  44. I have been reading your blog for a couple years and make every single Mexican recipe you post (thank you!), but this is the first time I am leaving a comment. Reading your infertility struggle brought back so many memories, feelings, and tears. It’s awful and it’s a roller coaster every day, and no one who wants a baby should have to go through it. Just keep the faith and trust that you and Barclay WILL find a solution. My thoughts are with you both. Love from Chicago.

  45. Hello Ali,

    I’ve followed your blog for a while now, but I normally don’t comment to big bloggers since I’ve never thought they would read or reply in their busy (for a reason) lives. But your story stopped me this time and I felt compelled to write to give my support to your husband and you in your desires for a little one to become part of your family. The same issues were faced along with miscarriages with my daughter and my sister. My daughter through lots of medical assistance now has 4 boys (3 are triplets) and grateful for the help they received. It is an emotional roller-coaster and difficult to see others in pain. I pray that you will receive the blessing or 2 or 3 or 4 or more soon and in God’s timing. Trust.

    Also, as a huge animal lover myself, I truly appreciate your sharing about your new adopted elephant. And as a lover of candles, I have got to get my hands on the lighter you showed. Cool stuff!

    Incredible testimony about you in this blog post! <3

    Be well,
    Roz

  46. I truly believe that when God is ready for you to bring a precious baby into your world, it will happen .
    Just pray to Jesus and ask for his help and be positive. You will be fantastic parents, and it will happen when it is your time . God bless you both. Be patient, easier said than done.

  47. You’ve got this sweets. You know my story, and you never know—you may end up that little nugget when you least expect it. Focus on CAREing for yourself and keeping Henry out of the olive oil :). We love you two and hope to be coming to see you in June!!

  48. I just wanted to say thank you for opening up about this. That was a seriously brave move, and as someone who went through infertility 6 years ago when it felt like no one was talking about it openly, it’s really refreshing and encouraging to read this. Wishing you all the best, girl.

  49. I LOVE hearing about your adventures! Will pray for this season and greatness in 2020 for the desires of your heart to be in alignment for God’s will to make it happen!! You are a beautiful soul! Blessings to you! ♥️

  50. Lots of hugs! Infertility is so hard. My twins took 2 heartbreaking years to conceive. You are not alone. It seems never ending in the moment, but I promise it will be worth it!