The First Trimester

I thought it would be the best of times. But all because of Caeser Salad, Chinese food, with a little bit of flying it has sometimes not been exactly what I thought;) I wasn't sick for the first 8 weeks was absolutely wonderful and then BOOM! I ate Caeser salad and hugged the toilet for 24hours straight. I later read that Caeser Salad dressing is a no no because of the raw egg. If I only knew! It was the first thing that really made me sick. From that point on, one thing after another...PF Changs, Chipotle, Sam Pan, BLT's, bean burrito's, apple juice....etc! Baby strongly dislikes. One night I met the Sister Missionaries I served with and we went to dinner at FIVE GUYS. Within minutes of driving away I got sick! What I crave? Potatoes! Poor Chase, potato patties, mashed potatoes, potatoes fried in olive oil with a side of ketchup, and the list goes on!!! One day I had all 3 of those things for breakfast, lunch, and dinner! and so did Chase! He teases me about it but what he doesn't tell people is that he was so grateful for the food. That's one reason I love him so much. He is always grateful for everything I cook. My first flight being pregnant was to Minnesota to tell our parent's the exciting news and Chase was going to be having surgery. I didn't get sick on the way there because I was flying with Chase but I did on my way home. I had to fly back early because I was starting my job with Delta. Chase was going to be having surgery. On the way there, the flight offered fresh baked chocolate chip cookies and I gave mine to Chase. I am trying to do everything to eat healthy. For a snack Chase always asks me what I wanted and thought what was best for baby. See why he is going to be such a good dad? He is so caring and the baby isn't even born yet. If it is healthy he will ask me if I want it since I pass off the junk to him. Although, as time went on in the pregnancy I have just ate whatever sounds good. Including unhealthy junk. The morning sickness lasted approximately 8 weeks and now that I am almost 20 weeks I definitely don't feel sick or crave much of anything. Potatoes were definitely a faze!:) I just feel blessed to not be sick 24/7 like some women. Either way, the little morning sickness is a small moment in time and the outcome is what makes all of this worth it!:)

11 weeks and counting

March 7th, 2011

Chase's eye's filled with tears...I couldn't stop smiling and it became more real.

We saw our baby kick, wave its arms, and blow us a kiss..lol. Doesnt it look like the lips are puckered up?! When we sent this picture to my mother in-law she said it looks like a girl already! Chase is going to be the best dad. I tell him daily. I am so blessed and life gets better and better each day. I never knew life could be soo good. Boy or girl? We wont know for another 6 months but we are so thrilled to find out!

JOY

It was a Sunday evening, January 16th, 2011 to be exact. I had some Sister's from the mission over for dinner and it was so much fun. Chase went to our friend's so it could "just be us girls" and it was so good to just talk and catch up!  After they left I took a pregnancy test just because I could and it was only 1 line which means you are not pregnant. I threw it away, went to bed, and thought nothing of it. Until the next morning I got to throw away a Q-TIP and I noticed something I didn't see the night before..2 lines?! What?! I took it out of the garbage and surprise!! There were really 2 lines. They say a pregnancy test is void after 10 minutes so I took another one just to make sure. Sure enough instead of this something like this (-) there was this (=)...for the 2nd time. So Monday was Presidents Day and Chase had to work. I had not yet started with Delta so I had a brilliant idea of telling Chase by making a video with the song from Brad Paisley "Anything Like Me". The first couple times I heard it I knew that is how I wanted to tell Chase he was going to be a daddy! I just needed the day to do it! He got off early and I was bummed because I was not finished gathering every picture to fit the lyrics of the song! I held it in all day thinking I could finish the video later in the day by telling him I had to finish a project for his birthday!:) So that is exactly what I did! Before I knew it the night had come and gone and I was not finished with placing the pictures in the exact spot! Since I could not hold it in till the next day I told him by writing on our bathroom mirror #1DAD times 2. He was watching T.V. and all throughout every commercial I would ask him if he was ready for bed. It seemed like 10 hours later I heard him start to come up the stairs and into our bedroom. I stayed by the bed and waited for him to proceed into our bathroom. That was the moment. He turned the light on. Studied the mirror. Was a little confused. Asked me if I was pregnant as his eyes were filling with tears face.  I'm not sure if mine were at the moment or not! It was such a memorable moment and yes...we are having a baby!

Here is the final video I showed Chase the next day...

D is for DELTA!

5 weeks of training has come and gone! We had a total of 4 tests and needed to average a total of 85 to pass the training class. Thankfully, test after test, and day after day I passed! Chase would help me study my city codes and was very supportive. He was also proud of me:) I felt like I was in Kindergarten! We started training January 24th and now we are strictly taking phone calls! Yes, I get paid for talking on the phone:) Such a blessing! It is the simple joys in life that make me count my many blessings!!;)

The City So Nice They Named it TWICE!:)

December 17th 2010, I came home from serving my mission and the last time I updated my blog I also wanted to write about the day we flew home and all the feelings I felt that day. But I never did! Now spring has arrived and it reminds me of when I opened my mission call. Wow time flies. To take you on a little of the journey with me with was the video of the day I opened my call.

 

 From opening my mission call to getting released as a missionary my life will never be the same. It was 3 years ago today. Of course it is common to hear that a mission changes lives.  Not only is that true but to be more specific it was the people we taught that changed my life. Along with my companions. And my mission Presidents. On December 17th, 2010 when I got off the plane and was greeted by my brother at the gate, I was happy. But I was sad. SO many mixed emotions. We went to my house and my mom pulled up shortly after us..she had just got off of work. I was so happy and excited to see her, to tell her everything a letter can't.. joyful to be more specific, but then sad!;) Do I sound bipolar!? Haha. I will never experience the emotions that a mission entails. (Or so I thought;)) But truly it is just so wonderful. When mom took me that night to get set apart by President Naatjes I remember him asking me a few questions...
"What did you love most about your mission"
My response: As my lip quivers. The people. My heart is full of love I never knew was possible for knowing in such a little amount of time. Oh how I had missed them already and I wasn't even home for a total of 5 hours.
"What was the hardest part"
My response: As my lip quivers. My companions. I went on my mission thinking I get along with EVERYONE and there is no one I don't get along with! But I learned when you are with someone 24hours and attached at the hip...it can be easy in some instances to not get along!! lol! Mom also said "well and you mentioned on the way here being tired" Again, as my lip quivers...I reply explaining how I was purely exhausted, mentally, emotionally, physically. But somehow I was given the strength to go on and exhaustion would go away morning after morning at 6:30am!:) Heavenly Father truly made sure the work would go forth. What I like say (sing) to that is, "Yes I Know Heavenly Father Loves Me!"
One of the last questions,
"Was there 1 person in particular you feel you were suppose to meet?"
 My response: As my lip quivers! Guillaume, Maritza, Chantel...and the list goes on!!! But I proceeded to tell him about Guillaume to stick with one:) To make a long story short. Guillaume is from Haiti. Speaks Creole. and my companion was his 3rd cousin once removed. Meeting, teaching, and witnessing Guillaume get baptized was meant to be in the short 6 weeks Sister Dantes and I were together. :)
After a short review to President Naatjes, I was told I can take off my black name tag. I slowly but surely removed my tag.... As my lip quivers.  I was no longer a missionary for the thing I love the most.
I know I keep talking about my lip quivering but it couldn't be more real. Every memory and everything we talked about made me cry tears of joy and my lip quiver!:)  and laugh. and smile. Oh how I cherish every memory and thought about my mission. It was such a blessing in my life and still is. My life will never be the same...:)

And Two Are Becoming Three;)

I can't get our 11 week ultrasound picture to download but I will try again soon!