Happy Thanksgiving!

On Sunday, our sacrament meeting was all about gratitude.  I learned some pretty cool things, and also was reminded of some pretty cool things.  One thing that was said that I feel is worth sharing is something the youth speaker, Adam, said.  "An attitude of gratitude is a disease we should share."  I thought that was pretty profound for a teenager.

On Monday, Neal and I did a Family Home Evening where we made a list of some of the things we are grateful for, and then said a special prayer just to thank Heavenly Father for the things he's given us.  It was pretty awe inspiring to sit down and write out a list, and then realize that we could never write down every single thing we are grateful for.  We have been so blessed and given so much.

Here is just a short list of some of the things I am so incredibly thankful for:

1. My faith in and testimony of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ - I know that I am a daughter of God, and that Christ is my Savior.  I know they both love me tremendously.

2. Neal - I can't even begin to explain to you how incredible this man is.  I thought I knew, but he has become even more amazing to me over the last few months.  He does so much service for me, works so hard to provide for us, and strives to be obedient to the commandments.
3. My family - Over the last few months I have come to realize how much I have taken my family for granted in the past.  I am so grateful for how much they love me and support me.
4. This little guy that we hoped for for what felt like so long, and that has already started changing our lives in the most incredible ways.
5. My job - I have one of the most rewarding, frustrating, enjoyable, crazy, awe-inspiring jobs in the world.  Its something I can't put into words.
6. That we always have enough for our wants and needs.  That we always have food, clean water, and shelter.
7. That we live in the US.  Things may not be going exactly how I'd like, but its still one of the best places in the world to live.
8. Scriptures - I love studying the scriptures so much, and I'm grateful for the guidance and direction I feel I get from them.
9. The trials I've been through - They've helped form me into the person I am today.  There are a lot of positive things that have come from trials I've been through.
10. That we get to work with and teach adorable 4 year olds every week on Sunday.  It truly is one of the best callings I've had!

I hope you all had an incredible Thanksgiving!  What are you grateful for this year?

20 week ultrasound :)

As you probably already know, we had our 20 week ultrasound on Tuesday.

The biggest question: what is baby's gender?  Well, our little one is most definitely a boy.

I'm sure he will love me for that later.  Sorry if you think it's TMI :) I think it's cute!

He measured 14 ounces (almost a pound already!  Woo-hoo!) and a week further along than what he actually is.  The sonographer said they probably won't up his due date though.  Apparently, generally, if its within about two weeks of your previous ultrasound's estimated due date, they won't change it.  I'm guessing that's because it's easier to get accurate measurements when they're not moving around a ton. We should find out for sure on Monday though.

It was pretty cool during the ultrasound: Neal got to see him kick like crazy!  He hasn't been able to feel him move around yet (I swear baby moves around like crazy until I tell Neal to come over), so it was a cool thing for him to see.

He kept putting his arm and hand in front of his face, so we got to see his little finger and arm a whole lot.  It was pretty crazy to see each of those little fingers move around.  He didn't like being poked by the ultrasound thing either...he would get into a good position for the sonographer to get the picture she needed, and as soon as she'd go to take the picture, he'd move.  It was pretty cute - he's definitely our child!  Stubborn :)

Neal keeps giving me a hard time because I keep looking at the pictures on the cd that she gave us, but I just can't help it.  I can't believe how much he has changed in just 12 short weeks.

I'm also happy to be past the half way point.  I keep telling myself that the last 20 weeks went by really fast, and so the next 20 weeks will go by fast as well.  He's become much more active this week, so that makes me really happy as well!!

Baby J: 18 and 19 weeks

I got up to get ready for church today and told Neal, "Ok.  It's time to play musical skirts!"  He CRACKED up!  But really, it's true.  Over the past week I have "popped" as it were.   So many people have made comments over the last two days about the fact that I actually look pregnant now.  It makes me pretty happy.

18 weeks:

Last week was our annual deer hunting trip.  My doctor told me I hit it at the right time - I was far enough along that I would have energy to do what I needed, but I wasn't far enough along to make her nervous about me being 5 hours away and travelling.  I shot my deer opening morning at about 25 yards (I surprised my deer and he surprised me, so that's why I ended up so close).  I was pretty excited about it.  I looked at Neal and said "I'm gonna tell people 'I'm pregnant, not dead!'"  That's pretty much how I felt about the whole trip.  I did things a little slower and walked a little slower, but there was one day I walked about 4 miles (up and down hill) and I'm really proud because I didn't get super winded.

The day that I walked about four miles was the day my dad shot his deer.  I'm so proud of him - he hunted so hard and so long for a nice buck, and he found one.  We were all really excited about this deer :)

Neal did awesome at taking care of me while we were up there.  Anything I needed, he took care of.  I'm so grateful for everything he does for me, and for how much he takes care of me.  I know he is going to be such a good dad.  I felt baby really kick me for the first time while we were up hunting.  It was enough to make me jump.  Cole laughed at me when it was happening - baby kicked 3 times and each time made me jump a little bit.

19 weeks

Today is officially 19 weeks.  Crazy to think that next week will be the official half way point, but that if baby comes early, we're already halfway there.  We find out gender November 19th, providing baby cooperates (which we're really hoping baby does, because we are not patient enough to wait).  We're pretty dang excited about that!

Well...that's about all.  Nothing really new or crazy.  Just plugging along :)