What's New?

(Here's the most recent belly shot at 19.4 wks...)

Well Thanksgiving has come and gone and along with it our fun-filled, relaxing week in Utah. We had so much fun at Erin's wedding with Nathan's family and then at my sister's house with my family. I couldn't have asked for more. My parents came out from Virginia and we pretty much just ate good food and took turns playing with little Jake the entire week! It was awesome. Oh and I can't forget to mention--we did go see Twilight! We even managed to convince Dad, Nathan and Wes to come along! Jake liked it too... I think he especially liked being dressed in Twilight colors to match all the girls...sorry buddy...you'll have some say in life when you're older. Haha. It was a great week and I can't wait for the next time we all get together! Let's just say I was a little on the grumpy side the entire 9 hr drive back to Arizona. Sorry Nathan. I've made a New Year's Resolution to be more optimistic about Arizona though...so I'll do better...promise.

Thanksgiving Day...mmmmm

TWILIGHT!

Family picture at Thanksgiving

Another bit of news that we were blessed with the day before Thanksgiving was that Nathan had gotten the Air Force scholarship for Dental School. That basically means that he works as an Air Force Dentist for three years after he graduates and they pay for these next three years of school...plus we get a monthly stipend for living. I think it's a pretty good deal. And growing up in an Air Force family I'm used to the lifestyle. So we are excited about that. For some reason my desire to continue working part-time after the baby comes is constantly diminishing :). (who am I kidding...I never had a desire to keep working regardless!...hah!) But the Air Force is helping that be even more of a possibility right now and I'm ok with that.

Since Thanksgiving it's pretty much been back to school for Nathan and back to work for me. Nathan did very well his first quarter of school and is such a trooper...seeing him constantly studying definitely makes me so glad to be done with school. But he's always the positive one in our marriage...never worries about things like I do...just does what he has to do and rarely complains. He's an example to me and I'm so grateful for all of his hard work.

Last week Nathan had his White Coat Ceremony (all the health professions students are given white coats, make an oath, and prepare to enter their health fields). Apparently this is a pretty big deal, but of course Nathan was telling me for weeks not to switch my shifts to be there (don't worry I did it anyways)...he didn't even want to go himself. Typical. I told him to find out if all of his classmates were going...he comes home the day before the ceremony and tells me that people's parents are flying in for the thing! So of course, despite my nagging, he waits until the day of to call his sisters in Mesa and tell them about it (3 hrs before to be exact!). I felt so bad. Nobody was able to come at that point...and I know his mom would have come down from Vegas had she known. It was a lesson to me to take control in these situations in the future! Oh well...Nathan still could have cared less who was there...to him he felt like he hadn't really accomplished anything yet. But it was a nice ceremony and Nathan donned his white coat (the sleeves of which were up to his elbows! oops!). I'm very proud of him and to all of his family...don't worry you will know about his graduation in advance!

Nathan and a few of his buddies from Dental School

That same night we went and made gingerbread/winter wonderland creations at some friends house. Nathan created a pretty intense snowball fight scene between snowmen and gummi bears. We also went to this house in the area where this guy creates all of these christmas decorations and goes all out decorating his entire house (Christmas Vacation style!). He then opens his home to the public from Thanksgiving through Christmas. It was pretty cool.

This is us at the Christmas House

And here's Nathan with his Snowmen vs. Gummi Bears Snowball Fight

So that's what we've been up to. We're planning on going up to Oregon the day after Christmas to be with Nathan's family. I work Christmas Day-night. And we'll spend Christmas Eve and morning with Brooke and her family in Mesa. It should be good.

Baby update: nothing new. Still pluggin along. I'm coming up on 20 wks on Tuesday! Half-way there! And the belly is growing. My doctor said he was a little soccer player in there...moving around like crazy (I'm a little worried he's already got too much of his dad in him). I love feeling the little movements. It's such a fun thing. Nothing too elaborate yet...just little taps..."mom...am I done yet? tap, tap...can I come out?" haha...I know, I'm crazy.

This was a belly shot at Thanksgiving...17 wks-ish