Honey...I'm HOME!!!!

First I wanted to thank everyone for the support and enthusiasm that has been expressed for our big news. It means so much to us to realize how many people care about our happiness...so thanks!

Also, I wanted everyone to know that I am in the one and only AZ for the next couple of weeks. We have a family reunion in the Eagar/St. Johns area next week which we are pumped about. This week, as well as the last couple days of next week, I will be here in Flagstaff. I have had a ton of fun spending time with my family- although I am pretty sure Orson is disappointed by my lack of energy and the fact that he can't beat me up this time. I am SO excited for Jared to join me out here on Saturday, he was kind enough to let me spend an extra week out here without him. Anyways, I would love to see friends while I am out here, so if you want to spend some time with this hormonal, sick lady(slightly exaggerated description of me)...give me a shout out, or phone call .

Only in CT

First of all, I am SO excited to be able to put up my baby ticker, I love these things. I know alot of my friends already have the exact same one, so if you feel like I have copied you...feel flattered, because I did!
Second, I love Connecticut, especially working at a school in Connecticut (only 6 days left, WAHOO!!!). This is why: This past winter, on 2 separate occasions, I received a text message saying school was on a 2 hour delay. So I would think to myself, "Wow, it must be snowing pretty hard". Both times I looked out the window and there was not a SINGLE drop of moisture on the ground. Apparently here in CT they delay school when they suspect it is going to snow.

Now you may think I am having a random walk down memory lane, but there is a reason I have this on my mind. You see, today school was let out early because it was too hot (I think in the 90's). I also got a text message this afternoon saying tomorrow is early dismissal as well, for the same reason. We are getting out of school early because they think it will be too hot.
3 cheers for Connecticut.

Just a few side notes, this is coming from a girl used to the extreme weather of AZ and Idaho, so I may sound a little harsh. Also, the school I work at doesn't have a/c, and it was VERY hot in the building, so I will give them that. Also, I am NOT in any way complaining with the fact that I am getting out of school early tomorrow.

A REALLY long post, but worth it I promise

When I was younger and people would ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up, the answer changed on a weekly basis- including, but not limited to, zoo keeper, weather girl and veterinarian (usually whatever Brooke wanted to be the week before.)

However, by the time I hit high school I knew what I REALLY wanted to be- a mommy. In high school I had a teacher tell me that was a waste of my talents, and it made picking a major in college very difficult...how do you pick what to study for 4 years when you ultimately want to be a full time mother?

A couple months after Jared and I started dating we went to see his brother's baby in the hospital right after he was born. Watching Jared hold that tiny body so gently, I knew he would someday make a terrific dad. It was then that I KNEW he was who I wanted to raise my children with.

2 years ago this month, Jared and I decided it was time to start our family. It was that same summer when I witnessed a friend struggle to have a child. I remember having a conversation with Jared where I said I would NEVER be able to handle that trial, I was definitely not strong enough. Well, I guess Heavenly Father decided to prove me wrong.

The past 2 years have been hard, to say the least. I have discovered you can actually cry so hard your heart literally hurts. However, as painful as it has been, we have learned so many valuable lessons:

We have learned how strong we are as a team. I have heard that an experience like this many times pulls a couple apart. Fortunately, the opposite is true for us- we have become so much stronger. I think some of the sweetest moments we have had occurred because of this trial. There have been so many nights when we have laid in bed, Jared with his arms around me while I cry- I hope I never forget how comforting that is.

We have learned we can be happy for other people's blessings (although Jared is much better at it)- and not to "measure" God's love for us with blessings. Others are not more loved than us just because they receive a blessing we are still waiting for.

I have learned to overcome physical fears. I have learned that when you want something enough, nothing can stand in your way... not even an irrational fear of needles. I can now proudly say I have given myself a shot in the stomach- tough stuff, huh?

Finally, and probably most importantly, we have learned to rely more fully on the Lord. I know that Heavenly Father has strengthened us throughout this trial and eased our pain. He has not left us to deal with this alone.

During October's General Conference we were having an especially hard time. Elder Condie gave a talk, and we both felt like he was speaking directly to us. While speaking of Rachel's inability to bear a child, he said "In this age of one-hour dry cleaning and one-minute fast-food franchises, it may at times seem to us as though a loving Heavenly Father has misplaced our precious promises or He has put them on hold or filed them under the wrong name. Such were the feelings of Rachel. But with the passage of time, we encounter four of the most beautiful words in holy writ: “And God remembered Rachel. And she was blessed with the birth of Joseph and later the birth of Benjamin"....When heaven’s promises sometimes seem afar off, I pray that each of us will embrace these exceeding great and precious promises and never let go. And just as God remembered Rachel, God will remember you."

I wanted to do this in a cutesier way, but I have had so many emotions running through me as I sat down to write this. God has remembered us! In December we will be welcoming our long awaited miracle baby into our home. We are so excited and feel so incredibly blessed. We also realize this is mainly new news to people living far away, since I have been looking pretty pregnant for awhile now- thank you fertility treatments for making my ovaries HUGE! I will post some belly pictures as soon as I find the camera cord.

We had another appointment today (week 13) and everything looks great. Here are some pictures from today's photo shoot (sorry so many, we are just so excited he or she no longer looks like an alien).