Welcome son:)

Our little boy has arrived! He was born Sunday August 17th at 12:41 pm. He weighed 8 lbs even, 19 inches long. We are thrilled to welcome him to earth and our family:)

My belly:)

Just in case anyone was wondering how big my belly is:) I am due any day now and we are very excited for the arrival of our little boy. He'll be born at IHC hospital here in American Fork where Ava was born. One reason I love that hospital, besides the staff there are great, is that if you are lucky you get a room with the view of the Mt. Timpanogos temple:) because it is right down the street from it. What a blessing! Another blessing, that may seem small but was huge to us is our changing pad we got yesterday. I had been looking for one for months (you can ask my sister Cori about that), and finally decided last week I'd get a cheaper one I didn't like that much at Babies 'R Us. Well after I bought it I decided I didn't really like it that much and it would be worth the money to get the more expensive one I did like, sense I couldn't find one at the DI. Anyway, I went back yesterday to do an exchange and I found a coupon they'd previously given me. This $21 changing pad ended up costing $1.23!! If that isn't a blessing than I don't know what is:) We were very excited. I had this huge list of things that we needed before the baby came a few months ago, and I'd look at it and think, "We don't have the money for all this. It'll take a miracle to get these things!". Slowly we have gotten them all and lots of it was discounted or even free. We are really being watched over and blessed.

Forever

I just wanted to write and say I am grateful that I know this life is not the end and that the Lord is in charge. It is really a precious knowledge and I am grateful I know it is real and true. I ran into a friend yesterday who I did a prenatal rec. center class with. We really got close as we saw each other three times a week and I came to love her easy ability to laugh, and also her quiet strength as she has had many trials so far in her life. She was due about two months before me and I hadn't seen her in about that time because she stopped coming to the exercise class. Anyway, last night at the store I ran into her. She looked great and we hugged. I asked her to tell me all about her happy news with her little girl, as I hadn't heard anything. When I asked her that I saw her face fall and I knew that it hadn't gone well. She said her little girl had passed away the day before she was born. They think the umbilical cord got wrapped around her neck. On Monday when she went in to the doctor everything was great and then on Tuesday when she went into labor and went to the hospital they couldn't find a heartbeat. She said it was all such a big shock, but that she was doing really well and had been strengthened by the Lord a lot. She had pictures on her phone of her little girl and she looked great and had red hair just like her mommy. My friend was still able to laugh and smile and that amazed me. She told me she is excited to raise and see her little girl again after this life, and that she'd always be a part of her. I walked away from my friend feeling a great loss for her, but also feeling such a great hope for her. I could see that because she'd turned to the Lord He was able to make this giant trial a strength to her and I knew that His arms were still around her. I know that the Lord is in charge and he will help us get through any trials that come our way. I know that all joy comes from Him also and that there is plenty of that in this life too. What a comfort to know my family is forever and that my friend's little girl is hers forever also.
p.s. My sister Cori took that second photo of the Mt. Timpanogos Temple where Daryl and I were married and sealed for time and all eternity three years ago.

Ava Hannah

Ava's recent words or phrases; don't want it, keep the commandments song, follow the prophet song, baby Eric (her new cousin), no more earwigs (really gross bugs out here), water splish splash, time to eat, there you go mom, oh potato bug! (she loves to pick them up and put them in the grass), diaper change mom, daddy hold you (me), no nigh nigh, potty ava (she wants to sit on her potty), ouchy- bleeding- bandaid?, water grass, snack time!, go to church!, etc. My favorite phrase she said last week to me was "I did it mom! Ava toot!", meaning she tooted:) Now when she toots she says "scuse me!". She is also figuring out how to put her own shorts on. She almost always gets both legs in the same short leg, but we are proud of her anyway. When her grandpa came to visit last week he gave her a balloon that she loves. It is tied onto her little stroller she pushes around the house. Even though now the balloon lays on the ground and doesn't float she still loves it and pushes it around. I can tell grandpa's visit made an impression on her because today she told me "grandpa, outside. birds, rocks, clouds..." Her grandpa took her on a few walks while he was here:) She has started wanting to look at my belly at least once a day and talks to her baby brother and hugs and kisses and tickles him. She even likes to play with her big bouncy ball on my tummy with brother. Then she says "baby brother, born, next month", even though now we are starting to tell her "this month". She is trying really hard to learn her colors and is constantly telling us what color she things something is. I'd say she gets it right thirty percent of the time, so we will keep working on it. She has a favorite website called starfall.com, which helps kids learn the abc's, and it is because of it that she now recognizes letters in words and also points out the letters she knows when she sees them. She especially loves the letter b. It is so fun seeing her learn and grow every day!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

Happy 33rd Anniversary to my wonderful parents! They were married 33 years ago today in the Los Angeles, California temple. They raised 6 kids in a loving and nurturing home where no one ever doubted if there parents loved them. I am grateful for their example and I am grateful that my mom will go up a few stairs just so her and dad can kiss and hug on eye level:) Thank you for being our friends and for all your sacrifice for our happiness. I had a religious institute teacher who use to say we've waited 2 trillion years to get married, and now we'll be married for an eternity more! I am so glad our family is forever! We love you guys!!

Happy Birthday Grandma

My Grandma Iris turned 90 yesterday! Her kids threw her a big party at the care center she lives at in Bountiful. Lots and lots of her friends and relatives came. There was a big chocolate cake (her favorite flavor in the world), Hawaiian music, pictures of her life, and lots of hugs and smiles. It was really awesome to celebrate her wonderful life and see so many great people. My dad even ordered some real Hawaiian leis for her. She served a church mission in Hawaii teaching the Japanese people back in 1940-1941 so those people and that place have always held a special place in her heart. Before the party started Iris didn't want to get out of bed. She was sleepy and even held onto the railings not wanting to leave the bed. My dad decided it was a good idea if we said a prayer of faith with her that she could get up and be alert and feel all the love from her family. After the prayer we tried to get her up and she wouldn't so we kept getting things ready and a few minutes later Val walked in pushing a dressed and awake and alert Iris. It was truly a miracle. My favorite advice my grandma ever gave me was a few years ago she told us kids "go straight". I have always remembered that and tried to "go straight" in all I do to make both her and my Father in Heaven proud. Then I can eventually go straight home to heaven to live with my family forever someday. I love my grandma and am so glad that I get to be one of her grand daughters and learn from her Christlike and loving example.

Little E

Hope my sister Esther doesn't mind me posting this picture of her little guy, but I wanted to officially say congrats to her and her family for welcoming this precious little boy into the world! Eric was born on July 18th, 2008 and weighed 8 lbs 8 oz and was 20 inches long. He is the first grandson and nephew on my parents side and we are so glad he is here. Seeing him makes us really excited to welcome our son into the world in less than a month! I know these boys (and girls) were held in reserve for these last days and we feel so blessed to be their parents and raise them.