The end is near...

I got up this morning very hopeful. My doctors appointment was at 9 am. I have had dreams in my head of him telling me that today was the day (despite the fact that I didn't really want a leap year baby). I know I should be more patient, and life is going to be alot more crazy once this third child comes into our lives, but I can't help but be anxious.

So I went in...he checked...and nope...nothing. I maybe dilated a half of a centimeter to a 2. He did strip my membranes again, but still nothing. I think this baby is already showing me how stubborn they are going to be. I guess I make things a little too comfortable for him/her. I have tried to make myself feel better by telling myself that I think they had my due date wrong to begin with. I had originally thought that I was due on March 15, but then they did an ultrasound and said March 7th. I wasn't going to argue about having my baby a week earlier. But maybe that is why I haven't had much progress yet.

Anyway, my doc was nice enough to put me on the induction list for March 6th. So at least there is a 'light at the end of the tunnel'. I really am hoping that I can go into labor on my own. I have never been induced, and a part of that scares me. I have heard of people having no problems at all. Yet, I have also heard of people getting induced when their bodies weren't ready, then not being able to progress, and end up with an emergency c-section....that is something I do not want. So I am torn. I want this baby out, but I also am afraid of something going wrong if I am induced. So lets all cross our fingers that I can actually go into labor before the 6th. :)

We are planning on going to the zoo tomorrow...so maybe that will give this babe a push in the right direction! Wish me luck, and I will keep you posted!

Visiting Teaching

There are times when I am a better Visiting Teacher than others. Right now is not one of those times. For those of you who aren't members of the church, Visiting Teaching is a program within the Relief Society where you are paired up with another woman, and 2 to 3 other women to visit monthly. I love visiting teaching, and think that it really is so important, but sometimes fall short of doing it. Anyway, my cousin Lori sent me this in an email the other day, and I just thought it was so funny. It is about 8 or 9 minutes long, but so worth the watch. Enjoy!

8 Whole Years!

Yesterday Shawn and I celebrated our 8 year anniversary! I still can't believe that so much time has past. Since we have gotten married, we have done schooling, gone through countless jobs, moved once, added 2 almost 3 children, and have created so many memories together. I love this man so much, and I am so thankful that he has been part of my life for these past 8 years. My life would truly not be the same without him in it.

We didn't do anything really big. I didn't really want to plan much of anything because I was hopeful that we would have our baby...but of course this babe is still cookin'. We dropped the kids off at my sister Nancy's to spend the night. (Thanks Nance) Then we went out to dinner and a movie. Yes...somewhat cliche, but it was nice to spend some time with my hubby, and then go home without being greeted by our children.

Shawn is a wonderful man, friend, and I love him with all my heart. I am truly blessed to have him as a husband. Happy Anniversary Babe!

52 Blessings Project - Week Eight

The 52 Blessings Project

Once a week post a photo of something you are most grateful for. This gives us a chance to reflect on the good things we have learned from or that have made us better in our everyday lives or things we just enjoy! I think everyone needs to be more grateful for what they have now instead of always thinking about what we want! This is one of the things we can do to be more gracious people. It will be like a photo gratitude journal.

Week Eight

I have often thought how it would be to live in another part of the world. The third world countries where your 'bed' is basically the floor. Being a flight attendant, I have slept in many different beds. Some hotels have better beds than others, but really in the end...nothing beats sleeping at home. This week I am thankful for my bed. It really is one of the most comfy things in the world. People sometimes laugh when they see my bed in person. It is huge, or should I say tall. From the floor to the top of the mattress it is almost 40 inches. I sometimes feel like a kid because I have to 'climb' into bed. The kids love all the room underneath that they have to play. Anyway, there are times when Caden has a hard time sleeping, and I will sleep in his bed for a little bit to get him settled back down. It is amazing the difference! When I climb back into my bed, it is heaven. I am thankful that I live in a country that doesn't sleep on the floor! For me, it truly makes a difference!

If you would like to visit other peoples 'blessings' just go to Gardenview Cottage for a list of participants!

Waiting

The nice thing about people who have to have a c-section is that you can plan ahead. The surgery is scheduled, a date is given. There doesn't have to be anyone 'on call' for when you go into labor because everyone already knows when it is going to happen. The kids are taken care of, and there isn't as much 'panic' that can happen when a person actually goes into labor.

I don't really want to ever have a c-section, but I sure hate the 'waiting' phase of pregnancy. I went to the doctor today for my weekly check-up. I am about 80% effaced and dilated to 1 1/2 cm....which was the same from last week. So no progress. I was a little bummed, but what can I expect, I am two weeks from my estimated due date. I had him strip my membranes, but who knows if it will actually do anything.

Throughout this whole pregnancy I have talked about how I don't really want to have my baby on the 29th because then the baby will only REALLY be able to celebrate their birthday every 4 years. My next appointment is on the 29th, and if I haven't gone into labor by then...my doctor will probably strip my membranes again. With my luck I will go into labor that day, and have this baby. As with everything, I will have to wait and see.

I can't complain too much because, for the most part, I am doing pretty well. I am able to do pretty much everything I would want to do. I am uncomfortable, but still functioning. There is little things that I could still get done. I just have to keep telling myself that it is okay that I haven't had this baby yet. I just don't want to make it to my due date. There is just something about hitting that day, even though I know it is just 'estimated', that depresses me. If it does happen...it will be okay, but I am hoping that it doesn't. In the meantime...I will be waiting!

The Night We Met...

You can find the first part of Our Love Story here.

I had spent the whole summer playing phone tag with a friend that I had made in my World Religions class that spring. His name was Jason, and he had moved here from New Mexico with his family. He was a couple years younger than me, but really didn’t know many people here. I had offered to have him hang out with me and my friends and finally, in August, we were able to find a time that both of us were available.

It seemed like from the beginning there was a higher hand involved in this evening. I started to plan what we would do. As I called all of my friends, they all ended up being out of town or had family obligations that would not allow them to come along and ‘play’ with us. I was disappointed that Jason would not be able to meet them, but we decided to go to a movie, and then to a place where a local swing (40’s swing) dance was being held.

After the movie, we headed to the swing dance only to find a sign on the door saying that it had been canceled! I couldn’t believe it! It seemed that nothing that I had planned was going right that evening. My last resort was to head over to the Country Singles Dance.

I had vowed to never go there ever again. I had been in the past, and was always stalked by this particular guy that really creeped me out. Yet, this was the only place for us to go…so we made our way there. Little did I know that going there that night would change my life forever.

We entered the cultural hall (church gym), and started mingling. I have grown up here all of my life so I always seemed to see someone that I knew. Sometime during the night, I left to go get a drink of water. As I was making my way back, I passed this guy. We made eye contact, I said “Hello”, and kept walking. The next thing I knew, someone was tapping me on my shoulder. It was the same guy I had just passed, and he was asking me to dance.

He was pretty funny. Tall, skinny, and kinda made me laugh with some of his dance moves. We made as much conversation as you can while trying to country swing to a fast song. After the song had ended, we chatted a little bit more. His name was Shawn. He also grew up here. He knew my cousin, and I actually knew some of the friends that he had come with. I told him about Jason, and how he was new in town, and needed to meet people.

Shawn jumped on that as soon as I opened my mouth. We made our way back to Jason, and before we knew it we were all hanging out together. Shawn introduced Jason to all of his friends. He spent the rest of the dance trying to make Jason feel welcome. After the dance was over, Shawn invited us to meet over at Wendy’s to get some frosty’s.

We headed to Wendy’s, downed our treats, and then somehow ended up at a girls house playing pool, and singing songs around a piano. Shawn had ended up asking Jason if he would like to come to his ward the next day. I couldn’t believe how bold he was, but Jason was glad to accept and wanted me to come along too.

I went home that night thinking that it was so nice that Jason was able to meet some great people. I thought Shawn was a very outgoing person, and was glad that he made Jason feel so welcome. I went to bed thinking that Shawn was going to make such a good friend.

Will it be pink or blue?

Since we didn't find out what we are having, I thought we could have a little contest. Just leave a comment with your guess on these items

Boy or Girl?

Birthdate

Weight

Length

I thought I would give you a quick run through of Caden's and Sydney's pregnancies so you can take the info into consideration.

With Caden I gained about 40 lbs. He was born on September 13th...3 days AFTER his due date of September 10th. He weighed 9 lbs 7 oz and was 21 1/2 inches long.

With Sydney I gained about 25 lbs. She was born on September 29th...9 days EARLY from her due date of October 7. She weighed 7 lbs 11oz and was 21 inches long.

So far with this pregnancy I have gained around 25 lbs and my estimated due date is March 7th. I think the fact that I exercised with both Sydney and this baby has really helped. With Caden I was really lazy, and didn't do much more than sleep and lay around!

Get your guessing cap on and submit your answer in the comments (you don't have to have a Blogger/Gmail account you can still leave a comment...just be sure to leave some way for me to contact you)! The person with the closest guess will recieve a Super Fabulous Mystery Prize! (I promise...it will be really cool)

52 Blessings Project - Week Seven

The 52 Blessings Project

Once a week post a photo of something you are most grateful for. This gives us a chance to reflect on the good things we have learned from or that have made us better in our everyday lives or things we just enjoy! I think everyone needs to be more grateful for what they have now instead of always thinking about what we want! This is one of the things we can do to be more gracious people. It will be like a photo gratitude journal.

Week Seven

I never was one to exercise. In fact, up until 3 years ago, I didn't. It wasn't that I was happy with my body, but it just wasn't a habit. Growing up, I was more involved in music, and didn't really put much time into physical activity. That is what is nice about being young...it didn't seem to matter. I could eat whatever I wanted, and still stay somewhat thin. Well, as everything does...it caught up with me. I had just found out that I was pregnant with Sydney. I somehow had miraculously lost all the pregnancy weight that I had gained with Caden (I think he sucked it out of me:), but still was not where I would like to be. I just didn't want to gain as much weight again. A couple of people in my ward (local church congregation) worked at a gym nearby, and talked about how great it was. I finally got off my tush, and signed up.

I am so thankful that I did. Incorporating exercise into my life is one of the best things I have ever done. This week I am so thankful that I can afford to have a gym membership. I feel like if I bought a treadmill or elliptical machine for my home...it would sit there and collect dust because my kids wouldn't let me on it! The best thing about my gym is that they have a terrific childcare. I love going knowing that my kids are having fun and are well cared for. It is wonderful to be able to spend at least an hour kid free while doing something that helps to keep me healthy. Although I am not trying to lose weight right now, it still is great to go. My day just isn't the same if we don't.

If you would like to visit other peoples 'blessings' just go to Gardenview Cottage for a list of participants!

I survived!

This was something that I loved seeing tonight! My honey made it home from his long flight from London this evening. It was so great to see him, and I am so thankful he is finally home. It is such a relief to know that I didn't go into labor while he was gone. The kids were so happy to see their Daddy. We ate some dinner and before we knew it, Shawn was crashed out on the couch! Hopefully he will be able to get over the jet lag fast.

We really missed him, but kept ourselves busy. Here is a breakdown of my week.

Monday: In the morning Caden had preschool. After preschool we go to the gym. I get my exercise, and also a break from the kids! Come home, and Sydney goes down for a nap. When she woke up, we went to Costco to grab a few things. We ended up eating dinner there (I wasn't about to go home and cook!)

Tuesday: Preschool, gym, Sydney's nap (this is pretty much our morning routine). Tuesday nights are my Orchestra rehearsals. My Aunt was nice enough to watch my kids so that I could go. Thank you soooo much! The kids had alot of fun.

Wednesday: Preschool, gym, weekly McDonald's playdate with Mel, Sydney's nap...dropped the kids off at Nancy's because I had my Orchestra Concert. After the concert I went out to eat with my buddies. It was great! Thanks for helping me in a pinch, Nance! I know I can always count on you!

Thursday: Helped out with Caden's Preschool Valentines Party. In the past, Caden has always had a hard time when I come into his class. I was happy to say that he did wonderful! He was not clingy at all, and sat with his class! He was so excited to give everyone his Valentines. We had a great time. Melanie was nice enough to watch Sydney so I could go alone to the party. Thank you so much, Mel! Afterwards, I dropped off the kids at Karyn's house for our kid swap. She took care of my kids while I picked up some stuff at Home Depot, got a pedicure, toured the hospital that I will be delivering at, and also went in for my weekly check up. It was so nice. I am glad that we worked it out for her to watch my kids this week. On the way home we picked up some pizza. The kids devoured it, took a bath, and Sydney was in bed by 6:30 pm! HEAVEN!

Friday: I signed up for "Mommy's Lunch" at the gym. I got to drop my kids off at around 11:30 and was free until 2:30. I went and got my haircut (Caden took this pic), and picked up some things at the store. Then I picked up the kids, and we headed home. Before we knew it, Shawn was pulling into our garage. I had called ahead and ordered take-out from Tia Rosa's (yum), and Shawn picked it up on his way home! Yay, another night where I didn't have to cook!

Overall, it really turned out to be a good week. I seemed to be able to get some sort of a break from the kids each day. I hardly cooked, and used paper products for almost everything so I had minimal dishes. I now have pretty toes, and a new haircut all in time to welcome a new baby! Now that Shawn is home...hopefully it will be sooner than later! :)

Being 'Prepared' for Love

As I get older I realize how much our Heavenly Father really understands, and knows me. He really knows what we need in our lives to prepare us for our future. I have mentioned it before on my blog, but my ULTIMATE quote is this:

Every person God puts into our lives,
Every experience that He gives us,
Is the PERFECT preparation
For the future only HE can see.

As I look back into my past, the years of 1998 & 1999 were very hard for me relationship wise. I had been through multiple relationships that never seemed to pan out. Yet it was those very heartaches that prepared the way for me to meet Shawn.

My ‘preparation’ began in the spring of 1998. I had just sent off my missionary only to have him return a month later with health issues. That was the beginning of a drama that kind of opened my eyes as to whether or not I wanted to be a part of his family. I cared a lot about him. Heck, I was sure we were going to get married, but things changed once he actually went back into the field (on his mission.) We continued to write, but I also continued to date.

That is when I met Joel. He was funny, and so much different than Brodie. For the first time I realized that there was someone else that could make me happy. I immediately was smitten with him, and thought it possibly could go somewhere. We dated for about 6 weeks, but he ended up falling for my good friend Becky. Coincidently they ended up getting married!

So life went on, and so did my quest. I still don’t understand why I thought it was so important to be ‘in love.’ I think that was where my problem lied. I was so busy trying to find someone to ‘love’ that I really didn’t know who I was and what I really wanted.

I even ventured into the online world, and met a guy named Brad. He was funny, sweet, and I found myself thinking I was ‘in love’ once again. The problem was that he lived in Oregon, and I lived in Arizona. He actually came down here, and I went up there…yet as everything goes…it just didn’t work out.

I then went on to meet Tim. He was that hot guy that everyone always wanted. Muscles, quiet, and I thought he was great. He was a family friend of one of my very good friends, Jenny. I was floored that a guy like that would actually like a girl like me. We hooked up, and as always, I was ‘in love’ quickly, only to have my heart crushed when he dumped me for the bubbly girl with larger umm…hands. :)

That was when I had it. I really took a step back in self reflection, and learned something about myself. In all these relationships, there was one thing in common. I would meet a guy. I would like the guy. I would then try to change myself in hopes of attempting to have him like me back. For instance, with Brodie, he LOVED everything and anything Volkswagen. I have never had anything really against the make, but suddenly I LOVED them as much as he did. When I looked at all my past relationships, I saw that trend. Their loves became MY loves. I was never really myself.

I also found that I was so obsessed with the idea of being ‘in love.’ I would immediately think that ‘I loved him,’ that we were so perfect for each other. I think I seriously wore my heart on my sleeve. I so desperately wanted someone to love me back. I would give my love away so quickly, only to have it stomped upon.

That was when I made a decision. I knew that I really needed to find out who I was. What did I really want in a relationship? What qualities did I really want in a man? I wanted to make sure that the next time I professed my love to someone…that I REALLY meant it. That I REALLY knew that I loved him, and that I wasn’t just in love with the idea of being ‘in love.’ I now just wanted to have fun. Get to know guys, and really find the qualities that I wanted in an eternal partner. I didn’t want to get serious; I just wanted to have fun for a while before I settled down.

So the fun began. I dated up a storm, and had so much fun meeting all sorts of people. I reflected back on my past relationships, and figured out what I REALLY liked about the personalities of each of those people. I was in no hurry to jump into any type of relationship. For once in my life, I knew what I wanted. I was sure of whom I was. I had finally found my true self.

As with everything, that is when Shawn entered into my life.

To be continued....

52 Blessings Project - Week Six

I have been such a slacker at getting this done on Sunday! Hopefully that can change. I did do one for last week, and just post dated the post....so you can find it here.

The 52 Blessings Project

Once a week post a photo of something you are most grateful for. This gives us a chance to reflect on the good things we have learned from or that have made us better in our everyday lives or things we just enjoy! I think everyone needs to be more grateful for what they have now instead of always thinking about what we want! This is one of the things we can do to be more gracious people. It will be like a photo gratitude journal.

Week Six

This week I am grateful for the blessing of modern communication – mainly the telephone. I haven’t talked much about it because I was so upset at first, but right now Shawn is in the UK. When he had first told me about his work wanting to send him out there to instruct a class…I was dumbfounded. I couldn’t believe that they wanted to send him there when they knew how close I was to my due date. In the end, I guess it has been perfect timing. I had gone into my appointment last week, and every thing looks fine. The chances of me going into labor this week are slim, and then he won't have to travel after I have the baby.

We still miss our Shawn though. That is why the phone has been such a blessing. Last night Shawn couldn’t sleep so he called us right when I was getting the kids ready for bed. (It was actually around 3 am in England.) I put him on speaker, and he was able to talk to the kids, and then he sang with us as I rocked Sydney. It was the sweetest thing to watch Sydney in my arms with the phone next to her face.

I really can’t imagine how people survived being away from family back when there was no telephone. It is so nice to know that if I am having a hard day or just want to hear his voice, all I have to do is pick up the phone. Now all I have to do is make it through to Friday!

Oh The Joys...

I have to admit that for the most part, I really enjoy being pregnant. I am lucky enough that I don't get morning sickness. I do get extremely tired, but thats about it. So far this pregnancy has been pretty good. I am still on track of not gaining too much weight (Only about 23 lbs so far), and up until last week I was doing great.

Now I am in that final stretch. I have about a month left, and boy am I feeling it. It is now at that point that everything I do is just plain uncomfortable! Sitting, standing, BENDING OVER, it just isn't fun. During the last part of all my pregnancies, my back really gives me a hard time. I look forward to my weekly chiropractor visits. The nice thing is that the baby is almost here, and I only have to deal with being uncomfortable for a few more weeks or maybe less.

It is kinda strange for me to think about the fact that I am going to have 3 children! I am excited yet scared all at the same time. The kids are getting more and more excited, and I have a ton more things to do before our baby's arrival. In the meantime, I will be "enjoying" the wonderful things associated with getting larger, and larger everyday. :)

More Answers...

So yes...I admit...I am a slacker, but it is better late than never right!? Here are some more of the questions and answers. I think that I got all of them, with the exception of the story of Shawn and I...which is coming soon! I promise!

Julie of Love, Laughter, & Laundry asked

How many children do you want to have?

I grew up in a large family. I have 5 brothers and 2 sisters. I loved being part of a big family, but I don’t think that I could handle 8 children. I have always said that I wanted at least 4, but we figure that we will take them one (hopefully) at a time. I figure that Heavenly Father will let me know when we are “done.”

What is your favorite thing to do if you have a day with no kids or husband?

Hmm…part of me wants to say sleep, but then I would probably feel guilty if that was what I did. I love going out with friends. I love being social, and think a day is great when I get to spend time chatting with people….and also eating. I love good food!

Little Momma of It's a Wonderful Life & KellyAnn of The Hatch Batch asked

How many blogs do you read a day?

Hahaha…Shawn would probably say that is all I do all day. I use a feed reader called Bloglines that monitors a ton of blogs that I subscribe to (I love it! I talk about it here). It is kinda embarrassing to say, but I have over 100 blogs that I subscribe to. The thing is that a lot of them do not post every single day (some of them haven’t posted in months!), and there are days that I don’t get to read each new post. I probably spend 20 to 30 minutes (sometimes longer depending on my spare time) reading different blogs.

Babystepper (I do know her real name cuz I am cool :), but am sworn to secrecy) of Babysteps asks

What's your favorite kind of sandwich?

Sandwiches are yummy. When it comes to food…I like almost everything. The only thing that I can’t stand is seafood. I don’t think I have a favorite sandwich. It just depends on the kind of mood I am in. Sometimes I like them toasted, sometimes I like them cold. It does have to have some sort of meat, and a must is PICKLES! I LOVE pickles!

KellyAnn of The Hatch Batch also asked

What is the best vacation you have ever been on?

The best vacation that I have been on alone with Shawn was our honeymoon. We went to Spain for a little over a week, and it was wonderful. Shawn had served a mission in Madrid, and so we went back there. It was like having my personal guide. He knew where to go, and what to see…plus he spoke the language! We had so much fun together, and can’t wait to go back again. With our kids, it would have to be our trip to Disneyworld. We went for 10 days! Kids can be so demanding, and sometimes a vacation with them is more work than it is worth. We managed to have so much fun, and Caden still talks about it to this day. Because we had so much time to spend there we were able to relax, and not feel rushed. I absolutely loved it!

Ashley of I Believe in Miracles asked

If you could have your dream job, what would it be and why?

I have always dreamed of being able to play in an orchestra for movie soundtracks. I have never been to keen on playing solo on my violin, but I love to play in orchestras. There is something about being part of a team that is able to make something so beautiful. I always thought it would be cool to be able to go to a movie, and while watching it hear something that I actually played in. The thing about musical performance is that is almost all you have time for. One of the professors that I took from at ASU was an excellent musician. She had traveled the world playing in top orchestras…yet in the end she really had nothing to show for it. She lived all alone in a large house with a bunch of cats. I realized that I loved playing, but not enough to give up sharing my life with someone that I loved. In my mind it isn't worth sacrificing that much of my time and effort if I have no one to share it with.

Emily of Cairnsliving asked

Do you like English people?

I am actually fascinated with the English culture. I love meeting new people, and going to new places. Shawn is actually going to be traveling to the UK on Saturday (yes…when I will be 37 weeks pregnant!…but that is for another post) to instruct a course for his job. His boss has also touched on seeing if we would be up to living there for 2 months this summer! I am kinda excited about it because I have never lived anywhere else, but in AZ! We will see if it actually happens, but I would love to have the opportunity to spend some real time exploring England, and getting to know the people there.

Heather of The Fantastic Five (I would link her, but she is private!) asked

Do you have names picked out?

I have a long list of names for both genders that we need to sit down, and widdle down. So there is nothing really settled on this homefront…but obviously needs to be done! Do you guys have any suggestions of names that you like?

Katie of The Layton Family asked

Would you ever consider moving close to Queen Creek?

I really have nothing against Queen Creek, but it would be far too long of a commute for Shawn. I also like living where we are…so it is hard to imagine moving anywhere else.

Starla of The Evans Family asked

When are you guys going to come visit us in Memphis, TN?

I would love to come to Memphis! Obviously we can’t come anytime real soon, but after we have the baby we will have to look into when we can get away. I think the kids would have a blast, and so would we!

Okay....so there it is. I had fun answering your questions, and to see some of you come out of the woodwork. I do know there are still some that are lurking back there...don't be afraid to comment....I don't bite I promise! Do you have any more burning questions? Thanks for the ones that you did ask...and stay tuned for Our Love Story.

Wordless Wednesday - Gotta Love the Chapstick!

For More Participants visit the Wordless Wednesday HQ or 5 Minutes for Mom!

52 Blessings Project - Week Five

The 52 Blessings Project

Once a week post a photo of something you are most grateful for. This gives us a chance to reflect on the good things we have learned from or that have made us better in our everyday lives or things we just enjoy! I think everyone needs to be more grateful for what they have now instead of always thinking about what we want! This is one of the things we can do to be more gracious people. It will be like a photo gratitude journal.

Week Five

I can’t even begin to imagine how different my life would be without my little Sydney. I remember how excited I was when we found out that we would be welcoming a little girl into our family. We have been so blessed to have such a cute, and dainty little girl. Because Caden was such a big baby, I was so afraid that Sydney was going to be the same. She is everything opposite. For once, I was able to experience what it was like to have a child that stayed small. It has really helped it seem like she was a baby longer.

My heart is so full with love for my little princess. I am really so grateful that I am blessed to have her in my care. I look forward to watching her grow, yet sad that she isn't my 'baby' anymore.