all from my phone

As an interpreter, I am constantly running around from assignment to assignment and I rarely have time to eat. It was hard enough before I got pregnant, but now that I am.... if I don't eat regularly, it makes the nausea so much worse.

I worked at one location today from 9-11:15 then had to book it to SLC and be there by 12. Because of weather and my small bladder, I was running late. I had zero time to eat, and I started getting worried. As I got on the freeway, I thought of places I could stop along the way that would be fast.

I remembered that noodles and company is off the freeway, pretty close.

So.... using my "genius" button on my phone, I told it to look up "Noodles and Company, Draper, UT." (literally spoke my request)

It instantly gave me the phone number and directly connected me.

I called in my order, and in 5 mins, I picked it up. (Only took 3 mins off my drive time.)

Then I sat the food in my lap, and ate it on the way!!

I made it to SLC with a minute to spare.

Gotta love technology, right?!

we are the cure!!

Here we all are before the race!


Look at the crowd!
We did the one mile this year. I have to say, after being so sick, it was REALLY taxing on me! I used to run 2 miles no problem before I got pregnant (and sick!). Luckily I had my IV the day before, otherwise it would have been impossible. But it was still fun! We took it slow. :)


I was having a little too much fun!
We made it to the finish line!

My mom walked with the recently diagnosed group. (Under one year).

They released doves! It was so pretty!
All of the survivors! It was amazing to see all of them! (And this was only the people who stayed after the race, so many of them had gone home by this point.)

It was awesome to see my mom accomplish her goal of doing the race. We are so proud of her and what she has gone through to get here. Way to go mom!!

Breast Exams and mammograms... We are the cure!!

here in utah....

(As related by my sister...)

There are 3 seasons here in Utah:

1. Winter
2. Winter's almost gone
3. Construction



I almost peed my pants when I heard this. :)

no motherly instinct

Well folks, I'm officially in my second trimester! It has not gone by fast, contrary to popular belief!! Everyday goes by painfully slow. I technically should be feeling better, but I really don't. I'm still going to the infusion center four times a week for IV's. They ARE helping, and I would probably be near dead if I didn't have them!

I had my doctors appointment yesterday and it was pretty good. I have gained back 3 pounds (I lost 11 total in the process). So now I'm only down 8 pounds. For a while there I was measuring a little bigger, and there was a possibility that I could be having twins. That would explain why I've been so sick... but other women get just as sick and have just one. So after some begging, I was able to get an ultrasound (which apparently my doctor's office won't do until 20 weeks or later). At the ultrasound, we found out there was only one! To be honest, I was a little disappointed. I felt like I deserved two babies because I've been so sick and I should get two out of this awful hellish pregnancy. After the news settled in, I realized that it's for the best, and two babies would be just way too much work and I'm already overwhlemed thinking about having just one.

It was fun to see the baby moving around and kicking. I wish I could feel it, but I'm told I won't be able to for several more weeks. Crazy to think that I have a 3 1/2 inch baby in there and I don't feel a thing.

Also, the technician said that the baby is measuring at 15 weeks, which is a week further along than I thought. So my dates will stay the same, I'm just a week further along. Fine by me!

That's all for now I guess!

so that I can funtion

This is getting pretty old, and I'm sure you're sick of hearing it, right? Well, so am I.

Doc ordered me to get IV's 4 times a week, and I have been doing just that. It helps me so that I can eat a little something and not have it come back up 15 mins/an hour later.

You should see my arms. I look like a heroin addict with all the tracks. Today they put the IV in and left it for this week so I don't have to get poked every time. Plus when I'm so dehydrated they have a hard time finding a vein. So when they find a good one, they leave it for a few days. Much better, no?

Still kinda makes me squeamish to think that there's a garden hose in my arm. That can't be healthy or sanitary, can it?

Anyway, I'm surviving. The sunshine helps.

so that I may grow

This past weekend, the church I belong to had it's worldwide General Conference where we had the opportunity to listen to our modern day Prophet and Apostles speak.

Several of the talks stood out to me and I felt directly pertained to me, but one of them in particular left a strong impression on me.

The apostle speaking was D. Todd Christofferson, and his talk was about correction. Mostly it was about accepting correction from God.

I won't discuss the whole talk, but the part that stood out to me the most was,

"Thank you God for loving me enough to cut me down so that I may grow"

Before each winter, I have to cut back my rose bushes A TON so they can grow properly and bloom in the spring/summer. Even though it seems like I am cutting too much and they look so bare and fragile, they DO sprout back up again and are beautiful when the time comes.

Similarly, God is the Gardener of my life. He knows what He wants me to become, and He has to cut me back so that I may grow and see His work come to fruition. This cutting back happens seemingly at the worst of times, right before the awful storms of life. But God knows that there are better times ahead, and He just wants me to reach my full potential.

Throughout this experience of having horrible morning sickness and a bad sinus infection on top of that.... :( ...I have been in complete denial of this trial. I have refused to accept the fact that I am SO sick. I just wanted a drama free, super awesome pregnancy. Instead, I get vomiting all day, cutting back my hours at work, canceling classes I teach, and upsetting and disappointing everyone around me.

I felt like I deserved so much better. I was doing the best I can, given my circumstances, and not getting what I felt like I was due.

That's not how God works!! If I have learned anything it's that I am not in control of my life. No matter how hard I may fight against God's will for me, He always has the upper hand, and I just have to trust that His plan is better than mine.

This General Conference I learned many things about myself. A common theme in the conference was that we should leave people better than we have found them. After hearing countless talks of that nature, I felt like I had been hit in the stomach. I knew that message was for me (all of us, really).

I can't tell you how many friendships I have ruined or bridges I have burned because I was being self-righteous. Once I meet people, I tend to leave them worse than I found them - due to my excessive need for gossip and drama. (Because my own life wasn't good enough for me).

I was so eager to point out the faults of others when I had numerous and worse faults of my own to work on. This has caused me years of remorse, regret and pain. I can tell you right now, I have gotten what I deserved in hurting people. You know how you feel when you have been wronged? How badly you just want to see vengeance and justice? I hope that those I've wronged can look at me now and feel justice. I could say I have changed, but what good is it if you can't see it in my actions? This, I feel, is the reason for this whole experience. I am trying to be better.

I feel like God can only reach me if I am physically impaled. That's when I'm ready to listen.

I truly am getting what I deserve. I deserve to be cut down so that I may grow. Hopefully I sprout blossoms and not thistles. :)

(I know this is extremely personal. I apologize if it makes you feel uncomfortable. But this is my blog, my life.)