Pregnancy

*I needed a break from the blog this past year; however, I'm ready to come back. I'm ready to write again and to have a place to write my thoughts. So I'm back - at least I hope... about once a month!

Today's thoughts are on pregnancy. I'm due with our little guy in about two weeks so really, he could show up any day now.

During my pregnancy, I have been blessed beyond what I ever imagined. Given my family history I worried about being able to get pregnant, stay pregnant, and being able to do anything during pregnancy other than survive. I have been blessed though because contrary to all my fears, this experience has been incredible!! 

Don't get me wrong. I have a list of things that have not been so wonderful: 

• Nausea - but only for a couple weeks
• Food Adversions - only for a couple weeks
• Fatigue - napping always sounds good by about 2pm. (During the first trimester, I could hardly stay awake at work in the afternoons.) 
• Back Pain - I spent a couple weeks kneeling on all fours and doing yoga poses just to get some temporary relief! 
• Prune Juice - Drinking this to stay regular (TMI maybe? Well, it's real life and Prune Juice is TERRIBLE!!)
• Discomfort when Sleeping - Nothing 4 pillows and Jared's shoulder can't fix. Good thing we have a King Size bed because I currently take up 2/3 of it. 
• Looking Fat (not pregnant). Yeah, that in-between stage (is-she-fat-or-pregnant-stage) lasted for oh, FOUR MONTHS!! 
• Peeing all the time - I hate that the elliptical at the gym only stays paused for 2 minutes. Sorry, can't pee that fast so... I get to do my workouts in 20 minute chunks - because that is how often I pee! 
• Bruised Ribs - This little guy loves my right side SO much that he wants all of him over there! Which means he is squished up against my ribs. 
• Difficulty getting up - Almost all our kitchen cupboards are below the counters (we don't have many cupboards up above) so every time I need something out of a cupboard, I seriously question if I'll be able to get back up once I get down there.  

But despite that list above, my list of things I love far outweigh anything on that list. It is amazing what a woman's body can do to house a growing child.  My miraculous body is supporting the growth of this new being! 

At first as my stomach began to pooch, I struggled with my self-image. Even knowing I was pregnant and that I was supposed to be growing, I felt so self-conscious! I had a hard time accepting the changes. 

But my wonderful husband's loving words along with time changed my perspective. As I started getting to hear our baby's heartbeat and see his developing body through ultrasound and then start to feel him wiggle inside me, my mindset changed. I started to fall in love with being pregnant. 

I started to feel true amazement in what was taking place in my body. As I felt those weird, foreign-like flutters, I started to realize how miraculous this process is! As my skin kept stretching and my stomach kept growing without ripping or popping (yeah laugh at me for that thought), I was grateful. It's amazing that my body knows just what to do. It can double the amount of blood in my body. It can rearrange all my organs to make room for this little guy. It tolerates extreme changes and is about to perform the nearly impossible (labor). 

I have fallen in love with pregnancy! As I was commuting to work the other day, it hit me how soon this experience is ending! Now don't get me wrong, I'm really looking forward to meeting this little guy!! But I'll miss things about pregnancy! 

I'll miss:

• Having this little guy with me ALL the time
• Feeling his hiccups
• Having him all to myself and knowing he is safe
• Jared putting his hand on my belly when he is sitting next to me
• Getting many smiles cast my way when complete strangers see my baby bump 

The kind smiles from complete strangers has been the most unique experience for me. I never noticed how when most people see a pregnant belly, they smile. This really surprised me! No matter how much the world talks about how burdensome kids can be, how they tie you down and limit your activities, how expensive they are, etc., hardly anyone can suppress a smile when they see life being created. It leads me to really know that we are inherently drawn to family ties no matter how much we may try to deny it.  People treat me with more respect and kindness than I have ever experienced.  

For example, someone at the store sees my belly - they offer to let me go in front of them in the checkout line.  The young teenage boy out in the parking lot waiting for his mom to finish shopping? - He rushes over to take my cart back for me once I finish loading my groceries in the car. Someone offers to pick something up off the ground that I dropped. People give you the benefit of the doubt. People offer their seat. The airport allows you to pre-board. 

I've decided that as humans, we all are drawn to babies and the miracle that life is! I love having that reminder many times every day as I smile back at complete strangers who see my belly. 

The other night, as I mentioned these thoughts to Jared, he said, "Well don't worry too much! You will get to do this again!" I smiled at that comment.  Hopefully we do get the opportunity to have more than one little guy join our family over the years!  In the mean time, here is the progression pictures of my pregnancy and just know, I am waiting with anticipation to meet this little guy who has inhabited my belly for the past 9 months!  

Octobers and Fall

"I am so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." 

-L.M. Montgomery 

I wholeheartedly agree. 

Fall has some of the most beautiful surprises.  Growing up in the valley of Arizona, I never knew too much of autumn, the true season.  When I left for grad school, I remember driving all around the city once the leaves started changing just to try to appease my craving for those beautiful colors.

Now that I have experienced fall for FOUR years in a row, I am even more in love with this time of year.  It is such a happy time.  A final celebration of a beautiful year, before it starts a new one.  

This year I tried to take every opportunity I had to be outside and soaking in the season.  I have put leisure reading, the elliptical, treadmills, and lots of indoor cycling on hold in order to make sure I spent lots of days outside.

• We ran through Provo Canyon to see the fall leaves. It wasn't quite fall yet, but it was still really pretty!

• We made halloween sugar cookies with Jared's family while they were in town and with my cousin and her family as well.

• My brother, J, flew up to Utah for a couple days while we were both on October break and we went to Provo Canyon too.  He longboarded and I rode my bike.  The leaves were much more colorful this time around.  It was a wonderful afternoon with good company!  Sure do love my brother! 

• A couple weeks later, we hiked Rock Canyon and the leaves were perfectly fall!  It was beautiful!  I wish our picture even did the trees and the mountains and the cool air justice! 

• We went to Cornbelly's again this year.  I honestly think that is one the most fun dates!  It is such a celebration of holidays - the one that starts off the holiday season!  They have so many fun things to do there! We saw pig races, completely got lost in the corn maze this year, played cornhole (I lost by one), and so much more!  

• We dressed up for Halloween.  I had to wear a costume to school for work.  Jared dressed up in order to get extra credit in school.  I found something comfortable to wear (since I have to be professionally dressed every other day of the year).  Jared had to represent something he has learned about in his Parasitology class (yes, a class all about parasites - gross).  I decided to be an Olympic Gold Medalist.  Jared decided to be a Copepod hosting a Coricidium (which eventually turns into the fish form of a tape worm - yuck).
  
  
  
  Fall is coming to an end.  Most of the leaves are now on the ground, the nights are continually getting colder, and daylight continues to decrease.  It's turning into winter.  I don't know if I am excited or not, but I can definitely say that I took full advantage of this wonderfully beautiful fall.  

A New School Year

As school started back up, I was having serious withdrawals from summer.  I was missing the sunshine and the 8+ hours of sleep and most of all, my husband.  So, we started to plan a few more outings - even mid-week outings.

We went to Thanksgiving Point's Ancient Life Museum.  Although it is primarily geared to kids, we learned a lot about dinosaurs, and actually had a lot of fun!  We walked around some of the gardens afterwards and ate a yummy dinner there (everything was only $2/person since it was "two buck Tuesday").

We celebrated Jared's birthday by going to the movies.  Jared has wanted to see Man of Steel since we saw the first preview so we really had a good time going to the dollar theater to see it!  We rarely go to movies anymore since it's so expensive, but you can't beat the dollar theater up here!

We spent a couple more days at Seven Peaks before that closed.  As a little girl, I dreamed of being a mermaid.  I love summers and water so much!  I lucked out when I married someone who loves it almost as much as I do!

We spent an evening at the park just enjoying the cooler nights and the city views and a few stars and listening to music.

I really love spending time with Jared.  At times it feels as though being in school is hard, but I know that the real world of work will be the same - busy, and stressful.  We have found that it is important to still plan outings though.  I am not always the best at planning things, but we have so much fun when we do!  We've even learned that some of the most fun things we have done don't cost money!  (Like taking a blanket out to see the stars or playing Ultimate Frisbee with couples from around the area - something we do each week.)

I'm thankful that I married my best friend!  Dating him only gets more and more fun!  And I am grateful that he takes time out of his busy schedule to date me!

One Year Anniversary

Last week, we celebrated our first year anniversary.  Jared did a phenomenal job at planning such a fun weekend!  Here are some of the highlights: 

We drove to Salt Lake and ate dinner at the Red Iguana.  We had been there once before and it was amazing so we went again.  They have live musicians there who sang us a love song in Spanish (so we had no idea what the song was really about). 

We checked into our hotel room at the Anniversary Inn.  Where to start with the hotel... well, their mission statement is, "The Anniversary Inn exists to provide a place where couples can escape from the pressures of everyday life and share in a time of peace and relaxation together thereby creating positive memories which will strengthen their relationship."  They sure do that!  Each room has a theme.  We ended up staying in the "Phantom of the Opera Room."  It was gorgeous! 

Look at all the decorations!  It had a huge jetted tub, and so many fun decorations!  I loved just looking around the room and seeing all the references to the "Phantom."    

When we walked into our room, we found two pieces of cheesecake, a bottle of sparkling cider, and chocolates.  (All that was included in the price!)  So fun to walk into such a treat!

 The next morning, our room service breakfast was delivered right when we had asked for it.  (Yes, this was included in the price too!)  The food was delicious and it was so fun to have breakfast in bed!  Everyone needs to experience that once in their lives!

 When it was time to check out, we were able to walk through all the other rooms in the hotel (they have themes such as Jungle Safari, Venice, Wild West, Sailor Ships, etc.).  It was so fun to see all the other rooms too!   We had an absolute blast!  What a neat little place here in Utah!  I am so glad that Jared spoiled me and took me here for a night!  I loved every minute of it!

That afternoon, we went and did sealings in the Salt Lake Temple at exactly the same time on the very day we were married last year.  It was so neat to be in the temple and be reminded of that special moment last year and be reminded of our own marriage and sealing.  

We went to Blue Lemon for lunch and enjoyed some really tasty food!  It was a perfectly sunny and warm day and I felt like the luckiest girl in the entire world!  I LOVE being with Jared!  Being able to spend a carefree weekend with him was the very best! 

 We enjoyed shopping at City Creek Mall that evening.  It is such a pretty mall with many fun stores.  Even Jared said it was the best mall he has been to and that it was fun (and he doesn't even like shopping). 

  He planned the entire weekend for us and he was so thoughtful!  He planned things that I really enjoy doing!  I loved all of it and I want to go back and repeat the entire weekend over and over again.  I am so blessed to have married such and kind and fun and wonderful man!  I am so blessed to have married into an amazing family!  I can hardly believe its already been a year!  Time has flown by so quickly!  And with how fast it seems to be going, I am so thankful that I married him in the temple for time and all eternity so that I can be with him forever.  

RRR Zion 2013

The Red Rock Relay:

• 12 runners + 1 driver
• 187 miles (Brian Head Ski Resort - Cedar City - Veyo - St. George - Zion National Park)
• 30 continuous hours of team running
• 75 minutes of sleep
• 6 bagels, 2 Ibuprofen, water, fruit, peanut butter, and chocolate milk 
• 3 legs per runner
• Way too many port-o-potties
• Thousands of visible stars in the sky
• Rain, hail, mud, traffic, etc.
• 2 "vans"
• 3 showers 
• 90 degree weather, and 50 degree weather (depending on the run)
• Ranked one of the Most Beautiful Relays in the United States
• Countless laughs, a few tears, lots of memories, incredible views, and 
• One awesome team that FINISHED the race! 

GO TEAM RENRAG!  

Here are some pictures and lessons I learned:  

1. Sometimes you sign up for something in life thinking you know what that entails only to find out, you had NO idea what you got yourself into!  Of the three runs I was expected to do, I thought my middle run was going to be the hardest.  Ha!  It ended up being the easiest!  You never know exactly how life will turn out... Just like the picture below that was to be a "jumping picture."  Haha!

2. There is only so much a picture can do to convey how beautiful God's creations are!  This race course was AH-MAZING!  Every single corner had a new terrain and more incredible views!

3.  In the world of Relays, if you pass someone while running, it's called a "kill."  But because everyone out there on the course knows how hard it is, your hat goes off to those who pass you and those runners ahead of you sure do motivate you to run faster!  Yes folks, below is proof that I got at least one "kill."

4. Running at night is incredible!!  I was super nervous to be out there running on my own in the middle of nowhere!  As I took off to run, I turned my headlamp on and could ONLY see the small circle of ground it illuminated.  I depended very heavily on my headlamp!  At times, I tried to shine my light to the sides to see what I was running through.  Then, every large shadow started to scare me so I decided to not think about what could be around me and I just ran.  Although it was  bit freaky, it was also so peaceful!  When I turned my headlamp off and walked for a bit, I was AMAZED at the stars!  It was beyond beautiful!  It was comforting to know that the van was always nearby with teammates looking out for me!  I found a lot of parallel in the gospel in that 40 minute run.  I could not see the MASSIVE hill I was climbing (750 ft elevation climb) due to the darkness, and honestly, it made running up it easier!  It reminded me of the hymn, Lead Kindly Light.  I always feel that if I could only see what life had in store, how it would work out, etc., it would make things so much easier!   But from this run, I realized, sometimes it better to only see "one step enough for me" as the hymn says.  It makes it easier to conquer the mountains and we are able to focus on the challenge present and not all the other mountains we will face in this mortal life.  Heavenly Father really does know exactly how much we need to know in order to succeed.  So neat!  

5. It is really nice to have someone to cheer you on an motivate you in the hard times!   See the picture below?  This is my third run, it was my longest run, it was SO stinkin' hot!  I had only slept for 75 minutes in the past day and I was DONE!  I was walking down the last bit of my stretch of the course, when my dad came up to me and said, "kick it in and finish strong."  I won't lie, I responded with, "I can't", but then I felt guilty and I did it.  I finished strong with my dad by my side.  Once I passed the transition point and was finished, I realized once again, that I can do HARD things.  This relay was NOT easy!  But, it is in those moments when we have to reach beyond our comfort zone and extend ourselves beyond what we think is possible, that we find how strong we are.  Thankfully, I have been blessed with wonderful family and friends who have stood by me during my hard times.

6. Once you finish a race like this, you are best friends with all those who ran with you and around you!  During the race, you cheer for every runner, not just your own; you offer water to everyone, not just your teammates, you remind each other how crazy you are for signing up for such an adventure and then laugh together as someone says, "see you next year" because you all know how true that statement is!  The running world is a fun, addictive one!  Just look at that team below and imagine how many laughs and jokes and good times were had!  It was a party!  So glad I was able to go!  Great job team!  

  Red Rock Renrags Team, Red Rock Relay, September 13-14, 2013

Summer of a Lifetime

Boy, we were busy!  I cannot even begin to express how grateful I am to ALL those who made our summer wonderful!  Jared's parents for their generosity and willingness to take us along, my family for letting us crash for an extended visit, and all our friends and family who made time to see us!  It was wonderful!  It was the summer of a lifetime!  We know that a summer like this probably won't happen again until we are retired and grandparents, but I am so glad we were able to take advantage of such a summer and enjoy each other so much!  Going back to work was not easy but I couldn't help but think of the quote, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."  I sure do have a lot to smile about as I think back on this summer!

Viva Las Vegas

On our way home from California, we stopped for a night in Las Vegas.  Our friends, the Nimer's, were wonderful hosts!  We loved seeing them again.  The next morning, we went downtown to sightsee.  Monday mornings are the most family-friendly time to be in Vegas. 

We went through Ceasar's palace.

 Jared found the Eiffel Tower... in Vegas. 

 We found lots of pretty fountains. 

 I was SO excited to show Jared the water show at the Bellagio.  Unfortunately, the shows don't start until 3pm and we had to leave around noon.  BUT, we got a little tender mercy: right as we walked by, they ran a test-run show to make sure all the fountains were working.  We actually ended up seeing TWO songs in a row!   It was even better than a normal day!  We really lucked out!

 Of course we had to stop by the Venetian since my brother has spent nearly the last year living near Venice.  It was fun to see the Gondolas go by.  

It was just a quick stop, but it ended up being a great morning before jumping back in the car to drive the rest of the way home.