Pay it Forward...

So I am deciding to blog this morning about something that happened to us last night but I first need to rewind the clock about 4 and half years ago. Aaron and I were weeks away from getting married and trying to line up a house, stuff to sit on in the house, etc. My incredible aunt had some couches sitting in her garage that she was obviously no longer using. The couches were beautiful and just happened to be the perfect color red that I was decorating my new pad in. Anyhoo, she could have charged us for these couches, I would have paid in a second, but she didn't. She said instead of making me pay for these couches she made Aaron and I promise to live our lives ALWAYS according to this saying-Pay it Forward! We have always freely given anything if we no longer had a use for it and it started out with giving those beautiful couches away to one of my sweet friends who needed them when we no longer used them. I asked her to try and live by that saying as well. So years later the favor has been returned to us. An incredible family in our ward had two gorgeous leather couches just sitting in their shop and they were quickly looking for a new home for these couches. They called some good friends of ours and our friends called us knowing how gross our current couches were and how we would probably enjoy some new ones. So I just want to say that I have a testimony of service, giving, and the law of consecration. I am so grateful for so much unselfishness and this lesson could not have been taught to me at a more perfect time of year. The season of giving. So thank you to my sweet friends, you know who you are and for the opportunity to still be blown out of the water at the most unexpected time. My gratitude runs deeper than I have words for. So in the end I ask anyone who reads this to PAY IT FORWARD. You never know when the blessing may be returned. God Bless you wonderful people and Thank you!

Thanksgiving Daily

So I would consider myself an optimist but it is so funny how if one thing goes wrong my cup suddenly goes from being half full to half empty. Today I feel fat. It is actually just a beautiful baby girl dancing in my gut but none the less my clothes just don't fit like they did 5 months ago and it kills me. So I called Aaron to gripe and my sweetheart said to me in the middle of my ranting about the world coming to an end and all of the freeloaders and their stupid freebies "Rach, have you thought about how blessed we are to not have it easy. To receive things based on our hardwork." I wanted to scream "Oh shut up you positive stink!" But he was right so I watched the latest Mormon message and here is what I got.

I am thankful for...

1. Freeloaders who do make my hard work stand out that much more

2.For the world coming to an end sometime soon because it means I will get to kiss my Brothers hands

3.For the blessing of having a "fat" gut and the beauty that I will give birth to in 4 and 1/2 months

4. For a blue eyed blonde who plays with(pulls out) my hair and spills her juice on my rental carpet

5. For a best friend who brings out my best and the best in everything around him

6. For a clean liver count for the first time in over a year

7. For my finances and being able to save even though it is just a little

8. For an incredible family on both sides who love each other more than themselves.

9. For heat, food, and clothes

10. For a temple that is 5 minutes away

Thomas S. Monson said to live everyday in an attitude of gratitude. So I want to remember, at least for the next week, all that I am grateful for. When the need arises for me to rant I vow to turn every negative around and make it happiness instead of hindrance.

It's alive...

So the bump moved!!! I felt her squirming and put my hand on my stomach just to see if she was strong enough to pop me a good one, SHE IS!!! It was another one of the sweetest things I have ever felt(Oak was pretty dang amazing). She was boxing with the wall of my uterus and it made my day and made me a little woozy. I don't like being pregnant very much but I do love the nudges and the reward that nine months gives. I love my babies!!!!

Challenge for you...

So I have felt for sometime that although the internet and computer are incredible gifts and blessings for us in these days, I also feel that these gifts can turn into hindrances quite easily if we let them. I made a decision several months ago that I felt was right for Aaron and I and our growing family. I deleted our Facebook accounts. Catching up with old friends and being able to see pictures of them and my family that live so far away was wonderful for a while until I finally noticed that every time I got on the computer that was when Oak would start acting out by trying to get my attention through throwing fits and hanging on me. Of course I found it a touch annoying at first but when I sat back and thought about my actions and realized how stupid I had been for neglecting my baby for this social experience, I decided that right then a change needed to be made. It is so easy to forget the sacred environment that our home is supposed to be when we get caught up in the excitement of the world. It has been 3 months since I have last been on Facebook and although it was difficult and tempting to want to log on for the first 2 months, it is a piece of cake now and I am so glad that we have extinguished that out of our lives. So a challenge for you, and if you choose to take it let me know how it works for you. Try just for a month(it takes 25 days to break a habit) to cut out or limit extremely your exposure to T.V., internet, and anything that compromises the sanctity of a home and family even a little bit. Fill that time with scripture, prayer, and time with your family. For the amount of time I WAS on Facebook per week I could have completed 4 temple sessions. I know pathetic, but ya get sucked in. Try it and I promise results that will change your life, marriage, parenting, and just the overall feel of your home. Sacrifice the worldly and gain peace.

Happiness...

Happiness is listening to my sweet husband tuck in our baby at night and hearing his frustration in his sigh as she continues to jabber on about who knows what. Happiness is hearing Aaron's motorcycle pull up to the house after work and even after 5 years together the anticipation of seeing him gives me insane butterflies. Happiness is watching Oak walk around the house in nothing but a diaper, black knee high boots, a fuzzy purple hat and matching purse. Happiness is opening my cupboard and not seeing anything specific to eat but knowing that through the overflowing randomness in it I will find something to throw together. Happiness is feeling my little swimmer kick the heck out of my insides. Happiness is looking at Oak and seeing myself mixed with Aaron's gorgeous blue eyes. Happiness is a mere word I am trying to use to describe the perfection I call my reality. Thank heavens for trials and the goodness that comes after the storm.

Discoveries of a Prego...

I know that this is a totally pointless post but I hate leaving the same post for more than a couple days, although a picture of my little one is a good post to leave up. Anyhoo....My mother-in-laws laundry always smells so clean and incredible and I didn't know if it was the detergent or the softener she uses or the magical way she is able to make everything insanely clean and lovely smelling. Well it was the LIQUID Downy fabric softener. I have always used sheets and people the secret to delicious laundry is LIQUID softener. Now you know...

Guess What....

First pictures of our Beautiful Baby GIRL!!! It has been scientifically proven that my families female environment is too hostile for the male sperm and those Chinese sure are a smart group of people with excellent ancient calendars!!! It was so exciting to be able to see our newest sweetheart. She would not stop moving throughout the entire ultrasound. Her profile is identical to her gorgeous big sister and her fingers are LONG!!! Everything looked wonderful and again we have produced perfection.(anything else is impossible, haha just kidding, sorta) Woo hoo and we don't have to buy anything new!!! Love it!!! So Baby Girl Brady and we could not be happier!