Family is What it's All About

This last weekend was absolutely incredible and I just felt the need to put it all down in this way. Austin, Madi and I were able to drive down to Vegas to be with my sister as she went to the temple to receive her endowments, and have a baby shower for our baby boy. Thankfully the drive was uneventful and we were able to make it early enough on Friday afternoon to spend time with my parents, Jess, Joce, Sierra, and my uncle Alan and his family. It was so fun just hanging out and playing Rock Band, BBQing, swimming and just spending time together. I absolutely cherish the time that we get to spend making fun memories like that. 

Saturday morning we went to the Las Vegas temple for Jessica. Austin and I went early with my parents and Jess, and I used Joce's camera to capture some of the scenery and the temple grounds. It was so fun just being there on the grounds and watching people come in and out of the temple. There were so many weddings happening and there were tons of little kids all dressed up in the waiting room. The cutest little boy that was wearing shorts, suspenders, and a bow tie came up to Austin and started talking to him. We have no idea what he said, but it was the sweetest thing and it just made us that much more excited to dress our little guy up eventually.

Once everyone made it to the temple we went back to change. It was incredible walking into the chapel and seeing so much family there to celebrate Jess and her decision. It was also really neat having my dad's parents there as they are currently serving a mission in Cove Fort, UT and had to receive permission to be there. I love watching the relationship between my dad and his dad. They're such jokesters and were bantering back and forth all the way up the stairs, and were even making faces at me and Jess later in the session. I seriously love them so much. 

One thing that was also really cool for me was looking over at my husband that was seated next to my dad, who was next to his dad, thinking of my little baby boy, and having it reaffirmed to me that that's what this is life is all about. Our families, blood or not, and our relationships with them are the absolute most important thing that we have in this life. I love the belief I have that families can be together forever because in this world of turmoil, hate, chaos, and confusion what we need more than ever are strong and loving families. We need the stability not just for our well-being, but for the well-being of our communities, nations, and world. Being in the temple with my family and being reminded of those things was probably the absolute best thing that we could have done while being down there this weekend. 

After the temple we had a baby shower with our family that was there. My sisters and mom put so much time, effort and love into making it absolutely wonderful. We had a great time playing games, eating delicious snacks, and just being all together. I'm so grateful Jess was willing to let us share her day and that she was happy planning it all for us. We are so blessed to have such incredible families, I'll tell you what! This little man is already so loved and I can't wait for everyone to meet him!

As for a little BUMPDATE: 

I am officially 21 weeks today. Baby boy is as active as ever and loves to punch and kick his mommy. His new trick is kicking Mommy really hard until she does what he wants whether that's eat, move, change into looser pants, use the restroom, etc. Already running our lives and I can't even be mad about it because it's the coolest feeling in the world. This week he is the size of a carrot at about 3/4 of a pound and is about 10 1/2 inches long. Something fun I learned at the shower was that my stomach is now 38 inches around. He can recognize Mommy and Daddy now and loves to show off his kicking and punching ability for anyone who will take the time to push back. He's learning how to swallow and in the next few weeks may experience some hiccups. That'll be fun! Mommy and Daddy don't have a name picked out for him yet because they want it to be perfect, but they know they'll figure it out. Our full anatomy scan will be next week so hopefully he'll cooperate and smile pretty for us :)

After our short, but wonderful weekend we had to make the journey back to Idaho. We weren't sure what to expect with it being the Eclipse the following day so we headed back around noon on Sunday. We made pretty good time and arrived uneventfully home that night. The next morning we went to the family farm to watch the Eclipse. Honestly, we didn't get what the whole hype was about or why so many people came from all over the world to see it. However, being able to witness it in totality was the coolest thing I think I've ever witnessed in my life. Watching the sun still shine in the sky while everything else went more and more dark was nothing short than eerie, but super cool. It also dropped in temperature all within a couple of minutes time. I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. It was super fun being with Ryan and Kolene's family and watching the boys get excited, but not really know what was going on. Austin's parents, his sister, and his grandparents were able to be there as well, which just made it that much more special. Austin left a little later with his grandparents in order to get ready for work, but the rest of us stayed for the rest of the day. It was nice to relax and just be on the farm with family. I think it was a day we all needed. 

Well It's About Time

Hello life update!

Holy cow, I'm ashamed that it's been as long as it has since I've written. I did start a journal this year so thankfully I do have that, but I haven't updated that in a few months either so it's about time I get my butt back in gear!

It's been 7 months since I've put anything out, which is unbelievable considering how much has happened to our little family since then. In that time we've only moved to Boise, started our jobs and lives out there, found out we were pregnant (hello big news!), moved back home to Idaho Falls and started settling back in to our lives here surrounded by family and friends. It's been a good year for us (obviously with a baby on the way), especially as we've really come closer as a couple and strengthened our relationship as we had to rely on one another without either of our families extremely close by. We really settled in to our ward in Boise while we there and made some incredible friends. Austin served in the Elder Quorum presidency and did an incredible job. We loved our ward and the memories that we made there, but when we visited our family here in Idaho Falls a few months back we both felt inspired that it was time to come home.

I was surprised that we both were pulled in that direction after feeling so strongly about moving to Boise and not being there for very long, but I know that there were experiences and relationships that needed to be gained for the both of us, even during that short time. And it's been a huge relief knowing all of the family and friend support we have here now, throughout our pregnancy, and especially when the baby comes. I knew we could handle whatever came our way out there in Boise, but it has been a calm reassurance for me in knowing that the Lord wants us to be near family and have that added support.

Speaking of babies and pregnancy, I'm sure you're all dying to know every detail about our baby.
BUMPDATE TIME: Well, at 14 almost 15 weeks I have already developed a little baby bump, but because I never feel cute enough to take a picture, and I want it to be on the actual day that it switches to the next week, I have zero baby bump pics. Don't worry, I'll swallow my pride, or actually get ready, or get over my slight need for perfection one of these days and take one. I promise. But regardless of pictures, I'm telling you right now that baby is settling right in. It's crazy to think how much I already love this little thing inside me so much, but I'm already so proud and feel so drawn to my little baby. Haha, it's really incredible what hormones can do, isn't it?

Baby Blob Blatter (or Triple B as we fondly refer to it), is currently 3.4 in, 1.5 oz and growing every day! This week baby is the size of a large lemon and I'll tell you what, is already a wiggle worm. Also, in case you're curious, so far I've gained about 6 lbs. Most importantly, however, Triple B is healthy and strong, and the doctor doesn't foresee any complications. I know that a lot of people will not appreciate this, but this pregnancy has actually been a breeze. I have felt great, and except for one expectation (that's quite a story that I'll have to share at a later time), have only experienced nausea on a few occasions and have not been sick. Besides general tiredness, the realization that none of my clothes seem to fit, and the startling fact that apparently I sunburn even easier now (Yay for red skin every time I go outside!), I've felt pretty normal. I have noticed more fatigue and achy joints since entering the second trimester, but it's nothing I can't bare, especially since I feel incredibly blessed to have not been sick at all.

One of the biggest blessings for me has been that my emotions and mood have been controllable, which is a huge relief. When I was on birth control the hormones made me into a pretty miserable person and I was nervous that when I became pregnant the same thing would happen. However, besides being even more susceptible to crying than I was before, I am my normal self, and I'm so happy about it. No crazy cravings either, but I have realized how much I love potatoes of any kind- we're already raising our little Idahoan right 😉 I occasionally think a particular food or type of food sounds really good, but it isn't paramount that I eat it.

Mostly I just feel really grateful. It's hard sometimes to feel that way when I'm still looking for a job, and seem to be hitting dead end after dead end, but I look at the wonderful family and friends I have here and all over, and I just feel so blessed. Especially in light of recent events, I think we get so caught up in the little things that sometimes we forget about the bigger ones. Our families are the most important things that we can have in this life and even though we love them, how often do we take them for granted? In a split moment anything can change. When sitting in a room surrounded and engulfed by electronics how often do we take the moment to put them away or turn them off and play a game or talk? How often do tell someone special to us that we love them? I know that until recently I would shrug off my younger siblings when they wanted to play a game thinking I was too old or cool or something for that. Yet now at 23 how could I not take the opportunity to spend time with my baby sister who just misses her big sis? It's amazing what time, maturity, and perspective can do to a person.

I'm not perfect at being present in the moment, but as I've taken more opportunities to do so I've found that they make the sweetest memories. I absolutely love taking pictures to document fun times and special moments, but thinking back on when Austin and I found out we were pregnant, I'm so grateful to look back on that and remember the raw emotion that we both felt. All without our phones or pictures or videos. That moment is one of the sweetest memories for me, especially knowing that we were both fully processing it together without me trying to shove a camera in our faces. I'm grateful for him and his excitement and support. He's going to be a great dad, and our baby is already so blessed already.

I just feel so incredibly strong about expressing how much God and Jesus Christ loves us. Even in our darkest moments, He is there. Even when no one else understands what we feel, they do. They will carry us, and will lead us through this life. And because they love us so much they've given us our families. Not everyone has the perfect family of origin, but they have the chance to create the family that they always wanted. Although our families can create the most sorrow, they can also create the most joy. And although I am just a mother to an unborn child, I can't think of anything greater than being with Austin, this baby, our future babies, and our families forever. I know that God, through Jesus Christ, has made that possible. And for that, I couldn't be more eternally grateful.