Coming to Grips!

So I realize that my last pregnancy update sounded pretty hysterical. And in reality I was pretty hysterical. I'm realizing that I feel like I needed to have everything figured out. I need to know exactly how I'm going to cope with the birth, what kind of mom I'm going to be, how am I going to pay all the bills while I'm on maternity leave, who's going to be with our baby when I go back to work, etc. And the list could go on and on. So Yes I was freaking out. But I'm coming to realize that I really don't have to figure everything out before it all happens.

So from Stake Conference adult session didn't really explain what I learned. But it made me realize that with the economical uncertainty, (I'm sure everyone is feeling at least a little), that things are going to get better with the economy, but that we have the knowledge that will get us through the tough times. With this statement I realized that I don't need to know all of these fine details about what's in our future, cause I have faith that the Lord will take care of us as long as we are doing what we should.

After I let this sink in a little while, as I thought about some of those things that were bothering me, logically things have kind of just been eased in my mind and I realize some possible solutions to some of my worries. I realize that as I just continue to live doing the basic (prayer, scripture study, attending my church meetings and fulfilling callings to the best of my ability) then the answers will be apparent when the time comes with the decisions we'll be making.

I also decided that I must thing I'm never going to see Chad, and in reality I realize that the month of November might be a little hard for me cause Chad will be in Caldwell for that month, but I know that we'll figure that out too. I'm sure I'll be busy just trying to take care of our little one and working and keeping the house up too. Who has time to miss Chad when you have all that going on right?!! Well I can keep talking myself into it!! Wish me luck with that one.

Oh how embarrassing.

So I just have to say that I have the cutest, most modest husband.  Several weeks ago he had 3 test in a week, which is always a little stressful for him.  It just happened that it was the week that I was working a ton and had to work the weekend following.  So I was pretty busy myself.  So to get more time together, Chad tries to come in around lunch time on the days I work and have lunch with me.  Which I love cause it breaks up my 12 hour day!!! 

But on this one day Chad came in and we were just sitting down to eat when Chad turned to me and said, "The most embarrassing thing happened to me today!"  So automatically I think about the times I've split my pants on dates (Yes, I mean times), or when I totally had my organ piece music for Junior Miss upside down and totally goofed up in front of the entire audience.  But Chad goes on to explain that on his neurological test earlier in the week, they had a new format... it was movie clips of signs and symptoms of neurological diseases.  I think lots of people that are really book smart have a more difficult time with the practical side of medicine/practice, which I feel this test actually measures a little bit better.    

Well Chad got 100% on the test and so the professor gave him these reflex hammers in front of the entire class.   Oh how embarrassing!!! But isn't it great that Chad has practical knowledge.  I just know he's going to do so well as he starts his 4th year in a few weeks!!

So Chad was teased for a bit from classmates, but I'm so proud.  I have always known that he's amazing and smart, but I'm proud of his work ethic that make him  that way too.  Thank heaven he can motivate himself to study, cause I'm always distracting him coming up with reasons I need to spend time with him.  

So I'm sure that Chad is going to kill me when he reads this, and he's going to be embarrassed all over again, but I'm so proud of him I had to share!!!  

30 weeks update & Stake Conference

So I'm not sure how many really wanted to see that, but for Chad's and my family that won't really see me showing before she's born, Here they are. Pictures at 30 weeks!!

So now that the craft fair is done with. I've decided that it's time to read and get prepared for the baby. I haven't read anything really, besides the developement of the baby as she's been growing. So with all the craft fair stuff I had to work the one weekend that Chad could go to a birthing class with me. So after talking with Dr. Minudri about what type of education prior to the birth, that we should have, he said that we could read a book and ask any questions that we had.
So I've been reading the book Your Pregnancy & Birth, which the Dr. gave to us on the first visit to comfirm our pregnancy. Well it's been a good book. It's reminded me of all those things that I learned while I was in nursing school and so it's all coming back to me. But I was surprised at the feelings that came with it. I started to just think about how everything that has been for the last few years is going to change. Not only are we going to have a baby, but Chad is going to be in his Fourth year of Vet school. What was I thinking!! All of a sudden I'm not sure I am ready for that. AHHH! Has anyone else done that? I remember talking with my friend Brenda from work(HI!), she and her husband just had an adorable little boy this last year, and she told me how it does totally change your life to have a new baby, not only your entire body, but it changes your relationship with your spouse as well. But she also said she would have it any other way either. So it changes things in such a dramatic way, but for the better.

So I just have to keep that in mind. But after a very emotional Friday,(Poor Chad. Where do these hormones come from???!!!)I was able to get off work just a little early(Thanks Jan!!) so I could make it to the adult session of Stake Conference. As sad as the night was for me, cause our Stake Relief Society Presidency that I was serving in for the last 8 months was released from our service, the meeting was just what I needed!! I was still emotional, but I was so sad to be released, I have really enjoyed being in on the meetings with the Stake Presidency and see the love they have for those they have stewardship over. They spend a lot of time away from their families, for us, those they serve. What neat men and obviously amazing wives too, cause they are supportive even though I'm sure they have to be more diligent in their own homes.

But the best part was listening to these wonderful men, and Gail our former RS President and then hear the testimony of Melissa Eichner, our new RS Pres. They just were inspired to talk about the hard times that we all are facing, but gave a perspective on what we can do to make it better and realize that time will make things better, but just to continue to live the way we know we should be living as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But the music was wonderful!! I had tears just streaming down my face on the last number and couldn't even hold up my part of singing in the congregation! I almost made the chorister loose it too. Oh WOW!!

So these talks made me realize that I am freaking out about the baby coming...I just wasn't helping that she was pushing on my ribs on my right side for a week straight!!! I think I now know what it feels like to have chest tubes rubbing on the nerves along your ribs. It causes a burning pain I've never felt before that is constant!!! I know now why we give narcotics to people who do have chest tubes, cause Tylenol doesn't touch it at all. But all is well....for the first time that I've noticed, she moved and her feet are now pointing downward, which causes different sensations, but nothing near as intense as the rib pain. Oh it also helps that I realized, that pioneer women did all of this in pregnancy and still had to walk miles in a day. What a whiner I am!! I realized women were made to have kids and I can cope too. So I'll be fine!! But I would love to hear about anyone else that had odd or simliar feelings with their pregnancies, it would make me feel so much better!!!

Yard pictures

So I was going through my folders of pictures and realized I never got around to blogging about our yard.  Chad and I have worked pretty hard the last few years to get our dirt hill to me something enjoyable. (Really probably more Chad than me, but I try to help out) After 3 retaining walls later and some flower beds, we really got to enjoy it last year with a few BBQs.  We were going to extend our cement patio across the back of our house last year, but it never seemed to get done.  But we hear, the guy is going to come soon to pour it!!  YEAH.  It'll be nice to finally be done with the yard.

 But when are we really done with our yard.  Chad starts his 4th year of Vet school in a matter of weeks and there for has no summer off this year.  So I'm sure we'll be limited in what we do.  Chad is so funny though.....He is already commenting about how "our grass is all dead and everybody else has a greener lawn than ours,  Our grass is going to grow back right?  I really wish we had the sprinklers on."  So we haven't had tons of warm weather to make it green up, but we are in some need of some sprinklers to be turned on, and soon.   So these pictures are really from last year, cause Chad would be so embarrassed to show pictures right now.

So our project for this year is how to get a garden in this yard.  So something else Chad has been working on is seed starters.  He planted them the weekend that started Spring Break and by the next weekend, we had plants sprouting!!

So after the progress we've seen on the starters inside, Chad had to move the peas to another container for some more growing room.  So the tomatoes will be planted in some garbage cans that we'll fill the bottom with aluiminum and tin cans to help drain water off the soil.  We're also hoping the edges of the can will help protect the plants from the wind.  Then the rest of the starters are flowers and will be interspersed with the bulbs that finally came up from last spring. 

Well there was one Lily that came up last summer.

So here's the 1 week seedlings

Here are the tomato plants

And the replanted peas!!!!

Labor predictions

So I've had this in my edit file since the day I did it and am finally posting it.  I thought it was cute.  I got it from a friends blog.   Thanks Ash!  I'm just hoping that it's not accurate on the late part.

If you want to play along go to .http://www.justmommies.com/quizzes/labor_prediction_quiz.php

for your own labor prediction.

 I had to call my mom for some of this information too.  Not things that I knew about my own birth, so it was kind of cool to get some of those details. Here's my labor prediction. 

I know you were hoping we weren't going to say this, but don't expect this baby to come early. Your baby is nice and comfy tucked away in your womb and has no interest in joining the rest of the world. We predict your baby will be born after its due date. Your baby will most likely be born in the morning. Justmommies predicts that your baby will weigh approximately 7.3 pounds and that your labor will be about 13 hours long.

Craft Fair, WSU Mom's weekends April 3-4th

So here are a few of the pictures from our Mom's Weekend Craft Fair that Camille Rupp, My sister-in-law, Stacie, and I did. With all out hard work we at least broke even and did make a little money. We're in the middle of trying to get taxes in to see really how much we made. So was it worth it????

Well in some ways it was a screaming sucess. I got an offer to sell my picture plaques in a little craft shop in Ephrata WA. I think that's how you spell it. And also got approached about doing a booth at the Big Red Barn events this year in Colton. If I decide to do these, it is still to be determined. We also got approached to sell these adorable birch wood scrapbooks, because "they go perfect with our baby things and cute dresses." I also have had people call me for some custom orders too. It's been exciting to see people so excited about things that we made.

It was incredible to hear all the positive comments as people looked through our booth. And our booth was almost always full all day Saturday. I was just glad that we were positioned where we were, cause we kind of overflowed into the booth next to us. Thanks to the Wolfe's that were selling the beautiful wood cutting boards next to us that were kind enough to let us let us crowd them all day. We also had many people comment on how cheap our things were priced. Which I realized after I went and visited the Now & Then store in Moscow and also when we compared ourselves to the other craft booths there at the Fair.

Here's a picture of the baby section that I made. I had tons of people comment on them, but most of the ladies were not far enough along to know whether they were having a boy or a girl. So most of this is all still available, or I could make you the set of blocks with colors of your choice.

So I didn't quite get all my Vinyl lettering on time cause of mail difficulty, so I have some cute windows, tiles, cards, and crafts that are still looking for a home. So if you're interested let me know.

I will have more up close pictures of things I still have available, but I'm feeling the need to catch up to date with what is going on now.  

Family visits & Spring Break

So Spring Break Week brought lots to do for Chad and I along with lots of family visitors.
It was fun to have my cousin Lindsay and her husband Tyler come stay with us. They're moving up to Moscow in the Fall/end of Summer, so Tyler can start classes at U of I.
Chad and I were busy trying to get things started for the craft fair that week, so we didn't get much time to spend with them....but we enjoyed there visit none the less. We also had tons to talk about as Lindsay and I's baby girls are due 1 day apart. I'm due on the 23rd of June and Lindsay on the 24th!! I realized the night before she was leaving that I hadn't even got a picture of us and our prego bellies. Hope you enjoy!

So not only did Tyler and Lindsay visit, but my parent's both came up for the weekend. It was so great to see them, and they were invaluable as they painted, sanded, and whatever else we could think of to help us with the craft fair. Funny thing is....I think they expressed that they had more fun this visit than any of the others. I guess they like to stay busy. We also rented Austraila from a Red Box.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekqaqYrz6zo
Here's a link if you want to watch a preview. Sorry the embedding code isn't working.

I don't know how many of you have seen this show, but I was surprised that I ended up liking it as much as I did. First off, our Projector/TV kept overheating, so we watched in about 5 increments, and second, it's cinematographer is the same as for Moulin Rouge. And his style is like no other, but the videoing was only crazy for the first little while. And Third it was 2 1/2 hours long and I was only expecting about 1 1/2 hours. But over all I really enjoyed the plot and the acting. Just wish I had know that I was sitting down for a 2 1/2 hr movie to begin with!!

I was sad to see my parents leave, but my Mom brought some things with her to give me that I thought was pretty neat. She brought several things that she was given when she had me. I have my blessing dress and several receiving blankets that I used as a baby.

Another Card

So here's a card I put together for Thank You's for the Women's Conference. The theme was "To do what is written in our Heart" And all the classes had heart in the name. So that's why I used the Heartfelt Thanks stamp set with my new set Love you Much. I also got to use my Big shot with the scalloped envelope with the vellum card stock. I thought they turned out okay, and the then I punched the envelope with the same stamp to coordinate!!

So we've been really busy this last week on Spring Break, and I have tons to blog about and some pictures to show.....but that will have to wait at least until after Monday cause I work!!

Single's ward activites

So over the last 2 weeks Chad and I have been able to have some of the Single's ward over for various activites. So we had a group over for Family Home Evening on March 2nd. I had the lesson, but had just seen this video too and loved it!! So here it is for you enjoyment

It really got me thinking about my own testimony...How thankful I am to have the gospel and the knowledge that Elder Coleman also shared. How stinking lucky are we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-Saints. So if you of you want to know more. Let me know!!!

The girls were also asking us about how we had met and Chad and I realized that we couldn't remeber alot of the details. HOW SAD. It made me realize that we needed to write these things down, cause they get so blurry. It seems like I've known Chad forever, not just for the last 3 years. So we stayed up talking one night about all sorts of funny things about what we remembered about our dating experiences. I'll be writing them up sooner or later, so hopefully you all will enjoy them or you can skip them all together!!

But after the lesson we pulled out the Dance Dance Revolution and had a party. Hope you enjoy the pictures.

Zoe and Erin rocking an expert level dance. Maniacs I tell you!!

Chad and Kyle showing off their skills!

TJ and Leidy giving it a go! Leidy was just practicing to take on the boys next week!

And Sherri and Lauren giving it a go!

Then we were able to have Chad's Home Teaching people over for dinner on the 8th, so we added 5 more to our table that night. We did a turkey and mashed potato dinner with another Dance Dance revolution event, cause Chris informed me at church that he was an expert. And not too bad can I tell you, but Zoe and Erin kind of out danced him at the FHE. It was great just to have people over to enjoy some company. It's been a while since we've done that since all our Vet friends grew up and got jobs elsewhere!!
I swear the we had more pictures from our dinner, but I can't find them!! So we don't have any pictures of Chris and Bryce grooving to the music!!

Women's conference follow-up.

So I'm not sure how many of you were able to make it to the Women's Conference last weekend, but I thought it was fabulous. Not that I really had anything to do with that, but I conducted for opening exercises....and was amazed at the testimonies and talks that were shared, along with the great music. I was then just as amazed as I went to the classes with my neighbor Renay! It was so fun to have her there with me, even though I kept leaving her here and there to go check on something real quick. She was such a good sport and hopefully she enjoyed herself as much as I did.
But I loved 2 of the classes that I went to sooooo much! One was entitled Joy in the Journey, and was about how to help ourselves be happy in the present situation, even when the situation isn't ideal or maybe even pleasant. Sister Holly Swager did an awesome job. Then the other class was by Amy Paul talking about fitness and how to incorporate that more in our lives, even though most of us are busy working, being mothers, or students. And most are even a combination of several of these. It was just great. Again another fun personality that made exercise an obtainable thing. Awesome.
Then I can't even leave out how wonderful the decorations were for the event!! Kim and her committee did an unbelievable job. I wish I had pictures to post! (So Kim I know you have some, so you better post them or send them so I can). They did several tables around the cultural hall and also all the luncheon tables. It was very elegant looking!! Loved it! And the crispy chicken salad was great too, thanks to Christine Comstock and her mother that helped so much!
What a fulfilling day that was and nice to be over....just so we can start planning the soup and bread, cause Stake Conference Adult session is coming up in April!!