Strength in Numbers
No. 106 And the power of next steps.
Good morning!
All of the snow has melted around our house and it is just beautiful. Well, no, everything is brown and still barely awake, but the absence of snow brings with it a true sense of hope. Spring is near! Yes, it’s still chilly and the temperature has been a semi-frustrating rollercoaster for Coat Season. I think I’ve needed four different types of jackets this week. Yeesh! Thankfully, I am a coat collector (hoarder?) so I was well-prepared for the extremes each day. How’s the snow where you live? I’d be entirely OK with not seeing it again until 2027.
In other news, the temperature soared close to 70 last week which felt like a (very early) birthday gift. 70 is prime No Jacket Necessary weather and my walk after work was glorious. The Public Garden was filled with folks walking around, relaxing on the (brown) lawns, and meandering without a care in the world. That’s what 70 degrees does to the brain after months of frigid air and Too Much Snow.
We just couldn’t believe how good it felt with the warm sun shining upon us all. It felt incredible! Don’t worry, it’s been in the 30s this weekend which was a nice hit of reality. Spring is Not yet here. Calm down. Go get your jacket.
Last we spoke, I had shared the absurdity - reality - of our continued IVF process. Well, we are now days away from once again diving into another cycle and everything that comes with it. Personally, I have never felt better. I know what to do, what to expect, and how to keep it all organized. Of course, the outcome is fully out of my control (yay), but I do relish the fact that I am very comfortable with the process. We have everything we need and my calendars are open and ready to go. I’m even sleeping well. That never happens! Good-quality sleep is also a gift, if you ask me.
Despite my openness here, sharing this ‘journey’ with all of you, I had been reluctant to splash it on Instagram, where I’ve been sharing photos of my life since 2014. I used to primarily share food (gluten free of course), but now it’s mostly Pepper and the occasional meal.
I love documenting certain parts of my life and for a while that was specific to growing my gluten free audience. I wanted to ensure that everyone in the gluten free community knew that a celiac diagnosis, or a gluten free requirement, wasn’t the “End” of eating well. Far from it! The options are endless when it comes to cooking and baking gluten free. I would be shocked if anyone out there today still thinks that eating gluten free is “sad” or “bad.” Really? I strongly disagree.
If you’re curious, here’s an interview I did in 2018(!) with Boston Voyager: Meet Mollie Drury . Time flies and those meals look delicious!
Clearly, nothing compares to a real, gluten-filled croissant (omg yum), but we can’t fix everything now can we? Long story short, I have shared countless gluten free meal ideas for many years and provided inspiration (for free) for those who need help in that arena. And there are many, many others on social media who are doing this as well. The resources are excellent and abundant!
But let’s get back to reality. The gluten free aspect of my life is under control and I don’t think about it that much anymore; it’s a part of me and how I move about my day. I love food. It just needs to be gluten free. Easy!
Yesterday, when sharing on IG about my workout - a mild one at that - I decided to own up to the behind-the-screen reality. Exercise during IVF is hard. It barely looks like the fitness routine I had just one year ago. And yet, I keep showing up. My workouts are shorter, less intense, and extremely varied depending on how I feel each day. I haven’t biked in months. My core is not what it used to be. My body fully dictates the routine I choose each morning instead of me telling it what to do.
I often feel frustrated and guilty for how much my exercise routine has had to be sidelined for this current process. I have gotten very angry about the lack of correctly-fitting clothes in my closet. There are stacks of jeans that were my favorites last year, and now simply don’t fit. Maybe they will someday. But not right now, or possibly ever again. That reality is hard to accept, especially as someone who loves to buy and wear denim. Thank goodness for jackets. ;)
Clearly this move for sharing more on IG was the right one. My DMs filled with messages of kindness and encouragement. The number of people who are on my side with all of this is staggering. It felt so good to know that opening up more was exactly the right thing to do. It takes courage to share your life online with those you know and those you do not. But I’ve always preferred to be an open book.
I love sharing my life with everyone with the hope that the truth helps someone else and resonates with others who may be experiencing something similar. I will continue to share the rollercoaster of IVF here and on Instagram (@glutenfreemollied). Perhaps someday the update will surprise us all.
Looking ahead, I cannot wait for consistently warm weather, hang-outs on the patio, and the eventual return of our dahlia garden! Seth’s birthday is next week (woohoo!) and Pepper got her spring haircut. It has made her even more feisty. Awesome.
I hope you have a great Sunday and a positive week ahead. St. Patrick’s Day is on Tuesday so here’s hoping for a bit of good luck all around.
Cheers and joy,
Mollie