BACK IN UTAH!

Well, we are back in Utah and doing well! I have to apologize for not keeping you as updated with our summer happenings, but things got busy and I got sick. For those of you who haven't heard the news yet, I'M PREGNANT!! We found out in June and told our families in July. I am due March 1, so the joke is that it (we don't know what it is yet) will come a day early and be a leap year baby. I'm not too excited about that. Call me crazy, but I just don't think having a birthday once every four years sounds like much fun. Ryan and I have been to the doctor only once since we found out and that was back in Cali. Not the best experience, but we did get to hear the heart beat so that made it all worth it. I don't know about Ryan, but it made it real for me... there is actually a little person growing inside me... So Weird!! But so much fun. Actually, I couldn't say that the first few months were fun at all. I got really sick, and whoever decided to call the nausea that you feel when you're pregnant "morning sickness" obviously has no conception of time, as mine usually lasted all day long. I became a slave to the great white porcelain god, but as Ryan pointed out the bright side, at least with all the brushing of teeth and mouth-washing I won't have any cavities! :) What a sweetheart! For the most part, that phase has passed and I am now able to enjoy the fact that I am going to be a mom (that is still weird to say). My mom is very excited and has already sent us some baby toys. My oldest sister Jennilyn, who now has two girls of her own, is very excited to be an aunt for the first time. She actually cried when she saw me after the summer and could see the little tummy starting to show. She and mom would tell the baby goodnight after family prayer and rub my little pooch. How wonderful families are! I'm only 15 weeks along, but I'm at that point where, if you don't know me, you'd wonder if I was just a little fat. My stomach has grown a lot in the past two weeks, but not enough for it to be obvious to everyone. Fortunately, J has lent me her maternity clothes so I have pants that fit and shirts that I can either hide in or show of my little tummy. Either way, I'm more stylish now than I was before or probably will be after. Thanks J!
On a different note, school has started and Ryan and I are smoothly making the transition. With Mom and Jennilyn's help, our little piece of heaven (the townhouse we bought before the summer) is looking great. The week they spent out here was filled with moving boxes, unpacking boxes, decorating and cleaning the house, with the ocassional horrified outbursts of "Why on earth are you keeping this?!!" upon finding Ryan's old toys, my old class notes, and a box of rocks... don't ask questions. We love our house and love having storage space... have I mentioned Ryan's obsession with the crawl space?? Things are just going really well and we are extremely blessed. Brad is home from the mission and back here at BYU. It has been so fun getting him settled and watching the horrified RM "what have I gotten myself into?" look cross his face. He is adjusting well and is so fun to be around. We love you all and will catch up again soon!!