Back to the Living

It's been ages, this I know. A short recap hopefully helps you understand; either that, or it will make me look quite wimpy.

As of last post:

After being in Preston only 3 weeks, I was made the 2nd counselor in the Relief Society Presidency. WHAT? I knew no one and this is a huge ward. But I sure got to know people fast. It just scared the daylights out of me.

Soccer starts, Dave is coaching, games twice a week and a practice in between. Lots of FUN!

We decide to move forward with building a house. I have HUGE amounts of anxiety about whether this is the right decision. I start crying about everything and calling many people for advice on "How do I know if this is me freaking out or Heavenly Father trying to tell me something?" Thanks everyone for listening to the rambling and nonsense you heard. I'm not sure if I learned anything except I'm trusting Dave on this one and hoping for the best.

I get pregnant, which MIGHT have something to do with the crying/rambling/hysterics mentioned above about the house. The first 10 days after the positive pregnancy test, I am a complete hormonal wreck.

The emotional wreck that was the pregnancy morphed into the WORST MORNING SICKNESS I HAVE EVER HAD! It was awful. Every evening from 5:00 on, I was curled up on the bed hoping that I'd puke so I could just go to sleep, but not wanting to puke so I didn't taste what I'd somehow managed to make for dinner. Dave did everything. I felt bad, but not bad enough to go back in the kitchen and smell whatever dishes had occurred throughout the day that were now in the kitchen sink.

My parents drive up one Saturday in October to tell us that my dad has been called to be a Mission President, and they will leave next June. It will be an English speaking mission, there is a list of about 30 possible missions, but they don't find out for another couple of months where. So 3 weeks after my due date, my parents and baby sister will haul off somewhere for 3 years. I am thrilled for them, my dad will be marvelous. This news happened to come on a fairly sick day, so my secret was out with my parents as I sat there crying and gagging in the sink.

In the midst of all this sickness, I had to make EVERY LITTLE DECISION about the house. Paint color, carpet, countertops, exterior...find out that everything is an upgrade that I can't afford. Cry and carry on about paint color for way too long. Stay up multiple nights wondering if everyone who enters my new home will think, "What were you thinking?" Driving to the model home several times trying to make decisions, but being nauseous by the time I got there, so I chose quickly just so I didn't puke in front of them and hurry back home. Again, NOT good timing to be making large life decisions like.....closet doors.

Our ward that we are just starting to feel comfy in is split, and our neighborhood is sent to another ward. Bit of a shock, but our closest neighbors are still with us, so that's good. I'm instantly out of Relief Society; well that was brief, what was the point of that? Two weeks after being in the new ward, I am called in to see the Bishop. I was asked to be the First Counselor in the Young Womens. WHAT??????? I have never even met the President, how on earth did she decide this was okay? She has no idea, really. I have never served in YW besides Camp Director, so I'm a little thrown. I pleaded to be the ward organist. He lovingly said, "No." Dave is gleeful because to be supportive, his new calling is the 2nd assistant to the High Priest Group Leader. What do they even DO? Cushy, let's admit it. 14-15 year old girls should not scare me, but they do. I hope they don't smell fear. But it's a GREAT group of women as leaders, and a small group of girls, so I can't screw up too many of them.

I decide to sing with the Preston Rotary Choir for Christmas. A fun experience, but it made me miss AF Sharps in American Falls DESPERATELY. It could also be that practices were at night during the witching hour of my body.

I finally start to feel better about week 13, but it's still not as perfect as my first 3 children's pregnancies. I have way too big of a bump for being 14 weeks along, that's frustrating. But I now actually get dressed, with make-up!, maybe 3-4 times a week. A HUGE improvement. But just when I thought I'd get out of my sweats, they are now the only thing that fits around the bump. Bummer.

So now.....it's Christmas, a marvelous time of year. And our lives are filled with Young Women's, basketball, ballet, Christmas shopping, eating and eating cuz now things taste good, and watching our house go up. They will start framing this week. Pictures of that will be more interesting than cement in the ground, so we'll shoot for that.

If you don't see a Christmas card this year, you know why. It's still a goal....we'll see!