Study Space...

I have a to-do list that is at least a half mile long, but some how I have now gotten on this kick of feeling like I need a "Study Space" in our house for my girls. I can't believe they will BOTH be in full day school this year. I just want a clean, organized space where they can do there homework quietly without distractions. Our house isn't super big, so I've been brain storming about WHERE I can do this in our house. I've considered the kitchen (but it's too small), the playroom has lots of room, but then they would be distracted by toys, etc... So I've decided to make a space for them in Courts office. He does work from home a few days a week, but he is rarely working out of his home office during the time they would need it for homework, plus there is this random little alcove in there with nothing in it :). Once I get all of my baby projects done I am going to get to work on this space for the girls, plus the office could use some major organzing, we have been avoiding this room since we moved in 6 months ago! I am hoping to find a great desk in the classifides for cheap that I can paint cute :)

(I would LOVE to do something like this picture, but space and budget just wont call for it, looks like I am going to have to get creative)

Oh Baby!

My very sweet Aunt with Tammy Eggen Photography did a maternity/family photo shoot for us the other night! She is so talented and it was very fun to capture this time of our life in photographs. If you are looking for a TERRIFIC photographer in Utah or Salt Lake County I highly recommend her!!! She is very affordable too :)

Waves of Grief...

I shared this on my brothers memorial page this morning...

He Came For Us... by Michael G. Facer

When Jesus Christ was on the earth so many years ago,
He taught our Heav'n-ly Father's plan for children here below.
He came for us; He died for us--All to fulfill our Father's plan.
On Calvary, Gethsemane. He sacrificed that we might live again.

Through parables, with simple words, He said, "come, follow me,"
That we might now have joy on earth and live eternally.
He came for us; He died for us--All to fulfill our Father's plan.
On Calvary, Gethsemane. He sacrificed that we might live again.

That Easter morn, disciples ran to see where Jesus lay;
And there they saw a miracle: The stone was rolled away!
He came for us; He died for us--All to fulfill our Father's plan.
On Calvary, Gethsemane. He sacrificed that we might live again.

I was thinking this morning about how greif comes in waves. I googled a picture of waves on the beach, when I clicked on the picture it took me to a blog of a mother who recently lost her son, she shared this song on her blog. As I was reading the song I really pondered the line that says.. "He sacrificed that we might live again". I have an UNSHAKEABLE FAITH that if we will follow our Savior, we WILL live again. I KNOW that Jake is not gone, his spirit lives on, he is on the other side, working, serving, and teaching those that did not have the knowledge of our Heavenly Fathers plan here on earth. I KNOW I will be with Jake again, that our family will someday be whole again. The last few weeks I have done pretty well, but today not so much, grief most definitely comes in waves and today, for me the tide is very high, but I know if I lean on the Lord for comfort and depend on him that I can get through today and all of the hard days to come. I LOVE YOU JAKE, I MISS YOU TERRIBLY, I WISH I COULD GO PICK YOU UP AND SPEND THE DAY WITH YOU... I WISH HEAVEN WASN'T SO FAR AWAY!!!

Me, Myself, and I

Today I had two Doctors appointments, one this morning all the way downtown and then one this afternoon. Court was so sweet and knew how BADLY I needed a break from the kiddos after being sick for 3 weeks. He offered to stay home for the day and let me have the day to myself! I left around 9am this morning and didn't get back until 4pm this afternoon. As much as I would have rather not had Doctor appointments fill half my day, it was a GREAT much needed break.

After my first appoitment I headed down to Gateway Mall for a little shopping and then had lunch at Jason's Deli. I really wish I would have had a good book with me because I could have just sat in that booth quietly alone for hours! Maybe I am weird, but every once in awhile I just love an "alone" day. I don't mind one bit getting lunch by myself or shopping, I find it really relaxing! I wish I would have thought ahead and could have spent the afternoon at the Salt Lake Temple, as I drove past it I thought to myself, "darn it..why didn't I think of that, that would have been a terrific way to spend my day alone". Next time, FORSURE!

After lunch I headed up to a Salon my friend works at downtown to say Hi and check out the place! It was fun to chit chat for a little bit and catch up!! As nice as it is to be done with school and a stay-at-home mom again, I have to admit, I was a bit jealous that she is already in a salon and starting her career! I am REALLY missing doing hair and interacting with clients!!! Once my baby is at least a few months old I may look at working one day a week to keep up my skills and get some more hands on experience.

I finished up my day meeting with my OB. It really was great to FINALLY get to meet with the actual GI specialist this morning and then get to follow up with my OB this afternoon. We still don't have answers to exactly WHAT is wrong with me but we are trying out a heavy duty antibiotic and are hoping that cures whatever strange bug I have. If that doesn't work then there will be more tests and such from there, but I am HOPEFUL that the medication will work. My pregnancy is basically considered high risk from here on out and truly it makes me feel so much better that they are being overly cautious. The baby is measuring small, but her heart rate and amniotic fluid look good, which really calms a pregnant mammas nerves! I will have a full ultrasound Saturday to make sure that everything is ok with the baby!

It really was a great day and so nice to finally be getting some help with whatever is wrong with me!!!

We're Rich!

Last night we decided to take the kids to a movie since it was a Holiday. We ALWAYS take the kids to the dollar theater because for starters it's cheap, the kids don't care, and we usually wait so long to see movies that they are almost always at the dollar theater or already on DVD by the time we get around to seeing them. Well the movie we wanted to see was only in 3D and those make me really sick. So we decided to check out what was playing at the regular theater. The kids have been dieing to see Kung Fu Panda 2, so we decided to spend the big bucks and take them to the BIG theater.

I was doing the girls hair and our 8 year old, Mac, asked what movie we were going to, I told her Kung Fu Panda and she immediately replied, "but, that's not at the dollar theater"! I told her that we were going to the BIG theater, she then then said to me, "You mean the RICH theater"??? Hahahaha, I sure got a kick out of that one! She was thrilled to be going to the BIG movie theater and couldn't believe that we wern't going to the dollar movie.

We will still be sticking mainly to our trusty dollar theather, but every once in awhile it's fun to go to the "Rich" theater :).

18 days straight!!!

AHHHH, I have been sick with this "mystery bug" for 18 days straight!!! I can safely safe I AM LOOSING MY MIND :). My Doctors office is closed today because it's the Pioneer Holiday here in Utah. I was up ALL NIGHT last night, I think I got a total of 3 hours of sleep. I called the Doctor on call this morning to see what I should do. Like usual, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO TELL ME. I really am trying to be patient, but this is getting sooooo rediculous. I have been to the hospital twice already for IV's and to run tests with no results. They only want me to come in if I can't keep fluids down and luckily I am AT LEAST doing that. Call me CrAzY but isn't a 34 week pregnant woman who has barley been able to eat a thing in 18 days and has lost 8 pounds a cause for CONCERN??? I am REALLY hoping that I can actually see the GI specialist tomorrow and get some answers (instead of just another "consultation"). If not I am marching me and my pregnant belly to the hospital and demanding that they run MORE tests!!!

*Sorry for my pity party, I am just so frustrated and I want to feel good again!!!*

Nesting...

The nesting stage sure is in full swing for me! In five weeks or less this little babe of mine will be here. I can't believe it!!! I am technically not due for 6 more weeks, but since I have been induced with my other three, my Doctor went ahead and scheduled me to be induced with this baby as well.

I am beginning to feel some anxiety about being ready for this babies soon-to-be arrival! My to-do list is a MILE long!!! With being so sick and the kids out of school for the summer, my list is coming along very slowly. Hopefully this next week I can get some energy to really start cracking down on the things I NEED to get done.

With every other baby we have had their name picked out way in advance, but with this one we are still struggling to make a decision. We have narrowed it down to 3 names. I think we are going to have to see this little one to make our decision.

We are very excited for our new baby girl to get here, but nervous to be parents to FOUR CHILDREN!!! We are 99% sure that this is our last baby, so even with being uncomfortable in this last stage of pregnancy I am trying to enjoy the feeling of having a sweet baby growing and moving inside me. I love feeling the baby move, feeling close to her, and already falling in love with her even though I haven't met her yet. It is a beautiful blessing to have the ability to bear children. I am sad that this chapter of pregnancy and new babies is coming to a close in my life. As difficult as pregnancy can be, it is such an amazing gift to be a mother and have the privilege of having your child grow inside your body. I will in many ways miss this sacred stage of my life and will forever cherish my pregnancies with each of my precious children.