So Many Changes

Well, as is typical, it has been almost another 6 months! So much has happened in these few months and since I don't want to bore the few who read this, I think a good bullet-list will do with our top 6 life changes for the past 6 months. Sorry if this is extra, extra long!!!

First Big Change -- Jon Graduated!

Jon finally graduated from BYU with a major in Construction Management and a Business minor. I am SOOOO proud of him! He worked so hard and performed super well in all of his classes, despite my constant pressure to abandon his homework and play! We spent the day with family and had a wonderful BBQ (thank you, bipolar Utah weather for sunshine). Now, we get to spend our evenings together, rather than spending it with homework! We LOVE this new lifestyle!!! With this big graduation comes our next big change:

Second Big Change -- New Job, New Location

Because Jon is so gosh dang amazing, he was given several job offers. After a lot of stress, prayers, and plenty of pro/con lists, we finally decided to go with Turner Construction in Tempe, Arizona. We are sooo excited and feel so blessed for this job opportunity! The job description is exactly what he wanted and the company is excellent. Jon will be starting down there with them near the end of July. They were nice enough to let him wait for baby girl to arrive in Utah before starting. We are really looking forward to Arizona, as well! Jon has a lot of sisters and brothers down there, so it will be nice to be by family. Not to mention the wonderful HEAT. Utah has done its part in making the move more appealing...I am ready for SUMMER!!! Jon went down last week to check out some prospective apartments and we hope to solidify on a townhome this week! Bring on the palm trees and desert landscaping!

Third Big Change -- Three Year Anniversary

I guess this isn't really a big change, but we got to celebrate our three year anniversary at the end of April. Jon planned a surprise trip (he knows I love surprises) to St. George where we spent an amazing 4 days relaxing. Oh, how it was needed. I really couldn't imagine being married to a more perfect, selfless husband. I am so blessed. Jon is incredible and has really been my source of sanity through this pregnancy. He works so hard and then comes home and somehow keeps our home running amid cleaning and foot massages. I love him so much! What a blessing it is to be married to your best friend. I can't wait for this next wonderful year!

Fourth Big Change -- I Survived.

This was my first year teaching and I survived. Not only did I survive, but I absolutely LOVED it. Orem Junior High was incredbile...my students were fabulous, my department was wonderful, and our administration rocks this world. I couldn't have taught anywhere better! I loved teaching! It is one of the most fulfilling things I could do each day... it never really felt like I was going to "work." There were certainly ups and downs--being pregnant while teaching and coaching is NO FUN--but my students were incredible. I don't know how I got such a wonderful group of kids. They constantly surprised me with their brilliant insights and made me laugh each and every day. 9th graders are seriously the best. Looking back at the year, they grew so much and they taught me so much. They were so funny, too, about the coming baby. Some of my favorite comments are the following:

7th grade Victor: How are you pregnant? You're not fat.
Victor, a week later: Mrs. Randall, you got fat.

9th grade Marilyn: Does your baby have a head? (While poking my 8-month pregnant belly forcefully with her pointer finger)

9th grade Marcos: Will you name your baby Ronaldinho?
Me: It's a girl, Marcos.
Marcos: Oh, then will you name it Jesus?

Hahaha...oh, how I loved this experience! I love those kids! Some of my favorite yearbook comments were the following:

"I'm pretty sure this year of English was my fav! I am going to cry and you will too because you are going to miss me so much!"

"You are literally my favoritist teacher ever! I love your class so much. Its so much funner than any other class!" (Please notice the correct grammar/spelling used, haha. I've done my job well...)

"You completely changed my perspective and attitude about English."

"You are the first English teacher I've had that actually taught me something." (Just a little pretentious, don't you think??)

"Mrs. Randall, I hope your baby looks like a baby. PS - Some day I wanna ride a pig." (Complete with a picture of a flying pig)

Fifth Big Change -- I'm Huge

Baby Girl is officially full term! I have 2 weeks and 4 days left and I am SO counting. She is healthy and quite active!! At our weekly NST (non-stress test), the nurses always exclaim that she is the most active baby they have seen that day. She hates the monitors and always tries to kick them off of her. Last time, she made the nurse jump and squeal because she attacked the monitor so hard. Haha...she makes her mama proud. As of our last ultrasound a week ago, she was weighing 6 pounds flat and sticking to the 5oth percentile.

As for me, this pregnancy really has been fairly easy compared with some of my friends' stories. And it has been a fun past month with several baby showers. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family and such supportive friends! Thanks to all who came, and especially to those who helped to throw the showers. This little girl is already so spoiled!

On Saturday we went to our first pre-natal class (which, by the way, was over 5.5 hours long...with one break...you'd think they would have planned better for pregnant women!). I was worried about Jon since we were going to watch some birthing videos and he doesn't love the blood, but he did great and I was the one that almost passed out (darn epidural shots). haha...I'm sitting there about to black out and yet, thank you pregnancy hormones, I was in tears cause the whole thing was just so gosh darn beautiful when that baby is finally out.

I'm pretty sure that the videos freaked me out more than anything though...I closed my eyes when we watched "The Miracle of Birth" in high school, so this was a little bit more than I could handle. I still can't get the images out of my mind; I DREAM about them...how the HECK am I going to do that? How the HECK did all of you do that? And do it again and again? But despite the fears, we are so excited to have this little girl in our arms! It is so close!

Sixth Big Change -- Heber

Once Jon graduated, we quickly moved out of Wymount. While we loved our almost two year stay and miss our friends greatly, it was time to move on. Mormor and Morfar, my wonderful grandparents, willingly took us into their beautiful home in Heber where we get to stay in their side apartment until after the baby comes. While the commute to school and work was not very fun for a few weeks, it has been absolutely GORGEOUS up here. There is nothing like waking up to this view:

Well, I think that is it for the big news...I hope I covered it all. 2011 has turned out to be a busy and big year for us and I seriously can't wait for the next two months when Jon and I get to start this new life with a new baby girl, a new job, and new home!