33 Weeks

Well, what a week. That's about all I can say :-) It has been full of trials, but today was a much needed day of rest and renewal. Today at church was great. We had our primary program and I felt the Spirit so much as I watched the children, listened to and sang the songs and felt so much love that Heavenly Father had for me too. I had two powerful examples to me there at Church today and even amidst their pain and turmoil were still thinking of me and offering me assistance with something today. Just their sheer concern for me made me feel deeper faith.

I can't even tell you how excited I am to open up to this crazy, wonderful, faith-filled adventure they call motherhood! I feel the tender mercies of the Lord more and more everyday as I focus on the things that matter, and strive each day to renew my faith in Him and know that all of my temporal needs to come together.

I have experienced MUCH more hormonal drama this trimester than the others put together and Dusty is handling it like a champ :-) The baby is moving great and still kickin' strong. He has his favorite place to just get stuck in my ribs, and, although it's painful, I have to admit I still smile through the pain (sometimes :-) just thinking about him and how soon we will be in each other's arms.

32 Weeks

Well, today is a day I can say I didn't want to post a photo. I have been so sick with indigestion it's ridiculous. Dusty was trying to make me laugh and he did succeed, but this is an in between photo. I am entitled to my off-days, right?! I felt great this morning and then, BAM. One of my preggo friends, who was due after me, actually ended up having her baby today. It just makes me a little anxious of not being ready and just knowing that any day little Colton can make his appearance. There is so much still left to do...not even decorating or any small stuff...I am past that. I just have to learn to go with the flow, something that pregnancy (and I am sure motherhood) will teach me one way or another. So, I guess it's better to learn my lesson now so we don't have repeat it over and over...I'll let ya know how that goes :-) Here's to week 32! May it NOT include so much indigestion :-)

Save on Shipping

Dusty uses a service for his animals where he ships UPS and gets 30% off the total bill. They have a sister site www.allproshipping.com where you can get 30% of by shipping UPS no matter what you are shipping. Dusty has saved more than $500 by using this service. You just need a way to weigh your box and know the dimensions. You pay online, print out the shipping label and then drop it off at any UPS or Staples UPS-type shipping center or schedule a pick up from your house.

I know some of you guys would great benefit from this and with Christmas (and Colton's arrival... whoops, did I say that?) just around the corner, I thought I'd share :-)

30 Weeks!

Well, here I am at 30 weeks. I think everything about pregnancy is crazy, exciting, faith-filled...I could go on. Today has been one of those days where I have had to really cling to faith to remember that things will work out and somehow all of the issues, big and small, will be taken care of. Dusty and I both feel like a mac truck hit us most days these days. haha I know, I know, just wait till Colton comes...

Life is full of so much uncertainty right now with EVERYTHING but I don't want to dwell on things that are going wrong so much as I feel compelled to say how much I love family. I live for family. Everything I strive for is to become better for myself so I can in turn be my best for my family. I am glad to know that I know Heavenly Father knows my heart, needs, desires and I am grateful that I know that I can communicate to Him at all times. I am grateful to have just had conference and been reminded and comforted by the testimonies of the Lord's servants.

I am so excited to grow my little family and meet Mr. Colton. By the way, we have decided on a name: Colton Daniel Rhoads. I love it! I just feel like I know it fits him! Daniel is Dusty's middle name.

28 Weeks

I was actually in KY during my 28 weeks and loving every second. It was great to see so many people and friends I knew and spend some quality time with family. I didn't take many photos so here is one with me at the shower. I can't remember much about how I felt that week. Usually when I go to KY I sleep in far too late everyday but I actually got up like from like 7 - 9 am each morning...sometimes even on my own :-)

I do remember, however, bringing a t-shirt with me to sleep in and one night making a late night grocery run with my mom in my pj's and realizing that my belly was hanging out of the shirt! Gross! I felt like one of those photos from "The People of Wal-Mart" sites. hahaha Oh well. Lots to blame on pregnancy. I only have 10 more weeks of that excuse so I'll take it where I can.

Trip Home

It's always so refreshing to be able to go home for a visit, no matter the occasion. This time it really flew by while I was there. My mother is as loving and funny and comforting and FUN as usual. My dad is, well..., dad :-) Charla and Mike are as cute and funny as ever. I love getting to see them as parents with those FUNNY boys. I got some quality time with my brother Jason eating breakfast at the Cheesecake Factory....and yes we only ordered cheesecake! I got to spend some special time with my sister during a very important time in her life. My little nephews don't seem so little anymore. And our family is ever-expanding.

I think I love going home so much because there is laughter everywhere. I love each person's sense of humor. Being around family reminds you of what is important in life. I never have anything pressing that I want to do when I go home because being with them is enough. I feel so blessed to be apart of our awesome family :-) Here are a few pics of the trip. I didn't take nearly as many pics as I usually do...These were two men on a water-break mission. They told the parents to have the kids take a water break and after Evan remembered we were there, it was all over. He was doing good till he remembered we were there.

I don't know how or why it started but every single person in my family "likes" to be / get scared. "Uncle" Mike and "Uncle" Jason are the best at it. All of the kids love it and it's like a contest to top the best scare every time. It's made for some funny stories though :-) My mother is one of the worst... Here is Mike scaring the heck out of Blake and Evan. Sorry I cut off your head, Mike, but it would have been WAY scarier with it in the shot.

Here is the pro's action shot. I loved getting to go to one of his little soccer games. I only wish I could see all of my nephews and niece LIVE in action!

This was taken during clean up of the baby shower. Melissa, Charla and mom did a great job and we all had a lot of fun. I think we were all exhausted at that point!


This was a shot of Eli that I had to grab. That little man is ALWAYS on the go. He doesn't stop for a minute. He has his mind made up and that is that; get out of his way :-) Those balloons kept all three kids going and going and without (hardly) any fighting. :-)

This is my brother, Jason. He was gone a lot of the time I was there but I managed to get to hang with him a lot while he was home. I love kickin' it with him.

I can't remember what face Evan calls this but for some reason I think it looks a lot like Mike when he was little.

More pictures to come...