33 weeks and counting

The last couple of days it really has become real that we are having a baby really soon. Congrats to my sister-in-law and brother-in-law Mardie and Danny for their beautiful new baby girl. Matt and I have told ourselves that once they have their baby then ours will be here in no time. Theirs is here and now it's our turn. As we were leaving the hospital after seeing new little Ellie, Matt had a scared look on his face. I turned to him and said did that make you nervous. He said maybe a little....okay a lot. It will be an exciting next couple of weeks as we prepare for this baby to come.

I have about a little over six weeks left of this pregnancy and am ready to have this baby. As most of you know this hasn't been the easiest of pregnancies and it doesn't seem to get any easier as time goes on. Just as we think things are looking better another health problem comes up and we start all over again. I am not nearly as bad as I was for the 25 weeks of pregnancy but I sure do wish this throwing up stuff would go away. I just have to keep reminding myself that it will all be worth it in the end and that seems to help most of the time.

p.s. No we are still no closer on a name.

In and Out of Love

Imagine that as you sit silently enjoying your evening that a phone call comes. On the other end of the line is the voice of one of your closest and most beloved friends. After a bit of small talk your friend tells you that he just needs to talk to you about a struggle in his marriage. He then relates a story about how not long ago his spouse approached him only to tell him that she no longer loves him and believes that the last two years of marriage has been a mistake, and although they have a one year old child, she says she never has loved you. Then the question under a choked up voice, Matt, what do I do?

As we spent the next twenty minutes discussing the keys to a happy marriage I was taken away to a somber place of deep thought. As I related to him my belief that if both husband and wife and living the Gospel and making an effort to live up to the covenant made over the alter that things will work out I couldn't help but wonder how things could ever get so far out of whack. No marriage is perfect, and it takes the bumps and bruises on the journey to teach us those life lessons that make us compatible by sharing events of deep emotion and trial and working together to overcome the same.

How grateful I am for my sweetheart, as I watch her struggle physically and emotionally to bring our first child into the world, I find opportunities to question my own strength but never my eternal love for her. A covenant is a solemn commitment and promise made between two or more people, and requires those involved to be what was promised.

As I still ponder upon those words that can help and console my friend, I find strength in knowing that there is no such thing as falling out of love, or shying away from the trials of marriage. As we allow ourselves to be molded by the hands of a loving and eternal Father, we become ever so slowly one capable of standing in His presence and becoming what we were sent here to become.

Happy Birthday!!!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Matt, happy birthday to you!! Today is Matt's 24th birthday. Yesterday we went to Iron Man to celebrate and I'm not sure what we will do today. We were supposed to go to Iron Man tonight but Matt wanted to go yesterday so thats what we did. Besides that we'll probably go out to eat and have some strawberry cheese cake that I made. It's Matt's favorite that his mom makes (hopefully it will turn out just as good, I'm a little nervous).
It's crazy the other day we were talking about how we've only known each other for almost two years, but they have been the best two years of my life. It seems like we just got married yesterday but at the same time it feels like we've been married forever. It's hard to remember what life was like before I knew Matt. He really is the best husband in the world. He's one of the hardest workers I know and will be such a great daddy. Throughout this pregnancy he has been amazing. Not only has he provided for our family but he has taken such great care of me when I haven't been able to care for myself. I am so grateful for him.
Happy birthday Matt, I hope that it's an excellent day!
Matt's birthday present

Yes...we're ghetto. We had no candles so we used a tea light one.

Baby's name

Matt and I are having the hardest time coming up with a name for our baby girl. I know that we still have 8 weeks but we just can't seem to settle on any name. One day we will like one name and the next day we will like another name more. Today we spent a long time discussing names and middle names to go along with those names and we are still at the same place that we started. We still both like the same 4 names that we've liked the whole time but no front runners. This is hard stuff. Does anyone have any suggestions? We're not asking anyone to try to receive inspiration or revelation for our family (Matt says he's got that one covered). But Matt also wants to know if anyone knows any xuang shu relaxation techniques in order to focus on the task at hand? Heck, Matt thinks maybe we should ask Michael Phelps he seems to be good at stuff. No but really how do you do it?

Matt and my mom on California Screamin.
Us after we watched "It's tough to be bug" 3D show
At California Adventure in front of the Golden Gate bridge.
Us in front of Mickey
This is at the character parade.

Pictures from our California trip

This is us when we first arrived in California.

Laguna Beach where we took our family pictures. Very pretty.
At Laguna Beach.
Matt's first time at Disneyland. Waiting for it to open.
Porter and Micah intently studying the Disneyland map telling us where they wanted to go next.