Some Favorite Pictures of the Past Week

Proud Papa And His 49er Baby

(Papa Bought Tucker The Outfit, It's Tradition For All The Grandkids)

Grandma and Her 49er Baby
Our Thanksgiving Turkeys

He Looks Like He Just Ate A Huge Meal

Our Little All Star

Tucker Is Not A Big Fan Of Bath Time

Binkis Make It Better Though

My Beautiful Baby Boy & Hospital Slide Show

I am so grateful for my little boy. Tucker brings so much joy into my life and Davids. We love being able to cuddle him and love him. I am so protective of him, even more than I ever thought I could be. I would literally die for him. I love to watch him while he is sleeoing in my arms, and wait for him to have a good dream so he gets big smiles. He's such a snuggle bug. If you haven't had the chance to meet him and snuggle him, I hope that you have the chance to soon! :)

P.S. This counts as two posts. One for yesterday and the slideshow for today! :) I'm a cheater!

1 week old today (Kind of Long, But Good)

1 week ago today Tucker Mosby Mize blessed mine and David's life beyond measure. At 10:04 a.m. I heard the most beautiful noise in the world... Tucker's first cry. Oh, I joined him immediately with tears of joy and appreciation. I felt immediate joy that this beautiful little boy has come into my life, and immediate appreciation for a Father in Heaven who found me worthy enough to send this little boy into the world, and specificall our family, for David and I to care for. What an amazing gift.

At his 1 week check-up today he had gained 10.5 oz. since we've been home. So he's now up to 9 lbs. 5 oz. H'es been doing pretty well, except last night he didn't want to go to sleep until 3:00 in the morning. However, yesterday he had is circumcision so he slept most of the day. Let me just say that was the most traumatic experience for me. I wasn't even in the room so I can imagine how Tucker felt. The Dr. gives him a clean bill of health and is impressed with what a big baby he is. I love that he is big, it makes so much more to love! :)

So today I am grateful for my son. I realized that I haven't shared much of our amazing experience, so today I would like to share it with you all. I broke it up into sections, so you can pick and choose. Don't worry, I don't get too graphic. :)
PRE-OP
On Wednesday, the 19th, David and I headed to the hospital at 5:00 a.m. Yes, incredibly early! But you do what the Dr. says. As I was getting my I.V. for my c-section I got really faint and nauseas. I had a lot of nerves going on and I never do well with needles. After I was all prepped, Dr. Bowen came in and said it needed to be postponed for about 45 minutes because the anesthesiologist had to do an epidural on short notice. I figured that the epidural was worth waiting for. :) It wound up being about a little more than an hour before they were ready. I didn't mind though, it gave us a chance to nap. At one point I flat out admitted to David that I was scared and nervous. He sat on my bed with me and held my hand. We didn't say much, but it was just reassuring that he was there. It's amazing how he can do that.
THE O.R.
I walked into the O.R. and left David in the room. I had to get all prepped before they would bring David in. The O.R. was FREEZING! Seriously, I thought I was going to die from frostbite. As I was getting my spinal injection one of my Angle Nurses brought me a warm blanket and it made ALL the difference in the world. Considering I was supposed to stay very still for my spinal injection and I couldn't help but shiver, it was nice to have the warm blanket. As soon as the anasthesiologist was done, they laid me down to hook me up to every monitor under the sun. They numbness started to set in and it was the weirdest feeling in the world. I started to get faint and nauseas again and my BP dropped really low, so I started throwing up. My Angel nurse appeared again with another warm blanket and a bowl for me to throw up in. I call her my Angel nurse because she was ALWAYS there when I needed her with exactly what I needed. I could feel the Dr. start doing his thing and David wasn't there yet, so I kept asking for David, and every time I was reassured he was coming, I would ask again. David finally came into the room and held my hand. I wasn't completely numb so I could feel a lot more than the Anasthesiologist wanted me to, but I kept telling her I'll just deal with it because I didn't want them to have to stop and wait. My anasthesiologist was amazing as well. She would give me a play by play of what was happening. After what felt like I had been sliced in half, tugged from here to kingdom come, and had a Dr. standing on my chest to try and squeeze the baby out, I heard the most amazing sound in the world; Tuckers first cry. Oh it was so precious. The Dr.'s first comment was, "Look at that head. There is NO way you could have delivered this." Everyone laughed, including David and I.
THE ARRIVAL
At first Tuckers cry was very faint, and then he let us know he was here and he meant business. They wiped him a little and then wrapped him and gave him to David. As soon as David appeared around the curtain, the first thing I said was, "You look just like your Daddy." It was the cutest thing in the world to see David with our Son. Even though David had a scrub hat on and a mask, I could see that his face was just glowing with the pride of his baby boy. David came and let me kiss Tucker and touch his sweet face. It was such a special moment to be there with my little family. So amazing. I was grateful that the nurses let me have my arms lose instead of strapped because I was able to enjoy that moment even more. The nurses let us love on him for as long as we wanted, it was great. After about 10 minutes David and I were SO curious of his stats so we let the nurses do their thing.
THE STATS
As soon as the nurses weighed him, one of them hollered into the room, "9 lbs. 14 oz.!" Even the Dr.'s were shocked. And then I heard them talking about the placenta and how huge it was. They all seemed really shocked at how big it was. But, with a big baby comes a big placenta. Later David told me that Tuckers official stats are:
9 lbs. 14 oz.
20 1/2 inches long
15 inches head diameter
Born at 10:04 a.m.
THE RECOVERY ROOM
Once all was said and done in the O.R. I was wheeled into the recovery and there I was able to hold Tucker for the first time. It was so amazing. I loved being able to look at him and know that he is mine. It was such a special time again for David and I. I loved being able to lie there holidng Tucker in my arms with one of David's hands on Tucker and the other one on my leg. It was such a feeling of completeness. Not that we are a fully complete family, we still have little ones that will join our family, but for the moment, we are complete. The nurses were shocked that just after we got into recover I could start moving my right leg. It normally takes at least an hour, but since I wasn't completely numb, it didn't take me as long. All I wanted to do in the recovery room was leave and go up to my mother/baby room so I could spend time with David and Tucker and, honestly, so I could order some food. I hadn't eaten since 11:00 the night before.

HOSPITAL STAY

The rest of my hospital stay was awesome. We were blessed with the most amazing nurses and hospital staff. As I would walk by other patients in the hall on my nightly walks, we would share stories of labor and delivery and show off our babies to each other. It was so fun to share with everyone. David and I had so many visitors and we loved it. Aside from both sets of Tuckers grandparents Tucker got to meet Brittany and Randy Springer and their little boy Randy, Shaira Powell and her baby Owen, Melody Rogerson and her baby Bella, Kim and Chris Blevins, and Emily Montgomery. We loved our visits from everyone and appreciate you all. :)

The recovery wasn't the easiest thing in the world. The first time I had to get out of the bed I thought I was going to DIE! Then I had to go and try to go to the bathroom. You know, the toilet is a LOT lower than one would think. But, each time I got up after that it got easier and easier. The food in the hospital... AMAZING! Seriously, it was SO Good! David and I were able to spend some great time together with Tucker and we loved that. David didn't stay the night with me in the hospital because we both felt he was more effective after getting a good nights sleep at home. So he would come as soon as he woke up, and then he would stay all day until it was time for bed again, around 10:00 or 11:00. He was so good to me, and still is here at home.

We love having Tucker in our family. David and I will lay in bed at night and look at Tucker while he is sleeping in his cradle and we'll say to each other, "Isn't he so perfect? I just love him so much." It's so fun! We just love being parents and can't wait to watch Tucker learn and grow every day!

My Amazing Parents

I don't know how I would have been able to survive the last few days without may parents here. They have been SO much help. My Mom has been amazing at helping keep the apartment clean and organized. She even did the laundry today (folded it and everything). My Dad has kept us well fed with awesome dinners. It has been so nice for David to be able to go to work and come home and rest. And even better for me to be able to just heal. So I have to say that my parents are pretty amazing and I'm not sure what I would do without them. They have been here since last Tuesday evening (the night before Tucker was born), and they are staying until Friday. I have loved having them here. Aside from all of the cleaning and cooking, it has been nice to be able to spend so much time with them. :) Tomorrow I will try and post a slideshow of all of the pictures from the hospital. Until then, I'm off to love my little boy. He had his circumcision today so he needs lots of love from Mommy.

Man, I LOVE being the Mommy.

Washer and Dryer

I can remember people telling me all of the time that I would be so grateful to have a washer and dryer in my apartment after the baby is born. I always thought they meant just because it would be nice to not to have to lug the laundry to and from the laundrymat or something. OH NO! I now fully understand why people said that. Tucker got home Saturday afternoon, and by this afternoon a FULL load of laundry needed to be done of just his stuff. So crazy! This little boy peed on 3 or 4 outfits, which got on blankets, he spit up on stuff, and the list could go on. He's so darn CUTE, so it makes it ALL worth it!

Home Sweet Home

We have made it home safely. Yesterday afternoon around 1:45 we got home and are so glad to be here. Tucker was asleep when we got home and it was too cute when he woke up. He kept looking around like, "Where is this placee? Where am I?" It was so cute.

David was so helpful during the night last night. He wanted ot mkae sure that I got caught up on sleep, so after the midnight feeding he took Tucker and went and slept on the couch. He is too good tp me! :)

Well, I am litereally falling asleep as I write this! So I should go! Enjoy the pictures! :)

Awesome Maternity Nurses

I have been SO blessed to have the most AMAZING nurses during my stay here in the Mother Baby Unit. I am one of those people that asks a ton of questions all of the time, and these nurses have been nothing but helpful. They always have an answer for me and they never make me feel like I am asking a dumb question. My stay here has been nothing but enjoyable and that is mostly due to my nurses. They are always so loving and gentle with Tucker. They are always telling me how cute he is, and that always makes a Mom feel better. I am just so grateful for the amazing care I have received while recovering from Tuckers delivery.

Post Pregnancy Drugs

Without these... I don't know what I would do right now!

Life is good with these around.

Cutest Baby EVER!!!

Daddy's Little Boy

Tucker Mosby Mize

11/19/08 - 10:04 a.m.

9 lbs. 14 oz. - 20 1/2 inchesMom, Dad and Baby are all doing well.

We should be home by Saturday! :)

More details to follow in the coming days!

Today I Add To My Resume...

...MOTHER

What more could I ask for!

I am SO grateful! :)

(Pictures to follow soon)

A Good, Knowledgable Doctor (Baby Update Too)

Well, as most of you know, I am going in tomorrow to have a c-section. Everything is OK with the baby and I am fine, so this isn't an emergency or anything. The only problem is that Tucker has a big head, and I have a very narrow pelvic bone. So, after talking it over with David and the Dr. we decided that a c-section would be the best route for us. The Dr. told me that he is more thn willing to let me go and try to do it vaginaly, but he gave me less than a 10% chance of success. He said that most likely what would happen is I would labor for a really long time, get nowhere, and end up having a c-section anyway. So after informing us of the pros and cons of everything, and telling us that he is comfortable either way, we opted for the c-section. If I had a 50% chance vaginal success rate then we would have waited. But we are extremley excited to be able to see and hold Tucker tomorrow. Knowing me, I'll have pictures posted tomorrow night!

I have to say today that I am SO grateful for such a knowledgable and good Doctor. I have so much faith and trust in Dr. Bowen and his ability. David and I pretty much picked his brain yesterday of all of the pros and cons of whichever way we chose. He was so patient and kind. Everytime I saw him for an appointment I never felt like he was in a rush to get anywhere, although I knew that he had other patients he made me feel like I was the only one that day. He has always been so informative and helpful, it's been great. David normally doesn't go to my Dr. appointments with me because of work, and for some reason yesterday he felt like he should go. And I am SO thankfult that he did. I don't think that I could have made the decision of a c-section on my own. David and I both wanted to do all we could to prevent a c-section. So when it was presented as probably the best case scenario, I was glad that David was there to talk with Dr. Bowen as well.

David and I have truly been blessed during this pregnancy. I have had extremely good health. Even though I was on bed rest a few times because of my blood pressure I can't complain. I was always able to control my BP with bed/house rest. I am so grateful for the health that I have had. I know too many women who have had hard pregnancies, only to be followed by hard labors or emergency c-sections. So as much as I don't like being pregnant, and as of right now don't want to do it again any time soon, I am so grateful for the amazing experience it has been!

Tithing

Yesterday evening David and I had the chance to meet with our Bishop for tithing settlement. I look forward to tithing settlement every year. It gives us the opportunity to sit before our Bishop and confirm to him that David and I are full tithe payers. David and I were talking on our way home about when we were younger and we would always go to tithing settlement with our parents and our siblings. Of course we had to note that one of our favorite parts of tithing settlement when we were younger was that there was always candy on the Bishops desk. :) As we discussed the different memories we had from tithing settlement when we were younger there was one memory that we both shared. We both vividly remember hearing our parents say to the Bishop, "Yes, we are full tithe payers." Those 6 words made all the difference in the world in our individual and married lives. I can honestly say that paying tithing has never been too much of an issue for me. Even as David and I have gone through our financial ups and downs we have paid our tithing without question. I could give a number of stories from our lives and the lives of our loved ones where tithing has blessed in ways unimaginable. When I was younger I would BEG to pay tithing. I would go and get an envelope, and then ask my Mom and Dad for change to put in it so I could give it to the Bishop. Because of that, at a young age I developed a love for paying tithing. As I got older I understood more the reason we pay tithing, when we pay it, how we pay it, how much, and the amazing blessings that come frm paying tithing. I will always appreciate my parents for instilling such an amazing principle in my life. I know that the Lord blesses us when we pay our tithing, and these blessings come in ways that we could never imagine. I pray that David and I can instill the same appreciation for tithing in our children as our parents did in us.

Church

I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to go to church. The last 3 months or so there have been maybe three or four Sundays that I have been able to go to church and stay all 3 hours. Maybe half of the rest of the time I haven't been able to go at all either from bed rest, or massive headache, or some other lame thing. It definitely has made me realize how much I miss church when I'm not there, and how much I take it for granted when I can go every week. I feel like I miss so much when I can't be at church. I miss being able to take the Sacrament and renew those sacred covenants. I miss the building of relationships and friendships with the people in the ward. I miss being able to strengthen my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I miss those opportunities to share and discuss in lessons and to learn from the teachers. I can't wait until we have made it to the next step (Tucker being born) and we can get back into a routine of going to church and being more active again. I am so grateful that I have a strong testimony that can carry me through those Sundays when I can only make it Sacrament, or to no church at all.

We Thank Thee Oh God For A Prophet

To Guide Us In These Latter Days.

With all of the different things going on in the world today I am so grateful for a prophet to literally guide us in these Latter-Days. There is so much negativity in the world today, so much hate, and so much confusion. As I prepare to bring Tucker into this crazy mixed up world, it comforts me to know that we have a man on the earth who is in direct communication with our Father in Heaven. It comforts to me to know that no matter what is going on in the world, we never have to question what our Father in Heaven wants us to do.

I have always had a great love for President Monson, ever since I was young in primary. I feel like as I have grown up, he has directed his talks to me directly. He has such a sweet sense of humor and I never feel that he is above the next person. President Monson is an amazing man in my eyes though. I love hearing talks from President Monson, and his stories are so awesome. Whenever he tells a story he really grasps your attention. I love the following clip because it shows how normal President Monson is.

Good Chocolate

Even the most expensive chocolate in the world is not better than this chocolate. I am grateful for this chocolate, and how cheap it is. It sure has gotten me through some brutual cravings. David almost lost his life last night because he ate the last little bit of it that I had in the freezer! Not a good thing to do to a pregnant woman with a craving!

However, there is a second best to this chocolate...

I'm hoping that my Mom brings a good box of See's Candy with her when she comes up when Tucker is born. :)

Great In-Laws (David's Family)

I am so grateful for my in-laws. David's family is so great. Before I got married, or even met David, I told myself that I want to do all that I can to have a good relationship with my in-laws when I get married. I know too many people that just don't get along with their in-laws, and it makes me sad. So I made it my goal. I sure did get lucky! My in-laws are all great. I am grateful that I can feel comfortable enough to be at my in-laws without David around. I am grateful that I have never felt like someone who doesn't belong. From the very first moment I met them I felt like I was accepted for who I am, and I appreciate it so much. My in-laws are great and I hope they know how much I appreciate them. My brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law are so much fun! And my mother-in-law and father-in-law are so supportive.

Below is a picture of all of us last Christmas. My mother-in-law made the pants for us, and they are SO comfortable. I think we are getting some news ones this year too. YAY! I'm excited to see how cute Tucker's look, since they'll be so little! :)

Jon (Dad), Nate, Ryan, David, Loa (Mom)

Rachel, Sarah, Josh, Angie, Riley, Jenn, Teddy

Maybe Thanksgiving Baby?

Oh most likely a Thanksgiving baby. At my Dr. appointment this afternoon I lost a pd. so that is good. My BP is back to normal so that is good. However, I am only dilated to a 1, my cervix is still thick but it is soft, and Tucker is still sitting VERY high. So my Dr. told me to not be hoping for a baby before Thanksgiving. So we'll see when he decides to come. We'll keep you all posted!

The Boehrer Boys

Today I am grateful for The Boehrer Boys! :) For those of you who have never heard of The Boehrer Boys (mostly people who obviously don't know my maiden name) they are my brothers; Mike, Dan, Dave and Bryan. I may be partial, okay, I'm totally partial, but they are pretty amazing!

When I was younger I would always say that when I have kids I want to have a boy first because I think every girl should have at least one older brother. I, fortunately, was blessed with four of them. So, when I did finally get pregnant... I of course said I wanted a girl because, well, I've been surrounded by boys my whole life. But, for the same reason I was not at ALL surprised when we were told we are having a boy. I know how to handle boys! :)

So, as I get closer to the time for this little man to make his entrance I find myself often thinking of how I am going to raise him. My mind always rests easy on the fact that I have 4 amazing examples of how I want this little man to turn out. Granted, David (my husband David) is the ultimate example, but the more the better! :)

For those of you who lived in the Citrus Heights Stake may have heard your share of stories about my brothers as they were growing up. Most of you who have older siblings know that those older siblings either liked or dis-liked my brothers, there was never much of an in between. :) My brothers have never been afraid to speak their mind (Dave so much that he became a lawyer). They always know how to have a good time. They are/were very active in sports (all of them, but mostly Bryan, he played football up through college). They have strong testimonies of the gospel (each of them, but we all go to Dan for spiritual advice). They have a strong work ethic. They tease me relentlessly, but always reassure me that they love me (Mike can be relentless, but always ends it with saying, "You know I love you."). I have always known that no matter what, I can call them anytime and they will be there for me. They are amazing! Family gatherings are far from quiet, and even further from dull. Whether only a few of us are there, or all of us, a good time is had by all. :)

So today I am extremely grateful for The Boehrer Boys! They are the absolute BEST older brothers a baby sister could ask for. I know that in a way it freaks them out that there baby sister is having a baby of her own. I want them to know that thanks to each of them and his Daddy, this little boy will have the best examples to look up to. Thanks Brothers! :)

My Brothers And I On My Wedding Day!

Mike, Dan, Me, Dave and Bryan

Veterans

Today I am grateful for the many veterans in our lives. I, like many of you probably, have been blessed to have 4 of them in my life. My Dad, my Uncle Jerry, my Grandpa Boehrer, and my Grandpa Bailey. All 4 of these men are amazing! I know that each and every one of them risked their lives for us to be able to live in this amazing Country. I am so grateful for the men and women who serve our country today. On my mission I was able to serve in a military branch among the families of servicemen and the servicemen themeselves. I gained an even greater respect for not only the men and women who serve our Country, but also for their families who support them. Often times families didn't know where their loved ones were, or when exactly they would return. All they could do was pray for them everyday and try to go on as normal. And in return their loved ones are out risking their lives for ALL of us with little to no contact with their families.

I hope that each and every day we all remember the wonderful men and women who serve our country, as well as their families. I hope that we remember them in our prayers and thoughts, not just during the Holidays or on certain days of the year, but every day! These wonderful men and women are out defending our country so we can sit here and post on our blogs whatever we want to say, so we can practice our religion no matter what it is, so we can have an opinion in all that we do. What an amazing thing it is!

Two of the Amazing Veterans in my life.

My Dad and my Uncle Jerry.

Gifts of the Heart

Today I am grateful for Gifts of the Heart, in the most literal sense you could imagine. Our friends Scott and Abbie have been posting about a little girl named Mia McDonald who is only 4 months old (I have included a post on my blog as well). Well, when I checked Scott and Abbie's blog this morning the best news of the world was there, Mia Is Getting A Heart! How incredibly grateful her family must be to know that this little girl has a chance. I couldn't help but say a prayer thanking our Heavenly Father for blessing this little girl with a heart, and a chance at a long life. After I checked Abbie's blog I went to the main blog for Mia (http://helpbabymia.blogspot.com) to see if any more details were there. There was a post late last night informing us that she is getting a heart, at the end it read,

"Thank you for all of your prayers and please remember the

donor family who has so graciously given Mia this gift!"

As I read this post I realized that it hadn't even crossed my mind how this little girl was getting her new heart. Often times when we hear of these stories I think we forget that even though something amazing is happening, it didn't come without a loss to someone else. I know that there is a family out there who has lost a baby. There is a mother who carried, loved and bonded with a child for 9-months to end in heart-ache. A Dad who waited patiently to meet his son/daughter and to love and care for him/her. This baby who is literally giving the gift of life to Mia may have had siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents and many others who already loved him/her. As difficult as it may have been for this family to offer this wonderful gift to Mia. After I read this last sentence I couldn't help but offer another prayer asking our Heavenly Father to bless this family with the comfort of the Atonement and the Plan of Salvation. How grateful I am for each of these things as well. How different our lives would be without them, how sad and lonely. But with them we can find joy and peace in our lives every day.

Please remember Mia in your prayers today, along with the wonderful family who has given her this amazing gift that she has waited all 4 -months of her precious life for. Literally a Gift of the Heart!

My Baby Grooves

Today I am grateful for the fact that I have an active baby. As much as I don't want to be pregnant anymore, I am so grateful that Tucker moves. I feel so bad for the women who have the scares of a baby that is not as active. I am so grateful that everyday, a number of times a day, Tucker gives me little nudges to remind me that he's getting ready to make the transition from my tummy to my arms. I think I'll miss this special little thing that just Tucker and I have once he is born. But I'm sure his loves and cuddles will make up for it! :)

Baby Dancing | Viral | SPIKE.com

Lifelong Friends

Today, and every day of my life, I am grateful for lifelong friends.

I remember back when my brother Bryan was a Sophomore in High School. He had a core group of 7 guys that he hung out with; Bryan, Brian, Ryan, Jay, Devon, Kevin, and Russ. Other guys rotated in and out of the group like Chris and Tim, but the 7 guys were the core. I was telling my friends Mom one day about this group of guys (probably because I thought they were all cute, it's no secret, hee hee hee), and she said to me, "They won't be friends after high school. If they are, then maybe for a couple of years but it won't last." I was adamant and told her that they would be friends forever. So far, they all still remain friends. As life carries them in different directions and they've started families and careers, they may not "hang out" as much as they have, but they are still just as good as friends as ever. All of these guys have been an extension to our family. The last time I saw all of them together was when Bryan got married back in 2005, and it was like they never skipped a day together. I just love to sit back and watch them all interact, it's actually very entertaining. :)

Now, I know it's random that I tell you about my brothers friends, but they all had a huge impact on me. I saw how they could all rely on each other for anything and stuck together through thick and thin. When I got to high school I told myself that I wanted to have my own core group of friends as strong as these guys were. And I was fortunate to find a group that I LOVE more than anything. Towards the beginning of Freshman year it was Me, Ally, Sara, Amy and Jamie. Sara, Ally and I were little sisters of guys from my brothers group, so we kind of felt like the next generation. :) We would eat lunch with the Varsity cheerleaders because we knew them all through our brothers and church. It was awesome. Towards the middle of the school year we became a little more independat from the cheerleaders and joining our little group was Lisa, Sarah and Lauren. From our freshman year on we were all the best of friends. Ofcours because we are girls we had more spats than my brothers group, but we loved each other none-the-less. We weren't too clicky, we let people come and go but always knew we had a core group of friends. I was bound and determined to defy the odds and remain friends with these girls and I love that I have. Unfortunately after our Senior year Lauren moved away, but thanks to the internet we have been able to keep in touch. I hope that one day soon I can get together with all of these girls again and we can pick up like we never missed a day away from each other, just like high school. We made a list of inside jokes in high school that turned out to be 6 or 7 pages long if I remember. It was awesome, maybe one day I'll dig it out of my journal and throw some out there once in awhile! :) I will try and scan some AWESOME pictures of these friends and I in highschool later today. I know I have some good ones here somewhere! :)

So, I know this post is already long enough, but I have to say how much I love all of my friends. I know that life would not be the same without them. They are the greatest friends a girl could ask for. As much as I love and am grateful for my old friends who are lifelong, I am grateful for the new friends that I have made in the past few years who I hope to remain lifelong friends with. I really believe that the Lord puts people in your life for a reason and each and every single one of the friends that I have been blessed with has played an important role in who I am. I love you all and am forever grateful to all of you! :)

Baby Mia

I copied this post from my friends blog. If you would like to participate let me know in a comment or an e-mail. Thanks everyone!

____________________________________________________________________

Mia was born with congenital heart disorder. It seems that she has been in the hospital since birth waiting for a new heart. The family needs nearly half a million dollars to put Mia on a waiting list that would get her a heart sooner.I thought that instead of waging comment wars with people whose political ideas are different than mine and vice versa that now would be the perfect chance to show what the power of one individual can do. I know that this baby can be saved but I also know that it won't happen if we do nothing. Now is the chance for each of us to make a change.I am posting the family's blog address on my blog in hopes that more of you will do the same, to spread the word and to donate to a cause that so desperately needs it.http://helpbabymia.blogspot.com/

Consumed and aching
That's how I have felt these last few days. You know how you get emails sometimes about people you don't know and you're able to dismiss the stories fairly easily? For some reason I haven't been able to shake Baby Mia out of my head. Every day I go and check the two blogs that tell her story to see if there are any updates (even though I have them on google reader). If there is nothing new, I scroll through the old posts. For some reason, this story is sticking with me more than ever. I go to pick up Ella from her crib and am so grateful that I can hold my little baby and feed her and squeeze her until my heart is content. I recognize that Mia can't have her mom do that for her.And so I have decided to do a few things and here is what you can do to help me. Though I have talents, I don't feel like I have an artsy talent that would allow me to sell anything I have made. I thought about making goodies and selling them door-to-door here in Lexington and I'm still considering the possibility. But I can run pretty decently and I have decided to do a run-a-thon!Do you remember back in the day when you did jump-a-thons at school? You might have gone around asking your friends to donate money for every jump you did or else to donate a flat rate. Well I have decided to run for an hour around the track and you can donate for every mile I run. I usually run between 6 or 7 miles per hour. That's not a lot but I felt that it would be sufficient. Here's what I am asking every one of you. :) I understand that many of you are in the same situation as Scott and me: students, on loans, in debt, etc. But I am certain that everyone can afford to sponsor my run. Here's why: you can donate as much or as little as you would like.Let me give you an example of how much you might wind up donating if I were to run 6.5 miles in an hour:Your donation per mile............ Total.25 .....................................1.60
.50 .....................................3.25
.75 ......................................4.87
1.00 ...................................6.50
1.25 ...................................8.10
1.50 ...................................9.75
1.75 ...................................11.37
2.00 ..................................13.00
Even if you can only donate .25 cents per mile, you are still contributing!! Doesn't that just make you feel warm inside? :) I have decided to do the run the Saturday after Thanksgiving and will post photos and the results on the blog so that everyone can feel included. We will either set up a paypal account where you can just take a credit card and deposit the money or else you can send a check or cash. For those of you lucky enough to live in Lexington (lucky you!!) we'll have hot cocoa and cinnamon rolls for those who would like to come and watch/cheer me on/run with me.

7-11 (Here you go Jamie)

I am grateful for 7-11. Honestly, I don't know anyone who wouldn't be. They always have Diet Coke on tap (another thing I LOVE), they have delicious slurpees, amazing candy, and pretty much everything else you need. It's amazing! Sadly there is no 7-11 near me here in Salem, so I have to settle for AM-PM or Circle K, both worthy competitors with Diet Coke! :)

7-11 has provided some AMAZING memories for me with both friends and family. Anyone who knows my family, or has spent any amount of time with my family knows that we don't go long without a big gulp. On any given Holiday that we are together, at some point someone is going to 7-11 to get big gulps for everyone. Every time we went to one of my brothers football or baseball games we would stop at 7-11 to get a soda. Growing up I was always within walking distance to the 7-11 on the corner of Sunrise and Woodmore Oaks, so my parents would always let me walk up there with my brothers to get slurpees or big gulps. Then, as I got a little older I could walk up with friends. And even once I started driving we would go on 7-11 runs ALL the time. It was pretty much and extension of my home. My Dad joked one day and called it Cindy-11 and it kind of stuck. :) One fun memory with friends is when Jamie (Elkington) Stauffer, Allison (Adams) Gillaspy, Amy Isom, Doug Segwick, Paul Moses, Jake McCarty and I all went to the 7-11 on Sunrise to get treats. The 6 of us piled into Dougs 2 door (don't remember the type of car) car that comfortably fit 4 (we all squeezed in there VERY often). We all piled in, went and got our soda, slurpees, candy and whatever else we wanted. On the way home we decided that we didn't want to squeeze again so Paul and Jake sat in the trunk (with it open) on the way home. It's a good thing 7-11 was close, I don't know how we didn't get in trouble! :) Ah, it's amazing how one little store can provide so many memories. I could REALLY go on for DAYS! But, I won't bore you. If you have any good 7-11 memories leave them in a comment, I would LOVE to hear them! :)

Digital Video Recorder

Today I am grateful for DVR's. Random, I know. But I could not fall asleep for ANYTHING last night. So I got up and watched my recorded shows. Really, I am so glad I had shows to watch because late night television is a LOT of infomercials and DUMB shows. So instead I watched Ellen, Private Practice, and Rock of Love Charm School (I know, it's silly but I love it). Once those shows ran out I watched Fresh Prince of Bel Air. You can't go wrong there. :) I think I finally fell asleep around 4:00. Then I went into bed at 5:00 when David's alarm went off and sleept like a baby! I think we're going to have to get a TV in the office so I can sleep in there until this little monster comes. I just need to have my room to flop and roll as needed without worrying about waking David up. So if we have a TV in the office I can sleep on the bed in there without worrying about waking David. :) We'll see if he goes for that! :)

Come On Baby, I'm Tired Of Bed Rest

I met with the Dr. today to discuss the ultra sound. He is very glad that Tucker has flipped to the head down position. I told him to join the club. :) He also checked me to see if I am dilated at all, and let's just say that Tucker is still sitting VERY high (The Dr. could not reach him... PAINFUL), and I may be dilated to a finger tip...maybe, the only good news was my cervix is softening. His final conclusion was that all signs point to going past my due date. I'm not too surprised, but was hoping that Tucker would at least come on time. I supposed he could still surprise us. I only gained a pound so that was good news. The final news of the day is I'm back on bed rest. Boo! :( He was more strict this time. I am pretty much homebound unless I have a Dr.'s appointment or I absolutely have to go somewhere. So now we are praying that Tucker comes as soon as it's healthy for him to make his entrance.

My sister-in-law Tory told me that my nieces always ask if it's Thanksgiving yet because that's when Tucker is supposed to be here. So I called Tory and told her that she needs to tell the girls to start saying Tucker needs to be here now. :) Hopefully that works. If anyone else has any other ideas I am open to them. Unfortunately with the bed rest I can't go walking or jump on a trampoline so those options are out. :) And, I know of one other option which is the same as how Tucker got in there in the first place (Thanks Sarah!). So any other ideas would be GREAT! :)

NO MORE POLITICAL ADS!

Today I couldn't be more grateful for the fact that we have NO MORE POLITICAL ADS! YAY! I can watch TV without getting too annoyed! That's all I can really say about that! :)

GOOD NEWS ALL AROUND!

Let's get right to the point...

TUCKER IS NOW HEAD DOWN! YAY!

I went in today to get my ultra sound, and right away the tech told me that he is head down. YAY! I literally got teary eyed. There was no better news she could have given me. So now we play the waiting game. I go in and see my Dr. tomorrow and he will start checking now for if I am dilated and all of that fun stuff. So let's pray that Tucker comes on time because I LOVE Thanksgiving and don't want to spend it in the hospital! :) I would post the picture of the ultra sound, but it isn't scanning well because Tucker was not cooperating. He either had his hand in front of his face, or would turn away. So we'll just have to wait until he gets here to get another look at him! :)

I also thought I would include a belly picture in this post. After I got ready for church on Sunday I asked David to take a picture since I was dressed nice. I had realized that all of my other pictures were taken either in pajamas or at the end of the day when I looked beat! So here is proof that I did dress nice and look nice while I was pregnant! :) This is the only church outfit that really fits me now so I'm glad it's comfortable! :)

Voting

Today I am extremely grateful for the right to vote. What an awesome priviledge it is to live in a country where our opinion counts. This election has been a difficult one for me for many reasons. The last two presidential elections I either was barely legal to vote, or I had only been home from my mission a short time. So on both occasions I didn't study the candidates as well as I should have and I pretty much followed my Dad's lead. Now, I will say that my Dad and I pretty much think on the same page so I knew that what he voted would agree with my views also. I did some reasearch each time but NOTHING like this year. For the first time I actually sat down and read the pamphlets that we recieve that have all of the measure info. in them and the candidates info. Yes, I am gloating because I HATE politics, so I am proud of myself for being respondible. :) I am bummed though because here in Oregon everyone does mail in voting, so I miss the excitment of going down to the polls, placing my vote, getting my sticker and walking out proud that I was able to vote. So, here I am silently proud to know I have done my part, or at least I will be this afternoon after I drop my ballot in the box. :) I am excited to watch all of the news this evening to see what happens both locally and nationally. I hope EVERYONE that can, goes out to vote or drops their ballot of today, we truly are making history as we exercise this, our civic duty! :) HAPPY ELECTION DAY!

(Abbie, I stole this picture from your blog because I miss getting that sticker. After I used it I finished reading you blog and what you said about pictures. :) Too funny, I figured you wouldn't mind though because...well...it's a sticker! :))

Cold Weather

Today I am grateful for the cold weather. I know it sounds crazy but we slept with the window open last night and the fan on the floor on low and it was GLORIOUS! I'm pretty sure it at least got into the LOW 40's if not the high 30's. So, it was definitely cold outside. I loved it, I was able to actually sleep with the covers on. I absolutely LOVE snuggling up under the blankets with just my head out and it being just cold enough in the room to make it comfortable. Of course I'm sure if you ask me in March I will say I am ready for the warm weather, but for now I am LOVING the cold! :) Also, along with cold weather comes the wonderful holiday season. It's such an amazing time of year!

I love the little cartoon below because I've always thought it would be cool if you could really play icicles like a musical instrument! :)

Fast Sundays

Today I am grateful for fast Sundays. The last 9 months I have not been able to fast because of being pregnant and I certainly have missed it. Fasting is something that I have learned in times past really clears your mind and allows you to focus on the important things. These last 9-months I have relied on my family and friends when I can't fast. We have had quite a few decisions that have needed to be made, and without being able to fast myself it has been comforting to know that I have amazing friends and family that are fasting on my behalf. Today especially I am grateful, being that it is fast Sunday, because I know that all of my family are fasting for Tucker and I that he will turn and I will be able to handle however he does decide to come into this world. So, I encourage everyone to participate in the wonderful opportunities that we have to fast. It will be yet awhile still before I can fast, but I look forward to the opportunity when I can. :)

November and it's beautiful colors

So, seeing as this month is November and we celebrate Thanksgiving this month I thought it would be fun to try and post something that I am thankful for everyday, and why. They probably won't be long posts, and I will try to have a picture with each post just to make it more fun. I can think of 2 days at least that I might not be able to post because hopefully I'll be in the hospital with a new baby, but we'll see. I hope that you all enjoy. ;)

Today I am thankful for the amazing colors that are out in the month of November. Once December comes the trees are all naked and the leaves on the ground even seem to have disappeared completely. So November is the last chance we have until spring to enjoy the amazing colors that Mother Nature decorates our neighborhoods with. I love them all!