a baby shower

                               

the cake

arriving

the food

getting started

We played some games such as: passing along the candy and nursery ryhme fill-in-blanks .

sry, no "during the shower" pictures. its sad i know.

aftermath

Major contributers of this successful event

Self-portraits

Thank you everyone who could come.  Every sinlge person made it an enjoyanle event!

Remembering

We Remember

It was early morning. I was in seminary, still waking up, when Jarid's dad comes in to tell us before prayer that two jets crashed into the twin towers.  I never fully understood the severity of that comment till later that day. Now I will never forget it.

Even all the way across the United states, here in Arizona, solemn terrified worried faces could be seen while I walked the halls of my school. An uneasy fear I've never felt before...all i know, it was an awful day.

Another First

As I drove away, down the street from the preschool house, and flashed a glance at the rear view mirror...there in the back seat remained an empty car seat.  Shes not back there and here I am alone in my buick.

A quiet "I did it" escapes me. 
I can't help but wonder about this new feeling I have inside of me.  Not the excited new freedom part I'd imagined earlier but the part where I feel Im all grown up now.  I have, yet again, transformed into a mother.  Its another "first" feeling; wow, imma mommy now.  I am that of which i used to and still do view my own loving mother as.  And now i can feel the lump growing in my throat.  That darn uncomfortable, vulnerable, weakness feeling no one is proud to bare at the moment it happens...the moment where you're about to cry.

I fight it, i do my best that is...but those darn eyelids fill up quickly and I become a tad visibly impaired while driving. Not good.  With another hard swallow and a few blinks I fight off that which is unwanted. And I think

"Man! did that just happen?...must be those darn pregnancy hormones again"
because the next second I was feeling fine, no big deal.  I remember looking down at my belly and saying

"Well, guess its just you and me now" and i gave a little chuckle.

M was so excited the previous day.  So in the morning while getting ready I asked her
"Guess what?"

to which she always reacts with an exaggerated gasp and raised eyebrows and dropped jaw, just waiting to hear what Im about to say. Its adorable really! And I tell her today is her first day of preschool.  Shes got this big smile on her face and starts to act silly.  Im not sure if it really registers but we continue with the routine: clean pants, clean outfit, brush teeth and Hair. 

When we get to the preschool house i remember i forgot to bring my camera.  Thanks to technology nowadays i whip out my phone a snap a quick shot.

And In she went. No problems.
So here i found myself...Jamba Juice, sippin' my berry smoothie, eating a zucchini walnut muffin, and reading MockingJay. 

I think i could get used to this...but I'd better not...in a month a new baby will change all that I've ever known.