Ryan's First Christmas

On Christmas morning Ben woke up to my alarm that went off at 5:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. An hour later Ryan woke up to eat and instead of going back to sleep, decided he would stay wide awake for a few hours. Usually he isn't wide awake til around nine or ten, so this wasn't really ideal to me since I'm up every 2-3 hours to feed him. But instead of going back to sleep we decided we would open our presents.

Here is Ryan before we opened all the gifts

Afterwards with his presents. He did not like the lights from the tree in his face.

Playing with the ball from grandma and grandpa. He could grab onto with help, but either couldn't or wouldn't lift his arm with it.

We spent the rest of the morning over at Ben's parents and ate lunch there. After that we went over to Jody and Doran's and spent the afternoon there. We had a lot of fun with Ryan's first Christmas and we are glad that he was here for it this year. The greatest gift we got this year was to have him here and healthy.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas eve Ben's family came over so we could exchange gifts before everone but us left for Arizona the next day. Ben and I had Tiff and Jason for christmas this year. Since we are always hearing about the aggies, and we know how much Jason dislikes BYU we got this BYU bag and wrapped it up with their real present inside of it. He was pretty ashamed to now own something with BYU on it, but it made for a pretty good laugh. The rest of the evening was spent eating pizza and ice cream and playing new games that the others got for christmas.

He is FINALLY here

On December 11, 2010 our little baby Ryan Benjamin Nelson was born at 2:08 pm. He weighed 6 pounds 14 ounces and was 19 inches tall. He is a great blessing to us and we are so glad to have him with us. It has been a long and exciting wait and we are so so glad it is all over. Thanks to everyone who has been with us on this long journey to get here and we are also grateful for all the prayers as well.

One source of Ben's entertainment....playing with the hospital bed.

Home Sweet Home

After three and a half weeks in the hospital I finally got to come home! It feels so good to be home! The doctors say that baby looks great. I am on light duty. The doctor doesn't want me constantly sitting but I can't do anything big like cleaning. I can cook light meals if I want too. Basicly I get to just be a couch potatoe and take it easy for the rest of the week. The doctor doesn't want the baby to come before monday but if he does he thinks I will still be able to deliver in Brigham because I have had the steroid shots for the baby's lungs. He said starting monday I can do whatever I want too and he would be ok with it if I went into labor on my own. He thinks we might have the baby before christmas but he will be here by the end of the year no matter what. Now he just needs to be a good boy and keep baking for at least the rest of the week.

Hospital Stay

On the 7th Ben and I went to the hospital because I was bleeding a little. When they examined me they found out I was dialated to a 3 and 80% effaced and still having contractions. I think I was having contractions the whole week and just didn't know. They tried everything they possibly could to stop the contractions and nothing was working....So they transferred me to Ogden in an ambulance. The doctor that is now seeing me thought for sure that I would've had the baby that night, but the baby never came. So, he started giving me medicine again to stop the contractions. The medicine hasn't stopped them, but it has kept me from dialating anymore. So far I have survived a week in the hospital and depending on when the baby comes I could be here for up to four more weeks, maybe less if the doctor here and probably also the doctor in Brigham decide that it would ok. So, right now we are just waiting to see what this baby does. Ben gets up at six in the morning and goes to Brigham so he can go to work. He works through lunch so he can leave work an hour early and come back here and spend the night. Ben has been great through all of this. He has helped me a lot, and it's a lot easier to have him here than to have him at home every night like some people would do. He hates leaving me. He is so anxious to be a dad now that the baby was so close to coming and now he hasn't. We both want the baby here, but we both know that the best thing for the baby is to stay in my belly for as long as possible. Everyday that he stays in my belly the less he would have to be in NICU if he comes early. So, we are just praying that whatever happens that everything will be well.

Duck Hunting

Ben really wanted to go hunting today, but he didn't want to go by himself. He was actually going to stay home so he wouldn't have to go alone. Since I knew he really wanted to go I told him I would go with him as long as I could take a chair with me. It started raining when we left the house, and by the time we got to our hunting spot we were soaked. There were tons of ducks flying really low. The first shot Ben took he got a duck...poor ducky. He went to retrieve it and had to chase the little duck around in the water. It was hilarious and I wished I could have taken a picture of it, but I didn't dare take the camera out in the rain. Ben was having a blast out there and it was fun to watch him. The best thing for me was that we were only out there for about half an hour before we left.

That wet spot around Ben's neck isn't sweat, it's water from all that rain
These clothes I'm wearing are Ben's which is why they are so huge on me. Those pants are completly soaked through, and my shoes are super muddy.

Happy Birthday to me

This year for my birthday Ben decided to throw me a little surprise party, with both of our families there. I knew he was up to something when he started talking to Jody about me going to the JR. Peach days parade (which was on the day of my birthday) to help watch Chelsea's kids. After that he was pretty secretive and I knew he was planning something, I just didn't quite know what it was. So, I went to the prade with Jody and Doran and didn't watch any of Chelsea's kids (she only had one to watch). We watched Brooke on the JR. Peach Queen Train, and we tried to catch Annie walking with her school, but we couldn't find her. After the parade Jody and Doran took me home. Ben's family was all there already, and we just had to wait for Jason and Chelsea to come over with the kids. We had a bbq for dinner, and some yummy cupcakes that Tiff made. It was a lot of fun. Thanks for coming everyone!!

Apartment Pictures

This post is for Cortney and Bri. Cortney helped us move one weekend while she was visiting, and wanted to see where we put everything. And Bri just asked for pictures of the new place.

Half of the living room

The other half of the living room

The kitchen, beyond that door is the laundry room and another door that leads to the garage.

The kitchen table, and our back porch

The bathroom

The babys room

Battle Wounds

Yesterday my goal for the day was to get the whole kitchen cleaned and get some laundry washed and put away, before I had to go visiting teaching and to a wedding reception. I was doing pretty good. I had some laundry ready to put away, I was just waiting 'til I had the dishes done because I was going to sweep and mop once the laundry was put away. Well all I had left to do with the dishes was the glass cups. I was washing one and it slipped out of my hand, shattered, and somehow cut me. I was so shocked at what had just happened I didn't even realize I was cut until I saw the blood all over the sink. I looked down and I had four pretty deep cuts. I didn't know if they were bad enough to need stitches so I called Ben at work and he left to come see. When he wasn't sure either, we drove to the medical clinic and had a nurse look at it to see if I needed stitches. Luckily, I didn't need them. I've never had stitches before, and I sure as heck didn't want them. But the nurse was pretty shocked to see how cut up my fingers were. I was grateful that Ben left work to come take care of me. Before he went back, he cleaned up all the glass and the blood. Now, needless to say, that since three of my fingers on my right hand are useless at the moment, I can't do much of anything. Hopefully they heal quickly, and that they start hurting with every little thing that I do. We are very grateful that it wasn't worse.

Last week we went on a family camping trip to Fish Lake. Ben and I got there Tuesday night and left Friday morning. On Thursday we rented a boat and spent 6 hours on it. It was a lot of fun, and the boys caught a lot of perch, although I think they got sick of catching the same kind of fish over and over.

The view of the lake and Doug fishing
Crusing the lake to another fishing spot

Fishing on the marina
One of the many perch caught Ben's first catch of the day on the boat. It got of right as he was pulling it up. We are pretty sure that this one was a trout, it didn't look like all the others that were caught.
This deer walked through our neighbors camp and down to the land just a little ways from our camp.

New Apartment

Ben and I have been looking for a bigger apartment for quite awhile and we finally found one. It's just a couple blocks up from where we were before, so we get to stay in the same ward. We moved in just a couple weeks ago, and already love it so much more than the other place. We have windows that we can let the sunlight come in through and it doesn't feel like you are secluded from everything. It has so much more room and is very open. I don't think we could have found a better place for us.

Surprise

I guess it's not really a surpise anymore because most people know, and it was never a surprise for Ben and me. But...we are having a baby!! We are both very excited! Here is how we told my family. Before Jody opened the onesie, we told her that it was an early b-day present (my due date is the day before her b-day) The cute little onesie says "What happens at Grandmas, stays at Grandmas." No worries though, nothing happened at grandmas. Ben's family figured it out after a couple of days of me not feeling good. So, we just came out and told them before we were orignially planning on telling anyone.

Happy Anniversaray

Ben and I celebrated our first anniversary on Saturday. We spent the day in Logan. We went to a movie, dinner and the demolition derby. I can't believe it's been a year already. It has gone by so fast and yet at the same time, it feels like Ben and I have never been apart. I can't imagine being without him. Thanks for a great year honey!!! I look forward to many, many more!! I love you!!!

Ben's Graduation

Last night Ben graduated with his Associates degree in General Studies.

Congratulations Ben! I am SO proud of you and I love you so much!!! Just a few years left 'til you have your Bachelors.

Create

Last night at Relief Society we were getting to know others in the ward that we didn't know. Bonnie Mortensen spoke about getting to know ourselves. She talked about when the relief society was first organized and the sisters came together to sew and cook while the men worked on the temple. She told us there were probably those sisters that didn't like to sew or cook, and than asked us what we thought those sisters could have brought to those meetings to help. The answers varied from caring for the young children, being the ones to plan the meetings. Some probably brought their gift of listening and compassion, others would be the ones to make everyone laugh. Like us, those sisters all had different talents to share. Bonnie went on to talk about finding those gifts and talents. She told us that in order to find these gifts we need to pay attention to everything we do and everything we accomplish. We need to look for that feeling of 'Yes' that comes from deep inside of us, and than we will know that, that is one of our gifts. She told us that we need to have patience while doing this because it wouldn't come overnight, it will take time. Along with all of this, we have to stop comparing our worst to others best. We all have great gifts to share with others. Some may not seem like a gift, but they are. You don't have to have a talent in music or art, or anything else like that. The simplest things can be your greatest gift. Along with talking about getting to know ourselves and creating our gifts, Bonnie showed us a video from President Uchtdorf. I couldn't figure out how to upload the video, so you will just have to go look it up. Go to youtube.com and in the search type in Mormon messages create. It's a great video. It offers some great insight to how we see ourselves and how we should see ourselves.

You're Special

You're special. In all the world there's nobody like you. Since the beginning of time there has never been another person like you.

Nobody has your smile, nobody has your eyes, your nose, your hair, your hands, your voice.

You're special. No one can be found who has your handwriting. Nobody anywhere has your tastes for food, clothing, music or art. No one see things just as you do.

In all of time there's been no one who laughs like you, no one who cries like you, and what makes you cry or laugh will never produce identical laughter and tears from anybody else, ever.

You're the only one in all of creation who has your set of abilities.

Oh, there will always be somebody who is better at one of the things you're good at, but no one in the universe can reach the quality of your combination of talents, ideas, abilites and feelings. Like a room full of musical instruments, some may excel alone; but none can match the symphony sound when played together. You're a symphony.

Through all of eternity, no one will ever look, talk, walk, think or do like you.

You're special...you're rare. And in all rarity there is great value. Because of your great value you need not attempt to imitate others...you will accept--yes, celebrate your differences.

You're special and you're beginning to realize it's no accident that you're special.

You're beginning to see that God made you special for a purpose. He must have a job for you that no one else can do as well as you.

Out of the billions of applicants, only one is qualified, only one has the right combination of what it takes.

That one is you, because...you're special.

~Author unknown

Why Not Today

I love the song Why Not Today by Eric Dodge. It's such an uplifting song. We can't stand around and wait for life to happen. If we do, we are going to miss out on everything we want to do. We can't dwell too much on the past, it can't be changed. We shouldn't worry too much about the future because we can't do anything about it. We should focus on what is happening in the present and live each day to it's fullest. This is all easier said than done, but the message is still a good one. These are the lyrics to the song:


I've been waiting for just the right moment
To start living the life of my dreams
I was hoping some magical moment would come rescue me
But it hit me today
There's no better time to begin
This day I've been given
Is my day to start livin
So I'm jumping in

Why not today
While the sun is shining
Today while I know I can
The past is behind me
Tomorrow can't find me
'Til I live today
So why not today
While my heart is ready
Today while it's in my grasp
If I start out slowly
I'm confident knowing
I'm still on my way
So why not today

I've been searching
In all the wrong places
For the courage
To follow my dreams
But I've finally discovered the power lies inside of me
I could spend my life waiting
For something to show me the way
But I would be missing
The wonderful blessing
Of embracing today

Why not today
While the sun is shining
Today while I know I can
The past is behind me
Tomorrow can't find me
'Til I live today
So why not today
While my heart is ready
Today while it's in my grasp
If I start out slowly
I'm confident knowing
I'm still on my way
So why not today

I'm ready, I'm willing, I'm able
I'm learning to fly
But how will I know, how high I can soar
If I never try

Why not today
While the sun is shining
Today while I know I can
The past is behind me
Tomorrow can't find me
'Til I live today
So why not today
While my heart is ready
Today while it's in my grasp
If I start out slowly
I'm confident knowing
I'm still on my way
So why not today

Why not today