It's A....

GIRL!

This week we had the 20-week ultrasound where we could find out the sex of the baby. It was the most beautiful thing. I really didn't expect it to be as exciting and tear-jerking as it was, but I was captivated by what I saw - the spine, legs, face, toes, and even smile! It has really made it all the more real, knowing she is there healthy and happy. She is becoming more and more active and I can sometimes feel her shifting positions, although I have yet to figure out what body part is sticking out where. It was kinda emotional seeing her smile. I felt like she really does like us, despite all our imperfections and things we need to work on - she likes us. I have a daughter! And she is beautiful!

our little getaway

For our one-year anniversary David and I decided to celebrate in Park City. It isn't until August 11th but with my family in town then we decided to go early. It was so beautiful and refreshing to have a vacation where we didn't have to worry about work or school and we could just enjoy being together. We went to the pool everyday, spent one afternoon on Main Street, saw the view of Park City on the way up the ski lift and just kicked back at our really nice hotel, Silver King. It was a blast and even now I sometimes wish we could have stayed there much longer.

The fireplace in our hotel. One night I turned the AC down
really low so I could utilize the prettiness of the fire.
Above it was a HUGE flatscreen TV

The Lobby of our Hotel

David sitting at the bottom of the pool - he kept timing himself
to see how long he could hold his breath.

Trying to hide from the camera.

The pool area. David is crawling over from the hot tub

On the way up the mountain

Our dangling feet on the way up. David kept trying to startle
me by lifting up the bar - I wouldn't have any of that.

On our way up the lift

The view - reminded me of Sound of Music

What we saw walking around at the top of the mountain

The view of Main Street on our way down the ski-lift.

The place we ate on our one night of "splurging" - Steak House.
We were the only people in the place so we got A LOT of attention.
The waitress was super nice and after overcooking my steak and
making a new one, we went home with almost 2 whole steaks for leftovers :)

All growing up I wondered what babies thought about. I wondered if they liked their new family and home or wished they were back with Heavenly Father. I wondered how much they knew and what they would say if they could talk. Now that I am that new family and am the creator of the new home I find myself worrying more than wondering. Am I doing all that I need to be doing to make this home as much like the one they are coming from? Is my baby going to be glad to be with me? Am I doing my best at my personal spirituality? Am I worthy of my baby?

I'm Alive!

So according to David, it has been so long since my last post that people might think I'm dead. This is me letting everyone know, I'm not dead. In fact, these are the things going on:

1) We LOVE our new place. The great feeling of being in a bright place that is new and fresh is so wonderful that sometimes I walk in the door and am still surprised this is our home. In fact, some times it is so bright, like in the mornings, that I woke up way earlier than I would really like because of the sun streaming in. My beach bathroom (finally!) and cow decorated kitchen have given this apartment more of our personality, and as my sister said, it fits us. There is such a better feeling here and we are so glad to have it.

2) Yesterday was my 12-week appointment and we got to hear the baby's heartbeat. The midwife did it so fast that I felt like I didn't quite get to enjoy the moment. I mean, come on, let me enjoy those moments of excitement so that it will make all the throwing up and aches and pains seem like no big deal. Only 2 months until we find out the gender!

3) Torn about whether or not to cut my hair. David desperately wants me to, but I kinda miss my long hair.

4) My spring class ends next week and all I'll have left is my two online classes. I'll probably end up graduating next August rather than April.

5) Last thing, I have a wonderful husband =]

We're Moving!

After babysitting at David's brother's place and being in such a bright home for a few days I realized I didn't want to go back to our place and be under ground. It then became incredibly difficult to ignore the thoughts I was already having about the darkness of our apartment.

So yesterday morning, kind of sudden, I told David I wanted to move. I had a list of places that were nice and available all ready when I told him, so we immediately went to work. This morning we found the one we wanted (and it was the one that I liked the most when looking at the information and pictures online). As David puts it, "It's cute!". I couldn't stop thinking about moving that it took me a little while to fall asleep last night because I was so excited. It is smaller than our place now, but it is bright! And fresh! And different! I am so excited for a change, a different environment as we are starting a new stage of our lives - a better one. I really feel this place will be better for us and I couldn't be happier.

It has big windows in the bedroom and living room with fresh carpet and a lot of openness. A pool is also included with the complex - nice. It's a little farther from where we are now, but there are a lot of trees around and it's a nice area for walks. I am so excited, for June 1st!

Treasure of a Lifetime

I have recently started to follow Mona's Musings (http://www.monasmusings.com/) and was particularly intrigued by the latest post.

Having only been married a brief amount of time in the grand scheme of things (9 months today) I recognize that I still have a great deal of things to learn and experiences ahead. However, I find that the past 9 months have gone by incredibly fast and I still sometimes feel like a newly-newlywed. My sister told me only a few months after we were married that she would excuse us for not being social until we reach 6 months, and by that point we will start to get bored of each other. Well, we have exceeded that time frame by 3 months and still all I want to do is be with David. Planning work schedules and classes for the same time or running errands together or when the other has a lot of homework allows us to get the maximum amount of spousal appreciation time possible. A friend asked me the other day if I was tired of David yet (that is her fear when she gets married) and I resoundingly said NO! We have more fun now than we did even when dating - playing games, teasing each other, and goofing off. It is wonderful to be married to someone you can be ridiculously silly with and yet also have genuinely serious and intimate conversations.

Back to Mona's Musings latest post, Somewhere Else. I absolutely loved the poetic writing style that so beautifully captured the importance of dating your spouse and taking the "time to love gorgeously". Such truth lies in her messages and advice that should be repeatedly read as it offers polishing to your golden marriage. So taking the advice of the wiser Mona, before the baby comes we will love somewhere else and escape to the California shores and walk along the beach, hand-in-hand.

Weekend Parents

David and I babysat for his brother this weekend so they could have a little getaway, and boy was it a learning experience. It was quite entertaining though to watch David in action and see the adoration in the kid's eyes as he played with them.

The Nutcracker!

Friday night David recruited the kids to get on their knees and clean the
kitchen/DR floor. They even enjoyed it!

We bought a watermelon and when I bit into it I felt like I was
back at Girls' Camp. Good times. I love the feel of summer watermelons bring.

We just love Uncle David jumping on the trampoline!

When the weekend came to a close the kids made a "Welcome Home" sign
for Seth & Kira - anxious for their arrival