Living and Loving it! The anticipation continues...

Jeanine and I are probably like most of the people that we associate with when it comes to this, but we continue to feel like everything we've done and been through in our lives- good and bad- have all been in preparation to be parents. I say that because we stop at least three or four times a week and say, "I can't believe we're having a baby girl...in two months!" The excitement that we feel to have Berlin join our family is crazy. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I love kids and always have. Most of you don't know Jeanine as well yet, but I can tell you that she was born to be a mother!

I'm so proud of her...she continues to work four days a week (full-time hours), and being a dental assistant, she is on her feet for like 9-10 hours at a time. She continues to work being uncomfortable, pregnant, and with crazy heartburn...yet she somehow still manages to be the super wife that she is to me. I'm so grateful to her for smiling through her daily challenges, and looking forward with optimism to the day our little Berlin joins our family. I am grateful that her heart's greatest desire is to be a mother and home-maker. She will do amazing things because she is so talented in so many areas! Let's just say I really lucked out!

Anyway, we continue to simplify our lives in preparation for this great calling of bringing one of Heavenly Father's children into our homes to teach and take care of...

These pictures aren't necessarily in chronological order, but you'll get the idea :)

*We had our annual Pumpkin-Carving night at my parent's house...







*Chili Cookoff with the Ward- Neen made "Off the hook" white-bean and chicken chili and cupcakes. (No wonder I can't seem to shake these lovies!) We love our ward and the people in it! We seriously have the coolest ward ever! We love our friends in the Ward, and we love even more the spirit that comes from faithful attendance in the Lord's true church!

Neen entered the donut-eating contest! I couldn't believe my eyes! She's so dang cute!

Neen being silly and rubbin her belly

Me with our little neighbor girl Kaylie. She's an absolute doll! And she loves her Uncle Barrett :)

Neen's Halloween Bling!

Me looking absolutely ridiculous with a mullet..and Neen looking like a princess..so what's new?

Our good friend Shaner and Kaylie his little girl

Houston the nerdy bishop and Christina the buzzy bee

Jeanine and Vanessa

The Pack family!

Neen and Erinn being themselves!

Here are the highlights of October 08, in no particular order:

*Attended Mama May's graduation "with honors and 4.0 GPA) from massage therapy school! It was a great evening. We got to eat at Red Robin as a family courtesy of Papa May! May I ad that I'm so grateful that we were able to celebrate that evening as it saved me from watching the BYU/TCU game. I caught the tail-end of the fourth quarter as we were eating, and boy am I glad I didn't end up sitting through that one!

*Date night with Neen up in SLC. We did a little browsing at Gateway Mall, and bought a couple little outfits for the baby; ate caramel apples from the Chocolate Factory; and had pizza from Cobblestone in AF; and trip to the dollar store. (I'm still amazed that everything in the whole store is a dollar! Seems too good to be true!)

*A year ago this month, when Jeanine and I were engaged, we got our little Boxer puppy "Beau" and he has grown so much and is such a great dog! We love him...I think in some ways, he has helped me prepare for kids...We'll see...I guess he is just a dog...but he seems more like a four-year-old kid!

*We were able to see little Berlin in our second ultra-sound. She still didn't want to show us her face yet, so we'll just have to wait! She is growing perfectly and is right on track for her Jan. 11th due-date.

*We were able to attend the Sunday afternoon session of conference at the Conference Center. (Jeanine's first time seeing the conference center inside.) See Pics. Also, fabulous biscuits and gravy at Mama and Papa May's house Sunday morning for the early session!

*I got to meet Erinn's husband Andrew for the first time...barely. He emerged about 10 minutes before we had to take off to the conference center! He is so "mysterious!" ;-)

*Jazz Regular-Season opener is tomorrow night! Go Jazz!

Fun with the May family in September...

Papa May, Rob, Felicity

Little Gracey

Momma May feeling Berlin kick in Neen's belly... (September)

Beau pushing his limits!