Less Than 2 Weeks...

...and I will be in the great state of Minnesota...

...hanging out with these lovely ladies and other great friends...

...spending quality time with this amazing couple...

...talking books with the smartest guy I know and playing with one of the cutest girls I'm related to...

(Sometimes I just can't get over how funny and cute she is!)

...and getting hugs and mommy insight from the strongest, most amazing woman I know.

If you couldn't tell...I'm just a little excited. :)

Not Your Ordinary Temple Session

I love going to the temple after not going for awhile. Chad and I finally got back to the temple this week after several weeks of being lazy. It was such a wonderful session. It was a very reflective session for both of us. We came out of the temple feeling so blessed. I love that feeling!

Through the first part of the session, I was able to reflect on those covenants I made for myself last October. I was able to see how I, personally, and how Chad and I, as a couple, have been blessed for keeping those covenants. Just as Adam and Abraham of old sacrificed the first-lings of their flocks, the first thing Chad and I do with each paycheck is pull out tithing so that money is not spent before we can hand it to a member of the bishopric. Paying tithing has never been hard for us. It seems like such a small act while we are doing it but that small act has produced numerous blessings for us. That is just one example. It is such a wonderful thing to be able to reflect on the things you are doing right and the blessings that come from that. It has given me more motivation to be better in the areas that I lack. I love the Gospel. :)

I was also able to reflect on the wonderful Plan of Salvation and the blessings we receive through the Atonement of Christ. We have such a loving Heavenly Father who wants nothing more than for His children to be able to return to live with Him. He knew we would fall terribly short of that mark so He sent His Only Begotten Son to this earth to pay the price.

The agony Christ suffered in Gethsemane is incomprehensible for any human to image. It goes beyond just pain. He suffered ALL pain. This painting was created by one of my favorite artists, Liz Lemon Swindle. I was very touched by her comment on this painting. She said, "When I started this painting, I believed that Gethsemane was about the suffering of Christ. About the agony so intense that He trembled because of pain and bled from every pore. By the time I finished, I saw that the miracle of Gethsemane went beyond the suffering. The miracle was the love that brought Him there."

He loved each one of us so much that he would suffer everything for us so that we had someone to turn to in times of loneliness, distress, and grief. He suffered all and died for us so that we could return to our Heavenly Father's presence.

And He was resurrected after His death. He lives! He stands before us with His arms opened. He is always there for us. He is there to carry us when our load is too heavy to bear and He is there to lead us back to the right path when we have fallen away. His Atonement and Resurrection are infinite. His love for us is infinite. How wonderful is it to have a Father and a Brother who have set up such a wonderful plan for us so we can return to live with them. I love My Father in Heaven. I love Christ. I know that He lives. And I know that He blesses me and my little family beyond what we could've even imagined. What a wonderful life I have!

Painting: 'Gethsemane' by Liz Lemon Swindle
Photo: Taken of me before the Christus, May 2008

Way to go, Chad!

Just a quick little update on our life: Baby is doing great. We had an appointment with the midwife last week. At our previous visit she found a cyst in his brain. She said that it often happens and then disappears throughout the pregnancy. She said we really shouldn't worry about it but she wanted to keep an eye on it. We had another ultrasound at this visit and the cyst was almost completely gone! And he's still right on track growth wise. We can't wait to meet our little guy!

In other news...Chad got a promotion at work! He's been working at Lincoln Court Retirement Community for almost 2 years now as a wait staff in the dining room. He has loved his job but recently has kept his eye out for other jobs because his doesn't pay the best. And now he doesn't have to do that anymore! He is now the dining room supervisor. He's getting a decent pay raise, especially with the economy the way it is, and he gets to stay at a job he loves. And it will be a great experience that will open doors for him. The past week has been rough. He's been working a lot more than usual and he will continue to for the next couple weeks because they are short a couple workers. But I'm trying to keep a positive attitude that the extra money will be a great blessing.

I am so proud of him! He is such a hard worker and he really deserves this position. I am so glad that he works at a place where the managers see that and do something about it. He will do great and I am here to support him every step of the way. Way to go, Chad!

Our Little Man

No mistaking that we're having a boy. He has already become Dad's "little man" and Mom's "little goober". I am so very excited to meet him! It is so fun feeling him move and kick! How amazing it is to feel life within you! Especially when you know that you helped create that life and are helping it grow into another one of Heavenly Father's precious children here on earth. Such an amazing process to be a part of!

He is quite the active little one. Especially on my bladder. He's sitting pretty low. He's right below my stomach pouch so he's right on top of my bladder. It'll be fun to see how that goes as he gets bigger. I don't think I'll ever be able to be too far from a bathroom. :)

I love feeling his little kicks. And when he's flipping around in there. It's the highlight of every day. So I loved when I was able to share a little of that feeling with Chad. It was so fun to have Chad feel the baby kick! We were laying in bed, talking when the baby started to kick rather hard. I kept my hand where the baby was to see if I could feel the kick and sure enough, I did! I was so excited, I totally interrupted the story Chad was telling. We spent 30 min to an hour sitting there with Chad trying to feel the baby kick. Our little man gave Dad a few good kicks and even moved around so he could feel it. Chad couldn't get enough of it. He kept saying, "Just one more!" I can't wait til the baby is bigger and Chad can feel him move all the time.

We are so in love with our little guy! I can't wait until we can actually hold and cuddle him! What a wonderful addition he will be to our family!