End of the tunnel +

Just a week and a half until graduation.

A couple things have been decided:

We plan on being all packed up and moved out by the 15th. Rick, my brother, is building an apartment on his property in Rupert for us to live in; we will be in the ward with him, my sister Leanne, my nephew Josh, and a few other people that I knew growing up. It will be different to be in a ward with so many people I already know.

Also, I would really like to buy this camera when we get our money from the economic stimulus package:

I spent a long time looking at different cameras and considering the budget and desired uses to reach this decision. Just ask Erin, she was/is sick of me looking camera stuff up. With this camera the mystery photos can be much better. By the way, another mystery photo should be on its way soon.

On another note, I LOVE Nutella. I used to buy it all the time when I was in Chile because it was cheaper than peanut butter, and of course because it tastes good.



Just the other day I thought that I wanted some. Then I really NEEDED some and we finally went and bought it. I was very happy. I am also going to send in two proofs of purchase to get a free Nutella t-shirt, I won't even have to pay shipping and handling.

Before we move

I can't believe we are moving in 2 weeks! I've been thinking today of things I need to do before we move (not including packing and cleaning our apartment). Here are just a few of things on my list:

Pay all the bills for the month
Call and change address for bills
Cancel power/internet
Doc appointment - call new doctor in Rupert
Use our perishable foods
Finish some sewing projects (a few ward humanitarian things)
Finalize some new apartment stuff

I really don't like the moving process. But I'm getting more excited about having a new apartment, a new ward, and being close to Dave's family. I just have a lot of stuff to do - on top of all the usual wife/mother/homemaker duties. Its time to get down to business.

Little Stink

That's what comes to mind with Ana these days. Up until the last few weeks, she's been generally happy and compliant, if a little intense and energtic. But the last little bit her intensity has increased, and with it has come a bout of defiance. At least with me. With Dave she's still generally compliant. Everything I want from her is met with whining/tantruming (is that a word?). This goes for everything from getting dressed to sitting in her high chair for meals and using utensils. She wants to do everything her "self" and has even started up with "fake" whining. I'm not quite sure what to do about it.

Of course, I still think she's cute. Here are some other things going on with our "little stink"

*She understands almost everything we say.

*She can say so many words. She talks all day long. I understand most of it, but the untrained ear has a harder time understanding her.

*She really likes watching the "fishy show" (Finding Nemo). She loses interest about 20 minutes in, but she likes the first part.

*She runs around all day long and often gets "bonks." The bruise on her forehead is from falling on some steps.

*She says, "I love you" whenever Dave or I leave the house, and sometimes just randomly in the day. She also puts her head up to my growing belly and say, "I love you, brother."

As trying and exhausting as it is right now, she really is a cute "little stink."

I'm gonna miss this

I've been a little more emotional than usual the last few days. There are a lot of things that go into it, I'm sure. Dave's been super busy with school the last week, and I always get anxious/stressed when he is. And with the move coming up, and the stress of trying to get into Med School still looming before us, its a lot for my emotions to handle. (On top of being pregnant). Plus, Ana has been a little more difficult the last few days. Maybe she can sense the stress too? Or maybe she can tell that there are going to be a lot of changes in her little world over the next few months. New house, new bed, new brother...

Anyway, because of this "in between" situation I find myself it right now (in between school and more school, that is), I often get this "someday when its all done" syndrome and thats what I think about. So, when I heard this song today, you can imagine why the message was extra poignant.



I cried. Pretty hard.

Story of the Week(s)

So, a couple weeks ago I got this random text message from a number I didn't have in my phone. The message was "Hey dancer boy." I thought to myself that I hadn't danced in public for a really long time; it was obviously a wrong number.

I didn't just want to text this person back; I don't really text, plus it costs me extra money, and I thought they might not believe a simple text reply. So, I called them. I'm wierd like that.

This super-flirty girl answered the phone, I was caught off guard. I told her that I never dance and I was sure she sent the message to the wrong person and that I didn't need any more messages from her. It was kind of wierd, Erin laughed, and we thought it was taken care of.

Ten days later, on the way back from seeing Teri and Chad in Pocatello, I got another message. It said, "Hey its kellie, know any good parties tonight?" I definitely wasn't going to call her again so I just ignored it and figured she would give up and think whoever this dancer boy was didn't like her.

The next Saturday, I got another message: "Whats going on tonight?! Any party? Haha." What was this girl's problem? Dancer boy must have been really cute. Or rich. Maybe both. Ignoring didn't work the week before so I finally broke down and sent a simple text myself - "Stop texting me. It costs me money and I don't know you." She replied saying she was Tyler Camp's friend (someone I grew up with from Rupert) and that she was sorry and wouldn't text me again. Problem solved, right?

I called Tyler to see if he was behind this. He said he knew who it was - a girl in his Biology class who really really really (as I found out) likes his roommate named Dave. She tried to steal his number from Tyler's phone one day but ended up with mine. - Finally it was all resolved.

Until my phone rang a day or two later - crazy kellie was calling. Of course I ignored it. My voice mail says my full name, finally she would realize the truth and leave me alone. Her message said, "this is Kellie, like Kellie and SHAUNA!!"

I guess Tyler hadn't talked to her yet. I am sure he has by now because I haven't heard anything new from her. Just another example of the stupidity of using text messaging to introduce yourself and begin building a relationship. This would never have happened if she would have just called from the start or maybe even considered meeting the dancer boy in person. I am sure she is a nice person, but I am glad I don't have to deal with her anymore.

Sleep...

After a crazy busy week last week and the last couple of days I am ready to sleep. A lot. I just got done with all my major papers, projects, and tests, except for finals which are in a couple weeks.

In honor of my newfound time for sleep:

I think I was born in the wrong era. I've been reading The Little House on the Prairie books on and off the last little while and I always think that I wish I could have lived back then. Of course, then I remember that I like my electricity and running water and my blog, and I'm glad I live now...

But, I have always wanted to live on a farm. We moved from Virginia to Idaho when I was 9 and I was heartbroken when I found out we weren't going to live on a farm. There is just something so idyllic about it. Veggies from your own garden, milk from your own cow, clothes drying on the line, horseback riding, warm summer nights watching the fireflies with no lights and traffic to detract. Doesn't that sound nice? I also think that families grow stronger together when they work side by side like that, and children really learn to work hard.

I don't think I will ever live on a farm, but I do hope someday to have a big yard with a garden and lots of room for my kids to run around. And maybe a horse.

New Look

Take some time to vote on the new look in the sidebar. I figured it was about time I made my own header. If you have any suggestions leave a comment!

Memory Lane (and) Eating My Words

Two unrelated thoughts and a random picture from a few weeks ago.


(1) Yesterday, I went to lunch with 3 of my roommates from BYUI year 2. Laura, Kara, and Becca. Kara and Laura still live here but I haven't seen Becca for almost a year and before that it had been since Dave and I got married.

Then as I was going into Broulims last night, I ran into my roommate Emily from year 1. I went over later to her house to see her new little baby, who is absolutely beautiful! It was good day to be catching up.

(2) I've also realized how often I've had to eat my words over the last few years. For example, my first year up here my roommate married a boy from Rupert. I teased him quite a bit about being from such a small, Idaho hick town. They moved back there after graduation and I teased them again. Now of course, not only did I marry a guy from Rupert, but we are heading back there ourselves. And I'm looking forward to it.

A second example. My friend from highschool got married soon after graduation (a year after me) and had a baby right off. I remember going to her house shortly after she was married and saying how I couldn't believe she was pregnant when she hadn't even known her husband a year earlier. ("I could never do that, of course.") But then I met my husband, got married, and was pregnant before I had known him a year. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I think Someone Upstairs has had a few good laughs when I opened my mouth too quickly.

Random picture: I wore this coat when I was little. I love how adorable Ana is in it.

Easter Dress

After the last couple blog flops I am sure this one will do a little better.

Here is a picture of my cute girls on Easter.

Ana looks perfectly posed in this picture. That is the kind of stuff that gets lost with some digital cameras that operate slowly (Ours is slow but we were lucky this time). Honestly, who wouldn't want to sit by these two in church?

The internet is cool

I don't usually feel the need to watch too many sporting events on tv. That might be a little different if we actually had some kind of decent service. What we have now is a cheap antenna. Usually we can get ABC pretty well but sometimes it isn't quite good enough to read the score or actually see where the ball is at all times.

So, you can imagine my excitement when March Madness came around and I saw this.



It's pretty cool. You can watch the games live. The video quality is way better than my tv. I love the internet.

28 weeks

I can't believe I'm actually posting this picture, but here you go. This is how big I am right now.

I like to think that I'm not really as big as this picture makes me look. Mostly, I've been pretty dissatisfied with my body the last few weeks. Not so much how I look, but how I feel. I don't really feel sick, and I don't really feel tired. I just feel... blah. I never felt like this with when I was pregnant with Ana. I think I've gained a little more weight this last month. It probably has something to do my CONSTANT sugar cravings. With Ana, I ate fresh fruits and veggies all the time. All I want right now is candy and sweets - starburst jellybeans, Reese's Pieces eggs, cookies, ice cream, etc. I'm usually pretty conscious of what I eat, but not the last few weeks. I also think it has to do with my lack of exercise. With all the snow just starting to melt, its hard to get out and about. Its still pretty cold and really wet. With Ana I was going to school so I walked around campus a lot. Now I just stay home or drive. So, I think I need to start cutting out the sugar, eating more fruits and veggies, (even if they don't sound good) and getting out for walks more. I think I'll feel much better if I do.

Tomorrow I have my 28 week doctor appointment. Its the yucky glucose test. I'm not really looking forward to drinking that stuff again.

Can't Focus

oh wow. I see the light at the end of the tunnel and it is BLINDING ME!! All this figuring out what we are doing after graduation is messing with my studies. I have a ton of stuff to do this week but I just can't focus on it. It's horrible. As a side note check out this video. It is about 8 minutes long but the main part I liked was at 2 minutes into it. Hillary talking about how to get big oil companies to listen. So, at least check out that part of the video.



Well, I think I got a little out of my system. I am going to go memorize all the reactions, intermediates, and enzymes in glycolysis now.

Out of Town

So, on Thursday we went to Rupert to finalize Dave's job situation. Its gonna work out a lot better than we had planned. Though I am sad to leave Rexburg, I am really excited for the opportunity. We even went to look at apartments. We found one we really like, and though its a little more expensive than we wanted, we're probably gonna go for it. Since Rupert is a small, old town, there really aren't a lot of renting options. The apartment is really roomy and homey, and I think we'll really like it.

Thursday night Dave dropped me off in Pocatello at my parents' house. My sister was in town from Wyoming, and so I got to see her new baby and her kids. Her baby is adorable and her kids are alot of fun. Another sister came also. Friday night, there were 4 happy cousins sleeping together. (Ana was way too tired, and slept in a pack-n-play in another room. These are my sisters' kids.)

Ana had alot of fun playing with her cousins the next day. We also fixed her hair in full pigtails for the first time. It looked cute.
One of her favorite things to play on is "Granny's" exercise ball. My mom rolls her around and bounces her up and down and she can't get enough!

We got home late Saturday night, and with early church (8:30), Ana was pretty tired. She didn't even make it through lunch!

It was a really fun weekend and I was so glad I got to see my sis. Good times.

Goin to Rupert

We went to Rupert again on Thursday to try and figure out the job situation. It is mostly figured out now. I will be working for Progressive Behavior Systems located on the historic town square. When I look out the window of the office I will be able to see Prince Rupert proudly overlooking his kingdom. They offered me more money than I thought we would be making during the time in Rupert and it seems great. I will be doing PSR work until I am certified in IBI (Intensive Behavioral Intervention). It will be mostly with school aged children who have developmental disabilities like autism and some with less severe impairment.

Now we are just trying to figure out where we will live exactly. We looked at a couple apartments that were not impressive and one other that definitely is impressive but is quite a bit more money. That's the next thing to figure out I guess.

MCAT

I registered today for the MCAT. After taking the OAT when I was thinking optometry I am a little less nervous for this test, but I don't know exactly how much less. One thing that I am sure will drive me nuts is that I will have to wait a month to see what I got on the test. I am almost crazy now just thinking about how long I will have to wait for the results. With the OAT my score popped up within a minute of finishing the test. That was nice.

Paying $210 to reserve a seat to take a 5 hour test is a little unsettling. I am now committed to a date, May 27. I wonder if this is a little what Erin felt like when we went to the prenatal classes while she was pregnant with Ana. We watched the video, she realized what was coming, and there was nothing she could do but wait for the day to come.

Ok, so there is a lot different. You are right.

Here is the schedule for my test date and when I will probably receive the results.

getting big

The past couple mornings have been sleep-in mornings for Ana. Yesterday, I was up before she was and it was nice. At about 10, I heard her talking to herself. She kept talking for about 20 minutes, and then heard me and called my name. When I went in, she was reading one of her books in her crib, happy as can be. Some cute things about her right now:

*She tries to copy everything we say. She talks all the time, though mostly Dave and I can understand what she is saying. She also likes to point and tell us words she knows.

*She's generally happy, but can be so dramatic when things don't go her way.

*She asks for cookies, candy and chocolate all the time. I don't know how she's so stuck on these, considering I've tried to limit her intake.

*She loves babies and animals.

*She's been playing pretend a lot more lately. She talks to her baby doll, calling it "Baby Ana." She also likes to feed it, and ask it questions that we ask her. Today, for example, we asked her if she wanted to go on a bike ride, and she turned to her dolly and said, "Bike ride? okay."

*She loves music! She holds books to sing, and loves to dance both by herself and with one of us.

I can't believe how fast she's growing and how much she understands. I love it!

Tagged

10 years ago...
I was in 8th grade. My friends and I were annoying everybody else but ourselves.


5 things on my list to do today....
1. Laundry
2. Babysit my neighbor's kids
3. Primary presidency meeting
4. Dishes (this is always on my list)
5. Do another blog post

Snacks I enjoy...
1. Starburst Jelly beans
2. Fuji Apples
3. Graham crackers and milk
4. Cold Cereal

What would I do if I were suddenly a billionaire?
Buy a brand new SUV. Get parents out of debt. Give a lot to the Church. Go to Med School debt free (well, Dave would). Buy a house with a dishwasher and a washer and dryer. I'd want some land and a horse and hire someone to take care of it. Go to Italy and South America. Invest.


3 of my bad habits...
1. Raising my voice when I feel strongly about something.
2. Staying up too late
3. Putting off doing the dishes

5 places I have lived...

1. Rexburg, ID
2. Rye, NY (just outside of NYC)
3. Chubbuck (outside Pocatello), ID
4. Herdon, VA (just outside DC)
5. Colorado Springs, CO (born there)

5 jobs I have had
1. Cole Diagnostics - courier and data entry
2. Direct Connect Satelitte - Secretary
3. Intramural Sports office - Secretary
4. Cutco Cutlery - Secretary
5. Arctic Circle - "counter chick"


5 things people don't know about me.
1. I graduated Magna Cum Laude last summer with my bachelor's degree (top 5%)
2. I was editor-in-chief of my high school newspaper
3. I have a hard time making girl friends.
4. I have 7 sisters and only 1 brother
5. I love running

Not a chain letter

We got this in the mail today:



I have highlighted a couple of my favorite parts. You will need to click on it if you actually want to read any of it. (The part at the very bottom could have used some highlighting as well)

It says it is not a chain letter but later tells the story of a guy who suffered because he "broke the chain". Also, I guess if I really did this I would probably get about 5 million dollars. From Jesus. I guess for some reason I don't understand the 5 million dollar something for nothing doctrine. I must have missed that day in church. Hhmmm...

I AM A GIANT

It is just me or does this picture make me look like a giant??

You can go online to check the testing center line conditions here. One day I called Erin when I was on my way to take a test and told her to look. I was waving to her if you can't tell. I was trying to not make it too obvious to everyone else there, especially the very small boy in front of me. He looked kind of shifty.

little baby boy

So, knowing that we're having a boy, I always go and check out the boy clothes everywhere. I went through all of Ana's old clothes to see if there was anything we could use for a boy. I did find a few things, but mostly we gotta start all over. I've bought a few things here and there to start our stock, and my mom and others have also given us some adorable things. I've also noticed that I don't really love the little white blessing outfits for boys. I think the dresses for girls are so pretty and there is such a variety! But when looking for boys, there isn't much. I'm not really in love with the white tuxedos - they look cute, but not really our style. So I decided I wanted to find a white sweater vest. I know its a little pre-mature, but we found this sweater vest at Old Navy and knew it was perfect. So we ordered it yesterday. We already have a little white polo to go under it, and then we'll just make some white pants. I think its going to be adorable! Plus, he can wear this vest more than just on his blessing day. I loved Ana's blessing dress, but she only wore it the once and it makes me a little sad. Anyway, to make the $5 shipping worth it, I also ordered this hat for the summer and this onesie set. I bought the onesies in 3-6 months, since its long sleeved and we don't have anything that size yet.


















I'm having a hard time getting "boy" in my head. I call our baby "her" or "she" and I've even dreamt it was a little girl. Of course, the ultrasound couldn't have been any clearer. Its probably because 3 of my siblings have had little girls this winter, and I am used to having a girl now.

We have a couple names picked out, and I just want to decide so we can start calling him that - mostly to get my mind used to the idea. I'm starting to get really baby hungry, and some days I even feel like I'm "nesting." I've been cleaning house all day today. I've gone through all of Ana's clothes and labeled her girl clothes boxes. We even bought a dresser for the kids' room. I feel this anxiety over getting things ready for the baby. And I still have 3+ months!

Why I vote the way I do

I've always considered myself as patriotic. My dad served in the Air Force for 20 years, and he now has his Doctorate in Political Science. I've always loved history and social studies, and I loved reading books about the Revolutionary War, even when I was really young. I suppose I got a lot of that from my dad. I get emotional seeing the flag, and love everything about the 4th of July and all other holidays. I mention this only because I have always had a desire to vote and to be an educated voter.

With all the craziness of this year's election, I've really wanted to make sure I was voting because of what I believe, and not because that's what everyone has told me to do. I've read some friends' blogs that posted about what they thought and who they were voting for, and I thought it was pretty cool. Its all part of becoming an educated voter. I don't really like "party politics" because I think we should vote based on our beliefs, not by party. Here are some things I believe that influence how I vote:

1. I believe less government is usually more. In the Constitution, the National Government was set up for to provide security and inter-state infrastructure. Along with that I believe that the more government programs are set up, the more burden it is on the people. Reforms and programs cost money, and that money comes from taxes.

2. I believe the "trickle-down" theory is a true principle. Those who have money will spend it, they will invest it, they will take risks, and they will create more jobs. The wealthy should not be taxed significantly above the middle class, for they bolster the economy.

3. I believe in personal responsibility. Though we may choose our actions, we cannot choose the consequences of our actions. This goes for criminals as well as those who have unneccesary debt. Also, I think many of the welfare programs in place do not encourage taking responsibility. They are wonderful programs for those who are working toward a better financial situation. But there are so many people who are able to work, but take advantage of the system because it does not encourage getting out.

These ideas, and others like being pro-life, are generally considered Republican/conservative principles, so I tend to vote that way.

So, there are my 2 cents on politics. At one point I always thought I'd like to be all super involved in a campaign or something. I don't really think that now, but I do think exercising my right to vote is important. So, no matter how you vote, I hope as many as possible will study the issues and vote this year.

Inspiration

Dave and I were driving home last night after being in Boise for the weekend. Ana was sleeping, and we had a great conversation. (Don't those seem few and far between once kids start coming?) We started talking about what inspires/encourages us to do better and to be better. Its so interesting how different things affect us. I am really revitalized by hearing other's words and seeing them succeed at the same things that I am trying to do. I am a pretty enthusiastic, energetic person, but I need to see/hear/feel some sort of motivation every so often to refill my tank. I love to hear and see things that make me think, "I can do that."

Last week, this really inspired me in that way. After reading her words and catching a glimpse into that stranger's life, I really wanted to be a better mom and wife and Erin. I especially loved these words:

"This is a high calling. It is doing laundry, scouring my sink, making dinner, taking Emma around the block on her bike, showing Mary where her nose is, putting fresh flowers from my garden at the kitchen table, changing diapers, reading stories, packing lunches. ... It is a high calling, the care of souls, the loving of a man, the creation of a sanctuary."

In the few days that followed my reading this, I have found myself doing things with a little more enthusiasm. I wanted to make my bed in the morning and play and read with Ana, and I found more joy in "the creation of a sanctuary."

Quick Thought

When someone calls you in the morning and wakes you up, do you try your hardest to make them think you have been awake for hours? I do. I don't really know why.

I did it this morning and did a pretty good job of it. Just ask Erin.