::Wednesday:: Quote of the Day

I loved this when I saw it because it captures the ambiance of one of my life mantras.  There have been so many times in my life where I have felt the waves of trials continuously coming and pounding me beneath their tumultuous surface. But the funny thing about it is that by the end I became a strong enough swimmer to break through, get my breath and regain my footing.  

With the results of the election yesterday I feel like everyone is forecasting such gloom and doom.  I understand the implications and weight of the outcome, however I am choosing to not focus on it negatively.  I am planning to continue living my life as fully as possible, regardless of the direction the nation is going.  I believe that our home can be a true safe-haven for our family and that through trials we become stronger, better people.  I am leaving this one in the Lord's hands and trusting that He will guide our family through any potential storms.  I have such faith that He will always reach down and pull me up out of the waves if the under-toe becomes too strong.

The next four years could change our country significantly in political and economical aspects.  But we cannot always see the destination that is planned for us.  I know that ultimately regardless of how we get there that my Heavenly Father loves me and this country and He is watching us become stronger and more self-reliant, even if it requires some hardships along the way.  We were put here on this earth in this time and this place because He knew that we were best suited for these trials.  My life has changed so much in the past four years.  I could have never imagined my own present as it is now, but I could not be happier.  I have the same hope and faith that in another four years, regardless of our nation's policies, practices and politicians I will be a better rounded, more fulfilled individual and Daughter of God.

Project Nursery

So I've been working on baby Johnathan's nursery pretty steadily the last while.  I'm sewing everything {and I mean EVERYTHING} for his room myself.  Considering I went on bed rest and never got to make my quilt...so the last real sewing project I had was a pair of pajama pants when I was a MiaMaid that Mary Johnson basically completed for me...I knew this project could go one of two ways: absolute disaster or semi-success.  I'm happy to say that it's been neither.  I would call it a success.  I have actually been quite impressed with myself on how nicely everything has been turning out.  Here are some snippets of it all coming together.

{These are going to be pennant banner curtains}

My plan is to have the nursery totally finished by Thanksgiving when our families are here to visit.  ::fingers crossed::

I've also been working on some prints for a collage on one of the nursery walls.  Here's what I came up with.  I'm going to pair them with some fun different coordinating signs/decor for a hopefully cute accent wall.

{Ignore the grey lines...those are trim marks for me when I go to cut them for the boards/frames.}

Hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll have some more pictures of the completed project :)

Happy Halloween!!!

Happy Halloween!!

{29.5 Weeks Pregnant}

Design As Of Late...

I have been pretty busy lately with some fun design projects that are outside of my Sarah Nelson Studios stuff.  Just thought I would upload them to show off.  And yes...I did design my own baby shower invitation...I am that neurotic / in high demand ::wink::

::Wednesday:: Quote of the Day

{Amen Sister}

Did anyone else see What To Expect When You're Expecting? Sometimes, I just feel like Wendy...

"I just wanted the glow. The one that they promise you on the cover of those magazines. Well, I'm calling it - pregnancy sucks. Making a human being is really hard. I have no control over my body or my emotions. Gar-bear, I'm sorry, all I want to do is punch you in the face..." " 

Michael, I'm sorry, for all those times where all I want to do is punch you in the face.  At least it will be worth it in the end right?

The Dark Ages

It has been an embarrassingly long time since I have blogged, but I have finally decided to that this streak has to end.  I have always been a toe-dipper when it comes to getting into the pool, which is probably why I have been hesitant to just jump back into the blogging world...but here we go.

My hiatus from blogging started back in May when we found out...wait for it...

We are pregnant!! We found out the weekend before Mother's Day.  Perfect timing! So we decided to use the holiday as a way to surprise our families with our {little} secret.  We were in Las Vegas with Michael's parents that weekend and we gave his mom her Grandmother's Day card.  She literally shouted and jumped in the air clicking her heels.

When my mom opened her own Grandmother's Day Card she had quite a different reaction. She was happy, but cried quite a bit.

We were still in Vegas the first time that I realized the effects pregancy was having on my body.  I could smell EVERY nasty cigar and unbathed slot machine pulling armpit.  And the all you can eat buffet didn't stay down more than an hour after I ate it.  But everyone gets sick when they are pregnant right?  Morning sickness...the obvious side effect of a growing fetus.

Except it didn't take long until my morning sickness just turned into sickness. Period.  Sick all day.  I couldn't keep a single thing down and was on bed rest for about 6 weeks total.  I call this period, the dark ages.  My existence consisted of being in bed all day every day in our dark little basement apartment.  My diet consisted of Gatorade, toast and on a good day a bagel.  Poor Michael had a totally inept wife almost all summer {or at least the better part of it}

IV treatments helped boost my system and I was on a consistent cocktail of medications.  But overall, just waiting out the first trimester proved to be the key.  As time goes on I just keep getting better.  I am into the third trimester now {28.5 weeks} and finally feel like I'm at about 90% of where I was pre-pregnancy.  Still taking meds every day, but I'm able to work and have almost all of my energy back.  Plus my photography side business is starting to gain momentum, which is fantastic supplemental income for all the medical bills from the Dark Ages.

Michael is in the middle of his next-to-last semester at BYU.  He graduates in April and I am so proud of him!! Our plan is for him to be Mr. Mom after the baby is born.  Not really what I ever pictured, but we both decided that my job pays really well, has awesome benefits and is only a 5 minute commute...which combined is too good of a thing to give up when you are saving for medical school.  So he gets a 1 year vacation being full time daddy before we move out into the great yonder for his higher education.

Well, for now that about sums things up.  I'll have to do a separate entry about all things baby so this one is not too overwhelmingly long.

Do My Works...

So the article this month for visiting teaching is on doing your visiting teaching.  If you haven't already read it you can find it here.

I am personally so grateful for visiting teaching and the monthly opportunity it gives me to enrich my life with both the gospel and friendship.  I have really grown to love my calling as a visiting teacher over the last year or so and am so grateful for the organization of the church and my relief society sisters.

Here is the handout I made to give to my girls...