28 - Almost one month done of writing every single day. No, not writing every single day. Writing about every single day. It's been hard but I like looking back and seeing all that work. And I will like it even more when I go back next December and see 12 months all lined up with 20+ blog entries for each month. It will feel amazing!
Steven got off work early and wanted to go shoot his gun up at his parent's house. Which is fine. Not my idea of a good time, but whatever. I don't love going up there, as I would rather be at my own house fixing my own dinner and doing my own stuff but we got into a little bit of a fight about it because I sometimes feel like I am so directly boring to him. And I can't help it. Every idea I had for spending the evening together was shut down. No adventures anywhere. And I am dying for an adventure right now. A good story. Something to the equivalent of looking for jo-jos at 9pm or going through the drive-through and asking for a quadruple burger. Finding a good treasure like a couch or table. Something with a good story. So I cried and he made me feel better and he still left but brought back pizza for dinner. And a secret between you and me? I make WAY better pizza crust than Papa Murphys. My white crust beats them out of the water and even my wheat crust can stand its own just by merely being wheat and being healthier. But I didn't want to wait for dough to rise and I didn't want to make a flour mess so I let Steven bring pizza home. And we ate off paper plates because all the dishes were clean. Yeah. I am that backwards. I like having all the dishes put away in their cupboard homes and just tossing paper plates once in awhile just so that there are no dishes to do, what so ever.
29 - We're having a boy! Which I knew. I totally called that! I've already got boy clothes and have plans to get more. I am also on the hunt for a cute bed sheet. Because bed sheets get seen a lot that first year. And even all the time, actually, so I want a cute one. No solid colors for me. I want a design.
We can't decide between Orson and Talmage for names and didn't even bother coming up with any girl names because I was so sure it was going to be a boy. And just so I can call it. The next baby will be a boy and the baby after that will be a girl. Sticking to my guns on this one.
Already Steven said "Talmage" to someone who isn't Mormon and they were all like, "What? What is that?" And so he's pretty insecure about it already. I don't really care. I love it. And I love the man's writings. And we'll just have to live in Utah where people will 'get it'. Decided and done. So I have decided to tell people, yes, we have a name, but no, we aren't telling. Because I don't need anyone talking us out of our names. Those things are hard to come up with!
We took Alaska with us to the ultrasound. Which, from other people's experiences with their kids, have been disasters and I thought one more time about getting a sitter for her. I am so glad we didn't. She loved every minute of it. She was so interested in the jelly they put on my belly and so interested in the tv that showed a baby and loved pointing at the baby. She tuned out a little to read a story and when the doctor was looking at the feet we showed her and she got so excited and pointed to her own feet and kept exclaiming 'feet, feet' It was absolutely darling. She did well through the whole thing and I am so glad we took her.
We were up at the OHSU campus and rode the air tram and she loved that just as much. The conductor man at the bottom gave her a sticker and that was the most important object to her for the remainder of the trip. She loved looking out at all the cars and over the river at the boats.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
24, 25, 26, 27
It's been a few slow, empty days for us around here. But I like it that way. It makes me antsy to get out and do. The pressure builds up a little instead of constantly being drained.
24 - friday... I am pretty sure it was just a quiet day at home. Oh, I remember why it was important. Because it was the first day all week that I felt 'ok'. No headache, no stomach ache and no other problems. I cleaned up the house and vacuumed and that felt really good.
25 - Saturday. Went to the baby shower with Brittany. Dropped Alaska off at my mom's house and met Brittany at the Scappoose movie theater to car-pool in together. We got there early since Brittany needed to set up her game supplies and help with decorations and stuff. I blew up and hung balloons with her sister. The shower was fun and I am pretty sure everyone had a good time.
We went to Panda Express afterwards and instead of running up to get Alaska from my mom's I went to Winco and did some much needed grocery shopping. I loaded up in the frozen food isle with a bag of every kind of prepared meal they had to offer and a few extra bags of frozen vegetables to add to the meals. It's what a girl's gotta do if a girl's gonna eat while pregnant. If it takes longer than 5 minutes to make you can bet that I've already looked at it too long and won't be eating it.
Ran up and got Alaska and Steven was able to go with me. Usually it's just me running her back and forth or staying to hang out a little bit and it was nice to have him there. My mom made dinner for us and it was so delicious! Parmesan chicken with red potatoes in garlic with a salad on the side. Definitely something I can't replicate right now but have plans to, soon.
26 - 1:00 church and I do not get along. By the time 1 comes around I don't feel like going to church. Even though it is nice to have the day 'be done' when we get home. The car was acting weird on our way home from my parents so Steven took it up to his parents' house to work on it a little. I couldn't stand leaving the house again, let alone as soon as we walked in the door, and Alaska and I spent the evening together.
27 - The first day of anything normal in a long time. I have a chore list on the fridge with something on it each day because I was going crazy during the summer. And by crazy I mean cleaning the bathroom twice in a week and vacuuming every day (I still vacuum every day) and feeling totally useless if the bedrooms were a wreck. And then feeling like I couldn't go and do anything until everything was done. So I made my list so that when one thing was done I could feel good about it and know that it was done and I didn't need to worry about the rest of it because over the course of the week it will get done.
Mondays are bathroom cleaning day. Alaska washed the mirror until the windex ran out and I didn't even bother her about it. She is quite good at cleaning up after herself and I didn't even have to teach her that. She just picked up on it. She loves squirting the windex bottle and wiping with her own rag, which she ran and got by herself when she saw I was cleaning the bathroom.
I even cleared out the dresser that we'll use for the baby. Mostly because everything else is already clean. We keep a tidy ship around here. I didn't empty it but I did go through it and clear out the junk and organize the stuff that's in there. I don't know where we'll put everything that's in there but we'll find a place, I am sure.
24 - friday... I am pretty sure it was just a quiet day at home. Oh, I remember why it was important. Because it was the first day all week that I felt 'ok'. No headache, no stomach ache and no other problems. I cleaned up the house and vacuumed and that felt really good.
25 - Saturday. Went to the baby shower with Brittany. Dropped Alaska off at my mom's house and met Brittany at the Scappoose movie theater to car-pool in together. We got there early since Brittany needed to set up her game supplies and help with decorations and stuff. I blew up and hung balloons with her sister. The shower was fun and I am pretty sure everyone had a good time.
We went to Panda Express afterwards and instead of running up to get Alaska from my mom's I went to Winco and did some much needed grocery shopping. I loaded up in the frozen food isle with a bag of every kind of prepared meal they had to offer and a few extra bags of frozen vegetables to add to the meals. It's what a girl's gotta do if a girl's gonna eat while pregnant. If it takes longer than 5 minutes to make you can bet that I've already looked at it too long and won't be eating it.
Ran up and got Alaska and Steven was able to go with me. Usually it's just me running her back and forth or staying to hang out a little bit and it was nice to have him there. My mom made dinner for us and it was so delicious! Parmesan chicken with red potatoes in garlic with a salad on the side. Definitely something I can't replicate right now but have plans to, soon.
26 - 1:00 church and I do not get along. By the time 1 comes around I don't feel like going to church. Even though it is nice to have the day 'be done' when we get home. The car was acting weird on our way home from my parents so Steven took it up to his parents' house to work on it a little. I couldn't stand leaving the house again, let alone as soon as we walked in the door, and Alaska and I spent the evening together.
27 - The first day of anything normal in a long time. I have a chore list on the fridge with something on it each day because I was going crazy during the summer. And by crazy I mean cleaning the bathroom twice in a week and vacuuming every day (I still vacuum every day) and feeling totally useless if the bedrooms were a wreck. And then feeling like I couldn't go and do anything until everything was done. So I made my list so that when one thing was done I could feel good about it and know that it was done and I didn't need to worry about the rest of it because over the course of the week it will get done.
Mondays are bathroom cleaning day. Alaska washed the mirror until the windex ran out and I didn't even bother her about it. She is quite good at cleaning up after herself and I didn't even have to teach her that. She just picked up on it. She loves squirting the windex bottle and wiping with her own rag, which she ran and got by herself when she saw I was cleaning the bathroom.
I even cleared out the dresser that we'll use for the baby. Mostly because everything else is already clean. We keep a tidy ship around here. I didn't empty it but I did go through it and clear out the junk and organize the stuff that's in there. I don't know where we'll put everything that's in there but we'll find a place, I am sure.
Friday, January 24, 2014
22, 23 - January
22, Wednesday. As I type the word 'Wednesday' I shudder. It started out good and ended with a visit to the toilet saint and offering up everything I had for a late lunch right before mutual. It hadn't even bothered to digest itself! I didn't go to mutual. My count-down for not throwing up as back at 2 days. And I was doing so good! I had made the 17 day mark!
My body disgusts me sometimes. I know what it is about pregnancy that bothers me. It's like I don't even know myself anymore. My body turns into the havoking, puking mess and I don't want to be around people because that takes too much effort and I don't want to do much of anything because I have a constant turmoil going on in my intestines and apparently this week was the week for headaches because today is the first day all week I don't have one. And by goodness I have been sure to drink my water and all that to rule out the headaches but those things are persistent. And, of course, my body is healthy and 'normal' and the doctor never says anything is going wrong with any pee test or blood test that I take. Everything is just peachy. But I don't feel peachy. I feel quite asparagusy. Disgusting. It's a nice thing to think about, that my body is just fine and growing babies is what it can do without totally medically freaking out. I don't have to be on bed rest or eating certain foods to deal with gestational diabetes or anything. Count your dang blessings! But oh my goodness.
I feel like I go from one emotional roller coaster to the other. The counselor revised my 'diagnosis' after meeting with me a few times. First, I went to counseling because I was feeling depressed and all my signs were pointing toward that but I didn't want to do medication. I knew something 'less deep' was wrong and just needed someone to help me figure things out. So I get to the counselor and they label it as anxiety and then after a few sessions it gets labeled as an adjustment disorder. But the word disorder isn't used... I forget. Anyways. What started out as HUGE has been re-directed to something not so huge and I feel better and more like myself than I have in a long time, but at the same time, I don't. Because I am pregnant and feeling cruddy messes with more than just my physical well-being. It makes me anti-social and harder to relate to people because I really just don't care. I don't care. Everything that used to matter doesn't anymore and while it's nice to be so relaxed it's kind of annoying when paired with the fact that I don't want to be around people because I don't care enough to carry through with a conversation.
The almost worst part is that I had gotten ready for the day. Actually put on a bra and jeans and makeup. Did my hair and went out to visit one of the girls who is having as hard of time as I am with her puking and feeling cruddy. I just want to take her and wrap her in a hug. When I got there with Shirley, we were also doubling in a calendar meeting, Jaimie's best friend was there, spending the day with her. I was so glad to see her I gave them both hugs. That is something rare. To have a friend who is just fine with sitting with you when you are so sick and no fun to be around. And I just loved that they had each other.
So here I was, all ready for going to mutual and I vomit just as I should be walking out the door. Steven had to go to mutual to announce a few things for the scouts and because he thinks he will be 'more in the know' if he goes on Wednesdays to talk with the leaders and all that. I sent him with a couple of supplies for that night's craft project and Alaska and went to bed.
23. Brittany came over to give me a baby shower invitation. I was thrilled to have her and we talked and talked and talked. It was so good to have an old friend my age to be with. We decided to carpool together after she offered and then quickly followed up with, "I mean, if you want to. If you wouldn't rather drive in by yourself." Because that's how well she knows me and she knows that yes, I may just prefer to drive myself and would say yes to carpool to be nice. But I really did and do want to carpool with her. I just love being with her. And I especially love that she gets it.
Alaska took a three and half hour nap and I was able to get a nap in, as well. The evening still drug on and Steven was at work until 9 pm. I put her to bed at 7:30, complete with cleaning up toys and brushing teeth and stories. And crawled into bed to wait. I had a couple of requests for snacks and had to be awake to get them. Something I have learned. If your body wants something, you aren't going to sleep until you get it. Especially if you know you can get it and it's on its way. Even if it doesn't come through the door until 10:20.
My body disgusts me sometimes. I know what it is about pregnancy that bothers me. It's like I don't even know myself anymore. My body turns into the havoking, puking mess and I don't want to be around people because that takes too much effort and I don't want to do much of anything because I have a constant turmoil going on in my intestines and apparently this week was the week for headaches because today is the first day all week I don't have one. And by goodness I have been sure to drink my water and all that to rule out the headaches but those things are persistent. And, of course, my body is healthy and 'normal' and the doctor never says anything is going wrong with any pee test or blood test that I take. Everything is just peachy. But I don't feel peachy. I feel quite asparagusy. Disgusting. It's a nice thing to think about, that my body is just fine and growing babies is what it can do without totally medically freaking out. I don't have to be on bed rest or eating certain foods to deal with gestational diabetes or anything. Count your dang blessings! But oh my goodness.
I feel like I go from one emotional roller coaster to the other. The counselor revised my 'diagnosis' after meeting with me a few times. First, I went to counseling because I was feeling depressed and all my signs were pointing toward that but I didn't want to do medication. I knew something 'less deep' was wrong and just needed someone to help me figure things out. So I get to the counselor and they label it as anxiety and then after a few sessions it gets labeled as an adjustment disorder. But the word disorder isn't used... I forget. Anyways. What started out as HUGE has been re-directed to something not so huge and I feel better and more like myself than I have in a long time, but at the same time, I don't. Because I am pregnant and feeling cruddy messes with more than just my physical well-being. It makes me anti-social and harder to relate to people because I really just don't care. I don't care. Everything that used to matter doesn't anymore and while it's nice to be so relaxed it's kind of annoying when paired with the fact that I don't want to be around people because I don't care enough to carry through with a conversation.
The almost worst part is that I had gotten ready for the day. Actually put on a bra and jeans and makeup. Did my hair and went out to visit one of the girls who is having as hard of time as I am with her puking and feeling cruddy. I just want to take her and wrap her in a hug. When I got there with Shirley, we were also doubling in a calendar meeting, Jaimie's best friend was there, spending the day with her. I was so glad to see her I gave them both hugs. That is something rare. To have a friend who is just fine with sitting with you when you are so sick and no fun to be around. And I just loved that they had each other.
So here I was, all ready for going to mutual and I vomit just as I should be walking out the door. Steven had to go to mutual to announce a few things for the scouts and because he thinks he will be 'more in the know' if he goes on Wednesdays to talk with the leaders and all that. I sent him with a couple of supplies for that night's craft project and Alaska and went to bed.
23. Brittany came over to give me a baby shower invitation. I was thrilled to have her and we talked and talked and talked. It was so good to have an old friend my age to be with. We decided to carpool together after she offered and then quickly followed up with, "I mean, if you want to. If you wouldn't rather drive in by yourself." Because that's how well she knows me and she knows that yes, I may just prefer to drive myself and would say yes to carpool to be nice. But I really did and do want to carpool with her. I just love being with her. And I especially love that she gets it.
Alaska took a three and half hour nap and I was able to get a nap in, as well. The evening still drug on and Steven was at work until 9 pm. I put her to bed at 7:30, complete with cleaning up toys and brushing teeth and stories. And crawled into bed to wait. I had a couple of requests for snacks and had to be awake to get them. Something I have learned. If your body wants something, you aren't going to sleep until you get it. Especially if you know you can get it and it's on its way. Even if it doesn't come through the door until 10:20.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
January 20th and 21st
Monday, January 20th. Total waste of a day. The sun was super nice and bright but I couldn't make myself get out there in the cold. So I sat inside all day, feeling sightly guilty that I wasn't outside and didn't take Alaska outside to play even though it was dry. But I am making a baby, here people! And if the cold feels extra cold to me and I don't want to go outside then I don't want to go outside and I don't want to feel guilty about it.
I did nothing, the whole day. Nothing. Biggest waste of a day ever. I keep having stomach aches. Not the nausea kind but more like crampy, I need something to eat kind. Even if I have just eaten. I am keeping track of it so that I can report it to the doctor and maybe get some help for it. It seriously keeps me from doing stuff, it's so uncomfortable. I am also currently keeping track of headaches. I've had two in the past three days and I am not much a person for headaches. I know it's not because of food or water because I am caught up to an extreme on both of those. Mysteries.
Tuesday, January 21st Not a complete waste of day. But almost close. I had my last counseling appointment. Tamera watched Alaska for me and I hustled down there and back up. Picked up the house a little and didn't bother to vacuum. Alaska took a nap and Steven got off early so we went to FredMeyer to pick up a babyshower gift and 'look at guns' - Steven's newest hobby. We hurried home so that I could make it to BUNCO. I wasn't super excited to go, but it ended up being fun anyways. I carpooled with a couple of people and it was nice to not have to worry about finding the place.
I did nothing, the whole day. Nothing. Biggest waste of a day ever. I keep having stomach aches. Not the nausea kind but more like crampy, I need something to eat kind. Even if I have just eaten. I am keeping track of it so that I can report it to the doctor and maybe get some help for it. It seriously keeps me from doing stuff, it's so uncomfortable. I am also currently keeping track of headaches. I've had two in the past three days and I am not much a person for headaches. I know it's not because of food or water because I am caught up to an extreme on both of those. Mysteries.
Tuesday, January 21st Not a complete waste of day. But almost close. I had my last counseling appointment. Tamera watched Alaska for me and I hustled down there and back up. Picked up the house a little and didn't bother to vacuum. Alaska took a nap and Steven got off early so we went to FredMeyer to pick up a babyshower gift and 'look at guns' - Steven's newest hobby. We hurried home so that I could make it to BUNCO. I wasn't super excited to go, but it ended up being fun anyways. I carpooled with a couple of people and it was nice to not have to worry about finding the place.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Sunday, January 19th
Spent a long morning enjoying the morning and went to church at 1. Tamera called at 10:30 wondering if we could come up for dinner afterwards. We didn't have any plans and made it up there right after Steven took a half hour after church to find people that he needed to talk to and talk to them and stuff like that.
He said that he looked out at the car for Alaska and I and didn't see us so he did a loop around the church and looked again and we were there. I laughed and told him, "Don't you know? I like to go home right after church. And if I can't go home, I like to sit in the car and wait. Not talk to people." He agreed that it was true and apologized for not coming out to the car as soon as he could. We may need to be one of those couples that take two cars to church, if we had two, but not so the wife can stay late and socialize, so the man can.
We had rice and chicken at the Barnes house and stayed awhile after playing pool and ping-pong.
He said that he looked out at the car for Alaska and I and didn't see us so he did a loop around the church and looked again and we were there. I laughed and told him, "Don't you know? I like to go home right after church. And if I can't go home, I like to sit in the car and wait. Not talk to people." He agreed that it was true and apologized for not coming out to the car as soon as he could. We may need to be one of those couples that take two cars to church, if we had two, but not so the wife can stay late and socialize, so the man can.
We had rice and chicken at the Barnes house and stayed awhile after playing pool and ping-pong.
Saturday, Jan 18th
It started out to be an overwhelming day. The house needed cleaning and decorating. Alaska needed birthday pictures taken at 10am because that's when the light is the best in the house. I had to get showered and dressed and ready. Alaska needed to get showered and dressed and ready. It was a little too much to think about.
I got the backdrop for the pictures up and going first, letting the cleaning wait even though instinctively I would clean first. We got our pictures done and a video made and I began a whirlwind of cleaning. Took a two hour break when Alaska went down for her nap and began again as soon as we ate lunch afterwards. Everything was adorable and supercute by 5 pm and I could finally calm down and think about getting myself ready. Dominique had offered to come early and take Alaska to get frozen yogurt and I am so glad I took her up on it. The half hour they were gone I put left-over pizza in the oven and got dolled up.
The party started at 6:30 when grandma great and grandpa great came through the door with David. It was nice to have some time with just them as Alaska got over being a little shy and excitedly pointed to grandma great's shirt that had kitties on it. The party got bigger and more people came and we had just enough seats for everyone even though a couple of people stood. There was plenty of floor and folding chair that never got unfolded. It was so wonderful to have a house full of people who love on that baby girl and spoil her to death.
I didn't even have to serve cake or icecream. The teenagers were anxious to get that started and I helped Alaska with any 'extra sticky tape' that kept her from opening her presents. She had a blast of being the center of attention and only slowed down on the present opening when she opened a bag of candy and needed to take a little break to sample it all.
It was definitely a different time than what we had last year at her birthday with just Steve and I but they have both proven to be just as special. As long as we've got family this close I don't see any need to be inviting friends over for birthdays. That would just make too much of a crowd. But I do suppose people do a Sunday dinner with family and a birthday party with friends. Either way, I've got another year before I need to worry about that.
I got the backdrop for the pictures up and going first, letting the cleaning wait even though instinctively I would clean first. We got our pictures done and a video made and I began a whirlwind of cleaning. Took a two hour break when Alaska went down for her nap and began again as soon as we ate lunch afterwards. Everything was adorable and supercute by 5 pm and I could finally calm down and think about getting myself ready. Dominique had offered to come early and take Alaska to get frozen yogurt and I am so glad I took her up on it. The half hour they were gone I put left-over pizza in the oven and got dolled up.
The party started at 6:30 when grandma great and grandpa great came through the door with David. It was nice to have some time with just them as Alaska got over being a little shy and excitedly pointed to grandma great's shirt that had kitties on it. The party got bigger and more people came and we had just enough seats for everyone even though a couple of people stood. There was plenty of floor and folding chair that never got unfolded. It was so wonderful to have a house full of people who love on that baby girl and spoil her to death.
I didn't even have to serve cake or icecream. The teenagers were anxious to get that started and I helped Alaska with any 'extra sticky tape' that kept her from opening her presents. She had a blast of being the center of attention and only slowed down on the present opening when she opened a bag of candy and needed to take a little break to sample it all.
It was definitely a different time than what we had last year at her birthday with just Steve and I but they have both proven to be just as special. As long as we've got family this close I don't see any need to be inviting friends over for birthdays. That would just make too much of a crowd. But I do suppose people do a Sunday dinner with family and a birthday party with friends. Either way, I've got another year before I need to worry about that.
Saturday, January 18, 2014
January 17th
Tricky part of having my writing time in the middle of the day is that sometimes my day hasn't been too eventful as of yet in the middle of the day. So even if I write in past tense, saying yesterday and all that, I really am talking about the 17th. It just happens that I am writing on the 18th.
Yesterday afternoon I went to Steve's work to get my biometric screening done for an incentive. It was pretty cool. They took a little blood and found out all this cool stuff about me. Like how super duper healthy I am. Which was awesome. The next part of this deal to get the incentive is to go type all my numbers in a program that will tell me what I need to do to improve my numbers. I will interested to see what it thinks I should do as there was nothing questionable and nothing even within 5 points of being questionable. I was pretty much right in the middle of 'normal' or 'optimum'. Go me!
I was really nervous about it all because you had to fast for it. Right now I am off of my eating every 2 hours schedule but am currently on an eating every 4 hours schedule or I get terribly sick and end up visiting the bathroom and dryheaving into the toilet because everything has digested. Add a headache to that, that tylenol doesn't help, and you've got one unhappy sicky. Hence why I was nervous to take this test. But I said a prayer and did it.
Our appointment was in the afternoon so we were allowed a light breakfast. I am so confused now when I hear light. As in, does it mean a 'small' breakfast or a breakfast low in carbs? I ate oatmeal and a glass of raspberry tea. And then prayed. Seriously prayed. And put all my money down that I could make until 1:30 without food, to account for people going before me and getting out of there to somewhere where I could eat and all that. I got there an hour early and was LIVID when the manager went before me. Who did he think he was, cutting a pregnant lady?! I was furious. But then it was my turn and I came out of it ok and ran straight to the car where my goldfish crackers were waiting.
Last night I had the opportunity to go do baptisms with the youth. I was the only young women leader there and I don't know what the other three were doing, but they seriously missed out. I remember how special it was for me when I was a youth and my leaders were there. I loved seeing them in white and the peace that was all around us. And I also loved seeing different varieties of temple dresses. Which is one big reason why when I was able to choose my own temple dress I thought back to one that one of my leaders had worn and wanted one similar.
We had three girls that were going for their first time and I loved helping them with their simple questions and having one of them say, "That was so cool. I am definitely coming again." She had been a little apprehensive about the whole trip just because she likes to know what to expect and what to do next and everything.
To volunteer in the baptismal font they needed three workers, one to guide the girls when to go, another to help them out of the font and hand out a towel and a last to help them with the shower and make sure they have another dry towel and their suits are where they need to be and everything.
This last job. That is what I have ALWAYS dreamed of doing. I know. It's weird. But true. I have done baptisms before where that volunteer is missing and it was absolutely miserable. It's so nice to have someone there to catch your wet suit and wring it out for you and then hand you a dry towel and hold your key for you while you're in the shower so you don't lose it stripping your wet clothes off. It also gave me the chance to whisper to each girl about what they were feeling as we were in the locker room and not out where the baptisms were being performed. They are all such sweet hearts.
I went and changed in the locker room upstairs but next time I will definitely just use the same locker room as the girls. I couldn't hardly find my way anywhere! When I came down the girls weren't out of the chapel yet where one of the workers was giving a spiritual message. I had a chance to get to know my area and where the towels were and how to change the mop and all that before they came and that was nice. I smiled at them all when they entered and ushered them to their seats to wait to get jumpsuits and three of them commented on how beautiful my dress was. And I secretly hoped that when they all had the chance to be sealed in the temple they would be able to choose their own dress instead of having to wear one of the rented ones.
On our way home we stopped at Dairy Queen and each kid had 3$ they could use to get a treat. I was able to connect with one of the Laurels over our icecream and that felt really good, just alone. I had gotten to spend so much precious time with each girl while I helped them at the temple that evening but even if I had not gotten to do any of that and was only able to have that 30 mins with that one particular girl, it would have been a win for the night. I have tried so hard to connect with each girl. To spend some amount of quality time learning about each one and this is near to one of the last. I was nervous that I would never get to because she's a hard egg to reach. But I did it! And it was wonderful and Sundays are going to be much better now. It's just so special to walk into a classroom filled with friends instead of just girls that you are going to teach.
Yesterday afternoon I went to Steve's work to get my biometric screening done for an incentive. It was pretty cool. They took a little blood and found out all this cool stuff about me. Like how super duper healthy I am. Which was awesome. The next part of this deal to get the incentive is to go type all my numbers in a program that will tell me what I need to do to improve my numbers. I will interested to see what it thinks I should do as there was nothing questionable and nothing even within 5 points of being questionable. I was pretty much right in the middle of 'normal' or 'optimum'. Go me!
I was really nervous about it all because you had to fast for it. Right now I am off of my eating every 2 hours schedule but am currently on an eating every 4 hours schedule or I get terribly sick and end up visiting the bathroom and dryheaving into the toilet because everything has digested. Add a headache to that, that tylenol doesn't help, and you've got one unhappy sicky. Hence why I was nervous to take this test. But I said a prayer and did it.
Our appointment was in the afternoon so we were allowed a light breakfast. I am so confused now when I hear light. As in, does it mean a 'small' breakfast or a breakfast low in carbs? I ate oatmeal and a glass of raspberry tea. And then prayed. Seriously prayed. And put all my money down that I could make until 1:30 without food, to account for people going before me and getting out of there to somewhere where I could eat and all that. I got there an hour early and was LIVID when the manager went before me. Who did he think he was, cutting a pregnant lady?! I was furious. But then it was my turn and I came out of it ok and ran straight to the car where my goldfish crackers were waiting.
Last night I had the opportunity to go do baptisms with the youth. I was the only young women leader there and I don't know what the other three were doing, but they seriously missed out. I remember how special it was for me when I was a youth and my leaders were there. I loved seeing them in white and the peace that was all around us. And I also loved seeing different varieties of temple dresses. Which is one big reason why when I was able to choose my own temple dress I thought back to one that one of my leaders had worn and wanted one similar.
We had three girls that were going for their first time and I loved helping them with their simple questions and having one of them say, "That was so cool. I am definitely coming again." She had been a little apprehensive about the whole trip just because she likes to know what to expect and what to do next and everything.
To volunteer in the baptismal font they needed three workers, one to guide the girls when to go, another to help them out of the font and hand out a towel and a last to help them with the shower and make sure they have another dry towel and their suits are where they need to be and everything.
This last job. That is what I have ALWAYS dreamed of doing. I know. It's weird. But true. I have done baptisms before where that volunteer is missing and it was absolutely miserable. It's so nice to have someone there to catch your wet suit and wring it out for you and then hand you a dry towel and hold your key for you while you're in the shower so you don't lose it stripping your wet clothes off. It also gave me the chance to whisper to each girl about what they were feeling as we were in the locker room and not out where the baptisms were being performed. They are all such sweet hearts.
I went and changed in the locker room upstairs but next time I will definitely just use the same locker room as the girls. I couldn't hardly find my way anywhere! When I came down the girls weren't out of the chapel yet where one of the workers was giving a spiritual message. I had a chance to get to know my area and where the towels were and how to change the mop and all that before they came and that was nice. I smiled at them all when they entered and ushered them to their seats to wait to get jumpsuits and three of them commented on how beautiful my dress was. And I secretly hoped that when they all had the chance to be sealed in the temple they would be able to choose their own dress instead of having to wear one of the rented ones.
On our way home we stopped at Dairy Queen and each kid had 3$ they could use to get a treat. I was able to connect with one of the Laurels over our icecream and that felt really good, just alone. I had gotten to spend so much precious time with each girl while I helped them at the temple that evening but even if I had not gotten to do any of that and was only able to have that 30 mins with that one particular girl, it would have been a win for the night. I have tried so hard to connect with each girl. To spend some amount of quality time learning about each one and this is near to one of the last. I was nervous that I would never get to because she's a hard egg to reach. But I did it! And it was wonderful and Sundays are going to be much better now. It's just so special to walk into a classroom filled with friends instead of just girls that you are going to teach.
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