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.

Wife on Fire Challenge {Week 4}: Support & Encouragement for Wives on Fire

August 27, 2018August 25, 2018 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

Wow, I need to take a moment to express my gratitude for all of the Wives on Fire that have joined in on this year’s challenge. Thank you for being a participant in Country Wife Chronicles’ second annual Wife on Fire Challenge!

Regardless of if you’ve breezed through the past four weeks or if you’ve struggled to get each week’s task accomplished, you have made it to the end. You have reached the final week of the Wife on Fire Challenge!

However, just because this month-long challenge we’ve had going on over here at CWC is coming to an end, that doesn’t need to mean that its time for you to stop being a Wife on Fire. My hope is that the Wife on Fire Challenge inspires and encourages you all to reignite the flames in your marriages all year long, just until you need another dose of encouragement this time next year! 🙂

Wife on Fire Challenge {Week 3}: A Marriage on Fire

August 20, 2018September 18, 2018 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

If you participated in last year’s Wife on Fire Challenge, then you have a pretty good idea of what it means to be a Wife on Fire. And if you’ve been following along here on the blog for any length of time recently, then you know how passionate I am about intentional marriage and making the effort when it comes to strengthening your marriage into a Marriage on Fire.

We have reached the halfway point of this year’s Wife on Fire Challenge—two weeks down, two to go. Here’s what we’ve covered so far:

Wife on Fire Challenge {Week 2}: Love Unconditionally

August 13, 2018September 18, 2018 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

The Wife on Fire Challenge is all about creating and strengthening a faith-founded and grounded marriage.

With that thought in mind, we took some time to select a Marriage Mission Verse last week. This week we are going to look to the greatest example of love, God, to show us what unconditional love looks like.

Wife on Fire Challenge {Week 1}: Marriage Mission Verse

August 6, 2018August 13, 2018 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

What does it mean to be a Wife on Fire?

Well, for a much, much deeper meaning behind the meaning of a Wife on Fire, you may want to check out last year’s post. Let’s just say I got a little dictionary happy. 🙂

However, here we are kicking off our second annual Wife on Fire Challenge and I think it’s important to know what you are getting yourself into.

So, first of all, if you are here reading this blog post on the topic of the Wife on Fire Challenge, I’m gonna say there’s a decent chance you fulfill the role of a wife.

But, are you a Wife on Fire?

Reigniting the Fire with Intentionality

July 30, 2018July 30, 2018 - The Country Wife Leave a comment

How do you reignite the passion in your marriage?

With all that Wildland Man and I’ve been through lately, I can sometimes feel like the passionate love that brought us together is a bit lacking. Now, don’t get me wrong, my love hasn’t faded, in fact I’d say it’s definitely grown deeper over the years.

And in the trial of infertility we currently find ourselves in, I’ve honestly never felt closer to the man I married. I feel deeply and intimately connected to him.

Marriage on Fire

July 23, 2018July 25, 2018 - The Country Wife 2 Comments

Ok, y’all, in the interest of being fully transparent, I have to admit to you that this week’s post was a hard one to get up on the blog.

Not because it needed extra creativity or photo and graphic work done. Not because it was emotionally draining to put into words. Not because the topic was super technical or difficult to explain.

Nope, none of those more obvious reasons at all.

The reason this post was difficult for me to get published can be attributed to one thing: anxiety.

And, no, not anxiety about this particular post…just general, somewhat debilitating, anxiety.