our little troublemaker....

Guess I should just shoot down the thought of ever having somewhat of a predictable life... remember my last post just a few short weeks ago?  that one about us having a girl?  Well - scratch that. hahaha. Baby Dyer finally decided to show the world what he's really made of.... YES, you read that right: this little peanut is a BOY!!  Unmistakable this time... he was quite happy to give us the perfect visual, and it left us in a slight state of shock (to say the least).  In the world of ultrasounds, they tell you that nothing is certain until the baby is 20 weeks along - when the development is certain to be complete - so any readings before that are not necessarily given with 100% confidence.  So at our 16- and 17-week visits, the ultrasounds were more-or-less inconclusive... our midwife was just trying to give us her best prediction, especially as he wouldn't open his legs or move around for us to get a better view.  So I won't hold it against her :)  It was humorous though - our ultrasound tech picked up on Geoff and I calling the baby "she" and then took the opportunity to ask us if we wanted to know the gender... of course we said yes, and as she moved the ultrasound head around a bit more, she showed us proof: we are most definitely having a SON.  All Geoff and I could do was start laughing.  I mean... REALLY?!  First it was a boy... then a girl... and finally a boy.  Let's just hope there aren't two in there!  hahaha.  (Don't worry - we confirmed that there is only ONE baby to prepare for...)  SO. a little boy.  That definitely changes things!  Thankfully we hadn't done much shopping - just browsing on the internet for nursery ideas... which, of course, I have to start all over on.  But it's okay, that's the fun part :)  And I'm sure the next question on many minds is: "Do you have a name picked out?"  And as a matter of fact, we do!  Now introducing....

JACKSON JAMES DYER

 I had a few boy names picked out, and Geoff seemed to like Jackson (we had been calling him that for weeks before our first ultrasound, as I had a sneaking suspicion that it was a boy...) and he added James - his grandpa's name - that will inevitably lead to a nickname of JJ.  But nevertheless, that's what we've settled on.  And I like it :)  Geoff, turns out, was a little disappointed when he found out that he wasn't going to be having a little girl this summer... but I'm hoping he'll get his chance somewhere down the road!  We were joking that sibling rivalries start in heaven - little Jackson and Avery were both so anxious to come down here, but it looks as though Avery is going to have to wait her turn... and our little rebel-rouser Jackson has taken shotgun :)  And apparently he isn't wasting any time goofing off in there either!  Our midwife told us that he is a week ahead of schedule... apparently his legs are quite long, and his head measurement at the ultrasound puts him a little on the larger side - it isn't too much of a surprise considering that his dad is 6'4"... but then again, Geoff was only 7.5 lbs when he was born (haha I was over 8 lbs, go figure) so who knows if he keeps this up or takes a break from growing somewhere in the next couple months.  But I really wouldn't mind having a baby early - as long as he's healthy!  Which he looks to be, as our midwife has repeatedly reassured us :)  Geoff thinks that this little guy is going to be a troublemaker - only because he was one growing up, and karma has a funny way of coming back around... hahahaha.  But he is excited to have a little guy to take sledding... and biking... and camping... basically show his son what he is passionate about, and hopefully have a little partner in crime ;)  I'm just happy to see Geoff excited and looking forward to this major change that will be affecting our lives come July!  It's already March... I'm past the halfway point of my pregnancy, and while I should focus on that bit of optimism I find myself wishing it were May... or June even.  It seems like this pregnancy is lasting forever - and I just can't wait to meet our son (aka Baby Phat, as some have nicknamed him).  But until then, I will treasure this special time I have to be pregnant... and know that once he's here, our lives will never be the same :) Basically, I need to get as much sleep as possible while I still can!!  hahaha.  And of course, I have a few photos to share with everyone from our last ultrasound:

Baby Jackson!

YES - it's a BOY!

His little arm/hand

He's looking right at us (you can see the white ring of his pupil)

Hard to see... but that's his tiny footprint :)

one more profile shot of our little peanut! <3

And here are a few short clips from the ultrasound too....

 

 If you look at his head, you can see his mouth moving...

 

More visual proof that we are having a little BOY... haha

 

And one more clip for good measure :)

And I think that's enough parental bragging for now....  :) Time for me to get going - have laundry and house chores to finish before I need to get to work!  Oh the life of a housewife/working mother-to-be.... love you all!

The verdict is in...

Baby Dyer is a GIRL!!

Surprise!  haha.  Just when I thought I needed to decide which hue of blue to choose for the nursery color scheme, our midwife broke the news: our little peanut will be our precious DAUGHTER!  It was quite the shock for me... I'm not going to lie, I actually had a mini-breakdown.  Not that I wasn't excited about the idea of having a little girl, but rather I was so convinced it was a boy - and so excited to give Geoff a son - that it took me a day to digest the news and finally accept that we are going to have a daughter instead.  We had our name picked out and everything!  But we still have plenty of time to try for a son down the road... so that's something to look forward to :)  SO. A little girl.  What comes to mind when you think of a baby girl? PRETTY. PINK. PRINCESS. gag me. I know I'll probably feel a little differently when I finally see her, but I was raised a tomboy... blue is my favorite color... I didn't start wearing makeup until I was in college... so the idea of dealing with a little girl is somewhat frightening.  Granted, I don't want to discourage her from being a "girl," but it's just so not me!  And I knew way too many girls in high school that were completely spoiled... "daddy's princess"... and that just does not sit well with me.  Yes, of course I'll spoil her.... but within reason.  And I've already indicated to those close to me that "princess" will not be one of her nicknames :)  I am not about to start her off thinking that she deserves special treatment!  Of course I'll dress her up all cute and have fun with my own mini-me Barbie doll, but I've already told her dad that she is going to be "daddy's girl" -- so he'd better be prepared to take her out fishing, hiking, and even snowmobiling!  Thankfully, he's completely down for all that.  He's actually quite excited - this was his status update on Facebook the day we found out:

The female population in my house officially doubled... as will my shotgun collection. Super excited! Now i just have to wait 5 short months to see her! Lets hope she looks like her momma!

And as much as he wanted a little boy, Geoff was the first to jump on the bandwagon and remind me that "EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON."  Maybe she will be a good example to her younger siblings... maybe she will be "mommy's little helper" with the next baby down the road... and on top of it, something I was told when I first found out about the pregnancy, maybe there is a reason why she will be born at this time into the world -- whether for spiritual or mere practical reasons, her being born into our little family at this time in our world is important.  The age she will be... the friends she will make... the opportunities she will have... the people she will influence... the possibilities really are endless.  So rather than sit and wonder "What if?" I've come to the conclusion that the best thing for me to do is to just MOVE FORWARD.  And guess what? I'm pretty excited to be a mom :)  Let the shopping begin!  hahaha.  And I'm just gonna throw it out there... shopping for a little girl will be SO much more fun than shopping for a little boy... so many more options!  Which, of course, can be dangerous.... so for now, I'm focusing on nursery ideas and plans.  And that is keeping me quite occupied :)  And what fun would planning be without sharing my ideas with all of you?  haha.  Thanks to Pinterest (my new obsession during pregnancy) I have come up with quite the collection of photo inspirations, so here are a couple for now....

[potential color scheme]

[dark brown wood furniture]

And I'll share more with you in the coming weeks :)  But before I leave you for today (I am at work after all) I want to share with you the name we picked out for our little girl:

I should probably mention that I did have this name picked out long before I met Geoff... one of those things that I actually thought about while I was single :)  And thankfully he approved!  I wasn't planning to share it publicly until closer to her birthday, but what the heck - It won't hurt!  And besides, only family and close friends read my blog and I would be telling you all anyways... so what's the difference?  And now the real waiting period begins... and I will say, now that I'm into my second trimester, my new pregnancy annoyances are quite simple: weight gain, insomnia, and a constant STUFFY NOSE.  Really?! Nobody told me about that... oh the joys of being pregnant!  But it will all be worth it, I'm sure :) 17 weeks down, 23 to go.....!

Oh, baby!

For those who haven't yet seen our little video, here is the most current version...

And for those who have not yet heard our recent update, we had our appointment yesterday to learn whether or not this "it" should be referred to as a "he" or a "she", and unfortunately IT was uncooperative...!!  Our midwife (also named Laura) is awesome, and she was incredibly persistent as she knew how anxious I was and how much I wanted to know this minor detail... but at the end of the ultrasound, her verdict was the following: "I am so close to saying that it is a boy, but this one view has me second-guessing myself... I don't want to tell you one way or another just yet!  But I would be happy to see you next week to double-check!"  And so we have our next appointment scheduled for Wednesday to clarify whether we should be decorating with blue or pink... and hopefully we will get a clear answer then!  I'd say the most frustrating thing about the appointment was that she kept moving the ultrasound head around on my stomach to get every possible view, and 9 out of 10 views she said "I do believe you have a boy in there" (or something to that effect) and then ONE image makes her question every other!  gahhhhhh  SERIOUSLY?!  Seriously...  For the person that plans, this is driving me slightly crazy (if you can't tell) and I just need to know already!  It's been 16 weeks.... 4 months... I'm almost half-way through this and it would be nice to know if I'm going to have a daughter or a son! :)  But thankfully I don't have to wait until my 20-week appointment to find out for sure... I can last a few more days (I think) haha.  I will say, though, that while she was moving around trying to get our little peanut into a better viewing position she was happy to point out all the other little features... arms, legs, hands, feet... and we could watch him/her squirm around while she was probing with the ultrasound head.  It was slightly humorous actually -- we could tell he/she was getting a little bothered that we were invading his/her space... ahem, that's my space too thank you very much!  I almost want to set a few ground rules while he/she is residing comfortably in his/her little cocoon... but ultimately, as "uncomfortable" as the occasional poke may be, he/she really has no idea what is really in store... the final journey is not going to be pleasant - for either of us! haha.  So just wait, little one, just you wait....  ;)  And I will point out that while we were watching the video on the screen, Laura did confirm that all looks healthy and normal -- so I should be concentrating on that detail (as I am truly grateful to know that our baby is growing as it should), and that is why I am so appreciative of Geoff and his willingness to reassure me, repeatedly, and remind me that no matter what (boy or girl), a healthy child is more than we could ever ask or hope for.  And I agree :)

So, that is my brief news for today -- I'll be sure to write more this week, praying that we actually have an answer with 100% confidence!  Love you all!!

2 + 1 = ?

It's a new year, and I definitely have some big news...

WE'RE EXPECTING!

While this isn't "news" to most who read this blog, I thought it was time to make it officially "public" by posting it on the internet  :)  Geoff and I couldn't be more excited to welcome a child into our little family and start our new jobs as PARENTS... but it's definitely taken some time for us to adjust to this reality.  I am officially 14 weeks pregnant, so I am into my second trimester -- hard to believe I'm already 1/3 of the way through this crazy process!  But I still have 26 long weeks to go... with lots of milestone moments to pass along the way.  So needless to say, my blog is going to be full of pregnancy/baby updates over the next 6 months -- up until the big day:

JULY 28, 2012! 

But let me start back at the beginning... I have a bit to catch you all up on :)

November 19, 2011:  It was a stormy Friday night, and Geoff had left me earlier that morning for a snow show in Boise... I was at home alone - bored - and I decided to double check and make sure I was NOT pregnant (I had taken a pregnancy test a few days earlier, and it showed up negative, but I knew I took it too soon).  Well... to my surprise, I soon had 3 pregnancy tests sitting on the counter staring at me with the most unexpected result: PREGNANT. (+). POSITIVE.  And as I stood there, hovering over the proof that my life had just taken a significant turn in a different direction, my mind started racing - motherhood? a baby? PREGNANCY?! What had we gotten ourselves into?? I sent Geoff a few text messages urging him to call me, but he was busy working... so I called him about 5 times until he finally answered.  And the conversation went something like this:

Geoff: "Babe, I'm working... what do you need?"
Me: "Did you get any of my text messages?"
Geoff: "No... what is it about?"
Me: "Look at your texts.  I sent you a picture."
Geoff: "Nope, still haven't gotten it. Are you okay? What's going on?"
Me: "Umm... are you by yourself right now?"
Geoff: "Yeah..."
Me: "I sent you a picture of a pregnancy test that I just took."
Geoff: "Don't tell me you're pregnant..."
Me: "Uh, well, the tests say I am - I took a few..."
Geoff: "Why did you take it while I was out of town?!  Are you okay?"
Me: "Well, I'm in a bit of shock... can't believe this is actually happening..."
Geoff: "Well I'm excited. We're starting our family! A bit earlier than we had planned, but there's nothing we can do about that now...."
Me: "HA.ha.ha.  True.  I'll see you when you get home, Daddy D...."

And with that, the truth in front of me became my new reality.  I'm not going to lie, at first it was really difficult for me to accept - I would say I went through the 5 stages of grief during those first few weeks; 1) Denial, 2) Anger, 3) Bargaining, 4) Depression, and finally 5) Acceptance.  I took a few more pregnancy tests that weekend, just to make sure, and still wouldn't completely believe the news until my first prenatal appointment in December...

Baby D!

And that was all the proof I really needed.  But while many couples would be celebrating this news, I still felt frustrated... cheated, almost.  We had only been married a few months!  We still had so many plans for our time together - just the two of us - and just like that, all those plans changed.  We wanted just a year (or two), to enjoy being newlyweds... to learn more about each other... to figure out our marriage... but alas, we would not be afforded this "luxury."  So, I started to think about this news from a different perspective: Everything happens for a reason.  That's all I could cling to... I knew that I wanted to be a mother, I knew that Geoff would be the best father I could ever ask for, so why complain?  We are both in positions that would allow us to provide for a child... we have resources available to raise a child... and we knew we would have the love and support from family and friends to help us through the process.  So that's all we needed, right?  I'd like to think so.  But then I really started to think about getting to that point - I still had another 8 months in front of me to get through. PREGNANCY.  Morning sickness? Weight gain? Insomnia? What would I have to endure?  What sacrifices would I have to make?  So many questions... and no way to really answer them, without pressing forward and experiencing it for myself.  And with that, I realized I would have to accept the fact that MY wants, MY needs, MY plans, MY life had just taken a backseat to the wants and needs of this small peanut/"alien parasite" growing inside of me.  And that was hard to swallow.  Not that I've been selfish during my adult years, but worrying about "me, myself and I" is a lot less complicated than focusing on the wants and needs of a child.  MY child.  It's surreal to type that... to read it... and to know that it's not just some idea far off in my future plans.  But you know what?  I'm ready.  I know I am.  I've lived such a full life up until this point - education, travel, and so many crucial independent adult life experiences that have contributed to make me the person I am today, and the MOTHER I will be :)  So despite the initial discouragement I may have felt, I have had a lot of time to gain a true testimony of faith...

"Faith in the Lord includes Faith in His timing."

- Neal A. Maxwell

Can't argue with that, right? So even though this may have caught me completely off-guard, I know (through many past experiences) that the Lord would not put this "trial"/opportunity in front of me if He was not confident that I would be able to handle the responsibility. So with that in mind... if the Lord knows I can do this, I have a pretty good feeling that I'll be okay :)  And as I said earlier, I couldn't have asked for a better husband/FATHER for my children, and with his love and support I know we will be able to figure out how to raise this precious little spirit. He's made such an incredible effort to adjust from bachelorhood to marriage, and I know this next adventure they call "parenthood" will require so much sacrifice on both of our parts -- but I have full confidence that he will be there every step of the way to help with this huge responsibility we both signed up for.  He's just as excited as I am (if not more so) for our little Baby D to grace us with his/her presence this Summer.  Speaking of.... girl? boy? I'm sure that's the question on so many minds... I know I can't stop thinking about it!  I don't want to jinx anything, but I have a gut feeling about this one.... I'll just keep that little detail to myself for now :)  But just for your reading pleasure, we will find out on February 10 if our little nugget is a boy or a girl and I will gladly share the great news with you all shortly thereafter!  So until then, the plot thickens and the suspense will hang over us all...

 Love you all!  Thank you thank you THANK YOU for all the continued love and support, it means everything to us (especially me, the one starting to feel like a stuffed turkey....) hahaha.  I hope you're prepared for the pregnancy quips that will be sure to follow over the next few months! And maybe, just maybe, I'll share a few photos to chronicle this epic journey.... stay tuned :)

2011...

How is it that another year has come and gone? The holidays, especially, just seem to melt time away.... but I think back to the beginning of 2011 and it's amazing to realize how much my life has changed in just one year.  At the beginning of 2011... I was dating another guy and working for another job, with no real anticipation of any major life changes in the coming 12 months.  But isn't that how my life normally plays out?  Just when I think I have it all figured out... the Lord throws a wrench into my plans - and in the end, His plans will always work out better for me.  I broke up with my boyfriend in February - and met my future husband that same month.  I left my job in June - allowing me to plan a wedding in less than 3 months.  I was unemployed for the last few months - and now I have a job that is actually giving me an opportunity to use my nursing education and personal talents, and paying me well for it!  I've learned to trust the spirit, and that simple phrase: "Everything happens for a reason."  In those moments of despair and frustration, the most important thing to remember is that we are not able to choose the bad things that happen to us - we can only choose how we react and respond.  I have learned (many times over) that there is no point to whining and complaining over things that happen in our lives - you can't change the past, so use your experiences to your advantage.  Learn from your mistakes, or those obstacles that you face, and grow stronger from them.  The Lord will only give us trials that He knows we can overcome - so trust in that (and Him) and keep moving forward.  A simple quote from a great book by Sheri Dew encapsulates this: "If life were easy, then it wouldn't be hard." As the American people are struggling to figure out why life isn't as EASY as they think it should be, I wish I could share that thought with them.  Our founding fathers created a country that enabled us OPPORTUNITIES to learn, work, and prosper according to our sacrifices.  They didn't give us rights of entitlement... just FREEDOM.  And that freedom was never meant to be FREE.  I get so frustrated with people who refuse to make sacrifices and WORK for what they want - I want to be proud of my accomplishments!  And I'll step off my soap box now.... :)

On a happier note, Geoff and I enjoyed our first Christmas together as husband and wife this past Sunday, and we couldn't have asked for anything more -- time spent with those we love.  My parents were in town, and we were able to Skype with Elder Newman (aka Greg) and it was great to see him and hear his voice!  We are so proud of him and his accomplishments, and as much as we miss him we know he is doing great work out in Florida -- and he is LOVING his time out there!  :)  We spent time opening our gifts, and I must admit - we are truly blessed.  But amidst the clothes, tools, electronics, and other needed odds and ends... my favorite gift by FAR was the gift Geoff gave me:

"For All Mankind" by Liz Lemon Swindle

And for those who don't know the background story: my second trip to Zambia, Africa with Mothers Without Borders in 2007 was an incredible experience, to say the least... (I can hardly believe it's been 4 years!)  We were accompanied by Liz Lemon Swindle (a renowned artist who does many pieces for the Church) and her small team, including her "Jesus model" Phillip Miner.  We were told that Liz had been asked to do a piece by MWB founder, Kathy Headlee, and that while we were down there she would be planning a photo shoot to provide inspiration for her painting.  Our trip was spent doing what most MWB teams do: working on the "farm", spending time with village children, and preparing the "new land" for the developing Children's Village.  But one day was set aside for the photo shoot... and it was a day we would never forget.  Here is a little snippet of my journal entry from that day:

"We were all watching from a distance, and the  moments that followed left me with tears streaming down my cheeks: At first, the children, and adults, were hesitant to move forward and approach him, but Kathy motioned them forward. Seeing "Jesus"/Phillip interact with the kids was so touching.  I couldn't control my emotions - I felt so full of love for those kids and just wanted so bad for them to know that Jesus knows and loves them.  We couldn't hear what was being said, but soon we heard sweet Carol Zulu singing - so real and so pure and so full of love.  In her tumultuous life, she has been through more things than any 13-year-old should have to endure.  Yet she has the ability to open her heart to love and express her emotions - it was beautiful ... Not soon after, the whole group of kids started singing "Mwamba, Mwamba" - and that's when I lost it.  Knowing what that song means and knowing ho much those children love their Heavenly Father and Jesus, and then hearing them sing that song of praise to Jesus - I've never felt the spirit so strong.  They were singing praises TO the Man they had been praying to for so many years.  It touched the very core of my spirit.  Eventually the children walked back with him, and we went to the back of the house to set up for the kids' presentation. Phillip joined us, so the kids were very excited.  At the end, the kids started singing "I Know Jesus is Coming Again" and Edah got up and started dancing with Phillip!  What a sight.  Then, we all got up and sang and danced with the kids.  For those precious moments, I forgot about everything else in the world and just lived for all that I was surrounded with.  I felt so free from worry and stress and the distractions that plague me back home.  All that mattered was being with those kids and opening my heart to them and sharing my love with them ... Later that night at our team meeting, Kathy was reviewing the events of that day, and she talked about why the kids reacted how they did - and how I feel everyone in this world would react initially - with hesitation and fear.  In those moments after seeing Him, the kids reflected on their lives and thought that they weren't ready to see Him.  Many of the young girls were so scared that He wouldn't love them because they weren't "clean."  Some of the kids also thought that seeing Him meant that they were going to die, and they weren't ready to die yet.  And it really caused me to stop and think - am I ready?  You don't know when it could be your last day.  We must prepare ourselves and live our lives according to how we would want to end our lives, if this were to be THAT day.  Would I feel fear and hesitation if I saw Jesus walking towards me?  or would I run to him with arms outstretched?  While I'd like to hope it would be the latter, I can only imagine having every bad decision - big or small - race through my mind and the emotions that would follow ... "

I'm not one to share my personal thoughts from my journal often (or ever, for that matter) so I hope you appreciate how special that experience was for me.  And here are a few pictures from that day:  (we weren't allowed to take many, as not to infringe on any potential copyright issues with the future paintings)

The kids' performance

Guest of Honor

Another skit by the kids

Edah dancing with "Jesus"

Kennedy

"Worth of a Soul" by Liz Lemon Swindle

I dream of the day I can return to my "family" in Africa -- some day I will go back, and I plan to bring my husband along with me :)  At least I've given him fair warning, and prepared him for what he has gotten himself into by marrying me!  hahaha.  But until then, I'll keep these photos to remind me of the piece of my heart I left behind......

Carol Zulu and Raymond

Holiday Cheer

Thankfully I do have reason to *cheer* -- I am finally working again!!  I was truly giving thanks this past weekend :)  So, I'm sure you're all curious what I signed myself up for... and in all honesty, it's quite similar to what I did while I was down in Provo (minus all the office drama and the stress/anxiety that job gave me).  My cousin Rebekah works for a company called Vital Signs Staffing, and she is the "Employment Specialist" there (amongst other things) - aka, I really owe her for getting me this job :)  The company oversees three different "groups" of employees:

1. Vital Signs Staffing
2. Home Option
3. Off-Hours Triage

The first part, Vital Signs Staffing, manages a large group of CNA/RNs looking for PRN shifts at hospitals or home health agencies.  So basically, when a hospital needs a shift filled, they contact Vital Signs and Rebekah will look for a CNA or RN to fill the spot.  It's quite an efficient system.  Unfortunately, I can't get into that pool because you need at least 1 year experience in a hospital to be a staffing nurse (surprise, surprise).  The second part, Home Option, is an expansion of the first but specifically focuses on home health and providing nurses or aides directly for clients that request our services.  I could train to be a home health nurse, but it really isn't a specialty I could see myself doing.  Too emotionally draining.  The last part, Off-Hours Triage, is where I fit in: my official title is "Triage Nurse," which is slightly misleading... I basically work in a call center, managing phone calls all shift.  I've worked three shifts now, and I think I'm slowly getting the hang of things!  It's actually a lot more complicated than it sounds, and I feel like I'm going to be doing a lot more NURSING than I ever would have down at the neurosurgery clinic.  Our company provides nurses who are available 24/7 for patients and their families to call with questions -- and these patients are all over the country.  Right now, we have ~45 clients (home health and hospice agencies) located in various states, from Hawaii to Georgia.  They have their normal business hours, and when they close, the phone calls to their offices are forwarded to our center.  Quite an interesting and progressive system, and I know that our company is growing rapidly -- supposedly we are going to get another 5-6 agencies (equaling another 500+ patients) signed on in the next week.  I'm pretty excited to be getting in on this before it really gets going!  Because we are "off-hours," my shifts are less-than-ideal, but I really can't complain.  I work every Saturday from 8am to 8pm, and 2-3 days during the week (either 5-10pm or 4-12am).  I realized today that I'm quite grateful that I don't have a M-F/8-5 job because it allows me to get all my house chores and errands done throughout the day while Geoff is at work.  The one unfortunate thing: the weekdays that I will work, I'll probably see Geoff for about 20 minutes after he gets home before I head out.  But it could be worse, right?  :)  And hey, absence makes the heart grow fonder.... hehe.  So this past weekend, I worked Friday-Saturday-Sunday, and by Sunday my trainers were quite confident that I would be able to handle the job solo on my next shift!  Scary, yet... definitely a confidence booster :)  I just REALLY need to get studying -- hospice care (the agencies/patients that I've been dealing with mostly) requires a specific set of skills/knowledge that I haven't really had exposure to.  Thankfully the nurses I work with are all (so far) extremely helpful and are happy to answer my questions as I try to get more familiar with this nursing field.  In theory, I'm supposed to be able to "triage" patient calls, which means I need to be able to figure out how to help the patient and/or their family as best as I can.... without actually visiting the patient and seeing what's going on.  These calls can range from simple questions to families upset over status changes during an incident that requires nursing interventions.  So it really will require me to know how to manage these patients -- and I know that with some studying, and time, I'll get there :)  I'm just grateful for this opportunity, and I know it really will offer experience that will better prepare me for my nursing career and jobs I will have in the future. 

Aside from the job, life is pretty calm here in Bountiful - we just enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with our families :)  We spent Thanksgiving day up in Rexburg, and enjoyed a DELICIOUS dinner prepared by the Dyers.  I really do love my new extended family, and I am so grateful that they have welcomed me with open arms.  Saturday afternoon/evening we were able to spend time with my parents preparing for Christmas, and it made me realize how grateful we are for the blessings both of our families are in our lives.  But wait -- CHRISTMAS?! Seriously?? Hard to believe it's already almost December... and that time of year again -- "the most wonderful time of the year" :D hehe.  I'm sure I'll have updates soon, but for now, I've got to finish cleaning and start getting dinner ready!  Much love y'all!

2 months, and counting....

So... I know that my husband probably won't appreciate some of this post, but I just have to brag about him for a minute :)  The other day, we were talking about our lives as single adults - long before either of us knew the other existed.  While Geoff doesn't usually like to share stories from his "glory" days, we got to talking about his time at BYU-Idaho...  I learned that while he was there, he was such the "ladies-man" that he had girls cooking dinner for him almost every night, and he was BOOKED for 2-3 weeks out!  I was curious to find out who/what exactly had convinced all these girls to cook dinner for him, so I pushed him for more information.  He then told me that all those dinners came to an abrupt halt when one of the Apostles spoke to the Young Adults in a General Conference talk and instructed the women not to enable the "free loaders" -- aka, no more free dinners for Mr. Phatty :)  I, of course, teased him about this... but he went on to explain that all those dinners were not "free" -- he had offered service to all these girls, and that was their way of thanking him.  What "services," you ask?  That was my next question.  Then he ran upstairs and rummaged around in an old box stored away in his "Man Cave" (aka office) and this is what he brought back:

 

 

 As he handed this little book to me, he explained that it is one of his most "prized possessions."  I flipped through the pages, and each one had a different "Thank You" written on it for various acts of service/kindness that Geoff had offered to these girls.  Knowing how girls are (because I am one, haha) I realized that my husband is truly the sincere, humble, charitable gentleman I know and love... Girls would not go out of their way to do something like this for just ANY guy -- Geoff had made quite the impression on those he knew then, which continues to this day :)  Amidst the 50+ thank you notes, I have selected a few favorites to share:

I'd say I'm pretty lucky to have found this guy :)  2 months in, and we are absolutely LOVING being married!  In all honesty, it just feels right... so completely natural, like this is how it was supposed to be all along.  It really does feel like we've known each other for years... when it's only been months.  Sorry to be cheesy, but I do feel like I fall more in love with him each day :) 

As for other news/updates:  I'm still on the job hunt.  I interviewed at an amazing fertility clinic last week, and would absolutely LOVE to work there, but I'm waiting to hear back... in the meantime, I've applied to a few other positions -- including the Labor & Delivery unit at the University of Utah!  While I know I'm a long-shot for the position (new grads are rarely hired on L&D floors) I still have to have faith...  Faith that the Lord will open a door for me to work as a nurse in the environment best suited for me and for Him.  He does know me better than I know myself, after all... He hasn't led me in the wrong direction yet, so why doubt Him now?  One thing I will say -- since the wedding craziness ended, my unemployment has forced me to appreciate the "job" of being a housewife.  I have always spoken out about wanting to be a working mom, frankly because I did not want to be told to sit at home while someone did all the work to pay for my life!  I didn't find it fair to just expect that someone would "take care of me" -- so I pushed myself in school to gain an education, so that I knew I would be contributing to support my future family.  While I am incredibly grateful for the many experiences I have had as a student, and the many opportunities I will have to work and serve as a nurse, sitting at home with endless chores and responsibilities around the house has finally turned on the lightbulb in my head:  being a housewife is HARD WORK!  Safe to say there are many wives out there that take advantage of their husbands and don't hold up their end of the bargain... but I really feel like I need to take back previous comments I have made during my naieve younger years.  I never listened to those who tried to share with me why they chose motherhood and staying at home to care for their children -- I was convinced that it was all an excuse, that they were complacent with their position and being "barefoot and pregnant" at home.  And that added fuel to my motivation to achieve more for myself... to show women that you don't have to accept the "easy way out" and actually make a difference in the world!  But now... I have definitely re-thought my position.  While I know that I have been blessed with certain talents and skills to use in the service of those I encounter as a nurse, being a mother is quite possibly the most intimidating -- yet most important -- job I will ever have.  And it will NOT be easy.  Geoff and I are definitely going to wait a while before we plan to have any kids, but this topic has frequented our conversations lately... and therefore it has been on my mind.  I know that I will not waste the many talents that the Lord has blessed me with, but I have finally come to acknowledge the single greatest service I alone can offer: the selfless work of motherhood.  Pretty powerful stuff, huh?  No kidding.  But I know Geoff and I have things to take care of before we start down that path... so for now, I'll just be mentally preparing myself for that epic lifetime commitment we both will make at some point in our marriage :) 

And with that, I'll leave you with a photo of a cute magnet I saw while visiting the Meek family home in Edmonton: