Ugly, Beautiful Infertility

May 24, 2021September 14, 2021 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

This post was originally published on April 23, 2018 and republished on May 24, 2021.

Do you remember those public service announcements with the message “This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs”?

As I was planning out these past two posts for CWC for National Infertility Awareness Week I kept thinking, “This is your marriage. This is your marriage on infertility.”

Because infertility gives marriage a brand new meaning. One that most couples don’t anticipate ever having to deal with. It’s not part of the vision or dream of starting a family.

It’s never in the plans. Read more

Marriage & Infertility

May 17, 2021September 14, 2021 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

This post was originally published on April 16, 2018 and republished on May 17, 2021.

Wildland Man and I’ve been struggling with infertility for a few years now. I suppose this journey we’re on authorizes me to speak to the toll infertility can take on a marriage.

Because infertility is definitely a couples’ thing. When you are trying for a family, it doesn’t matter if the infertility can be pinpointed to one individual or not, the process of being able to conceive and carry your own child is something you deal with together.

And let’s be real, this marriage thing, it’s tough.

It’s quite possibly one of the hardest things you’ll ever do in life. It’s a constant ebb and flow of putting another’s needs in front of your own, setting aside your own selfish desires over and over again. It’s serving one another, building each other up, and encouraging instead of discouraging. It’s choosing forgiveness in anger. It’s loving through the hard times.

And infertility, well, it can make all of that…just so much harder.

My Endo Action Plan {Part 4}

May 3, 2021September 14, 2021 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

This post was originally published on April 9, 2018 and republished on May 3, 2021.

We’ve been talking endometriosis…a lot. Let’s recap, shall we?

In “Just a Girl with Killer Cramps,” I disclosed my recent diagnosis of stage IV endometriosis with you. I shared the symptoms I’ve experienced over the years and I discussed what endometriosis is and why it is so critical to spread awareness in order for more young women to get diagnosed sooner.

“Trying for Baby…with Endometriosis” uncovered some of the deeper emotional scars endometriosis has created for me, especially as Wildland Man and I are so desperately praying for, hoping for, and trying for a baby.

And, finally, the last few weeks have focused on My Endo Action Plan. We talked nutrition. Specifically, real, whole, and anti-inflammatory foods that show promise in being able to heal endometriosis naturally. And we’ve talked fitness, faith, and marriage. We’ve covered the full spectrum of what it means to shift into a healing lifestyle.

In this final post of the Endo Awareness Series on Country Wife Chronicles I’m sharing with you the last of my ideas when it comes to My Endo Action Plan.

Let’s wrap things up, ok? Read more

My Endo Action Plan {Part 3}

April 26, 2021September 14, 2021 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

This post was originally published on April 2, 2018 and republished on April 26, 2021.

Endometriosis Awareness Month may be over, but I’m just getting started with My Endo Action Plan!

Over the last two weeks here at CWC we’ve been talking nutrition and it’s impact on healing endometriosis naturally.

Today, we’re tackling some other aspects of My Endo Action Plan…because there is a whole lot more to healing than just nutrition.

My Endo Action Plan {Part 2}

April 19, 2021September 14, 2021 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

This post was originally published on March 26, 2018 and republished on April 19, 2021.

This week we are continuing with My Endo Action Plan. Last week I shared with you some of the resources that have helped me in developing my own personal action plan to fight endometriosis and find healing.

This week we are going to take a closer look at how those nutritional changes look in real life.

Trying for Baby…with Endometriosis

March 29, 2021September 14, 2021 - The Country Wife 6 Comments

This post was originally published on March 12, 2018 and updated on March 29, 2021.

I found out I had endometriosis when my husband and I began trying for a baby.

I wish I could have been diagnosed sooner.

The attempted baby making has come to a screeching halt in light of this diagnosis. Partly because with stage IV endometriosis I’m at a much higher risk for an ectopic pregnancy, partly because as this post gets published I’m in recovery mode from surgery #2, and finally because we’ve decided to prioritize improving my health and healing from endometriosis over adding a baby to the mix for the moment.

Just a Girl with Killer Cramps

March 22, 2021September 14, 2021 - The Country Wife 8 Comments

This post was originally published on March 5, 2018 and updated on March 22, 2021.

Ok, friends, we are going to get real personal real fast today.

Growing up, well, I was a bit of a late bloomer. And when that day came, that day that my friends had already experienced, that day that claims your childhood and makes you a young woman, that day when you experience your first menstrual cycle…well, it was like mother nature was making up for lost time.

Because my periods, they came with a vengeance. I remember thinking, “Why me? Why are my periods so awful and my friends don’t even seem to mind theirs?”

My periods were HEAVY. And they were PAINFUL.

A couple days before my flow would start I would experience intense lower back pain, sometimes with pain shooting down my legs.

And the cramps. Well…they were KILLER.

A Season of Rest

September 24, 2018September 22, 2018 - The Country Wife 6 Comments

This blog post has been a long time coming. I’ve been bouncing the words around in my head for several weeks now, grappling with how to get my thoughts into readable form.

You may have noticed that I haven’t been around the blog for a while. In fact, I’ve been absent from Country Wife Chronicles for almost a month now.

And while I’ll spare you all the details of exactly how I got here, I will share with you that this was not my original intention for September’s blog posts on CWC. Let me give you a glimpse into my life lately…

Get your copy of Streams in the Wasteland!

July 2, 2018July 9, 2018 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

Hello my friends!

I just want to start this beautiful Monday by saying, “Thank you for being here!”

I know that this Streams in the Wasteland talk has been going on and on it seems, and it has kinda taken forever to get here. But we’ve made it, Streams in the Wasteland: 31 Days of Devotions for Finding Hope in Hardship is finally available for downloading!

You’ve been so patient in your waiting that I wanted to take just one more moment here on CWC to give you the full deets on all things Streams in the Wasteland before things get back to normal around here.

Streams in the Wasteland: Companion Resources

June 25, 2018July 9, 2018 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

Well, I feel like the book launch is officially underway…because Streams in the Wasteland will be available for downloading later this week!

This whole idea of me writing an eBook is still a bit crazy to me…I mean, I wrote a devotional, y’all.

As I was working through Streams in the Wasteland, I realized that some companion resources could be really helpful for your devotional time. So that is what we are going to take a quick look at today.