Marine Corps Ball

Happy Birthday Marines!
     On Saturday the annual ball was held in honor of the Marine Corps' 238th Birthday. It's an event to look forward to each year but this year we were overly excited when we found out who the guest of honor was. One of Adam's commanding officers is a Latter-Day Saint and he asked Elder L. Tom Perry of the twelve apostles to be the Guest of Honor. He accepted and we were privileged  to hear a motivating address from him. We got a great video because we were actually seated next to the podium where Elder Perry spoke from. HOW AWESOME!

     The ball was held on the top floor of Zions Bank in Downtown Salt Lake, as you can see we were overlooking the temple. What a beautiful view of the city from up there!

(I love my man in his Blues and I don't look to shabby at 5 months preggo!)

Here is the Video we put together (mostly Adam) from Elder L. Tom Perry's Address at the Ball

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQWsP9P9hj4&feature=youtu.be

     I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised with how tall Elder Perry is! Right before this picture I had the opportunity to help him figure out how his phone works! He wanted to take a picture of all the marines and their guest taking pictures of him. But, he couldn't figure out the camera on the phone. Luckily, I use to have an iphone and figured out why it was doing weird stuff. He is just too cute. It was so nice to share the evening with him and his wife. I hope they felt our love for them, everyone was excited to meet them and get their photo taken. I hope they got cake too because every time I saw Elder Perry pick up a slice of cake, another admiring  couple would come and greet them. They always had a smile on their face and were so happy and sincere meeting all the marines. 

     After the ball we first went to taco bell, classy right? I was getting so hungry and so nauseous from being hungry because I couldn't eat the food. Really, the steak was RAW. Adam is a beast though, he ate three steaks...because he had to finish two of mine that I attempted. The steaks were mooing at us, I couldn't handle it. Afterward, we had Colten and Sarah over the house to hangout, good friends from Adam's company. 

Thank you to all the Marines for your service and sacrifice. This nation does need a few good men to lead, protect and inspire. Thank you to my dad, my brothers, my husband and all those Marines I have met over the years. 

OOO RAH!

Hey Baby Girl

     I always imagined the first time Adam and I would find out the gender of our first born child. It would be something we had anticipated for weeks. Adam would be sitting at my side, most likely holding my hand and telling me how much he loves me and then cracking a joke. The nurse would come in, congratulate us and turn the screen on. Here we go, she would show us on the screen our baby and then ask, "Are you ready to know the gender??" Then she would tell us and we would smile, cry, and rejoice together. It would me magical.
     Yeah...it didn't quite go that way. On November 6,2013 I went in for my initial visit with the new practice I switched too. As a routine they do an ultra sound to check on the baby. I knew they were going to and I was just excited to see the baby again on the screen. Before we started the ultra sound my doctor asked If I wanted to know the gender. I am far enough along that they can pretty much tell from the picture. I was surprised, not expecting to find out for another two and a half weeks. Of course I wanted to know, but not right then. I asked them to put it in an envelope so I can find out with my husband.  Happily they obliged. I got to see my baby on the screen once more.  It was the first time I really saw a human being, before it just looked like a blob in space.
While viewing the ultra sound at the end, the doctor told me to look away so I can't see the gender. I looked a few more seconds, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyway I thought. Then, we finished the check up, went over pregnancy items and then both the doctor an nurse left. I jumped off the table grabbed my clothes and started to dress. As I was dressing my eyes met the screen...and there it was. The picture of my baby with the word GIRL written across it!
     So, instead of Adam being by my side after much anticipation, I was half naked pulling my pants up when I unexpectedly  found out my baby's gender. I had to get out of there. I found my way to the parking lot where I just cried tears of joy. I felt closer to the little being I am carrying now. The thought of Adam having a little girl had me tearing up. He is going to be such an amazing daddy to our little girl. When he found out we were having a girl, after excitedly screaming and squeezing me to death, he said "Now, I have to watch Sister Dalton's talk on Loving her mother again!"

How did I tell Adam?

     I didn't know If he wanted to know, so I recapped the story of my visit up until the part where the doctor would put the picture in the envelope. As soon as I relayed that to him he frantically asked where the envelope was.  I could have just given him the envelope, but I am a little nerdy and so is he so I thought I would do something different. I told him the way I did because if you knew Adam, he is a financial guru. 

     Earlier that day, After the appointment I went to the bank. We discussed opening a savings account for our baby. While I was there I renamed the account "Emery's account" (This is the name we picked out for our first baby girl a long time ago- baby name: check!). Back to the story- After telling adam about the doctors visit, I told him how I went to the bank and set up the account. He's getting really impatient at this point hearing me rant as I pull up my bank account on the computer. He just wanted to know! I have a few accounts under my name so he's reading each line till he gets to the last line. " Oh look" he says "Emery's Account?...Wait...It's a girl!??!" I giggled and nodded. He grabbed me and squeezed me so tight. He was ecstatic to know he would have a little girl. After that we just cuddled on the couch and talked about having a little Charlee and how chubby she will be when shes a baby because both of us were chubsters :)

How did we tell everyone else?

We threw a very last minute part two days later, tonight! I mean, how many times are you going to throw a gender revealing party? Once, if not ever so I wanted to do one. My friend Jenny came over and helped me stuff balloons with pink confetti...though, it looks almost purple. We gave everyone a black balloon and had them pop it at the same time. We'll be finding these stars for years!

So there we have it. We have little Emery (em-mer-ree) coming on April 7. I can't wait for the baby shopping!