2-almost-3

        First of all, can we just take a moment to absorb the fact that I am currently typing this blog post in shorts and a T-shirt on a lounge chair next to my pool?  It is 72 degrees and smells like roses.    It is the middle of JANUARY!  Jealous yet?  Good, let's get started.

PREGNANCY:  After today we have 8 days left until baby's due date.  8.  Part of me is totally freaking out saying slow down I'm not ready!   But the bigger part of me is going crazy with anticipation of the big day (whenever that is...tomorrow?...two more weeks?)  and hoping it would just happen right now!  Seriously...right NOW!  Think these jumping jacks will help?  I feel a lot of fear of all the unknown and I don't want to stress about it any longer, I want to jump in and do it already!  Physically I'm fine and not too uncomfortable for having a human being inside of me.  Mentally I'm a crazy person...poor Jimmy.  He deserves a medal.  The good news is I keep progressing at each Dr's appointment so we'll see what he thinks at today's check.   

WORK:  I have enjoyed my job at Tru Physical Therapy so much.  I finished working there just before Christmas to give my body a break during the last month of pregnancy.  I learned a lot of new things about PT and about interacting with all kinds of people.  That's the thing about Vegas...there are ALL walks of life down here.  Everybody is so different from one another and it makes it fun and interesting.  Some days were long and difficult:  I would work 6 hours at the clinic and then go teach for 4 hours (on my feet the WHOLE time...and pregnant).  But my co-workers made it fun.  We have story after story of crazy things that people did or said.  But we also had a lot of really neat and sweet patients whom I will never forget.  During my last week of work there I felt overwhelmed with love from these people.  A few patients crocheted or knit baby blankets and dresses, one carved me a flute, others gave gifts like diapers and clothes for the baby.  It meant so much!  Then there are my amazing co-workers who threw me the cutest baby shower!  This is Krista, one of the therapists at Tru.  Let's just say I was meant to move to Vegas to have her become one of my forever friends.  I love this lady dearly and am grateful for our friendship and all she has done for me!  

The generosity of these girls has helped Jimmy and I so much!  We have been so touched!!!  I'm so glad my mom got to come to this shower and see how sweet my friends are.  She loved meeting them.  

 I love my dance studio and am so glad Heavenly Father led me there.  The kids are wonderful.  We hardly ever have absences because they just love to be there!  They work so hard and it makes my job such a joy!  Choreographing 18 dances while pregnant this year might have completely overwhelmed me if I had a different group of kids.  Love them!  We had a great Christmas show and are now getting ready for our competition season to start in March.  All of my dances are choreographed and ready so I won't have to stress when I have the baby.  I plan on teaching until she comes and getting back for the first competition.  i will be with baby girl in the day and then daddy will take her while I go to work.  I think this babe may prefer the sound of hip hop music and the loud screams of "5...6...7...8!" over soft lullaby music.  She has been such a trooper with me, letting mommy dance and teach through the  whole pregnancy.  Here I am with a little Christmas Angel:

SCHOOL:  This summer Jimmy did his first clinical rotation up in Cedar City at an outpatient clinic.  He worked with a physical therapist for six weeks and really enjoyed it.  The therapist really threw Jimmy straight into the fire from the very first day, making him see new patients and setting up their whole plan of care.  It was a bit overwhelming and intimidating but Jimmy really appreciated it because the best way to learn is to just do it!  I was able to get Fridays off of work so that I could go up every weekend and hang out with him and my mom.  We both enjoyed escaping the dreaded Vegas heat since it was July and August.  We got to go camping, we rode in the parade with my mom's ATV club, Jimmy did lots of bike riding, grilling and back porch sitting.  It was fun to spend time with my mom and reveal the news of our pregnancy to her in person! His fall semester was busy as usual and he started his position as a graduate assistant.  Now Jimmy has one more semester of classes and tests and then he gets to learn out in the field until graduation! He will be doing 3 different clinical rotations starting in July.  I'm so beyond proud of him.  

Jimmy got to do the Fire Road 60k mountain bike race in Cedar and took 2nd overall but 1st in King of the Mountain (means he was first to the top)!

Mom and Jimmy restoring an old bassinet for the baby!  

Sunset while camping!

Fire pit and cream soda in mom's backyard!

Jimmy heading in to watch an orthopedic surgery.

Jimmy with his classmate Jason at the PHAST.  It was Jason's first triathlon. 

Great job guys!

HOLIDAYS:  We had a wonderful Christmas break.  Even though we didn't get to go home to our family (we miss you guys!) we had a lot of fun just the two of us.  We relaxed, got the baby stuff ready, and enjoyed our sleep since EVERYbody has told us to do that! 

CHURCH:   Jimmy has been serving as the Scout Master (making his father-in-law proud) in our ward and going out with the missionaries whenever they ask (often).  I serve as a Primary teacher to the five year olds.  They are adorable and sweet and certainly leave this pregger tired on Sunday afternoons.  We live in a ward with lots of young couples our age with young kids.  A lot are in school like Jimmy and it's great to have friends in a similar stage of life as you.  I have LOTS of fellow mommies in the ward to get plenty of help and advice from.  These sweet girls also threw me a shower to make sure I had the things that I need to get ready!  

 Again, Jimmy and I were so overwhelmed with gratitude.  We are truly thankful for all the time, money effort, and love that went into helping us.

FAMILY:  We want to congratulate Jimmy's mom, KrisDee, on her marriage to Chuck Robertson December 14th!  We are so happy for her and think Chuck is such a great guy!  We would also like to congratulate my dad, Rich, on his retirement from the Boy Scouts of America!  You have touched so many lives through your work and you deserve some rest Dad!  Way to go!

GRATITUDE:  So the UPS man and I are friends.  That is how often he delivers something.  And it is all from YOU!  We are so thankful for the outpouring of love we have received in the mail.  Our family members and friends have been SO generous.  My cute Utah friends even sent me a "Baby Shower in a Box".  We could not be doing this with out you all and I want you to know how much it means to us to have your help as we prepare for this sweet spirit to join our family.  Thank you.  You are an answer to our prayers.  We truly love you!