September

On Tuesday September 1st we had our very first InVitro try. We asked our friends and family to keep us in their thoughts and prayers so everything would go well. We had an amazing amount of support through everything but on that day we felt that support even more. I remember as we were about to get to U of U how stressed I started to be. And a second later, a strong feeling of peace overwhelmed my heart and I knew at that time how much love and support were sent our way by so many people. I also knew that Mom wasn't far at that point. It was a huge blessing. Dr. Johnstone, Dr. Dorais and their team picked the best embryo out of the 7 that were frozen and Dr. Dorais did the actual transfer. We got to see the embryo on a microscope before she did it and that was just so cool to see the very beginning of what could become a little person. The transfer went very smoothly and as planed. After it was all over we just had to wait 12 days (felt like 12 months!) to get to the blood pregnancy test.

Embryo for try #1. We call it Junior.

About to get our first transfer done (sorry if TMI)

We took Cherae out to lunch for her birthday and this was in my fortune cookie.
I sure was hoping that surprise was the news of a baby!

Just a couple days after our transfer we went camping with the Olson. It sure was super fun. It was more luxurious than the camping we usually do but we still had a great time.

This girl turned 30 while we were camping. So we celebrated as much as possible

I love this one of Adam and the boys. So much fun!

On September 12th Lance took his boys along with Josan to the fish farm. Josan absolutely loved it and has been asking to go back ever since. I love that, even if he doesn't have any siblings, he sees these boys as brothers.

On Sunday September 13th I had to go to U of U to do a blood test at 9:30 in the morning. They told us they'd try to give us the result that same day or the next day. Before church, at around 12 and while the boys were in the shower, I took a home test. The normal "test lines" appeared and I just put the test back down assuming that we'd have to wait for the blood test results. When I grabbed the test back there was a + sign on it! I could not believe what I was seeing. And I really didn't. I showed Adam and we both agreed that the IVF meds were probably so strong that it messed up with a home pregnancy test. So after deciding to not make anything of it, we got ready and went to church like normal. In sacrament meeting, right after we were done taking the water, my phone (yes it was on silent) rang. Obviously I had it right in my face ready for the call. So I grabbed my phone, almost jumped over the guy sitting by me and B-lined for the door. After answering the phone and with the boys on my heels I remember the lady telling me "We sent your blood sample to the lab and just got your results. Congratulations, you're pregnant!"

*MELTDOWN*

As soon as I heard those 4 words my head fell in my hands and I cried so hard. Adam was crying too. And Josan just seemed to wonder what was happening. The second he figured it out all he wanted to do is tell. Tell everyone. As soon as I hung up with them, and after a much needed hug, we facetimed Dad. He was about to go to church so we were lucky he answered. When we told him he joined us in and cried too. That was such a happy moment.

Josan just zonked out for the picture but he was SOOOOO excited!!!

The start of this pregnancy feels a lot like Josan's. I'm having light nausea once in a while and I'm tired all the time. But other than that everything is fantastic!
It's been a little tricky to keep the news a secret. First, we're horrible at keeping this kind of things to ourselves. Second, we've been so public through this whole process that people know what's going on. So we've told way more people than we planned already.

Every September we can't help but remember how we first met. It seems like a lifetime ago. Yet it's gone so fast. We started "online dating" 9 years ago on September 27th. I still have to pinch myself once in a while. I never thought my life would turn into such a fairy tale.

Some random pictures from this month...

This little lady turned one in November. Her party
was the cutest ever!

Just enjoying our porch swing. Peewee got all proper!

More properness

Such a big boy. But he's still my baby!

THIS... is the closest that I found to a real poutine Quebecoise.
It's not quite the same; but it still hits the spot!

Josan walked to school one day. Broke my mommy heart a little...

As of the end of this month I'm at 7 weeks and I've been having crazy dreams pretty much every night. The dreams are very vivid and all over the place. Always stuff that don't make sense at all too. So when I wake up I'm just as tired as when I went to bed!

Also, I've had 2 spotting episodes of 24 hours each so far. Both times made us really nervous but everything is still good. Knock on wood!!
There is no word strong enough to describe the excitement that we're feeling right now. It took 6 years, 2 months and so many ups and downs to get where we are now. We feel beyond blessed. Not only we have an amazing big boy but we will be able to grow our family too. Life is good!!

August

No wonder why I've been postponing this post for ever! There's been so much fun stuff happening in August! It was definitely a perfect summer month for us.

We got to dog sit this little girl for a couple days. Hazel got along so well with our dogs. Which is surprising cause Foxsea is so grumpy in his old age that he gets along with no one...

No wonder why I love these girls; with that kind of selfies left on our phones how could it be any different?;)

Grandpa came to visit too. Josan always loves it. But when he get to PLAY with his favorite he's just in heaven!

And after Dad came to visit we went and visited him! We had a ton of fun! We never get enough time down in Nevada! These 2 think that they're BBQ masters. Don't try to tell them otherwise; they've got this!

We took all the dogs with us so on top of Gus, Bear and the Kitty, there was Max, Peewee and Foxsea! It was so funny to have them around.

One of the best part about going to Dad's is not wearing makeup...at all! We just stayed in Logandale most of the time and just didn't feel like we had to be dolled up!:)

Another favorite would be playing baseball when we go to Dad's. The kids were having a blast too. I swear Josan is already 10 times better than I am. At least I had Dad to teach me how a little...

It's blurry. But I just love that boy!

While we were there Kara sent us a couple of gems. I just love these pictures

Last but not least, we got to watch a chopper land right by Dad's house. The kids LOVED it. And so did we.

This is a picture Adam took. He sure could work in a worse place...I feel so blessed to live where temples are so close by. Just within half an hour of our house we can reach 3 temples. The closest one to my home town is 2 hours away. And then the next one is 4 hours more. We really are blessed here...

There was a fair down in Farmington. We went with the Olsons and the Huffakers and had a blast! How could we not with these guys??

Had to fit in a Bees game too. Love my boys...

Camping trip with Huffakers and Olsons. Did I say how amazingly fun August was??

As soon as we got to our camping site we saw 2 deer eating there minding their own business. They kept us company through the couple days that we were there. It was pretty cool.

No makeup; no problem!

Don't mind us; we're special...

After all the fun we had to get some serious business done too. First day of first grade for our big boy! It was pretty rough on him for a while; he hated how loooooong the days were...but that was nothing compared to how hard it was for me to send him to school every day!

He sure makes us proud though. He did so good on his first day. He is an amazing, smart and handsome boy and we are SO blessed to have him in our lives.

On his first day we ran into 2 of Josan's best friends. He's known Keamon and Eli his whole life. And we plan on keeping it that way for a long time. I had to bring out an old picture of them from when Josan was about 2. We had gone to Mom and Dad's for Valentines and had a great time. They've changed so much. But they're still such great boys!

Such tiny, cute boys!

Josan's class. He's got a lot of good kids in his class. And his teacher is awesome!

Here he is on his second day. He's lining up getting ready to go in.

I had to go see him at lunch; I couldn't stay away from him any longer. For some reason lunch time was the hardest time for me. I hated thinking about him eating with a bunch of other kids, in a big lunch room without me with him. That lasted a few weeks and then I got a little better at being the mom of a big boy...

It helped a lot when I saw Keamon come in the lunchroom half way through Josan's lunch break. Knowing that one of his favorite person ever was around calmed things down a little...

Random. That was the kids idea. Not ours...

At school the kids can earn PAWsitive tickets if they do really good. This is Josan's first one. He was so proud to show us!

When Adam first showed me our house the porch and the swing is what draw me in. But the previous home owners took it with them and in August we finally got another one! (for seriously dirt cheap too; always a bonus)

Playing at the park

We haven't been getting together near as much as I would like with how crazy life had been. But I sure love these girls!

I had to put this picture on here too. My brother finally found an amazing girl to call his girlfriend. The funny thing is that I went to preschool with her! Oh! and her name is also Annie. Then the girl on the left is an old childhood friend that has been Annie's best friend for like 20 years!!! Celine is awesome too. So it's just a really cool situation! I couldn't be happier for them!

Random play time with Keaton, Jack and Alex. They're not fighting, even if it looks like it.

Now this... THIS is an amazing thought from our next door neighbors and friends. They went to Vermont and took a little trip to Quebec. On their way out they got me 3 of my favorite things! I'm still saving it for an emergency...;)

Just checking on our pumpkins

Adam playing softball. We love our Wednesdays and Thursdays getting to cheer Dad on!

Hanging out with friends...sometimes really closely...

And this is yet another trip to the Airforce museum.

This gorgeous girl asked me to do her makeup and hair before her Cheers pictures. I got Taryn to help me with all the hair but other than that Jayce didn't need much work at all...

We went to Derrick and Shawna's swimming party and it was SO FUN!!!!! Everybody had the best time ever and it was super fun to catch up with everyone!

  

Volcano by Josan Fox...;)