Sneak Peek

Here is a sneak peek of some of the pictures my brother-in-law, Andy, took for us. I feel like I am going to pop but I needed some kind of proof that I am pregnant. Thanks Andy!! You are awesome!!

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How time flies!!!

 It has been way too long since my last post!
 Here is my belly at week 23 and now it has grown a lot!!

What has been happening- you ask? I will take you on a journey...I am now almost 32 weeks along and feeling big. Baby Lilly Ann is a girl of routine- she wakes up and is active for a few hours in the morning, takes a nap around 10 and wakes up for lunch time and goes back down for a nap around 2. It is amazing how she has her little personality so evident even still in the womb. She is either really shy or a major stinker and won't move when others want to feel her, but she is a mover. 

We have had many tender mercies/acts of service done to us...a woman I work with decided that she was going to give me her very nice crib and high chair. My Cary Johnson(YW president I serve with) combined with her roommates (Michelle & Tonya) and bought me a car seat. I was really struggling with how I was going to afford to buy these items for Baby Lilly. Dan is still out of a job but goes to school so we are living off of my pay and off of unemployment, so money isn't just floating around. I am deeply grateful for these women in my life!! 

I just celebrated my 27th birthday! Crazy, huh?! I remember the time when I thought 27 was so old and now I am here and I still feel quite young, although sometimes my body reminds me that I am not 20 anymore:)

My Kindergarteners are amazing! I think I am going to have a really hard time when they move on to first grade- I am very attached. 

I also work with amazing Young Women! They teach me all the time. We have really good class discussions and they are so sweet and pure. It takes me back to when I was a beehive and the excitement I had for everything. 

Dan and I will be celebrating two years in a few days and I will be honest- the second year of marriage has be far more blissful than the first year. We have learned more about each other and know each others pet peeves better. We are excited to be parents! I was a little worried because a few months ago I found out that Dan didn't know how to change a diaper but we have been using my cousin's baby as practice and Dan is getting pretty good at it. I am excited to see him as a daddy.  He will be amazing!!

2012..what a year!

So I am a little behind but I need to review our 2012 year.... let the party begin!!!

With Dan working and going to school, I had a little time on my hands so I tagged along with my aunt Diane to Las Vegas for a fabulous volleyball filled weekend to cheer on my cousin Sabrina.

Our year also started out right by attending multiple Jazz games...of which I will pretend we slaughtered the other teams but I can't remember.

The month of May was quite a busy one for us....

the first Saturday, Dan's niece Kallie was baptized.

On a random Sunday evening, Dan hosted a milkshake party for our little cul-de-sac. It was a huge hit! It was so fun to have everyone out on our front lawn, enjoying milkshakes. We will definitely make it a tradition.

Then my niece celebrated her 3rd birthday with us and I was clever enough to volunteer to try a new hobby out and I made her a cake. I think I did quite well for being a beginner.

She sure enjoyed it and actually recognized that it was Hello Kitty! Success!!

Also in May, Brandon(baby brother) and I shared the 31st- he graduated and I turned a great age of 26. I survived l-o-n-g graduation and was rewarded Texas Roadhouse! Congrats Brandon! Welcome to the  grown-up world!

Following a busy May, we were able to enjoy a relaxing June as we celebrated our first anniversary at a bed and breakfast in Midway called Johnson's Mill.

The views were amazing, the room was alright but the company was fantastic!

Dan also had another niece get baptized..congrats Kiersten!

The summer lead to other fun adventures like: 

volunteering for the Wasatch Back Ragnar

and regular outing up the canyon with many different people

and racing around in go-karts...scary!

On August 14th, a little miracle came to my cousin (and since we live across the street from them, we are blessed to be part of their life). I got a phone call at 1:15 in the morning and so I rushed over to be with the rest of the kids while Matt and Jessica went to the hospital. What an amazing adventure that was! I was so happy to be a part of it!

In September, I received an exciting phone call asking me if I would be willing to teach Kindergarten part-time. The school that I did my student teaching at needed someone to teach afternoon Kindergarten and I couldn't refuse the wonderful offer so a few weeks later, I was thrown into teaching and I have loved it! I have a wonderful class that loves to learn and loves to help me!

In October, Dan had one of the missionaries from his mission in Zimbabwe, come to Utah to get married. He stayed with us for a few days and we were able to help him experience some American things...like pizza buffet and carving pumpkins. It was mind-blowing for him.

The next two months, were full of busy lives. I tried to figure out what I was doing as a teacher and then got called to be the 2nd counselor in the Young Women. Dan stayed busy with school and work/internship and was serving as the Teacher's quorum advisor. For Christmas I gave Dan an amazing gift....

I am pregnant!!! The sweet baby will be coming to our home the end of July!!!

Oh man!!!!

So I was on a roll, doing so fabulous, and then life happened. But I am here to catch up!

Day #15- I am grateful for good friends and the opportunities to spend time with them. I helped Allyson prepare for Brandon to propose to my very dear friend Jaynie!! Hooray for them!!!!

Day #16- I am grateful for the temple and the wonderful sealing power! I was able to witness my cousin, Kami, be sealed to her sweetheart, Aaron. Takes me back to when I was sealed!!

Day #17- I am grateful for Christmas decorations...yes, I am one of those people! My Christmas tree is beautiful and makes me so excited for the holiday season. I am also very grateful for my parents for letting me crash their date to Milagros (it was delicious).

Day #18- I am grateful for Sunday naps-even if they are super small!!!

Day #19- I am grateful for Emma and Isaiah- my friends I babysit while their mom goes out for a much-needed run. They always bring smiles to my face!!

Day #20- I am grateful for Chicken enchiladas! Need I say more?

Day #21- I am grateful for my mom and her willingness to give up one of her massages, so that I could experience my first massage (and definitely not my last).

Day 14...Service

Today I am very grateful for the opportunities in my life to serve. For mutual, the YM and YW were asked/challenged to rake leaves at some of the elderly members of our ward. To be honest, I was not excited because there was still snow on the ground and it was going to be dark and cold. But the youth had an excitement so off we went! We actually went to a home that wasn't planned and to see the facial expressions of the man was priceless...he was so grateful for us! IT was a great night of service and the youth are the ones who changed my attitude.

Day 13!

I am so grateful for the temple! I am grateful for the blessing that are received and for the peace I feel when I am there.

Days 11 & 12

Days 11 & 12 go together...I am grateful for the Young Women organization of the Church. I am grateful to be a leader and I am grateful for my leaders when I was younger. We had our first large activity on Sunday night- Evening of Excellence and it was a lot of work! It helped me to realize all that the leaders do for these youth. So today I took some time to go thank one of my greatest Young Women leaders, Rosemary Cornish! I am grateful for her love and diligence in serving me! I hope to be a leader like her!!