Lately,The Growing Bump, and MORE!

The day after we returned from Utah for Faith's wedding, I took my nursing final for the semester. It was a bugger. I couldn't have studied any harder for it and done any better. I discovered with my first semester of nursing school that the material isn't very hard so far, it's basic and uncomplicated, but the tests are so hard. Very subjective, select "all" that apply, and you may be thinking throughout the test, "which teacher is asking this question, because it will impact how I answer it." They don't seem to be straight forward like I am used to, 1+1=2. I like those questions better, if you know the material, you get it right! Not in nursing school! Everyone felt the same way, it was a tough test. I made it through though! It only brought my grade down by one percentage point and didn't affect my letter grade. So, I was happy about that. By way of school, specifically nursing school, I did get a very pleasant surprise in the mail about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I am going to have a scholarship for the next school year! VERY excited to have that. Every little, or big bit helps.

Greg's favorite thing to do is to rock climb. Out here in Colorado, we haven't gotten the hang of the area and it takes us 2-4 times as long to not only drive to the climbing locations, but we also usually have hikes that take 30 minutes to an hour. All of this is great, but if you work full time and have other things going on it seems to take a back seat. I feel bad about this because all he does when he has a free moment at home is watch climbing videos and read climbing blogs. I know he misses it and I want him to have more chances to go! To complicate feeding his hobby, I no longer fit in my harness, so he has doesn't have anybody to go with either.

When we got our tax return back this year, I took a chunk money out of it, and bought Greg a plan ticket to Salt Lake City on Memorial Day weekend as an early Father's day gift. I wanted it to be a surprise. I reached two of his buddies to arrange a pick up at the airport and suggested they make it a climbing extravaganza weekend! They were both going to be in town and have work off, it was a done deal.  So, we came up with an elaborate story to surprise him. I look back, I realize my story was stupid and there had to have been a much better way to surprise him but it is what I thought of at the time! I told him Trevor was flying into town, to take work off that afternoon, and I had bought a ticket to a surprise him and Trevor with that night that he wouldn't want to miss. Because it was Memorial Day weekend, I was concerned it would be tough to get the time off. I bought the ticket months in advance and told Greg to get the time off. I followed up to make sure he had gotten the time off. He said it was fine and taken care of. Relief, right!? Not so fast!

Two days before his flight. I start getting messages from Greg about the time of Trevor's flight and how late we could leave. His flight was at 4:30. I thought maybe he was prying, trying to get it out of me. It came out that he didn't have the time off, and so many other people had taken the time off and his request had been denied. I had no idea what to do, and the ticket prices had of course gone way up. I could switch his flight for free but we would have been paying almost twice as much as what I bought the ticket for. I was so bummed, and Greg felt terrible. He was planning to work extra hours that week to make up for the time off. It is called "AET" time and is never a problem to get off. In addition to that, Greg has never worked in an environment where people actually like to take work off during the holdiays. It's not like serving tables where the holidays bring more traffic, and more money, so everybody wants to work. He entered his request to AET his time off and the response was, sorry, too many people need it off. Even with a little additonal asking his manager said no. I was so disappointed, I wasn't sure how to keep the surprise going. I thought, maybe if she knew we were surprising him she would make an exception.

I told him. He wasn't even excited about his gift because he was so bummed that he couldn't get the time off. He decided to talk to his boss and tell her the story. Well, she laughed at him and said, "you have to go! We will work it out here." Whew! Greg could then get excited about his trip! I am through with these surprises with elaborate stories! We kept it a secret for two months, two days before, I had to ruin it. What a bummer, but the most important thing is....he had a lot of fun.

At the Denver Airport...he is on his way! Next time, I want to go with him. I really missed him while he was gone.

I love a good love note. Greg is so good about sending them to me. He never posts on facebook though, so this was a particularly fun love note!

Here he is, making the journey over the creek to the climbing spot. I love American Fork Canyon!
Happy Father's Day to my sweetheart, who I know is very excited to be a father, and will be very good at it.


I got a job at the end of February to work for Banner Health Systems here in Colorado. When I got the job,  it seemed to be the perfect fit. It was per Diem, at the hospital, and paid better then any job I have had since 2006 at my first job once I got my bachelor's degree. The only problem is, what sounded like a job that would provide flexibility and could keep me busy ended up not being either. They had no shifts for me and I got the run around quite a bit from my assigned scheduler. She would just repeat herself each time and make promises. Well, it wasn't all bad since I was busy with school. I didn't worry too much about it because she had told me there was work in Brush right about the time I was finishing up my semester. She never did give me the shifts. I was so bummed. I needed a job and I needed one fast so I could work until our little baby comes. We needed to be able to save money to pay for the remaining part of our trip to Boston, pay the last wave of medical bills we would have after the delivery, and to buy all the many things you have to get when a little one comes your way.

My mom suggested I try substitute teaching! So, I did! It turned out great, it took them only a couple days to complete my background check and said they were short and needed substitutes BAD. We choked down the $50 you have to pay in order to get the background check and the first day I was available came around and no phone call. No shifts, nothing. REALLY!!???? Seriously!? I was so upset. The next day, same thing. GRRRRRRRRR!!! Now, I was angry. Then it happened, my next two weeks filled up with jobs to work at a few schools in Greeley. I only worked two weeks in the school district because school was ending but at least I was working. By the end of the two weeks, my other job called me! Can you say, PERFECT TIMING? They wanted me to start on the Tuesday after Memorial Day. Wow! The two jobs molded together with perfect timing. I was able to work at one until it was over, and start another. I am still working now with banner. I have been working 32 hours a week and they have me scheduled up until I am due to deliver. I know that is not a coincidence. God really cares about us, what a miracle! And what a relief!

The ladies at my temporary job are fantastic! They have all told me their labor and delivery stories and I figure this is the best place for me to be when I do go in to labor if I am not around Greg at the time. I can consult 6 mothers! Perfect. So, we joke about it a lot and they are always asking me how I am feeling. I feel pretty good. I get really hot, really swollen, and achy but I am one lucky girl. I really have a pretty comfortable pregnancy. She hangs out just right in there and I sleep fairly well at night and I have a decent amount of energy in my last trimester.

Here are my nutty professor feet and ankles! It looks like I rolled my ankle in the first picture. That is pretty much what they look like these days with a few exceptions. They always look better and feel better after a walk with some tight socks on. The second picture was when they first started swelling, ou can see that my left forefoot is looking pretty funky. Cracks me up, I don't even feel like these feet are mine. What happened to my feet!?

My growing baby bump, I am putting them in order from newest to oldest picture. I am from 30-35 weeks in all of the pictures.

Right before heading into a session at the Salt Lake Temple. I think this was one of the most beautiful days  in Salt Lake City. Flowers were in full bloom and it wasn't super hot yet. 

 Same dress, different location and day!

Selfies of baby bumps! Check out that really nice, from the early 80's bathroom floor!  Our apartment may not be fancy and updated, but it is cheap, clean, and our landlord is amazing.

 

 

On a walk with my sister, Paige, one morning. 

We stopped at a malt shop and got some ice cream and headed down this sidewalk to Windsor lake. A pretty little area with a walking path around it.

I am terrible at decorating, and I don't really spend money on decorations very much. I have had a few projects that I am excited about for Tess's room.

Before...

First coat...

A black top. But I really wanted a weathered look, so back to the store and a week later since apparently there is "drying" time for paint. And I wanted to get it perfect so... wait we did! 

The weathered look....

Why not? I'll put the application on the base of her lamp. Turned out really cute. 

After! I was planning on getting new hardware, but we actually like the old ones painted black. They have a fun look and funky accent to them.

Here I am showing off her little clothes! So much room in this dresser, it is wonderful!

I also decided to "weather"  her bow holder. I love these cute bows Angie and Cori got for her at my shower. I have seen them at Target, but never go them because my bow obsession is ridiculous so I am trying to stick with what I got right when we found out we were having a girl. I have been fairly successful. But I was sure excited to see the cute, colorful bows on the gift they got for me!  All the bows I ordered online from this wholesale store are BIG. I like big, but I also like cute and little. Thank you! I made this little bow holder from a frame I pick up at a thrift store. I started with the small bows and figured I'd place the rest of them on random places on the frame....

Goodness!!! Turns out I need a bigger frame, a MUCH bigger frame.  It turned out to be a cute accent and adds some extra color to her room. Down below you see all the bows that are attached to a head band with the array of colorful headbands inside the glass container. Make for endless possibilities! 

This "Uncle Trevor's" chair. It was his gift to us for Tess. We were going to get a glider, but it was so hard to find a decent one for a decent price. We sacrifice room to have this large, comfy, rocker/recliner but I think it will be worth every penny. Well, worth every penny from Trevor. We got it for the same price of the bottom of the line gliders we were looking at. What a perfect place to snooze, right? Just in case? It'll last us forever and it'll be so comfy to rock her in, along with all of our other kids who will come along in the next few years. Thanks Uncle Trevor! A poor medical student who gave up some of his research grant money to give us something really nice. So many people are really helping us to get everything we need (and who am I kidding...and what we WANT) for this little girl we can't wait to meet. The anticipation is overwhelming! We can't wait to stare at her beautiful face and kiss her sweet little cheeks.