November 8th

November 2009 had marked one year since Michael and I decided to start having children...

It was a Sunday morning, November 8th, and I woke up debating about whether or not to take a pregnancy test. It would be my 5th or 6th time trying...I honestly stopped counting after the first few attempts. I didn't have any symptoms, but I just wanted to know just in case there was that small chance of being pregnant.

On this particular morning, Michael wasn't home yet because he was working a graveyard shift and he still had about another hour until he came home. I never liked to take a pregnancy tests while he was there anyway, because I never wanted him to see the heartache in my eyes every time it came up negative, so it was nothing new to not have him there.

So, I took a test...and then I saw something that I had never seen before, a very faint, second line which means positive. Before I got excited, I thought...no way...so I took another...there it was again, that second line that was barely there. I'm thinking, if they want you to know you're pregnant wouldn't they make that second line super bright, or have some recording that says, YAY! Congratulations you're going to be a MOMMY!!! But no...a tiny, little, extremely faint second line...dumb...I needed more proof! It was just TOO good to be true! So a somewhat flustered Rosalie, not really knowing what to do with herself, called up Michael to see how far he was from home. In his normal excited tone he said, "I'm on the road now!". I always loved hearing those words come out of his mouth because that meant he made it through another day of work and he was coming home to me. I stayed calm, not mentioning anything, and happily told him that I'd see him soon!

Since he works about thirty minutes away, I thought...okay...okay...just enough time to run to the store REALLY quick, and get one of those fancy, digital tests that have a little screen that say, "Pregnant", and "Not Pregnant". So off I went, still trying to hold back the biggest excitement of my life. I got the test, took it the moment I walked in the door...oh wait...I had to down some water first, which was a little frustrating, but after a few minutes I was able to take it ha ha ha ha...and...you guessed it. It said "Pregnant"! I remember reading these words and being in disbelief and amazement...stunned, shocked, speechless, thoughtless (if that's possible) and SO much more. But I had to put all of those emotions aside because I had plans on how I wanted to tell the Daddy to be, so that meant I couldn't cry yet, or even freak out because that would give it away and he would to know the moment he saw me. (Side note: This was NOT an easy task!)

Let's go back about 9 months...around Easter time was one of the many times I thought I was pregnant. So I started to figure out how I wanted to tell Michael. I made him this really nice book. The kind you create online, that looks like an actual book that you'd find in a library. The title was Celebrate Everyday Life and on the last page I wrote:

Everyday life is good, because everyday is spent with you. Everyday is a blessing as we live together as husband and wife, and soon to be
MOMMY & DADDY!
Love, Beautiful and "BABY"

So after I took the third test, I got the book ready. Starting to get a little impatient to tell him the big news, I called him one more time to see where he was and he was almost home. I told him that I had a late birthday gift for him so "hurry"! (His birthday is Sept. 11)

I impatiently laid in bed with the book under a pillow, and the tests hidden by my bed stand. Finally, a very tired Michael walks in, but I could tell that he was excited for his gift (I pretty much always give the best gifts, so how could he not be!? ha ha ha) I revealed the book and he smiles (later I find out that his thoughts when he saw the book were, "Ummm...how many books can I get?" ha ha ha In his defense, I kind of do make him a lot of things like that...but what can I say, I'm extremely sentimental!) So he started reading...and I waited what seemed like an eternity for him to get the last page and when he finally got there he read it and says, "Awww...thank you!" and gives me a hug. Bewildered Rosalie: "Did you read it!?" (Thinking...does he get it!?) Michael: "Yes"...and he obviously didn't completely put it together, and then I pulled out the tests, and broke down into the happiest cry I had ever cried in my entire life. The Daddy to be finally knew that he was a DADDY TO BE!

I remember crying and crying as we held each other, knowing that our lives had changed forever. It took a minute or two for Michael to digest everything, and there was some shock on his face, but that shock soon turned into an amazing joy, and at that moment we were the two luckiest people on Earth...The moment we had waited for, for many months, days, and weeks, had finally come.

Since that moment, it has been pure bliss. I've never seen Michael more excited for anything, and I'm sure he could say the same for me. I'll never forget what he put on my Mother's Day card, "Thank you for giving me a son...thank you for choosing to become a Mommy".

I will never forget that day...it has brought me to so many unforgettable days...when I heard his heartbeat for the first time, when I found out the baby was going to be a precious little boy, when I felt him move...

I've never felt more blessed in my life.

And they lived Happily Ever After

I haven't been keeping up on my own life, but yesterday was a very special day for two people, and I feel like I need to write about that while it is fresh in my mind...

Yesterday, two of my dear friends were married and sealed for all time and eternity.

I've known Jeff and Kelly for many years now, about eight years all together. I met Jeff in high school through church. We were in the same seminary class and later became better friends through choir and drama. I met Kelly through shenanigans when I was about 17, and being that she is six years younger than me, she took on the role of a little sister, and later became a best friend. I immediately fell in love with her family, and I have always seen the Miller family as my very own. Mari, Granny, Nelson, and Virginia will always have a special place in my heart. It was great to share Kelly's wedding day with them, and see their beaming smiles as they watched their baby girl, all dressed in white, take the big step of becoming a wife.

Jeff and Kelly had a permanent smile the whole day (for Kelly, that's pretty much the norm, but imagine an even bigger smile!!). Throughout the whole day, everyone could see the love that they had for each other. There is no way to describe how beautiful Kelly looked, and Jeff...well let's just say that Jeff is a VERY lucky man!

I had the honor of being a part of the best bridal party that there ever was. On the brides side, we had a sister, a room mate, a life long friend, a high school friend, and two friends from Shenanigans. All who have grown very close to Kelly and love her so much! It was a fun group of girls, and it was fun getting to know them. It was a special time for all of us as we did her make up and hair and got her ready for one of the biggest days in her life. Jeff had five close friends from church, and his brother. They all have the same goofy and fun personality like Jeff, and it made for some good times while we took pictures, party'd at the reception, and spent the day together.

Being at the San Diego temple, where Michael and I were married about four years ago, really made me think back to when we had our big day. I thought back about how wonderful that day was, and how that was the beginning of us. It doesn't really feel like it was that long ago, and I think that's partly because I'm still in love with him as much as I was when we got married (times 10)...but even more...we have grown so much since then, experienced many "things" (for lack of better words) and are now ready and about to take the next big step in our lives, parenthood.

I'm so excited for Jeff and Kelly to know the happiness of marriage and to be able to spend the rest of eternity together as man and wife. I love them both so much, and know that they will live "happily ever after".