Our Family Of Three

Carson Patrick Oaks

2013-03-23T09:50:00.002-07:00

WARNING: This is an extremely long post!

Monday, March 11, 2013 . . . what a day! For the majority of March, I had been feeling contractions off and on and kept wondering if it was going to progress into anything. Each day, Mark and I would get up and go on a walk to see if we could get them to be closer together or stronger. Each day, nothing would happen and we would go on another walk in the evening. So on Monday, I thought it would be another day, just like the others.

I woke up around 7:00 am feeling like I hadn’t eaten in days. I went and ate a big breakfast and then went back to bed until around 9:30. When I got up, we decided to go on a walk, even though on this day, I wasn’t feeling any contractions. We walked for about 2 miles and went home. I felt really energized and decided that today I was going to get as much done as I could. I had been meaning to clean the bathtub for quite some time. It is a jetted tub, but we don’t ever use the jets so they get really gross. So I put on some grubbies and sat down in the tub with a toothbrush and some bleach. I scrubbed and scrubbed every inch of that tub. By the time I was finished, I was pretty exhausted. I went and lay on the couch for about an hour and then realized that I had never purchased hospital favors to hand out to our nurses and visitors. I decided to make sugar cookies and decorate them really fun. So, I made around 42 cookies in the shape of a foot. I was going to decorate them with blue glaze frosting and write “Carson” on each one. They were going to be cute!

(I finished them exactly one week later and took some to our nurses at the hospital.)

Around 5:45 pm, I asked Mark to go to Baja Fresh to get us some dinner. (I have been craving the Pork Carnita Ultimo for basically my whole last trimester). So Mark left to go get that and I started on the frosting. I had just finished mixing it and set the mixer down on the counter when I suddenly thought I had wet my pants. I haven’t had any bladder control issues with this pregnancy so I was a little shocked. I turned to go to the bathroom and all of a sudden it was gushing down my legs. About this time, I realized my water had broke! I was sitting in the bathroom when my phone rang. It was Mark. I answered and he said, “They didn’t have any Pork Carnitas.” He was calling to tease me. I responded by saying “My water just broke!” His reaction, “Uh, okay.” He thought I was teasing back. I started laughing and said “I’m serious!” I told him I needed to call the hospital though because it didn’t look right. Amniotic Fluid is supposed to be clear and this was far from it. I was a little worried. I called and described everything to them to which they responded, it definitely sounds like your water broke, and the baby probably just had a bowel movement so there is meconiumn in the fluid. They said I needed to hurry in and have it checked. So, Mark scarfed down his burrito and put mine in the fridge while I finished packing my bags.

We got to the hospital around 6:30 pm. They put us in a room and asked me to change into my hospital gown so they could check the fluid. As I changed my clothes, I had another HUGE gush of liquid. When the nurse saw this, she decided we definitely didn’t need to check it because it was my water, no mistake. She had me lay down so she could check me and I was already dilated to a 4! I was shocked because I still was not feeling any contractions.

I had been making phone calls to all my family telling them that I thought my water had broke and so we started to confirm that by texting everyone that this was it. My parents had already decided they were going to come, even if my water hadn’t broke. (They would have been here in a few days regardless). Mark’s dad jumped in the car and drove up from Mesa so he could be here, but Mark’s mom was in Colorado. Everyone was so excited, but we were sad that more couldn’t be here.

We got set up in an OB room, #1006, around 7:00 pm. I was feeling great still, so I had Mark set up all my labor aids. (For the past month or so, I had been beginning my naps while listening to a playlist I created consisting of some of my favorite songs and focusing on a picture of my baby boy still in the womb). Around 8:30 pm, the nurse, Geraldine, came into the room and told us they were going to start me on Pitocin because we needed to hurry the labor along because of the meconium in the fluid. I still wasn’t feeling any contractions at that point, but shortly after they started it, I was feeling them. As I lay in bed listening to the music, I decided to write in my journal while it was all fresh in my mind. Shortly after I finished writing, Lewis, my father-in-law, arrived. He came into the room and we visited for a while. The contractions started to get closer and closer as they increased the dose of Pitocin. I was having contractions every 30 seconds, so the nurse decided to slow it down. I was a little more comfortable after that because they were only 2 minutes apart so I was able to get a little rest in-between.

Around 9:00 pm the nurse came and checked me. She said I was dilated to a 6 and doing great. I felt so in control and was breathing through the contractions with ease, but from that point on, it did become increasingly difficult to concentrate. Around 12:15 am, I became terrified of the fact that I didn’t know what was coming. I was still in control of the contractions, but I was scared of the unknown. I started crying and told Mark I wanted an epidural. He called the nurse and I begged her to call the anesthesiologist. She told me that she didn’t think I needed it because I was still doing so well and controlling the situation so well. I begged her again and she agreed to go make the call. While she was gone, I cried really hard and told Mark I didn’t need one, but that I was too scared to keep going with out it. At 12:40 am, she returned and asked me to sign the paperwork for the epidural. I didn’t want to and asked if Mark could sign it for me. She said I would have to sign it and then looked me directly in the face and asked if I really wanted her to make the call. I was a little annoyed she hadn’t made the call, but decided she was right about me not needing the epidural. I told her I decided not to do it and she told me she agreed with my decision. She asked if I wanted to get into the shower. That sounded so great. She told me she wanted to check me first and then I could take a 15-minute shower. She checked and I was dilated to an 8! Now I was excited. I got in the shower and drenched myself in cold water. (I was so hot, I felt like I might pass out). I sat down on the bench and just leaned back against the cold tile. Then we cranked the heat. I held the showerhead on the top of my stomach and just let the heat do the trick. That was amazing! I suddenly felt like the contractions were around the tolerance level from the time before I reached a 6. I could breathe again! And then, suddenly I had the strongest urge to push.

I had to be back in bed by 1:00 am, by orders of my nurse, Geraldine. We hurried and got me back to bed and I knew it was time. I told her I needed to push and she said she would have to check me. Sure enough, I was ready and being checked was the most uncomfortable thing I could imagine. I felt like her entire arm was inside me and all I wanted to do was push everything out. A few more nurses came in and they sat me up in bed. We worked on pushing for a few minutes and then I asked for the birthing bar. (I had wanted this to be part of my birthing plan from the beginning). They set it up and I used that for a while, to let gravity do it’s trick. Time kept passing and we weren’t getting anywhere. The nurse said she wanted me to lie on my side because I was putting too much pressure on the baby. So, I lay down on my right side and the pain was intense. I pushed a few times and made some progress. They switched me to the left and I made a little more progress. At that point they said I could use the bar again, but this time we were going to use it differently. They put a handle on the bar that looked like a tug toy for a dog. They told me to put my feet on either side of the bar and grab the handles and pull. Finally, I felt like I had found the right position. I looked at the clock and it was well past 2:30 am. I had been pushing for over an hour and half! With each push, Mark was so supportive. He kept telling me how great I was doing and that he was starting to see the head. I started to wonder if he really could because I just kept pushing. Then one of the nurses told me that I needed to make each of the 10 second pushes count. I was doing great on the first, but really letting go on the last two. This would make his head come down and then suck back up. I was mortified because I was so tired at this point I couldn’t even hold my legs up anymore. They were shaking so hard the nurses had to hold them still.

And then, Nicol, a NICU nurse arrived and took control. I remember thinking, “Who is this woman? Is she the new doctor on call?” She took control of the situation and knew exactly what to do to get me to push correctly. She was so encouraging and we started to make real progress. Suddenly, I looked at Mark, who was in tears, and he told me he could see the baby’s head and told me to look down. I was sitting up so straight; I could actually see the top of his head. I reached down and felt all that brown hair on his head and it finally it me that I could do this; that my baby was coming. They called in the doctor, Dr Fernandez, around 3:10 am. He was so encouraging, just like Nicol. He kept his fingers right against the baby’s head, and wouldn’t let him suck back up like he had before when I had a hard time pushing. I kept yelling at him to not do that because it hurt so badly. He stayed so calm and would say, “I know it hurts, but it will only help.” I felt like kicking him away, but yet I was so grateful for what he was doing.

Finally, that moment arrived. Everyone in the room told me it was the last push and that I was so strong. I pushed with all I had and the doctor said, “Call it, 3:37 am!” I looked down and I could see his little face. The doctor had to unwrap the cord from around his neck, just once. Then he told me to give one more big push. I pushed and suddenly my beautiful baby boy was lying on my stomach. Emotions washed over me and I knew he was mine. I cried out, “oh my sweet baby, my beautiful baby,” over and over. The doctor asked if “daddy” wanted to cut the cord? Mark was so proud as he took his moment to cut the cord. As he did the sweetest sound came from my sweet baby, a strong, but quiet little cry. Then Mark told me he loved me and they took Carson to get cleaned up. I told Mark I wanted him to go be with Carson, so he stepped aside to be with him. The doctor told me I needed to give him one more tiny push and we would be done. I felt like all I had left was to release the breath I had breathed in. Luckily that was all he needed. He delivered the placenta and stitched me up. (I had a 2-degree tear, which I was totally unaware of at the time).

While the doctor worked on me, I could see my sweet Carson just off to my right. At this point he was screaming, which was still such a small sound, and it made me just smile. I could hear everyone laughing as my baby kept peeing all over the place. It was as if they couldn’t turn off the faucet. The pediatrician checked him over to make sure he was as perfect as we all knew he was. Then I heard them all say, “He is 7 pounds 11 ounces.” I had prayed he wouldn’t be over 8 pounds because I wasn’t sure I would have been able to push him out if he had been. I thought, “7, 11, that is perfect.” Then Mark told me he was 19 ½ inches long and I thought that was perfect. The pediatrician then held him up and told me to look over my shoulder and there he was, looking back at me. I called his name and he stopped crying. They wrapped him up and handed him to his daddy. They looked into each other’s eyes for a long time and Lewis captured that special moment on camera. Then, Mark brought him to me. Emotions still sky high, I cried as he placed him in my arms. He was perfect, and I knew it.

Within a few moments, a nurse came and helped me to unwrap him and place him in my robe so we were skin to skin. I could feel his little heart beat against my chest. He was so warm and I instantly felt like I couldn’t love him more. The first attempt at getting him to latch on was successful and he started to eat. I nursed him for about 20 minutes and then he fell asleep. I lay there, feeling him breathe, and thinking that our lives were complete now. We were a family.

Bed Rest!

2013-01-06T11:01:00.002-07:00

So, I have been on bed rest for the past 5 days. I was at work on Wednesday, decorating a cake, and I guess I passed out. No one saw me, but one minute I was decorating and the next someone was standing over me asking if I was okay. I don't know how long I was out, but it could have been a second or 10 minutes. I don't know what time I fell, but from the last time I looked at the clock till they were putting me in a wheelchair was over 20 min. I was crying and shaking really hard. I guess I freaked everyone out cause all of a sudden I had 2 managers and a supervisor and everyone from the bakery around me. They kept asking if I wanted them to call the perimedics, but I just kept saying "I'm fine." So my manager called Mark and totally freaked him out. As soon as she said, "Hi, Mark, this is Amy the bakery manager," he thought I was in labor 10 weeks early. Then she told him I had passed out and that he needed to come get me. So they put me in a wheelchair, I felt so silly, and took me out to the car. I was in Triage over at the hospital for about 5 hours. They ran a lot of tests, fed me some really good food and let me rest a while. I was having small contractions, but they were every 2-3 minutes apart, so they wouldn't let me leave till they stopped. The baby was totally fine and we could hear his hicups on the monitor. That was fun! Anyway, I guess my potassium is low and they have to do another EKG on my heart tomorrow cause something was a little off with my heart. If that appointment goes well, hopefully I can return to work and then go on vacation to Idaho. We are planning to fly to Idaho on Thursday, so it all comes down to tomorrow, but don't worry, we will do what is best for me and the baby. Overall, everything is fine, I just have to rest till they can check me out again. Anyway, just wanted to give everyone the heads up.

Baby Update!

2012-10-05T22:05:00.002-07:00

Well, it's been 8 more weeks since I wrote last. I am now 16 1/2 weeks and this little one is growing like crazy. We went to the doctor on Tuesday and I was measuring 17, not 16, weeks. We got to hear the baby's heartbeat, which was loud and clear. The moment the Doppler touched my tummy, we could hear it!
I have also been feeling the baby move for about 2 weeks now, which is amazing. Last night, while watching the Presidential Debate, Mark had his hand on my stomach. Our little one gave two really hard kicks and Mark felt it! That boy lit up like a Christmas Tree. It made me so happy to see his enthusiasm that it made me cry. I think seeing him as a daddy is the thing I look forward to the most. He will be the best daddy.
I have had the flu this week, which has made it hard to eat anything without throwing up, but the doctor said as long as I stay hydrated everything will be fine. I did eat 1 whole box of Mac n' Cheese for dinner tonight though. I know, disgusting right!? For some reason it hit the spot and it feels good to have a full tummy. Now the baby is twirling around like a little ballerina.
We have our appointment set for October 30th to find out the gender, but EVERYONE says it is a GIRL. I have only had 1 person say it's a boy. Mark even calls our little "girl" by name. So maybe all the ballet is because of the gender. ;)
So, speaking of names, they aren't set in stone, but. . . if it's a girl,

Joslynne Roze Oaks (Mark's middle name is Joseph and mine is Lynne so Joslynne and Roze is after my Grandma Rozella Andersen)

and if it's a boy,

Carson Jay Oaks (Carson has no meaning but Jay is my daddy's name)

Well, that's about it, but can't wait for just a few more weeks when my mom is coming and will get to be here for the ultrasound! So exciting!

Oh and here is the most current picture I have. It's about a week and a half behind, but I think it's pretty cute.

8 Weeks and 3 Days! We made it!

2012-08-10T15:30:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it past our scary point. I have never made it past 7 1/2 weeks. We were a little nervous for this ultrasound, but everything was incredible. The baby measured perfect for 8 weeks and 3 days. The heart beat was 176 bpm! And we can now see a baby taking shape! In this picture the baby's head is on the right side, if you can't tell. LOL I love to look at this picture! I can see it so clearly, but maybe I am a little bias. Anyway, just thought I would share!

Bad News and Fantabulous News!

2012-07-24T10:13:00.001-07:00

So, the bad news it, our egg donor canceled on us a few weeks ago. The Fantabulous news is . . . we got pregnant on our own!

Today was our first ultrasound! The baby is 6 weeks old and in perfect health, from what they can tell of a grain of rice sized baby. LOL

We are due March 19th 2013 and we couldn't be any happier! This is truly a miracle from our Heavenly Father!

Here are some pics from our ultrasound!

Well, life never goes as we plan it, ours definitely hasn't.

2012-05-18T08:39:00.000-07:00

This isn't meant to be a negative post, but rather an update of our crazy lives. It's funny though because one of my favorite quotes is, "We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to live the life that is waiting for us." Well, whoever said they had a plan for their life and it actually worked out?

So, Mark did not get the seminary teaching position, but who knows, he may try again next year. Currently he is just job searching like crazy. We decided, for the time being, that we would stay here, if possible, until the housing market goes up. Who knows, maybe he will get a great job and we won't have to sell the house. Please pray for us.

On another note, my job is still going great! I got another raise and I still love my job!

Cisco is getting bigger. He is now up to 6 1/2 lbs. The vets lied when they told me he was about full grown at 2 1/2 lbs. Oh well, he is still adorably small. He loves to play catch with his ball, even indoors. Since we have been working outside on the garden, he is loving all the out doors time, and so am I. That's the only bad part about my job; inside all day.

We got to go home last month for Chad and Beth's wedding. It was so nice! We got to be there for almost 2 weeks. I made the wedding cake and the groom's cake. I don't have pics of the groom's cake yet, but here is the wedding cake.

It was a lot of fun to make the cakes, but I still can't believe how many of my tools I forgot to take with us. It was a nightmare!

We got our garden in on Monday. I am so excited to have a garden this year cause last year we were too busy to have one. We got a freezer, yesterday, so now we can freeze all our garden stuff. YEA! I love garden veggies!

As for our little family, we are currently waiting on an egg donor. She has been selected, and she is beautiful, but they are still running all the tests. If all works out, we should be moving into the process within the next month and hopefully I will be pregnant by the end of June. Pray for us, please.

All in all, we are very happy and doing great! Life definitely is not going as planned, but I like where it is going.

Big Changes, but It's All Good!

2012-03-08T21:02:00.000-07:00

Well, a few things have changed for us in the past few weeks. Mark is no longer working for the Boy Scouts of America. He is now pursuing a career as a Seminary Teacher for the LDS church. This is something he has wanted to do for a long time, but until recently, the church was going through a hiring freeze. Mark has already been in contact with the department and if everything works out well, they may have something for him this fall. We'll keep praying.

As for me, I just got promoted at work and now we have AMAZING benefits with Costco as well as a better pay for me. Things are looking up.

Cisco is growing and becoming such a little character. We love having him in our home. He is such a good puppy and learns so fast.

We will be going home in April for my little brother's (Chad's) wedding to Beth Kuoppala. I am making two cakes for their open house and reception.

My cake business is starting to take off. I have, hopefully, three weddings between June and July, and they are MASSIVE cakes.

Things are going well for us and we feel that our Heavenly Father really does look out for us.

Introducing Our Little Boy! . . .

2011-12-31T18:04:00.000-07:00

This is our sweet little boy. His name is Cisco and he is 9 1/2 weeks old. He was born on October 19, 2011 and currently weighs 2 lbs 2 oz. He is the sweetest little puppy and already loves us so much. We love him so much too. He already waits for me to come home from work and as soon as I walk through the door he runs and jumps into my arms. At night time, he sleeps around Mark's neck like a scarf. He is hilarious! We love having him in our home. He really makes our home a happier place and we are lucky to have him in our lives. Our sweet little boy!

Thanksgiving and Lots and Lots of Turquoise!

2011-12-06T19:27:00.000-07:00

This year for Thanksgiving, my parents and my brothers came to our house to feast. It was so nice to see them again, I only wish the rest of our family could have been here. We had a few friends from the ward join us for Thanksgiving. It was a FULL house, or at least my kitchen.

It was a very nice dinner with awesome food! Which is all to be expected considering who was in the kitchen all day. My Daddy! That man makes Thanksgiving! It just wouldn't be the same without his stuffing and stuffed mushrooms and pies. . . I could go on and on.

We had a lot of fun crafting, painting and building. My house look AWESOME thanks to my wonderful family for helping me.

So, I went to Walmart and bought a gallon of turquoise paint and let it explode all over my house. Then I found a 4 post twin size bed at a thrift store. Then my parents brought this cool shelf they got at a garage sale.

So what does

Then I painted my headboard and the little island in the kitchen the same color.

It was a great week and I just want to tell my family THANK YOU for making it special for us. We love you!

A Much Needed Update With Lots of Pictures!

2011-10-28T16:05:00.000-07:00

In September, Mark had his 30th birthday. I threw a Luau for him, but only two people came. I was pretty upset about it, but Mark said he still had a great time. I made a fisherman cake for him and we had shish-kabobs and fresh pineapple and strawberries. It was all so yummy!

The next week, my mom surprised us and came for a week. We did all kinds of crafts and went shopping a LOT! It was so much fun and I loved having her here.

We made Halloween table runners. . .

A candy corn wreath. . .

This is the life my pillows have traveled, from left to right. I love my yellow ruffled pillows. . .

We went to yard sales and I got this old hinge door for a $1. I painted it turquoise. . .

Then, one of the days she was here, my mom decorated my house for Fall. Thanks Mom!

My Aunt Deanna cut some vinyl for me to put in Mark's office. It looks so nice. Thanks Deanna!

I also painted the yellow dresser in my kitchen turquoise. My mom is bringing a shelf unit to put above it and I am going to paint it turquoise too.

This year was our 6 year anniversary, so we decided it was time for a big trip. We decided to go to Disneyland!

On Wednesday, the 12th of October, as soon as I got off work, we jumped in the car and headed to Anaheim, California. We got to our hotel around 9:30pm and just decided to go to bed so we could get up early the next day for Disneyland. We got up around 6:30, had a very nice waffle breakfast and then left for the park. We stayed until the park closed at 11:00. We tried so hard to see everything, so we were running like crazy through the park. It was so much fun! They had the park all decorated for Halloween. It was AWESOME!

By the time we walked back to our hotel, it was about midnight. Luckily, Disney's California Adventure didn't open until 10:00 the next day, so we were able to sleep in for our anniversary. I couldn't sleep past 8:00, so I snuck out and went down to breakfast. I piled on the waffles, donuts, fruit, and orange juice and carefully took it back to our room. When I opened the door, it scared Mark and he sat straight up in bed. I laughed and said "Happy Anniversary." So we enjoyed breakfast in bed and then got ready for the day.

Disney's California Adventure was so much fun. Compared to Disneyland, the lines were non-existent. We started the day with 2 rides on the Grizzly Peak Water Run. The first time, Mark got a little wet. The second time, I got drenched!

Our favorite ride had to be the California Screamin Roller coaster. I think it was the biggest roller coaster I have ever been on. We went on it 5 times.

On Saturday, we had a nice slow morning. We got up and got ready to go to the Newport Beach Temple. It was a beautiful temple and we had a very nice session.

After the temple, we changed into our bathing suits to hit the Balboa Island Beach. It was a beautiful day and we had a lot of fun.

All in all, the last month has been very busy, but it has been one of the best months for us in a long, long time.

Latest Project!

2011-09-03T22:41:00.000-07:00

I have been crocheting since 3rd grade, but I never learned how to read patterns. Because of that, I have always made up my own patterns, and I do pretty good. About 6 years ago, I was cleaning houses to earn money, and at one of those houses, the lady that lived there was making a baby blessing dress. I really wanted to make one, because the design was so intricate and lacy looking. I just loved it! So a few months ago, on our way to Idaho, I started a baby blessing dress and I just finished it.

I LOVE it!

Of course it won't fit so snug around a baby's body, but I wanted it to look like it fits the doll so I bunched it up in back. Anyway, just thought I would share.

Blessings in Disguise

2011-07-25T17:41:00.002-07:00

We have had quite an interesting last few weeks. As many of you know, I posted that we were starting the process for IVF. Because of this decision, we had to cancel our trip to Idaho to see my brother, Chad, when he got home from his mission. We had already received time off of work and made plans for the first Lamar Stucki Reunion. I was pretty sick about the whole thing, but hey, we were doing something pretty important.
Well, we went in for my first ultrasound prior to starting my meds. (That was on Monday the 11th) They found a cyst on one of my ovaries, so they sent me home and told me to take the birth control for another week and then we would check on it. Basically, this meant that we had to put the process on hold for a week. Well, Wednesday came and Chad got home and I missed it. I was a wreck all week. I wanted to see my family so bad and be there for the celebration. On Saturday, my Dad called and asked if we felt like we would be able to come the next week. I told him it would all depend on what the doctors find on Monday the 18th. That night Chelsea called and said, "If you are coming, you might want to pack some church clothes, cause we might be having a funeral. Grandpa Stucki isn't doing well. (Boy am I glad she called.) The next day, I got up early before church to pack the car, just in case. After church, we drove to Mesa to stay at Mark's parents since they live so much closer to ARMS (our doctor). On the way down, my mom called and told me that Grandpa had just passed away. I was just sick that I couldn't be there and didn't know if we would be able to come yet.
The next morning, we went to ARMS for the ultrasound. The cyst had gotten smaller, so they said we could move forward, which also meant that we could go to Idaho. As soon as the appointment was over, we jumped in the car and drove straight to Idaho. We got there just before midnight. While we were there, we were able to go to our first family reunion as well as Grandpa's funeral.
The reason I called this post a blessing in disguise is that when we found the cyst and were told that we had to hold off on the process, we were pretty upset. We had already canceled our vacation and now we were going to have to add a week to our 5 1/2 years of waiting. You may think that is silly, but since we decided to do IVF, we have been in a bit of a hurry. Anyway, if I never would have got that cyst, we never would have been able to go to Idaho because of the time table we were on. I am so glad that Grandpa held on long enough for Chad to get home and for us to have an option to come home for the funeral. I guess I could say, I'm glad I had that cyst.

Anyway, I'll post soon about our trip. I don't have any pictures yet, but I'll say this, it was a GREAT trip. Oh, and tomorrow we go in for our first check up since I started my meds. Wish us luck!

Liz Lemon Swindle

2011-06-29T17:36:00.002-07:00

I don't know if Swindle is a new artist or if she has been around for a while, but I LOVE her work. This has got to be one of my favorites of Christ with a child. It is called "Friends." Her work really gives a different side to Christ. She puts so much emotion into her work. I just love how in this picture it looks like he is laughing with a little toddler. Just thought I would share.

My New Calling and a Fast Moving Future!

2011-06-25T09:18:00.002-07:00

So, first of all, last week I was sustained and set apart as the new Primary President in our ward! WOW! I can't believe it! I am so excited and I have the best Presidency in the world. Already we are implementing new ideas to make Primary more fun and to get half our primary reactivated. I LOVE living and working in the mission field!

On another note, we have some news about our infertility journey. I will start by saying that if anyone is offended by my bluntness about our infertility, I am sorry, but I know that by sharing there may be someone out there going through the same thing and it always helps to know we are not alone.

So, as some of you may know, Mark and I have started to see a fertility clinic in Phoenix, ARMS (Arizona Reproductive Medicine Specialists). They are very fast paced and have the best thoughts regarding having a family. In fact, we have wondered if some of their staff are members of the church.

Anyway, we have been working with them for a few months trying to have every test known to the fertility world done so as to find the problem causing my infertility. I say "my" because we have found that the problem lies with me. This past week, we were informed that my ovaries are acting a lot older than the rest of my body and have slowed the production of making eggs. Our doctor, Dr Barbra Faber, informed us that at this point, the only solution we may have is by trying IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). Because the problem will only get worse the older I get, she told us that we need to act fast if we are going to do this. Immediately, we made the decision to go ahead. If everything goes well, we will be attempting our first cycle of IVF by the end of July. We have already started the process, but it takes a little over a month to complete a cycle of IVF. To learn more about IVF, click here.

Mark and I are very excited to be moving forward with the best solution for us. However, this is a big step and we ask that you keep us in your prayers. IVF success rates are NOT 100% and in my case are even lower rates. We have prayed about this decision and believe that it is now in God's hands. Wish us luck and hopefully, with a successful cycle, we will be pregnant within the next 4-5 months. We will try to keep everyone updated.

2011-05-10T12:17:00.002-07:00

Well, over the past two months or so, I have been working on wedding cakes. My brother-in-law, Steven Oaks, just got married on 4-30-2011. They asked me to make their wedding cake. It was so much fun! I had never worked with fondant before and even with all my flower making classes, I never learned to make peonies, which was the main flower for the bouquet.

This first picture is of the wedding cake. It was 5 tiers on top of a cake stand. Talk about scary. All night I was so worried someone would bump the table and down it would come. It made it through the night though. Yeah!

They also asked me to make a cake for the open house on 5-07-2011. It was supposed to be a groom's cake, but the only thing I could think of that is all Steven is dancing. Kyla and Steven met while dancing at BYU-Idaho. They both love to dance! So I came up with this design and it turned out AWESOME, if I do say so myself. Ha Ha

I am really glad to be done with the cakes, but I had a blast doing them. In fact, I think it gave me the push I needed to start my wedding cake business. Mark and I are already planning it out and I have found some awesome cake stands. I can't wait to get started.

A fun week with Mom!

2011-04-15T10:26:00.006-07:00

Well, this has been a very fun week! My mom flew in on Sunday the 10th just in time for my choir concert. I was preforming as a soloist in "The Creation" by Franz Joseph Haydn. My in-laws picked her up at the Phoenix airport and came to sacrament meeting with us. We had dinner and then we all went to the concert. All except Mark. :( Mark had to go to New Mexico for some more training, so he came to my dress rehearsal the night before.

The concert went really well.

Because Mark was out of town, my mom and I had the week together. We went shopping TONS! Then my mom took me to Phoenix to had an Endoscopy done. They were checking my acid levels and looking for Celiac. So far, so good. All I have is some extra acid in my stomach. So then we went shopping more. I found a dress for me and a tie for Mark to wear to his brothers wedding in two weeks. On Thursday, we went to a whole bunch of thrift stores, hoping to find something really fun. We went to a store called All About Furniture. They sell things on consignment. Anyway, we walked in and right there in front of us was a RED couch and loveseat for $499. I fell in love. We decided to go look at some furniture stores to make sure it was a good deal and we found the EXACT set for $1000. We couldn't believe it. So we went back and I talked the manager of the store down to $425. I called some guy friends of ours and they came and got them and carried them into our house for us. I LOOOVE them!

Before . . . not my favorite, but ok.

After . . . LOVE it!
I have been wanting to add some turquoise to our bedroom for a long time, so we went and bought some flowers and I am trying to figure out some cute pillows. I love the look of red and turquoise together.

Overall it was a very fun week. I can't wait to see everyone for Easter.

The Old and the New!

2011-04-05T21:12:00.002-07:00

Right before Mark and I got married, I found a 1930s dinning set at a garage sale my aunt was having. Mark and I worked very hard to bring the beauty back to it and restored the whole thing. The only problem was, we could never get the chairs to be very sturdy. They have always wobbled and people worry that they are going to break them. That's great dinner conversation, "Are you sure I am not going to break your chair?!" Ha Ha

So lately, Mark and I have been looking for some new chairs. We went to a Thrift store today, for something else, and hit the Jack Pot! A restaurant just got rid of all their tables and chairs. We bought two sets, cause we wanted a table with 6-8 chairs. We like to have guests over a lot! It was a great deal and I LOVE the sets together.

Our First Niece!!!!

2011-03-26T16:02:00.003-07:00

Alanna Helen Shaw was born on Saturday, March 26, 2011 at 11:03 am MST. She is 7lbs 12oz and 21 inches long. Isn't she beautiful?! Look at all that hair. I can't wait to see her next month for Easter.

Jenn and Alanna are doing great!

Congratulations Shaw Family!

I talked to Conner this morning. Our conversation went like this. . .

Hi Conner, what are you doing today?
I am getting a baby sister at the hospital!
Are you going to be a big brother?
Yeah, I'm gonna be big! Do you know my baby's name?
What is it?
Awanna!

I thought that was just so sweet. Landon and Conner will be the best big brothers! Alanna is a lucky girl!

Our Valentines Day!

2011-02-18T17:50:00.003-07:00

On Valentines Day, I had all kinds of singing going on. I was in a little ensemble that could be hired for singing candy grams. We had 5 gigs and then I had choir practice that night. Anyway, that took up most of the day and the evening so Mark and I did not get to do anything. So. . . we celebrated today. We drove down to Mesa last night and stayed at Mark's parents. We got up this morning and spent the day at the Phoenix Zoo and went out to eat at Famous Dave's BBQ. It was a great day with my hubby!

2011

2011-02-08T21:54:00.004-07:00

Well, 2011 has proved to be a great year so far. At the end of last year, I got involved in some local music groups which led me to the Yavapai College here. I auditioned and made it into two of the college choirs; Master Chorale and Community Chorale. In Master Chorale, we are singing Haydn's "Creation." I have been given the part of the angel Gabriel and will have FIVE very difficult solos to preform. I am very excited as well as EXTREMELY nervous. I also have a solo in Community Chorale. It is a barber-shop type song called "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel." Me and another guy in the choir will be singing the solos. He is African American and has the deep, spiritual voice they have. It's Awesome! I am loving being involved in music again.

On another note, I found a local thrift store that is Awesome! I found several things, some of which I will post after I fix them up, but his is one thing I don't have to fix up. I found this chair and replaced the little blue chair in my bathroom. This definitely looks better!

Since Valentines is coming up, I made a mock wedding cake. My brother-in-law is getting married and asked me to make his cake, so I needed to practice using fondant. This is my cake!

Things are going really well for us. We are both enjoying our jobs and really starting to love Prescott Valley.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T22:25:00.003-07:00

This was a fabulous holiday season. My family was able to come to Arizona, well everyone except Shaws and Chad. We got to talk to Chad on Christmas though. We had so much fun together. We went to see Christmas lights, Gingerbread houses, Sedona, Mesa and so many other things. It was so great to be able to see them this year since I had to work through the holidays. Thanks for coming you guys. Love and miss you.

While my family was here, they cut down our ugly pine tree and then the day after they left, it snowed, and it actually stuck! So I love this picture of our house without the tree and with the snow.

Mark and I were able to come down to Mesa to spend New Years with his family and we celebrated Christmas too. It was great and we made so many memories. This is the first time the whole family has been together in over 2 years. It was great to see everyone, and meet our nephew Matthew.

Update

2010-10-06T20:21:00.002-07:00

So it has been forever since I blogged. Things are changing a lot for us. I got a job working for Costco Wholesale. I have been working there for almost a month. Show how often I update my blog, huh!? Anyway, I love it and I am making a lot of friends. Most of the guys in the bakery are computer gamers, so now Mark has friends to play with. Oh goody. . .
I was hired as a cake decorator, but I also help with everything else in the bakery. It is a lot of fun and I am learning a lot about baking.
Also, we have decided to get back on the adoption list with LDSFS. We have already started the process, but because we switched states, there is a little more to do, like certify by Arizona Law. But that is ok cause we are excited and can't wait to get back on the list.
Mark is still loving his job with BSA. He stays really busy and since his trip to Texas, he is doing a lot more.
Since I got a job, we won't be able to go home to Idaho for Christmas. I was hired as limited part time or seasonal help. After the holidays, I could become a permanent employee, but for now I am just holiday help. So, now my Parents, Jason, Chelsea & Aaron are coming to our house for Christmas. There will be 7 of us in our little house, but I am so excited.
Other than working, our life has been simple and pleasant. We are so happy and loving our lives here in Prescott Valley.

I'm Back

2010-08-25T09:48:00.013-07:00

Well, I am back and I had a blast in Idaho. I worked for Jason making taffy whenever I could and ate way more taffy than I should have. My cousin Olivia worked with us. By the third day, Wednesday, we needed a break so we went to Rigby lake.

Then on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we had the Stucki family reunion in Island Park. We went 4 wheeling in the rain, went to Big Springs and just relaxed. I made a rose out of tootsie rolls. That was fun and the best part is eating it when your done.

On Tuesday, my Mom and I drove to Butte, Montana to get Jenn and her boys. We had so much fun with them being there. Landon, Conner and I had a ride behind the lawn mower. I know, redneck huh!? Ha Ha It was so fun!

Then on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we had the Andersen family reunion. On our way we stopped at a museum in Montpelier. Landon and Conner love museums.

We went to Bear Lake and stayed in the Hermitage Lodge. It was a lot of fun! Every family had their own room and each room had a sink, so we didn't have to share when getting ready for bed. It also had 4 bathrooms and they all had claw foot tubs. I love claw foot tubs!

I made an "Andersen Family Reunion" cake for the first night because my family was in charge of dinner that night.

On Friday we went to Bear Lake and played all day. I didn't put on any sunscreen and boy was I sorry. I have never been so sunburned. Conner sure loved finding sea shells, or as he would say, "she shells." Every time he would find one, he would come show me and then say, "I want to find more she shells." I would point and say there's one and he would say, "Ohhh, cool!"

Landon loved going out in the boat. He told everyone he was the captain of the boat and even made Jason jump overboard. I love this picture of him, rowing his own boat.

We were supposed to have a sand castle building contest, but it took a while to get everyone involved. Once we did, there were some really cool castles.

Our family did one. . .

Longs did one. . .

and Binghams did one.

People walking the beach would stop and admire them and made funny comments. It was really fun.

By the time Saturday rolled around, I was getting so excited to see Mark. I woke up early and got to packing and cleaning the lodge so that we could get on our way. It was really hard to say goodbye to my family, again, but I will see them in just about 4 months for Christmas, so hopefully it will go fast. My Uncle Mike and Aunt Laura took me to the airport. We had a good time talking in the car.

While I was on the plane, I sat by two women, Colleen and Trudy. We talked a lot and found out that Trudy is a member of the church, but Colleen is not. Colleen started asking us a lot of questions about the church and said that she wanted to feel what we, as a church, feel. She said that she had always admired the people in the church and the spirit that they carry. We talked to her about how wards work and told her to just go to the closest church to her house and that if she asked anyone there for help, they could find her the right ward, direct her to the missionaries and so on. She was so excited! She took Trudy's number so that she could call her if she needed more help. She hugged us both goodbye and thanked us over and over. I hope she finds the truth and accepts it. It was a really neat experience for me.

When Mark got there, I ran to him and jumped into his arms and we lived Happily Ever After.

The End

A Christ Centered Marriage

2010-07-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

I read this story today and just HAD to share! Everyone please take it to heart...

MARRIAGE

When I got home that night as my wife served dinner, I held her hand and said, I've got something to tell you. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes.

Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. I want a divorce. I raised the topic calmly.

She didn't seem to be annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, why?

I avoided her question. This made her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, you are not a man! That night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer; she had lost my heart to Jane. I didn't love her anymore. I just pitied her!

With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company.

She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. The woman who had spent ten years of her life with me had become a stranger. I felt sorry for her wasted time, resources and energy but I could not take back what I had said for I loved Jane so dearly. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer now.

The next day, I came back home very late and found her writing something at the table. I didn't have supper but went straight to sleep and fell asleep very fast because I was tired after an eventful day with Jane.

When I woke up, she was still there at the table writing. I just did not care so I turned over and was asleep again.

In the morning she presented her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but needed a month's notice before the divorce. She requested that in that one month we both struggle to live as normal a life as possible. Her reasons were simple: our son had his exams in a month's time and she didn't want to disrupt him with our broken marriage.

This was agreeable to me. But she had something more, she asked me to recall how I had carried her into out bridal room on our wedding day.

She requested that every day for the month's duration I carry her out of our bedroom to the front door ever morning. I thought she was going crazy. Just to make our last days together bearable I accepted her odd request.

I told Jane about my wife's divorce conditions. . She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. No matter what tricks she applies, she has to face the divorce, she said scornfully.

My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. So when I carried her out on the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, daddy is holding mommy in his arms. His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sitting room, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly; don't tell our son about the divorce. I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside
the door. She went to wait for the bus to work. I drove alone to the office.

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this woman carefully for a long time. I realized she was not young any more. There were fine wrinkles on her face, her hair was graying! Our marriage had taken its toll on her. For a minute I wondered what I had done to her.

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I felt a sense of intimacy returning. This was the woman who had given ten years of her life to me.

On the fifth and sixth day, I realized that our sense of intimacy was growing again. I didn't tell Jane about this. It became easier to carry her as the month slipped by. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger.

She was choosing what to wear one morning. She tried on quite a few dresses but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, all my dresses have grown bigger. I suddenly realized that she had grown so thin, that was the reason why I could carry her more easily.

Suddenly it hit me... she had buried so much pain and bitterness in her heart. Subconsciously I reached out and touched her head.

Our son came in at the moment and said, Dad, it's time to carry mom out. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had become an essential part of his life. My wife gestured to our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face away because I was afraid I might change my mind at this last minute. I then held her in my arms, walking from the bedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly; it was just like our wedding day.

But her much lighter weight made me sad. On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. I held her tightly and said, I hadn't noticed that our life lacked intimacy.

I drove to office.... jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my mind...I walked upstairs. Jane opened the door and I said to her, Sorry, Jane, I do not want the divorce anymore.

She looked at me, astonished, and then touched my forehead. Do you have a fever? She said. I moved her hand off my head. Sorry, Jane, I said, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of our lives, not because we didn't love each other anymore. Now I realize that since I carried her into my home on our wedding day I am supposed to hold her until death do us apart.

Jane seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into tears. I walked downstairs and drove away.

At the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet of flowers for my wife. The salesgirl asked me what to write on the card. I smiled and wrote, I'll carry you out every morning until death do us apart.

That evening I arrived home, flowers in my hands, a smile on my face, I run up stairs, only to find my wife in the bed - dead.
My wife had been fighting CANCER for months and I was so busy with Jane to even notice. She knew that she would die soon and she wanted to save me from the whatever negative reaction from our son, in case we push thru with the divorce.-- At least, in the eyes of our son--- I'm a loving husband....

The small details of your lives are what really matter in a relationship. It is not the mansion, the car, property, the money in the bank. These create an environment conducive for happiness but cannot give happiness in themselves. So find time to be your spouse's friend and do those little things for each other that build intimacy. Do have a real happy marriage!

If you don't share this, nothing will happen to you.

If you do, you just might save a marriage.
Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.

A CHRIST-CENTERED MARRIAGE IS A MARRIAGE THAT IS SURE TO LAST A LIFETIME.

So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. Matthew 19:6

Our Garden and Other Cool Stuff!

2010-07-25T13:29:00.004-07:00

So, here are a few pictures of our garden. The first one is our garden 2 1/2 weeks ago, and the rest were taken today, July 25, 2010.

These are some of our first Raspberries. Yum!

This week we bought a weed eater and got rid of all the weeds in the alley behind our house. It looks so much nicer back there. You can see it in the garden pictures. We also put in a fire pit so we can roast hot dogs or marshmallows with friends. We took the cement ring off a tree in the front yard cause we didn't like it there, so the fire pit didn't cost us anything. Yea!

I finally made a curtain for the window above my kitchen sink and I love it! Then I made a few other changes in the kitchen, like the position of the dining table.