A much needed update you won't want to miss

Oh my the changes that have happened in the past month! Time to review:

After Arco Days we turned right around and got ready for Justin and I to go to Dallas for five days. We left Emmett with Jon and Laura for the first two and a half days, and my go-to babysitter Kaylee watched Emmett at our house the last two and a half days. It was like drinking a tall glass of water for our relationship! Wow all that quality time was fabulous, and though early in my pregnancy I had all kinds of energy - thank to not taking care of another human 24/7 lol. It was a great experience, and so much better having Justin there. I got the total hook up as a new director with my new director bonus check, prizes, and renewed hope and vision - very fitting as that's the name of my unit. Oh - and I do have to document that my #1 favorite NSD of all time Stacy James met and hugged Justin - and I missed it! I was sooo jealous, but glad he at least got to meet her.

I made a friend on stage during the new director debut - ms Claudia

I have yet to earn my free car - when qualifying to become a director I was also qualifying for the car. I met qualifications for a sales director, but missed the car by a small margin. And now that I'm a sales director the rules are different! LOL! But get there I will - just you wait 

Then of course right after getting home from Seminar it was Emmett's birthday! I wanted to hold out until he turned one to give him his first haircut but ended up giving it to him earlier because it went from cute to gross at about 11 months. And since it's been forever since I updated, I must record for my future-self that he started walking around 11 1/2 months. He took his first steps on his due date: July 17th! But anyway: I spent his birthday baking and frosting his birthday cake, and Sunday I made my mom's roast and potatoes for family to join in the cake smash celebration. Happy first birthday my sweet boy! You are the joy of my life. I am reminded of what we are taught from the commandment to "multiply and replenish" - that they might have joy. That is absolutely true. Too often well-meaning family and friends feel the need to "prepare" us somehow by telling us how "hard" it is - how far from the truth that is. It is a journey and there are struggles and PLEASE my kid isn't even a toddler yet so what do I know? But I know what I know and that's the joy my son brings to my every day and I am so grateful to be his mama.

 He has been so cuddly lately...it's been weird for us but we love it!

And all the while we've been keeping a secret! At least from some... when we went to Arco I told my family we were expecting! Though it took about an hour for anyone to catch on - thank you JORY - soon everyone understood the meaning of Emmett's "Big Brother" t-shirt. I was 7 weeks at the time and hadn't even met with my midwife to confirm a heartbeat, or two, or none, so we were still very much in the dark. But I am due March 3rd and by now have confirmed ONE heartbeat (sorry Justin, no twins) and am 13 weeks along. For the first 10-ish weeks I had all-day nausea without any throwing up which, by the way, is way worse than just throwing up in the morning and getting it over with. I have the same fatigue from before but thankfully not teaching so I can nap rather than go to bed at 6 or 7 PM. I was having acne like crazy in the beginning too, so thank you Clearproof for taking care of that.

We are almost done with our summer project, which was shutters for the second story. We built and painted them ourselves, and last night Justin installed a few. We still have the windows on the side to do, but they look amazing, am I right??

Then we have the somewhat sad news that we found a new home for Jackson the pup. Justin and I have been talking about it for some time now, and with fall right around the corner Justin put up an ad. He made the mistake of only asking $100! Hello! this dog is worth well over $1,000! He is less than 2 years old, fully trained, pure bred lab; are you KIDDING me? I got these people through the hardest part of parenthood, I am at least going to get a chunk of change out of it! Am I terrible? Maybe - don't care. I told him to change it to minimum $500 immediately and the offers kept coming. I met with one couple on a Friday that already had two dogs ("Selfish!" I thought, "You don't need another dog!") and then Saturday with a single mom of two young boys, ages 5 and 7. She cried and hugged me when we told her we wanted her to have him and so did I. She said she's been looking for a while for something for her and her boys (recently divorced) and was thrilled to have Jackson. He really is an amazing dog. But he will be loved on much more with her and her boys than from us what with a proper back yard and fence, an owner to run with every day, and two boys to play with.

That's our August! Pretty busy and crazy. But good. Onto the next adventure.