In Limbo

 

I think its maybe hit me a little bit more that I am done with the role of “student”.

Graduation was awesome. I got to chat with some of my English major friends for the last time before we all move our separate ways and never see each other again. The speakers were great—and my family was here! My husband surprised me with congratulatory flowers (I’m a sucker for flowers), my neighbors surprised me with a banner when I came home, and my parents and grandparents took us out to dinner! We ate way too much but the dessert was so worth it. 

 The dress I wore under my Gown

 Little hard to find one when you graduate at nearly 36 weeks pregnant [;

And the banner I came home too:

Then this week has been busy as ever!

My mom was here and that means that we got a lot done (:

She truly always leaves things better than she found them.

We got some grocery shopping done, bought some diapers in bulk at Sam’s Club, and she finally brought the remainder of my Colorado baby shower gifts. I got a little stressed looking at all the stuff I had to fit in my little nursery but anyone who knows my mom knows that she made it work easy peasy. I graduated Tuesday late. Then Wednesday we grocery shopped, got all the remaining items on my list left to get for the baby, went out to a late lunch as a family, Chuck-a-rama was my father’s only request of course. Then my mom and I came home and began putting things away. We started the nursery at about 10 and finished at 1am. Mostly because we just talked while we did it and she wouldn’t really let me do a whole lot. She kept finding jobs I could sit while doing, like packing my diaper bag. It made me feel kind of bad but every time I got up I kept hearing, “Amy just tell me what you want me to get and I’ll bring it to you!” She didn’t want me to trip over all our piles.

But then it was done! Except for my remaining sewing projects. We had already had all the necessities ready for baby boy’s arrival but I hadn’t finished decorating or getting the odds and ends because I was waiting for the crazy semester to end. The next day we got up and my mom came over and started cleaning my house!! She is a funny woman, but she was just doing the jobs she didn’t want me to do like scrubbing the bath and the bathroom floor. She wouldn’t let me help so I took to boiling all our pacifiers, and my breast pump getting it all ready and packed up. I went through all my school stuff and threw away what I didn’t want and then we started laundry. Then of course we went to the thrift store to find a lamp and some books. We totally scored. We got the nicest lamp and books all for really cheap! All brand new. We ran all over town all day, I was exhausted after two days of non-stop going going going! But we made sure to have lunch and dinner as a family. My family humored me and took me to Olive Garden because I love it even though my mom doesn’t. Friday, my mom and I just had a long breakfast together before she had to head to Salt Lake. I loved spending every day with my mom. Even though we were so busy we got to talk and visit a lot. She is always such a blessing when she visits, our house is always so much improved. She did all the jobs that needed to be done for baby that I couldn’t have done and she helped me get what would have taken me a week by myself done in two days! What a wonderful woman to take her vacation and work so hard to make sure Garth and I were totally ready for baby.

Her and I also parked in the expecting mother's parking for my first time ever! She made sure I got a picture. 

Then Friday after she left I started sewing at about 2pm. Sewed, cut, and ironed and organized until 1 am. Garth hung all the frames and shelves and I completely and totally finished my nursery! I could have probably spaced it out for a couple days but I just wanted to know it was all done and was on a roll! Garth ironed the curtains and cut out the pillow while I sewed the crib skirt, he was a trooper. Then I sewed the little center window piece (idk what to call it) and the pillow. He eventually fell asleep while I went in and put it all on the crib and on the curtain rod and everything. I love my nursery! I won’t post pics until the vinyl comes. That’s the final touch, I ordered dark gray vinyl so I can use my cricut to cut out his name and put it above his crib. I got a notification that it should show up here in the next 1-3 days! Now I’m totally ready for baby boy!

Saturday was the first day I woke up with this “now I’m in limbo” feeling. I had finished the nursery, graduated college, and completed my “to do before baby” list all in one week. So now I’m just a stay at home wife waiting for her baby to come. I felt a little weird so I made sure to get up and clean and complete some little jobs. Then I was saved and found a friend who was moving into a new apt and I went and helped her organize her room and clothes.

I am quite enjoying having the time to actually do my hair and keep my house spotless though. I’m adjusting to this little time of limbo but I’m also trying to enjoy it as well. We’ve been spending time with the neighbors the past couple of nights just like old times now that none of us have school!! Garth and I even played a mean game of checkers yesterday [;

So far today I’ve lysoled my whole kitchen, dusted, done the dishes, and read a little. I enjoy doing my scripture reading in the nursery rocking chair these days. I’m just so excited. [:

I’m much more content with baby coming whenever he is ready now that I’m out of school. The last week of school I was stressed and overtired and just wanted to skip right to his birth. Now I’m just at peace and enjoying this little ride. [:

 This was my "nearly" 36 week belly. (: 

I'm full term this Friday! Lets all hope that its not too long of a wait after that [:

Graduating!

Woohoo I did it [:
I just wanted to take a second to be grateful for all the ways in which I have grown through my experiences at BYU - Idaho. I have loved attending this University. I have been pushed academically and spiritually, and I believe that I have reached new heights in both areas that I could not have at another University. I have also absolutely LOVED my degree! I love English, and I have enjoyed the challenge it continually placed before me each semester! I am so grateful I made the switch to English, I have learned so many valuable skills. Sometimes the load has been quite heavy, but that's okay when you love what you are doing.
I am also glad I had this "selfish" time of my life. Going to school is an inherently selfish pursuit. Its a very "me, me, me" type of life style. Its your work, your grades, your success, your failures. I will probably never have another time in my life that is so centered around me now that I'm entering the Mother stage. Which I am also grateful for. I feel ready to make the transition now, I've accomplished my goals, (I still have others too but I can do them as a Momma), and I feel ready to be a mom. Well as ready as one can be! I'm glad that my education will be done and my children will know that it was important to me. I would not have been able to do school and children--many women do and they are awesome! I just don't have the right personality for it, so I am very grateful for how everything is working out! I still plan on learning new things my whole life through. There are SO many other things I want to learn though outside of a scholastic setting. So we will see what the future brings my way!
I was looking through some old emails that I sent to my family my first semester up here and I decided to share some from my first week or so up here.

" I miss the family to be honest.  But today I went to all my classes and I really enjoyed it. My work load is pretty heavy and some classes are for sure going to be a challenge, but ultimately I feel ready to use my brain again. Most importantly I'm so grateful I can attend here because of all your hard work. I am truly blessed to attend this university. So I guess I'm just saying thank you for providing me with this experience. I love the spirit here and I love that in every class I'm finding ways to be more like Christ. My education and the gospel are going to be going hand in hand and I'm realizing that is what I've been longing for for quite some time. Its pretty awesome. I'm going to learn so much in both areas."

" First and foremost I want you guys to know how good I feel about being here. I do feel that this is where I'm supposed to be. Not being around you guys is hard because we're such a close family, but I feel like I'm about to progress in ways that I wouldn't be able to any where else on this earth."

Sharing an experience from a business class: 
" We talked today about prioritizing. He held up a bucket and some rocks and told us to say what each rock meant. So naturally we said "family, school, work, gospel, etc." Then he asked what the bucket was and we said "life". But he clarified that the bucket needed to be a disciple of christ. Because in the work force or anywhere in life we shouldn't have "this is who I am at work." "this is me at home" "this is me at church" etc. We are a disciple of christ in every area and it should flow through every part of our life. Our professor said "The gospel shouldn't be a rock at the bottom of your lake of life. It should BE the lake. Flowing into everything we do." It was pretty sweet. I can see how going to this school make people so much stronger. "  


Also had to share the classic first semester advice I got from my father in an email: 

" Don't worry too much about major/ minor right now just focus on what's in front of you at the moment and it will all come together. One thing I have learned is to try not to force it in pressure situations. As you know I love Golf and when I am standing on the first tee in a really pressure packed tournament or match and I am choking like a dog the best thing you can do is take a deep breath swing easy and just get the ball in the fairway. Don't try to force birdies - make a few pars to start, get your feet under you and let the game come to you.

Same thing with College in the first year. Enjoy the challenge, enjoy new experiences, and let it come to you a little bit. You don't need to force everything all at once. That's when you make bogeys!"

That was all my first semester. 
There are too many tender experiences, professors, classes, and opportunities to share here on a blog post but just trust me when I say that this is the best University in the world. 
I chose this school as my #1 for a reason. 
I'll be forever grateful that I did! 

Also for those of you who thought I would drop out after the wedding, or after getting pregnant--in your face [: