Hypno-Babies Masters

Tonight was our last Hypno-babies class, which means we are Hypno-Masters (almost as cool as becoming a Pokemon Master)! It was a bittersweet evening-I have come to enjoy Thursdays as a day I would definitely be learning something new about pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood. It would never disappoint. But having Thursday nights back isn’t anything to gripe about.

My take on Hypno-babies: I really have loved how I have come to not feel like birth is some mysterious experience I will know nothing about and can’t properly prepare for, to something I have come to understand and even look forward to. Now childbirth isn’t something just to endure, get through or survive in order to get to hold my baby. It is a learning and growing experience where I get to actively participate. I love the confidence that comes from the preparation and using the tools that you learn on a regular basis. That is pretty impressive transformation for a six week course.

Something I didn’t love about it was that it takes awhile to feel natural. At first as I listened to the scripts, I was very wary because it sounds like they will brainwash you the minute you put your guard down. Some of the things that they are adamant about, I understand where they are coming from, but it feels a little bit much. Also, they always emphasize that this will make childbirth easy. More under control and more relaxed I understand, but easy? There is a fine line between being positive and being outright unrealistic. I almost feel like if they say it will be easy and then you don’t feel like it was easy, you will believe you were a failure. I think either way, when you are holding your baby, it was a success! But I guess I can’t be a true judge of this until I try it, and overall, I am very glad we are going this route. I definitely feel the best about this when compared to anything else I learned about.

Pathetic Burritos and a Clean Apartment

We had ward temple night soon after work, so for dinner we tried to use leftovers from the fridge before they went bad. We had a half can of refried beans that had to be used, so we decided to make burritos. Come to find out in the cooking process that we had no corn, black beans, sour cream, salsa, NOTHING that would supplement our meal. So we grimly spread the meager amount of refried beans on the tortillas and ate them while trying to not draw attention that the Mexican food we were eating was a disgrace to all things Mexican.

We silently both resolved that this would be first dinner, and second dinner was a definite must after our temple trip.

The temple trip was awesome, like it always is. After the temple we wore ourselves out running errands and resolved when we got home that rest was more important than cleaning, so we would clean another day.

But once making a decision like that, fate always itches to intervene.

This situation was no different.

Soon before retiring to bed, I got a call from a friend asking if she could sleep on our couch that night, and our pigsty of a house became spic-n-span in a matter of 15 minutes.

Fate: 1      Chris and Kimber: 0

34 Weeks

 

Compromise

We were in a debate if we should go on a walk or have dinner first, ...so obviously we compromised and decided to have a date night! We went to Jimmy Johns (they are freaky fast!), but parked in the dollar theatre parking lot so we had to walk a bit to get to our food (how is that for exercise, huh? Take that!) For dessert Chris had the fantastic idea of going to The Chocolate (we HAD to go there at least once before leaving Provo) and had a Cazookie that was delectable. The goofy, lovey glances and conversations were reminiscent of the good ole days when we were dating oh so long ago ;)

 

Cahokia from The Chocolate

Lastly, we took another bout of exercise as we walked around the mall, trying to find a maternity swimsuit so we could go to the community pool. Epic fail. You would think Provo would be the place to find these things, people! But alas- no.

Colonoscopy

We got up early to get to the hospital. We loitered around the house preparing things for the day, avoiding the elephant in the room with false light-heartedness to prepare us for what today inevitably held. It felt like we were going to a funeral!

We got checked in at the hospital and were soon brought to the room to prepare for the procedure. Chris got all dressed up and in the bed before the nurse finished the preparations and he was wheeled out. 

Semi-glare from the hospital bed

I read a pregnancy book while waiting for his return. He came back much sooner than I expected. He was dozing peacefully and I was told he would come around in about 15 minutes. After taking note of how cute he is when he sleeps, I continued to pass the time by reading until he woke up. The peaceful tranquility was disrupted when Chris’ arm pressure cuff went off and he startled awake. He swung his arms around wildly and said something undiscernible in deep, slurred speech, and as if on cue, the doctor came in to report the findings. Everything looked great, and we got some sweet pictures of Chris’ colon! Chris was quite conversational, despite people having a difficult time knowing what he was saying. We had been excited to see his reaction to coming out of anesthesia, since hearing about his reaction the last time he was under to get his wisdom teeth out. But he was disappointingly cool and collected, if not a little more kind and conversational (he was thanking the nurses/doctors for EVERYTHING multiple times and telling them everything from animation stuff to how we were expecting our first child). He insisted that his meal of choice after the long 24+ hours of fasting was: hashbrowns from McDonalds. Hard to please, this guy! Besides recovering from a bit of drowsiness, he was completely normal by the time lunch rolled around.  So we had to go to work and go about our normal day when we had prepared for it being a completely out of the ordinary type of day.

And so the day of the long-awaited, anxiety-causing colonoscopy passed without much more excitement

Elizabeth and Laxative

It is so interesting how when you are in the grind of ‘regular days’ working, you dream of a vacation so you can rest. Then, when you go on vacation, you completely wear yourself out so you good and worn out by the time work starts up again. Oh the irony.

Such went Monday back at work. Although, looking forward to seeing family that evening was a nice little carrot to egg me on. We went over to Cindy’s soon after 5pm for dinner and visiting before Dad and the kids left the following day. Chris, who had been fasting all day for his colonoscopy the next morning, was immediately given Elizabeth to hold as Ray and Jon ate. While at first I had felt guilty about bringing Chris to a family gathering with food, I immediately turned to enviously watching him as he walked into the other room with Elizabeth completely to himself. As soon as I saw that Elizabeth was able to be held, the wonderful food on my plate instantaneously lost its savor, and I ate quickly and distractedly as I tried to catch glimpses of Chris and Elizabeth in the other room.  Finally (FINALLY!) I finished my food and went to join Chris in admiring our little niece. It’s amazing how someone sleeping can be so adorable that they hold you entranced for minutes on end. Too soon, we decided we could no longer delay Chris’ laxatives and headed home.

If the idea of a colonoscopy isn’t intimidating enough, I believe the laxative container is made to make intimidation complete. 

In fact, ‘container’ is too tame of a name for this thing- ‘gigantic jug of pure angst in liquid form’ may be more appropriate. 

Chris bravely began his consumption of laxative. An hour later, after multiple sluggish trips to the refrigerator for more, and mad dashes to the bathroom, I asked Chris if the container was almost empty. With the saddest, most pathetic look I have seen him give me, and with tears in his eyes, he replied, “I’m about halfway.” :(

Idaho Trip Day 2

I woke up early Sunday morning and waited until the continental breakfast opened up to sneak downstairs while everyone else slumbered. Waking up early has been the bane of my existence lately, but having a continental breakfast to look forward to made it feel like Christmas! The appeal of free food combined with it being BREAKFAST food (my favorite!) just made my craving-crazy pregnant body tingle with anticipation. I had hardly begun delightfully devouring my English muffin toast when I joined by none other than Mom! We enjoyed having the calm morning to ourselves as we talked, ate and put our feet in the pool. I have always cherished the times where I have gotten Mom to myself, to talk about whatever is on our minds. We were eventually joined in the breakfast room by the rest of the crew (SECOND BREAKFAST!) and planned the rest of our day.

M. Family DogPile. Do not be alarmed-this is an ordinary sight.

Our plans of walking around the beautiful temple were foiled when we saw the landscape construction, so we meandered around the visitor’s center until the nearby chapel sacrament begun.  

Idaho Halls Temple

Other than being distracted by guessing the bishop’s age (we found out later that he was called when he was 26 to be bishop!) the meetings went smoothly, and before we knew it we were back on the road. A rather uneventful drive ended with being dropped off at home, where we got into the apartment and promptly hit the sack.

Idaho Trip Day 1

 Saturday morning we were picked up by the M. fam and we headed up to Idaho. It was a fairly laid back drive-dad was our faithful driver as we  casually conversed and drifted in and out of naps.

Once we got to Rexburg, there was no hiding Meg’s excitement. The conversation took on a whole new dynamic as she sat up straight and said, “You see that restaurant? I went there for a date once. It was… interesting. Oh, look at that building! That is where…” We could only get a few phrases in, such as, “What is that building for?!”  or “Is this where…?” It was fun to see her be so reminiscent of a place she has called home for the last couple of years. 

We parked and walked around the campus, Meg acting as our tour guide as we found the buildings where Alexis would have her classes. I was impressed with the campus. It was also fun to hear Mom and Dad interject little tidbits from when they met-where mom used to work at four in the morning (?!) or the wild Passion Pit (Dad says they would kiss a lot there. Mom denied it). My favorite was the Gardens. It is well landscaped, and although you are between academic buildings smack dab in the middle of a college campus, it seems like you are truly in a little landscaped forest, complete with little ponds, Greek ruins and a vast array of flowers. So beautiful!

Yep-Those are my sisters!

The only thing that could convince us to leave such a neat place was hunger. Wendy’s called. So we grabbed some food, and ate in Jon’s lounge as we watched Turbo until it was time to go to Julie Rowe’s seminar at the tabernacle. Once we got there, it was CRAZY! So many people! And high-strung ushers! J It was amazing how many people they were able to fit on those wooden pews. I have been intrigued about Julie Rowe since Mom introduced me to her books, so I was interested in hearing what she had to say. But before she even began, I noticed I couldn’t seem to catch my breath as I sang. I don’t know it was because my back was pinched and I couldn’t get a full breath, or if it was feeling claustrophobic, hot and dehydrated… whatever did it, I was outta there in the first 15 minutes of Julie’s comments. I wasn’t out there long when Chris joined me, and helped me to settle down and breath properly. Just feeling the breeze did wonders, and after a few minutes I calmed down and felt much better. It was a pretty embarrassing experience, considering I was the ONLY ONE in that group of hundreds of people that seemed to be affected in that way. Plus I was disappointed that we had missed Julie’s comments. But it was nice to be so well taken care of by my dear, caring husband …and my spirit was consoled when we went to the nearby Taco Bell and got a Frito Burrito. There is just no way to feel too sad when you are munching on those things.     

Upon finding our hotel and settling in, Brooke and I immediately resumed our tradition of getting hot chocolate from the lounge (even though we had just eaten and it is mid-summer). It is very important. And I am glad Brooke agrees.               

Spontaneous M. Reunion

With my aunt and uncle being spread across such states as Utah and Texas, and my parents in Arizona, it is not a common occurrence for us to get together. However, upon realizing that all my dad's siblings would all be within driving distance of SLC on July 24th, a spontaneous M. reunion was commenced.

I had originally planned to stay at work all morning, then meet up with everyone later that day. As logically sound as those plans sounded to me that morning, they were flippantly tossed aside when I was told everyone would be meeting at 11pm. I was SO there! Good thing my work is so flexible...

Franken-Lexi at the river

We started off by grabbing some picnic sandwiches and heading up Hobble Creek Canyon. It was a beautiful day, filled with talking, wading in the nearby stream, playing Frisbee, Clue and some other shooting game where I had no idea what was happening.

After hours of enjoying the beautiful canyon, we went to HangTime, which is a trampoline place, complete with foam pits, dodgeball and basketball dunking arenas. I obviously didn't jump (it would have been more comic relief than actually productive) but it was fun to watch our talented cousins flip all over the place and the competitive dodgeball game was a riot!

For dinner, we met up with Rachel and Jon. Afterward, we went to the hospital to see Elizabeth again, and for the O.s the first time. The best part of that night was that Brooke was able to see the baby (there is a rule that visitors must be 14+ to go into the NICU, and Brooke is 2 years too young). She had been hanging out in the hallway during Elizabeth’s birth, and had to wait until today to actually see her. But she was a good sport about being patient, and it was great to be a spectator when she was able to see Elizabeth for the first time in person. It is amazing how a little person can bring such tender feelings to a family.

Mass Migrations with the O.'s

Chris and I went straight from work to meet up with the family at Cafe Rio. We were happy to see that the whole O. family was there as well! We were relishing each other’s company so much that over the course of three hours, our little conversing cousin mass slowly migrated from the Café Rio tables,

   
     to the middle of the restaurant,

     
          to outside the doors,

     
               and finally to the nearby Macey’s for Kong Kones.

In our enthused mass exodus across juxtaposed stores, we were completely unruffled by the questioning looks of the nearby strangers, who I am sure were wondering what shenanigans our large conglomeration of people could possibly be up to.

July 19th, 2015-Eclipse of Love

Sunday was our Eclipse of Love!

If you are unaware of where this fantastic idea originated, I will tell you: Chris dated almost exactly three months, and we were engaged almost exactly three months. Three months from the day we started dating was July 20^th, 2014 and three months before the day we were married was July 18^th, 2014. The day in between is our Eclipse of Love. This also just so happens to be the day Chris romantically proposed on the rocky, overcast beach in California. So that day is chock full of ultimate love!

We noticed what a cool coincidence it was last year that we had this Eclipse of Love, but we didn’t discuss implications or traditions for that day. This year, Chris remembered it (thank goodness! I completely forgot!) so we discussed what we want to celebrate this day and how it will be different from our anniversary celebrations.

We decided we would celebrate the general concept of love on our Eclipse of Love. Therefore, we will be sharing the love we have for one another with others. We found the best way to do this would be to do sealings in the temple every year around that day. That way someone will have the opportunity to be married on the Ultimate Day of Love. Then we will go out for some kind of treats (obviously-because treats conduce love!).

Also, if anniversary plans don’t work out in October (since it is in the middle of a semester, beginning of winter, etc) The Eclipse of Love also serves as an alternate day for those anniversary celebrations smack dab in the middle of summer!

 This year we celebrated this day on Saturday. We had an amazing round of sealings, followed by Coldstone ice cream and basked in Ultimate Love. Do things get any better than this?! I think not.

Baby Elizabeth and Hospital Tours

Yes yes, I know Elizabeth was born on Sunday afternoon/evening, and this is the next day, but believe me-the time between when she was born and when I got to see her was an eternity!

 

Don’t you worry- I went to work and did all the things I was supposed to do. …even if I wasn’t all there mentally. I was constantly asking for pictures to be messaged to me of my darling little niece, which fueled me through the day (literally, I was looking at them every chance I got!).

 

That evening it was awesome to see Rachel and Jon at the hospital… and then-ELIZABETH!  

 

She is still in the NICU, so visiting is limited and there is no holding her. Not even Jon has held her yet. I honor that man’s self-discipline!!

We saw her a total of 2.3 minutes because the pediatrician butted into our adoring, yet creepy, staring fest as she slept. And then he made her CRY! …which I actually enjoyed (once my protective aunt-self stepped down) because even her cry and her angry scrunched face is so stinkin’ cute! As soon as she was swaddled again she immediately stopped, which made us ‘aw!’ with the cuteness of her perturbed annoyance. I love her perfect little face, her adorable little nose and, my personal favorite, her long dark hair. I mean really, full grown women would be jealous of this voluptuous hairdo!

 

We didn’t want to intrude long, so we headed off to our hospital for a tour of the women’s center where we will get to meet our little girl in about SEVEN WEEKS!

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t thinking I would really enjoy looking around at the hospital. As grateful as I am to have hospitals, doctors and modern technology, hospitals also remind me of my hospital job, which was chock full of strange contraptions and eyebrow-raising smells. But I was pleasantly surprised! The nurse who gave us a tour was very sweet, and when we mentioned that we wanted to have this birth without medication, she immediately pulled us into the ‘special’ room we would be using, complete with a spa tub and more privacy. Pretty sweet! The postpartum room was a little small and sparse, but what good motivation to get up and out of there, right? J

 

The closer we get to seeing our little girl, the less fear and anxiety I have felt. Not that I have felt much of those feelings in the first place, but I was thinking they would start to creep in as the date drew nearer. On the contrary, I have felt more calm and excited as time has gone on. This has been a neat experience, and I can’t wait to meet our daughter!

Champion

Yesterday Rachel had her baby!!!

Throughout the whole day, I was completely distracted. Nothing could hold my attention for any prolonged amount of time. I was excited for Rachel and Jon, knowing they would be looking at their long anticipated girl soon! The morning and afternoon were filled with eager enthusiasm, as we received meager details from Brooke (dutifully supplying us with what little info she had access to in the hospital hallway).

Finally around 6:30pm, we met up with Mom and Brooke at Cindy’s, where there was a dinner going on for a bunch of cousins who were in town. After greeting hugs, we lost no time in plopping down next to mom at the table and… asked for (‘demanded’ sounds so harsh…) the story.  

As the story unraveled, my giddy excitement quickly and unexpectedly turned to solemn reverence.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not completely ignorant to the whole birthing process. Growing up I was distantly aware of the details of what was happening as my sisters were born. I have heard birth stories from books and from people I know, not to mention the obsessive research I have done recently as I have become enthralled with the topic. But despite ‘knowing’ the details and facts, ‘knowing’ it isn’t a cakewalk, it is completely different coming to understand by what your sister just went through.
Rachel she is a champion. I am so dang proud of my sister.
…and this just became very REAL.

My Buff Babe

 

As we drove home from work yesterday, catching up on each other’s day, the person a few cars ahead of us in the turning lane was motioning us around her car. We pulled up beside her and it became apparent that her car had died. Chris immediately turned to me and asked, “Do you think she needs help?” He rolled down his window and inquired if she needed some assistance, to which she instantly indicated the affirmative. We parked in the nearby parking lot as Chris devised the best plan on where to push the car. The stranded student kindly allowed me to drive (I'm not much help pushing right now) while she, Chris and a kind passerby pushed the car across the intersection.  I expertly guided the car down the road and into a parking lot, while Chris and the girl were able to push it completely into a parking spot. At that point, the girl assured us that she was alright and help was on its way, so we headed back to our own car.

That was AWESOME! I have always wanted to do that! I can’t count how many times I have passed cars on the side of the road where I have thought, “I wonder if they need help?” and at once the thought is crowded out by other thoughts of “I wouldn’t be much help-what do I know about cars?” or “Aw man, I’ve already gotten too far away to turn around and help.” I am glad Chris took the opportunity to push excuses aside to take initiative to help someone in need. We both felt so good, and I couldn’t be prouder of my Buff Babe.

E.C.

Chris had a doctor appointment today, so I took off my afternoon at Nu Skin to get things for the baby situated. We are really glad we switched doctors-this doctor has been able to be my pregnancy doctor, our family physician, and even a pediatrician once Baby Waz makes her appearance. We have liked him.

Anyway, despite the master planning of getting as much done as possible, practically nothing worked out. It was an especially frustrating day working with insurance; trying to figure things out and not getting anywhere. I realized after awhile of grief that I had entered the realm of irrational thinking that didn't help my emotional state. By the end of that night, I was very grateful for a kind, supportive husband who suggested, and is worthy, to give me a priesthood blessing and who is sweet and willing to just hold me and let me cry. I couldn't ask for a more compassionate, loving man to call my eternal companion. Added bonus: after he returned from his bishopric meeting, he even brought Ritas J

People

Work was AWESOME today! Tuesdays I work all day at Nu Skin, and I think there was something in the air (maybe too much distilled essential oils?), because everyone was in a friendly mood and wanted to talk. I got to know the new guy who works next to me better, and he seems like a really neat guy. Mostly I ran errands with Joseanne in order to get a welcome basket for one of our cohorts from Belgium who came to town with her family. We were able to talk about a lot of things, and as time went on, our conversations turned to be much more personal. It was neat to be able to really listen to each other.

It felt nice to mix things up a bit, but most of all I remember driving home and feeling like the day was a huge success. Which is funny-I really didn’t spend a lot of time doing ‘work’(don't you worry though- I finished what little needed to be done). I am definitely one of THOSE people driven by checking things off a list and finding ways to be more efficient. I didn’t do much of that, but being able to interact so personally with my coworkers was even more fulfilling. It was a reminder to myself how people matter most.

Shaved Soap

We went to the K.'s for FHE, and I am so impressed with the turn out of this ward! They are so good at participating in activities and coming to FHE, and they are so fun! We made soap sculptures-It was a lot more entertaining than I would have anticipated.

Chris and I settled on a disgruntled Tiki man

A close up so you can see the immaculate detail

After we had amazing treats (homemade ice cream, brownies from scratch and wonderful banana bread) we talked with the K.'s for awhile. They are a spectacular couple, and I’m excited to see all the contributions they will make to the ward simply by their example.

July 12th, 2015

I love those days when Church is exactly what you need. What I was thinking of during sacrament led straight into what we learned about for Sunday school. I highly recommend reading The Tongue of Angels by Elder Holland. I have read it before, but I was able to re-read it with different eyes. My favorite quote:


"I have often thought that Nephi’s being bound with cords and beaten by rods must have been more tolerable to him than listening to Laman and Lemuel’s constant murmuring. ⁸ Surely he must have said at least once, “Hit me one more time. I can still hear you.” Yes, life has its problems, and yes, there are negative things to face, but please accept one of Elder Holland’s maxims for living—no misfortune is so bad that whining about it won’t make it worse."
 

Chris had a friend from the Provo 6^th ward who got married recently. We have been wanting to get together because they are two weeks away from heading to Washington DC. In fact, they will be moving into an area that Chris served in his mission! They were so fun to talk to-they even helped us brainstorm gun names for our little girl! (We will call her Magnum, and her nickname can be Maggie ;) ) They are making their rounds to say goodbye to everyone, let alone get everything prepared for the move, so it was very kind of them to take time out of their day to see us! We found out just before they left that they like Pandemic! So…we may have to make a trip out to DC sometime J
 

We have felt spoiled with the recent cooler weather. We went for a long walk that evening, where we explored the endless BYU construction, reminisced about our BYU years, and started a mental list of things we want to do before we leave Provo. I just think it would be terribly ironic if we spend all this time saying goodbye to Provo, and then end up staying for some reason J

Ducks in a Row

Chris caught this footage yesterday. BYU is the place to be, people! Even the ducks know it.

July 10th, 2015 - Chris and Missy's Wedding Reception

I love the poetic nature of when things come full circle.

Yesterday we were able to attend Chris and Missy's wedding reception. Just about nine months ago, they were attending our reception as a somewhat newly dating couple, and it just felt neat to be in the reception line greeting them now as husband and wife. I'll admit, it made us a little nostalgic of when we were married that day so long ago ( ;) ), and we enjoyed holding hands and giving each other sickingly sweet glances throughout the night. Chris and Missy are a powerhouse couple-spiritually stalwart and endearingly spontaneous. There is no doubt that they will go far in life.
(picture of Chris and Missy)

Indigestion

This week has been a little frustrating due to indigestion. It hasn't been debilitating, but I have felt constantly sick to my stomach to some degree, and on Wednesday it was enough for me to justify going home early from work to rest. Then I slept hard for a good two hours-drool and all! That helped a lot.
I brought up my indigestion to my doctor and he said I was having indigestion because I was pregnant. Of all doctors, the doctors over pregnant woman get to have the easiest diagnosis of all time:

You feel bloated?
~Of course you do-you're pregnant.
Sick?
~You're pregnant.
Your feet are swelling?
~Blame it on the pregnancy.
Craving pickle juice? Can't think straight? Your leg is falling off?
~Pregnant.

I even had the unmistakable urge this afternoon to go fix myself a piping hot cup of hot chocolate.
Yep. Smack dab in the middle of July.
Guess why?
Oh yeah: 'cause I'm pregnant.

What a weird phenomenon!

I guess that is my signal that I am onto the third trimester. The second trimester was awesome-I almost felt normal! But now the days of reckless snacking have been firmly banned - courtesy of cranky, crushed organs. Time to go back to the smaller meals rather than three big meals throughout the day.

Overall, my pregnancy has been great! I have really enjoyed this time of learning more about myself and about babies, and it has been the coolest to be a first hand witness to this baby growing! So cool! These last few days she has been more active than usual, doing jumping jacks and sliding her knees/elbows around. I even scared her once by biting down on ice loudly! (I will admit that I found that rather cute, and, probably to her dismay, found some minutes of entertainment by ice-chomping.)

Chris and I have been trying to grasp that we will be holding a completely dependent person in our arms in a couple months, who we will be 100% responsible for (TWO MONTHS, PEOPLE!!!). I just don't know if it is possible to completely understand those feelings until you are in the moment, but it is slowly becoming more real as time goes on. It is easily my favorite topic to discuss with Chris these days :)

These last few weeks I have been particularly partial to the name Riley Rae. We'll see how long this one holds out in the constant frenzy of revolving names.

Brave

Chris had to have his blood drawn at his doctor's appointment today.

To some this may not seem like a big deal, but Chris doesn't do well with needles or blood. It seems to be a trait passed down through the men in his family. When he heard that this appointment would involve fasting, it did not take him long to deduce the implications of that criteria.

Let's just say he wasn't looking forward to the appointment.

...to put it very mildly.

When it was his turn to hop up on the table and prep for the blood draw, it wouldn't have taken a rocket scientist to surmise that Chris was nervous. But he still had a smile on his face (the smile which hardly leaves his face for any consequential amount of time) and he readily acknowledged his fears to the nurse. After my attempt at casual conversation about Telltale failed miserably, we all found Pixar a much better conversation-point that lasted easily until the end of the draw.
I was actually very impressed with how Chris handled it all. With how he talked about past experiences of these kinds, I was ready to catch him in a dead faint if anyone mentioned the words 'blood draw' in the near vicinity. Yet here he was, sitting up, smiling as usual, with a little cotton ball the only evidence of his extreme bravery.

To seal the deal, he triumphantly grabbed a dum dum sucker from the jar on the way out- the well-deserved trophy for a courageous, conquering man.

Flippantly Unaware

The other day at work, I unintentionally brought tears to a sweet coworker's eyes because I was laughing at her shenanigans, and it eventually came out that her goofiness was due in large to her being in constant pain.

I haven't been able to shake the devastation that swelled in my chest when the awareness dawned on me that she was not having fun, but rather needing love and comfort. I was not only not giving her what she needed, but rather, in my ignorance, making things worse. It broke my heart that in a time of need, I was not in tune enough to her needs to be a true friend.
This experience was followed by another incidence this week when my careless words stung and hurt a beloved friend, who only was trying to do their best and had my best interest in mind. The fact is that it would not have taken much energy or effort on my part to acknowledge or console, yet in my short-sidedness, I inflicted pain instead of offering solace.

It haunts me that a little more careful observance and thought on other's behalf could make such a difference in their day, and yet I miss those opportunities due to being flippantly unaware.

July 7th, 2015-Pam's bridal shower

What is it about stress that makes the inner Cruella De Ville emerge? Before I say anything about the bridal shower, I need to recognize that my husband is the most supportive and understanding man. I love him so much, and without his kind attendance to my irritability, there would have been many more fatalities this week. Chris, you are the best!

Planning events is not my forte, but when Pam got engaged, I offered to throw her a bridal shower without a second thought. This woman is awesome, and has undoubtedly changed my life for the better. I was elated to be a part of her marriage celebrations!

Another shout-out to Chris for helping me/completely creating the invitations himself:

Doesn't it look so professional?!

Funny how we worry and fret over these things, only to have them work out just fine in the end. Yet, once another event comes on the horizon, the worry and stress spike once again!

The saddest part of this entry is that I forgot to take pictures! What are bridal showers good for if you forget to take pictures for memories?! So you will just have to picture in your minds eye how much fun we had. There were seven of us total, and six of us were mission buddies, so it turned into a mini mission reunion. Those are ALWAYS fun! ;)

We talked, played games, gathered around to see engagement pictures and opened presents. My favorite part was when we went around and told Pam why she would be an amazing wife (and eventually mother). She really is an amazing person who has helped all of us in some way, and has always been there for me on my mission, as a roommate, and as a dear friend.

Jen is in town

We got a random text on Sunday which read, “We r in Provo. Are you around?” from my aunt in Texas! Well, that was unexpected! So we had the opportunity that evening to go by and see Jen and Cassie.

Apparently they are here for EFY. Kayla will be returning from Africa to SLC, and Derek will meet up with them later this week as well. It was a lot of fun to catch up with them-it has been probably a year since we sat down and caught up, so it was very welcome and enjoyable. I’m amazed by their family’s adventurousness! They are going on vacations all over the place this summer! How fun!

July 3rd and 4th-HOLIDAYS!

TWO consecutive days off of work!! Yay!!!

It was so nice to have two days in a row off of work where we could do what we wanted and complete long put-off errands. Friday we rock climbed with Jon and Nikki, and then we parted ways for Wilford to take a nap and for us to go to the Colonial Fest for Freedom Days. 

I have heard of the Colonial Festival before, but in all my years living in Provo, I have never gone to check it out. This year, my friend Sharon was doing a storytelling gig, and I love going to see her at these types of functions. Unfortunately, I forgot to get a picture of her decked out in her colonial outfit and her little hemp fan she was using to cool down (it was hot), but believe me, she totally looked the part! Even more than that, her accent was awesome and it was fun to see her call up children volunteers to act out stories she narrated from the Colonial Gazette. My favorite was a little boy sitting on the front row who really wanted a turn. Sharon had already finished with the stories that needed volunteers, but she called him up anyway and improved a part for him. She is really good at what she does. 

The storytelling was a lot of fun to see, and there was so much more that we could scarcely take it all in! They had little tents with potters, blacksmiths, fresh stone oven baked bread, a military that marched through the little 'settlement' and intermittent cannon blasts. Later on in the day it got even crazier when it was announced that the candy bomber would be flying over. There were even mobs of  jay-walkers crossing busy State Street so they wouldn't miss it! It is neat how many people participated in Freedom Days and how it made me feel more patriotic to be around that environment-it is a huge blessing to live in a free country!  

Other worthwhile pursuits of our momentous two-day holiday:

• We finished the second book of the Lord of the Rings trilogy: The Two Towers

• ...so of course we had to watch The Two Towers Extended Version to celebrate. The fireworks from the Stadium of Fire served well as surround sound for the battle scenes
• We did a puzzle! You would not believe how long we deliberated in finding the perfect puzzle. We finally decided on this one:

We really wanted it to be a challenge, so the only drawback was that it was 500 pieces instead of 1000. But once we started it, we were glad it was only 500-it was enough of a challenge, thank you very much! We have found that we really enjoy doing puzzles together-a good time to talk or just pass the time together

• We had some giftcards that we decided to try and use while there were holiday sales going on. We were able to get a stroller and carseat for free, and still have left over money on the cards! It feels good to be checking things off the baby list, and we are very thankful for our generous friends who provided the giftcards.
• We found a random Coldstone giftcard that we believed had only a few dollars on it, but we had to go use the rest of it, right? Turns out it completely covered our ice cream desserts!! And that is why we love giftcards.
• In N' Out. Need I say more?
• Best Buy perusing. Chris needed to pick out a Father's Day gift from Best Buy, so we spend awhile looking through the merchandise. Storytime: Chris has a way with slyly getting us to into Best Buy for no logical reason in the past. Once upon a time, we were looking for an HDMI to AV converter cable for our old TV, so we went to Best Buy. When there, I asked where the cable would be, and Chris said, offhandedly as he took a gander through the iPhone  covers, that those cables don't exist. So then like a confused, sensible wife, I asked, "....then why are we here...?" and Chris unveiled the most mischievous face I have witnessed yet. Like I said, he has a way of getting into that store :) Plus, that is the only parking lot that has a Kinder spot where expectant mothers and moms with toddlers can park that is closer to the store. I just get a thrill to be able to use a 'special' parking spot! And at Best Buy, of all places! 
• Speaking of Father's Day, we also broke out the gummy bears I got Chris. He loves those things. But we didn't just pop those critters like popcorn. Oh no. These were authentic Albanese Gummy Bears. I was thinking these were gummy bears fresh off the boat from the other side of the world. But apparently they are from Georgia. ....same difference. But despite the location of origin let down, they were pretty good! They had a very tender texture with a matching subtle flavor. We would pull them out one by one and try to guess what flavor they were (no easy task!), and when that wasn't sufficient, we got a plate and organized them by color just so we could deduce properly. It was like a scientific experiment! A scientific experiment that held no real value, perhaps, but captivated our attention spans for hours, nonetheless. 

Delectable gummies straight from...Georgia

The reigning chaos of unguessed, mixed flavors

Don't you worry-we were able to deduce the flavors remarkably well once the experiment was complete

• Cleaning, laundry, clothes shopping and dishes. Condensed all in one bullet because we don't want to dwell on any of them or make them feel overly important.

All in all, a very successful holiday of pure awesomeness. 

Goodbye Sharon

It was Sharon's last day at work on Thursday, so we went out to lunch at a Japanese place-the same place she treated me on Mother's Day. It was good food and an awesome time-I love how much I laugh around that woman! Her friendly smile mixed with Southern Spry is just too much sometimes, and I love every minute of it :) She is off to change the world through a new talent she discovered-coding. She will do awesome and I'm excited for this change in her life!

I will really miss her.

Rocks, Babies, and Cinema

Chris has some really adventurous friends from Aspen Grove, Jon and Nikki, who have been trying to invite us out to go rock climbing with them. Me working on Saturdays has been a road block thus far, so when I had Friday and Saturday day off this week, we jumped on the opportunity!

Rock Canyon is beautiful!

We went off the trail a ways to a rock wall where Jon and Nikki started their skilled preparations. Chris and I got the more fun job of playing with Wilford as his parents prepped. He was such a cute little boy!! As we hiked up the steep incline, he was laughing and smiling the whole way.

Check out my leg! I got a little scratch and it bled quite a bit! Pregnant ladies really do have a lot more blood!

He is going to be a super cute Dad!

The experts at work. It looks like a lot of fun!

We didn't end up staying super long, but it was really nice just to be outside and get to enjoy having a baby around. Chris got to bring Wilford back down the mountain.

Watching rock climbing is tiring

Later on Friday we met up with Jon and Nikki again to see Inside Out. SUCH a good movie! Chris and I were amazed at how good it was at evoking feelings all over the place. It wasn't uncommon for me to be crying one minute and laughing the next. Plus, with Chris' expertise, he was able to pick up on some impressive cinematic themes and details. He is fun to talk to about movies, because he notices quite a bit that I am completely unaware of.

Highly Recommended!

And Wilford did so well! I was impressed that a one year old could sit pretty well throughout an entire movie. Then again, the popcorn was probably a huge help :)

Dinner with the Degns

Chris and I are very happy about where we live. It has been a perfect little place for us to start our family. Rachel and Jon have had the opportunity to be in a REAL house for a bit as they house-sit. 

And so the house envy begins.

I can't quite place it, but there is something very appealing about being in a real house. Not that we need a real house now-it will take years of saving up for that bad boy to make it a reality-but it is something to look forward to.

J&R invited us over to the house for dinner, where Jon expertly manned the BBQ for our very patriotic dinner (how did BBQing become the July 4th thing-to-do? Not that I am complaining, but I should look that one up...) and then we played games that involved us all intently staring at Rachel as she whistled unfamiliar tunes, and air hockey involving two aggressive pregnant ladies with a lack of coordination and reflexes. 

A somewhat pathetic, yet thrillingly dangerous game of air hockey

All in all, a very entertaining time! I love that we get to see them every once in awhile...and that I have someone that can compete with me in amount of pregnancy and baby conversations they want to have ;)

So fun to be pregnant at the same time!
Kimber-30 weeks   Rachel-37 weeks

This one was a necessary add in because of Rachel's classic face

And then we decided to get a picture of the babies high-fiving or fist bumping...

...and for some reason it was an epic fail...

...but it was fun anyway :)

Fan Discomfiture

When we decided where to move when we got married, we didn't think through the fact that summers on the third floor in Provo can be brutal without an A/C. We are trying to decide if we should get one, or come to terms with the thought that we will be little simmering pools of liquid by the end of this summer without one. The one advantage is that errands sound a lot more appealing:

Chris: Do you want to go grocery shopping?
Me: Go walk around in an air-conditioned building?! LET'S GO!

As we have been in the process of weighing the pros and cons, we decided to at least get a fan to ease the heat. When we first turned that baby on in our living room, oh, what joy was there to behold! It has made such a difference in being able to sleep- and ultimately survive!- the evenings in our apartment. We have been very happy with it.

But of course, there is two sides to every coin. The full recognition of the downside to our revered fan been a long time coming.

But at last, the time is upon us.

It only took a few times of one of us letting off a foul stench that the full comprehension dawned on us. Typically, times like those at best can pass unnoticed, and even at the worst, simply ignored. But when you let off a fragrant boon and you are in front of a fan, there is no going back. That odor is going to be flung straight on in both of your unsuspecting faces, without dilution or any hope of escaping the furious wind tunnel.

But still, the pros outweigh the cons-the fan stays

Our Wiley Double-Edged Sword

Temple Time

We went on our 2 minute exodus over to the temple on Wednesday for an endowment session, but it was closed...so we ended up going a whole 15 minutes longer to get to the Timpanogos temple. A whole 15 minutes! :) We feel very blessed to be so near so many temples.

We were able to bring some family names that Megan shared with us (thank you Meg!). It is funny how I went into the temple thinking I would mostly be glad I did something good, but then coming out and realizing how much I really needed to be there that night for what I learned. I feel like I was able to get very specific counsel to what I need in my life right now. Overall, I was impressed that we have very general commandments given to everyone (read your scriptures, go to church, etc) but when these commandments are applied, they are very personal (i.e. everyone can read the same passage of scripture and get something different out of it). It is powerful evidence to me that we have a very omniscient, omnipotent and loving Heavenly Father who knows exactly how to help us. It is just up to us to be obedient.