My husband...the soon to be Daddy

As I was thinking about what to write on this wonderful Father's Day, I thought it would be fun to write down all the reasons why I think Michael is going to make an amazing Daddy. He is almost an official Dad, actually any day now it will become official, so I guess right now are my last few moments to ponder on why I think he's GOING to be an amazing Dad, and then next year I can write about how he IS an amazing Dad! (=

• Ever since I've been pregnant, there is an excitement that I have seen in him that I have never seen before.
  
• He LOVES babies! I think he may even love them more than me.
  
• Whenever we are around my friends babies he'll play with them.
  
• He's patient...he's married to me...he HAS to be (and likewise LOL sorry, I just HAD to throw that in ha ha ha)
• He's very energetic, playful and fun loving. I know that our kids will LOVE to play with their Daddy.
• He is very protective. I know that our kids will feel extremely safe and protected by their Daddy. I know that I do.
• Every time we are with babies, or little kids he loves to teach them little things just to see if they can do it, like sticking out their tongues, or blowing bubbles in the water and what not. He has a LOT of fun with this! ha ha ha ha
  
• Most importantly, he has a strong testimony and knowledge of the gospel and he will teach our children to love the gospel.

There is so much more that I can add to this list, but all in all I want to say that I am SO incredibly grateful, for not the only the husband that I have, but for the Father he is going to be.

My Last Day of Work

Many people would give anything to have their "Last day of work", or have a different job, or just have a job that they like...but I've had the honor and pleasure of working for the Town of Apple Valley for the past 4 years and I've absolutely loved it. I love working with the community, seeing the town grow, being able to learn different skills, and so much more. Although I won't be giving up work completely, it's a strange feeling to know that this part of my life is coming to an end...I'm moving on to motherhood!

Part of the reason I've loved my job so much is because I've made a special friend along the way. Who ever thought that you could become best friends with your boss, but I did. Everyday we would work in close quarters, and it didn't take long for us to become close friends. I've learned so much from her, and she's really helped me to grow. I'm grateful for her and know that we will be life long friends.

Last night something hit me a little harder than it ever has before. I've definitely thought about how Michael and I soon won't be alone much longer, but last night, for the first time, I was kind of sad about it. We've had about four wonderful years together, just him and I, and there was even many years before then. We've known each other for almost ten years now, and although those past ten years we weren't always together, we were never known as parents, but just us (if that makes sense). Now the time has come and soon we are going to be bringing life into this world and it's going to be the most amazing thing ever. I know it's going to be life changing, and more than I could ever expect, but one thing for sure is that the relationship between Michael and I will change. I don't mean that in a negative way, AT ALL, but it will be a big change in our lives. Don't get me wrong, we can't wait for a little man to arrive. We are counting down the days, hours and minutes, and we look forward to and are so incredibly thankful for this is amazing blessing.

Last night I cuddled with Michael and I told him, "I'm going to miss it just being you and I." He innocently replies, "Ya, you're going to have a new love of your life" And then I told him, "But you will always be my number one!" I told him that we'll still have to hang out, with just him and I! These feelings DO NOT take away from the excitement of having our little Hunter, but it seems like we've learned about more and more cases where the wife/mother, forget about their husbands because they are so infatuated with their children. It's not healthy. Heavenly Father first gave me a husband and then we will have our dear, sweet children. We will raise them together, as a team, and we will be a foundation for them to rely on. How could we do that if we are not one? Husband and wife time is so important and it makes me sad to see mothers who have forgotten that. I will be attached to my children (How could I not be!?) But I'm already attached to my husband and will be forever. Besides, before we know it, our kids will grow, and then it will be just Michael and I again. These feelings and thoughts DO NOT take away from motherhood whatsoever, but I hope that mothers/wives remember to keep a strong and eternal bond with their husband so that they may raise their children together as one.

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".

Well...I'm packing for the hospital. I have just about one month left so I decided that I better get ready. Doing stuff like this makes it all seem so real and like it's SO close...well I guess it is close! I'm not going to lie, I'm getting a little nervous, but I'm extremely excited too. I haven't really blogged about my pregnancy so I thought I'd put these last nine months in a nutshell...

Morning sickness: I got lucky and didn't really get sick! Strong food smells would bother me, and body odors seemed a lot stronger than normal, but rating my sickness between 1 and 10 (10 being the worst) I would definitely say I was at a 3

Worst part: sciatica, especially at night when I had to roll over or get up to go to the restroom. Leg and feet cramps...cramps are horrible...Oh and being overly sensitive, emotional, and irritable...ugh I hated that.

Best part: Although there has been bad parts about being pregnant, the good has definitely out weighed the bad and I was a pretty happy camper through out the whole pregnancy. I've really REALLY enjoyed being pregnant.

Cravings: In the beginning it was popcorn, the good home made kind with not very much butter or salt. Then it was coconut, and tomatoes ( I could eat the tomatoes like apples, and I really loved spaghetti and pizza because of the sauce. ) And then fruit was also my best friend pretty much the whole way, but I'm already a big fruit fan as it is.

What I was expecting: I was expecting pregnancy to be a lot worse than it has been...although I heard that the last month is by far the worst...so I guess we'll see what happens in the next few weeks! I did expect an aching back, but it hasn't been that bad. I was expecting to be hungry all the time, but that hasn't been the case, and I was expecting to be tired all the time too, but I haven't even taken one nap! I didn't know about the sciatica so that was an unpleasant surprise, and the same for the cramps. I also didn't know that your ribs could hurt so much! But I guess since I was carrying so high that was the price I had to pay. Now that he has started to drop I feel much better. It has been good!

How much our children mean to us...

As Michael and I painted Hunter's room, I thought, "Wow, we are putting in a lot of effort to make his room amazing and to think that he won't even be able to or understand how to appreciate it...so...why are we working so hard?" It was kind of a funny thought, but at the same time, it was SO true. By the time we are done his room will definitely be the best decorated and cared for room in the house. Michael then said something that made me think a little differently. He told me that we have to make his room the best because he goes into too many homes where the kids are sleeping on mattresses on the ground with their mom, and mom's boyfriend, etc. because the mom is too worried about her drugs, and her pitiful life to provide a good home for her child. That really made me stop and think...we want to provide the best home we can, and we will...and although he may not know it right away, or for many years to come, he will eventually know.