Journal Writing..

I love the challenge from President Eyring about writing in your journal about how you’ve seen the Lord’s hand in your life each day. I’ve actually taken it up and I feel like it has already blessed me and opened my eyes in many ways. I recommend that anyone does it especially because you really see how blessed you are, even by simple things.

Here is what he says:

“As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done… that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day. As that happened, and it happened often, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.”

He urges each of us:

Tonight, and tomorrow night, you might pray and ponder, asking the question: Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life…? I will do that. And then I will find a way to preserve that memory for the day that I, and those that I love, will need to remember how much God loves us and how much we need Him. I testify that He loves us and blesses us, more than most of us have yet recognized. I know that is true, and it brings me joy to remember Him” (“O Remember, Remember” Oct. 2007 Conference Address).

So anyways, going along with that, here’s a story for you which is one I wrote about in my journal, just thanking the Lord for helping me get through the day.
 
I started substituting out here in Oklahoma. My second day I got a call at 7:50 in the morning. Surprisingly I didn’t ignore it and just go back to sleep, I accepted it and jumped in the shower to make it to the school by 8:30 (I know… I didn’t know I could get ready that fast either!) Well, the job was for kindergarten. Not joking… I wanted to walk straight out of that building after about the first 20 minutes. Oh my goodness. I had 19 kids for the whole school day and by the end they were on the floor crying saying they wanted to go home. Kids were running around, another kid throwing his shoe at others, another kid slamming the chairs on the floor, and so on. I cried a little on the way home from school, haha. I was so exhausted from bending down, picking up kids all day, trying to give directions that just seemed to float right over their head, and the worst, was that the teacher hadn’t filled out any plans for me so I was basically scrambling trying to figure out what to do next the whole day. I was seriously just praying that I would make it through the day.. and I did!

So, I’m still subbing, I just probably won’t do kindergarten again ;) The day before was actually bliss I rotated through 2nd, 3rd, 4th and actually a small kindergarten class, and that went well, but we all have bad days right? So to go along with the journal thing, sometimes the Lord blesses us in even the simplest ways… like just getting me through this whole school day without giving up or breaking down! I really am just thankful that I even have a job, one that is easy going and flexible for me until the baby gets here. Now I can keep myself busy and I think it will help the days go by faster until December 30th!! (My due date)

Sew Fun... =)

I love to sew! Ok.. so most of this outfit was crocheted.. but the little booties I sewed, I just thought that would be a cheesy title to put. =)

Anyways... I can't wait for our little baby girl to get here! I'll admit. I started all of these projects before I even knew it was a girl. Haha. Thank goodness it was a girl though and I was able to continue and finish them to make one cute little outfit!

 Baby Outfit

I crocheted the jacket and skirt, I'm thinking a yellow or purple top underneath the jacket will go cute with it all and complete the look. I'm not even sure it will fit the little gal, but both the jacket and skirt are pretty tiny so I'm hoping it will!

So yeah... I just love sewing, and having this baby girl gives me so many fun projects to do! =) I've sewed some burp cloths and the booties, and my next project is hopefully a quilt! The booties were not very hard at all to make! I found a great site with instructions and just followed along, and wahlaaa, they turned out.

Anyways... I love making things!! I obviously have a lot of time on my hands right now, but my substitute teaching application just registered so I can sub now!  Yay.

Yes, so, babies are fun, sewing is fun, projects are fun. Another project I want to do... which I'm not sure if we'll really go through with it, but I've been telling Nick I really want to... is to paint our baby room! =)  Here's an idea of what I like... what the walls would look like. It's not all pink and purple which you would think a girls room should be, but we want boys too- and trust me I am not going to repaint this room over and over! So this is cute, and the rest of the decorations can be pink =) Let me know what you think.

Baby Room..?? Maybe..

Nick is great. He is so excited to have a girl. He talks to her quite a bit and always asks how she is doing. Probably more than he asks me how I'm doing. Haha, just kidding. He is studying hard and doing great in dental school! I don't get to see him that often, but he is really sweet and takes the time to take me on walks at night when he gets home =) So I enjoy that. He also rubs my feet... =) The doctor told me to tell him he had to. hah, but he willingly does!

My belly is slowly getting bigger week by week. Here I am at 24 weeks. Well, I'm 25 weeks, but this picture was taken at 24 weeks. I can't believe we only have 3 months left. Wow. I can't wait. We still have lot's to do however. When do you think is too early to start shopping for cribs, bedding, strollers, and all that fun stuff to go in the baby room? I don't know.. let's just hope we get it done before December 30th.

24 weeks

p.s. I decided I really really LOVE fruit pizza. I made it and it is so yummy. My sister loves it too. I used her recipe, thanks! =) It's so easy! 

Fruit Pizza =)

Daddy's Little Girl...

 

After a bit of a wait we are thrilled to finally announce that we are having a little GIRL!! =) We couldn't be happier! I know the ultrasound pictures never really turn out that great, but there she is. She is so adorable and precious. We love her so much already and can't wait until she get's here in December!

2 Years Ago...

Nick and I were sealed in the Mt. Timpanogos Utah Temple. We had a wonderful day yesterday celebrating our 2 year anniversary. Time has flown by, but each day has gotten better. So many new and wonderful changes have come to our lives and we couldn't be happier! =)

As for those who are still wondering what the gender of our baby is... I haven't been putting it off... we still don't know! I am anxious as ever to find out. Yes, the doctor did an ultrasound at my last visit but he couldn't tell what the baby was. They set me up for my "formal" ultrasound on the 11th with the actual ultrasound techinician who will then be able to tell and also do a lot of other neat things for us. =) I'm not leaving the doctor's office until I know what it is-- that's for sure. I've been dying to break out my sewing machine or go shopping, but I CAN'T, this is somewhat frustrating. Oh well! I'm 23 weeks, and will be 24 when we find out.

Anyways, I thought I'd leave you with these cute pictures of us when we were babies... as for now though, we still don't know what we are having. 

p.s. Funny story- I was looking for a baby picture of Nick and remembered I could get one from our wedding slideshow we used. I found this and was like, "Nick, this is you right?" Nick replied something along the lines of: "I don't know, I don't recognize it, I don't think so." He still doesn't know.. haha, but it was in our wedding video, and I believe his mom sent the pictures for that, so she probably didn't get confused. Anyways, if it happens to be his brother's baby picture or something, Daniel, let me know. Pretty sure it's him though. =) Bye!

Baby Update

On Wednesday I have my first doctor's appointment out here in Oklahoma. The exciting news... is that they are going to do an ultrasound, so we get to find out what we are having! :)

Now.. I haven't told many, but we did get to do an ultrasound just recently while in Colorado. We weren't that certain, but may already have an idea of what gender our little baby is :) :) However I won't say anything until this next appointment.

I don't know what everyone guessed because the poll doesn't show us who votes, so if you want to leave a comment on this and tell what you think the baby is I would LOVE to know who thinks what. Then we can see all those many and all those few who voted for either a baby boy or baby girl. :) Thanks-- hopefully you see this before Wednesday!

And after Wednesday... we'll let you know!

Trip to Colorado

Nick and I both ended school last Thursday, the 13th. He flew out from Oklahoma and I flew from Utah and we met in Colorado. It was so nice to see him again.. finally!

We had a lot of fun visiting his family in Colorado. We wish it could have been longer, but we are now back home in Oklahoma and Nicholas has started school again.

We had a lot of fun in Colorado bowling, boating, seeing our CUTE little niece Leila! and seeing some friends down there as well. Here are some pictures from our trip!

Oh yes, one more thing. It was my birthday on Tuesday. Nick was really sweet and bought me these beautiful flowers then he took me out to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory-- Yummy! He is a great husband and I really enjoyed spending my birthday with him. :)

Birthday Flowers:



Cute girl, Leila:



Leila and aunt Dana :) (I wish I had a picture of Nick too, but he didn't hold her that long and the first couple of days he was sick)




Baby Blanket- This blanket is from our friends Jordan and Leslie who we were able to see down in Colorado! It is SO soft I love it.




Bowling:



Boating:



Steve:



Daniel:



Alex:



Nick:



Hayley:



We missed getting pictures of Sydney because the day she went boating Nicholas had a CPR class and then we met some friends for lunch. The time that we went she started her COLLEGE classes and couldn't come!

There are no pictures of me because I don't know how to water ski or anything like that, and I am 21 weeks pregnant so I wasn't thinking about trying anyways :) No pictures of Julie because little Leila couldn't come on the boat so she was home being a great mom. :)

What I'll miss most about Utah...