"What To My Wandering Eyes Should Appear...."

A Billboard with a familiar face!!

My beautiful niece works for American Express and last year was selected to be a part of a customer care promotion. Her photos and quotes were selected and used! Every once in a while she'll come into work and find a newspaper on her desk with her picture on it! Then the other day, she was told she was actually on a billboard on I-15! (southbound just before 3300 south exit)

When I found out Doug was going that way, I had him look for it and take a picture. When I took the picture to her this weekend, she said, "hey, that's my quote!"

I wanted to put this on my blog because I wanted to take a minute and say what a wonderful person she is. She really goes way out of her way to do her best to please everyone around her, within reason, of course. She also knows when it's getting to be too much and has to pull back. (I think that's harder than the first.) Her efforts often go overlooked and I just wanted her to know that I do see and appreciate all her efforts in all our behalf!

I love you, GG! Thank you, ever so much, for just being YOU!!

Jon's Bday!

I'm way behind and thought I better get posting!!

Jon turned the big 21 in October!

It was no spectacular day, he really didn't do much, it was a sunday, but he didn't have to go to work! We had two special dinners in a row for him, Sunday was lasagna and Monday was Enchilada Casserole. Sunday we made him brownies, and Monday we made him Reeses cheesecake bars!

Anyway, here is a picture of him with his bday brownies. You can see he thinks he's too old for these kind of pics anymore. Oh well, I took it anyway!

A few days later we went together and picked out a workout bar for him for his bday present. I've tried to get a pic of him on it, but it just hasn't worked out yet.

Happy Birthday, Jon!!

Still Waiting

I think I am finally coming to grips with the idea of losing our sweet miracle just when we found out about it. It's been hard waiting for this to happen, I started to wonder, did he make a mistake? I still feel pregnant, could we get another miracle? I guess the longer I went and nothing happened, the safer I felt that it might not happen.

Wednesday I had our two bishopric counsellors come over to visit and see how we are doing with all this. I talked more than I intended to, but in the process I got some good advice. Bro Olson shared the idea that We have to just keep going with what we do know. Heavenly Father is the only one with all the answers, and we are not expected to act on pieces to the puzzle that we don't have yet. It's easier for Him to guide something/one who is moving, than to actually get them moving in the first place. I need to be "moving" or doing what I can do with what information I have, and keep praying for and have faith in the answers or guidance that will come along the way. He called them course corrections. It made good sense to me.

So Thursday morning, I decided to finally get some more information and did some reading and as I did, I just knew it was over. I didn't stop hoping completely, but I somehow "knew" and over the weekend came to accept it. I've had some tender moments, as friends and family brought me flowers, cards, put their arms around me, and just dropped me notes online or phone calls, to let me know they were praying and thinking about me.

I called my doc yesterday because I decided I needed to know what his plan of care for me was and I hadn't heard from him in two weeks. He was surprised it hadn't happened yet, and suggested I come back in. He did another ultrasound and found a large empty sac. The baby has been reabsorbed by my body, but I still have to shed the lining and sac. (I am so glad I came to the conclusions I had over the weekend!) He strongly suggested, again, a D&C because it was twice the size they usually let go naturally. I've decided to refuse the D&C for now, because I kind of need things to happen naturally. I really asked him the tough questions I should have asked two weeks ago about what to expect and how it will happen. I feel more confident in myself since now I don't have to wonder "is that the baby?" I know it's all placental and sac tissue. So I here I sit and wait.

So at this time of year, I am especially Thankful for my many, many blessings. For my loving family, for my knowledge of my Savior and Heavenly Father who love me and help me so much!

With Heavy Heart...

It is with very heavy heart that I have to tell you that I went to the doc today and the baby hasn't grown at all and we couldn't see any heart beat. He said I should miscarry anytime in the next two weeks.

Doug said not to give up until it happens, I'm having a hard time.

Please forgive me if I don't post for a little bit while I get a handle on it. :(

Thank you for your prayers.

Halloween

First I want to throw this pic in because I thought it was cute... For our YM/YW Primary Carnival we all went as jack o lanterns! It was about a 1 1/2 weeks before Halloween and we weren't ready with costumes so we went through the box and went with a theme. (Jessica, You can appreciate this one!)

A few years ago, I think Kim was our baby, We made these fun costumes! It was great because I just bought a whole bolt of orange felt and made all the smocks then let the kids each design their own face. They drew them and cut them out of newspaper to get them just the way they wanted them. Then I just traced them onto the felt and let them arrange them and sewed them on. If you've counted, yes, there was enough for Doug and I to wear one too, I'm not sure why we didn't get a pic of all of us, but it was fun and easy to keep track of all of us at the carnival!!

We have had a sad week as far as sickness goes. Each one of the younger children from Emily down were experiencing symptoms or were full out sick with fevers, coughs, sore throats, head aches, etc. So I was very skeptical as to whether we should take them out trick or treating. By Saturday, no one was full out sick, just the residual stuff hanging around. So it wasn't an easy decision. We finally came up with an alternative! (unfortunately at the last minute, but that's better than nothing!) It took us a little bit to get set up, so we got them all dressed up and put in the new Tinkerbell movie while we got the house ready....

We decorated the house and bedrooms and had them trick or treat throughout the entire house! How fun could that be? You ask??? Well, we have three floors of rooms we used and had the bigger kids all dressed up giving out the candy and treats. Some of the rooms were obstacle courses and "pick one out of the box" kind of rooms. We had Halloween sounds on every floor, and we turned all the lights out and gave each one a flashlight. Some of the bigger kids (including Doug) really got into it by trying to scare them as they came to their doors, switching where they would come out! They could go to each room as many times as they wanted, as long as they went to another floor before coming back. They could split up and go at their own pace.

Believe it or not, they were done before we ran out of treats!

The biggest kicker, was that they had so much fun, they want to do it this way again next year!!

BIG NEWS! BIG SURPRISE!!

What a week this is turning out to be!!

YES, we got One! We actually got a job offer today and accepted it!

They are working on all the paper work. Hopefully he will start on Monday but no later than Wednesday. He'll be working for Energy Solutions (not at the arena downtown), but the company. Doing pretty much what he knows. They are located in Salt Lake City, so close and the pay is pretty decent. The flip side is that for now it is a contractual agreement, which means not a permanent position (no benefits) because they don't have it in the budget. They are talking about making it permanent (Is any job permanent, nowadays??) the first of the year.

We feel very blessed as this couldn't have come at a better time....

The lead in to the Big Surprise!! .........



I went to the doctor on Monday and took a "test" which turned out positive!!!

Why is this a big surprise? you ask....Well I had my tubes cut, tied and cauterized about 2 1/2 years ago!!!

Yes!!!

So because of the surgery, I was taken back right away to have an ultrasound to check to see where the baby was. We were happy to see the baby is where it should be!

The flip side is that we couldn't see a heart beat. Is it too young, or is it not viable? The doc didn't seem to want to commit to much of anything. He kept quoting me the stats of 1 in 3 pregnancies fail. I can't really describe my feelings leaving the office...I was so excited to be taking part in such a little miracle. Could it be snatched away from us just as we find out about it? We certainly hope not. I have to go back for another ultrasound on Monday, the baby will definitely be big enough to see what we need to see by then.

I don't usually tell people about my pregnancies so soon, but decided that the more people know, the more people can pray for our sweet little miracle!

We truly feel blessed this week!!!