Dude! You're getting Adele!!

For our very first date ever, Matt took me to Cornbelly's Corn Maze and we had a super awesome time together.

One year later, when we had been married about four months, we went back and recreated our first date (but with kissing and groping).

We had just decided to start trying to get pregnant, and I thought it would be so, so cool if I was pregnant when we re-created our first date.  Although I didn't know it at the time, I actually was pregnant--but obviously that pregnancy didn't work out (don't worry though--it was about as untramatic as a miscarriage can be because I didn't know for sure that I was pregnant until I also knew that it wasn't going to be a successful pregnancy).  But, it was our first month trying so I figured I was super talented at getting pregnant, so I'd just get knocked up next month.

Well, it did end up taking longer than I expected, but I am happy to report that when we went for our Second Annual First Date Recreation, I was pregnant again!

And this time, I feel very blessed to say, that things seem to be going perfectly.  We had our 20 week ultrasound last month and the technician (who was very knowledgeable and awesome) said our baby looked absolutely perfect and very beautiful.  I wasn't planning on being able to see so much on the ultrasound, but we were counting fingers and toes and checking out her kidneys, brain, umbilical cord, waist circumference, leg length, etc.  And she apparently is totally awesome in every measurable way.

I lack the technological wherewithal to label and clarify this picture, but hopefully you can see her arm stretched along the bottom and then her cute little face just right of the center.  She is obviously quite beautiful, just like the technician said.

It took me about two days to get over the shock of learning she was a girl.  I was really expecting a boy.  But, I had my "come to Jesus" moment and I'm totally good now.  A little girl will be just perfect.

Before going public about our pregnancy, I wrote one blog entry as a sort of pregnancy journal, but I didn't publish it.  I had planned on doing several posts that way, but never got around to it.  But I will publish the one now, just in case you're interested in it.  It should be right below this one.

Matt and I are feeling extraordinarily blessed. We are so excited to have our little girl with us for our Third Annual First Date Re-creation next year.

Pregnancy Journal-- Week 8

All the pregnancy websites say to keep a pregnancy journal.  Although I doubt anyone cares about my symptoms and the things I'm learning nearly as much as I do, I've opted to do my journaling on my blog.  I'm going to start writing now, and then publish them once we make the big announcement.

My public pregnancy journaling decision always brings to mind this awesome song I heard several months ago:

Around week 7 I was sitting at work feeling awful and I realized that I shouldn't have been so critical of all my friends who complained about being pregnant.  Then I realized that I shouldn't have been so critical because that's just not a good way to be, but as a non-pregnant woman I had seen the big picture that the daily inconveniences of human-creating were causing me to forget.  What a wonderful blessing and privilege to be pregnant.  (isn't that cheesy?)  There's a half-Matt inside of me and I am so so thankful for that.  So many women I love haven't been able to build their families this way.  There really is nothing to complain about.  I've had a different attitude since this realization, and I am happy for that.

So far, I haven't been moody at all (Matt agrees, so it's not just me being delusional).  I do cry a lot more, but so far only about all the happy, beautiful things in my life.

Fire and Ice

Let me tell you a true story from my own life.  A few nights ago, I was cuddly warm and happy in my bed, but my stomach was growling growling growling, and I knew I wouldn't be able to get to sleep until I got myself a snack.  But it was so cold outside of my covers!!! I was extraordinarily hesitant to get out of bed.  I realized there were some warm clothes on the floor right by my bed and I was able to reach them without letting too much of my heat escape.  Obviously, I had to warm them up under the blankets a few minutes before I could put them on.  Once that was accomplished, with great trepidation, I went to the kitchen, but started shivering so much I couldn't do anything until I found a heavy sweatshirt to put on.

At this point, I became curious as to the actual temperature.  Luckily, my hubby insists on having a clock (with seconds, set by the atomic clock daily) with an inside and outside thermometer in every room.  (I thought he was crazy when he first started setting them up, but  now I don't know how other people live without them.)  Shockingly, it was 70 degrees inside the house, so not really "cold" by any standards.

I made a sandwich and went back to bed to eat it.  In my bed, I discovered my husband happily and comfortably asleep WITHOUT a blanket and wearing only his underwear.  I heard once that marriage is spending the rest of your life in a cold bed next to someone who is too hot.  That seems to be the case with us.

(PS The night after that I literally woke Matt up with my shivering [cold air had gotten into my cocoon when I reached for my heating pad], and he was again outside the blankets with no pajamas and happy as a clam.)

My fancy new job

It occurs to me that I never did a blog report on the new job I started February of 2011, but I quit that job in February of 2012, so I guess that's a moot point now.

But NOW I have a super fancy job I really like right downtown.  (oh, because Matt and I moved to Salt Lake.  I"m not sure I mentioned that.)

I am a personal assistant to a lawyer, and it is awesome.  I spend my days taking dictation of letters, helping run a cancer foundation, buying fly fishing equipment, coordinating housecleaners, taking expensive cars in for oil changes, and whatever else he needs.  I love it because it's always something different.

I have my own office with a window and a door.  Here's my view:

And I have a name plate for my door, which is especially exciting because it's my first one with my fancy new name.

Yes, life is good.  After five months of blissful unemployment, I was hired at this job within two weeks of deciding what I wanted to do next (work at a law firm downtown).  It is kind of amazing how everything worked out.  I actually originally interviewed for a position as a legal secretary, but the interviewer liked me so much he fired his old personal assistant and  gave me her job.  Which is awesome, because I LOVE being an executive/personal assistant.  I feel so blessed that things have worked out so well.

Hey There, Delilah

This morning I heard "Hey There, Delilah" on the radio.  I think we can agree that it is about the best love song ever.

That is why it was so distressing to me that at the Plain White T's concert Matt and I went to several months ago, they announced that everyone in the band was single.

What happened to Delilah?!!!!  I thought you two had a deep, abiding, and timeless love?!!

It's so depressing to hear that song now.

(They also said that Utah was the first place in the country to play that song on the radio.  I wonder if that's true or if they say that to all the states.)

Also, most of their songs are not particularly catchy and some or sort of weird.  Not that I'm necessarily opposed to "weird," it's just not what I was expecting based on their four songs that I know.

Also, two warm-up bands are too many.

Also, I took pictures of the event, but they are on my phone that died.

Also, my phone died on the day we moved and I lost all my contacts, pictures, and notes (this is actually what I'm most sad about).  But my sweetie bought me an iPhone 4S, which was awesome until they made me upgrade the operating system.  Now I hate it.

This blog is an attempt to start a new habit of blogging when thoughts occur to me.

Sorry there aren't any pictures.  It's my dead phone's fault.

It was amusing to me

I first saw this photo in a deli or bodega when I lived in New York and I have loved it very much ever since.

Isn't it awesome?!!  I just love the way it shows the city just popping out of the ocean (well, technically a bay, but let's not worry about the details).

For the last several years, they have had a nice, framed, canvas 55"x39" print of this photo available at Ikea.  It costs $50, and although I'm sure that's a good price, I had no interest in paying that much.

Good thing my dreamy husband and I love making frequent trips to Ikea to browse the "As-Is" department.  We found this print for $25!!!!  I instantly knew that I must have it!

Matt carried it to the checkout,

and then to the car-- but it didn't fit in the back seat!

It didn't fit in the trunk, even with the back seats put down (not pictured).

But luckily, my hubby was not only determined to get the purchase home, but also very talented at making knots

(I love that Ikea has twine and protective cardboard just waiting there for whoever needs it)

The roof was the obvious solution

Good thing we live so close to Ikea (and don't need to get on the freeway)!

We drove the four miles home slowly, with each of us holding our side.

Now I have it at home, and I am so so so glad to have it!  Even though it is just sitting on the floor behind our TV because we don't have a wall big enough to hang it.  Someday, it will decorate my house.  Someday!!!

All the News That's Fit to Print: The Honeymoon Report

Subtitle: The totally G-rated version of the best 10 days ever.  (Warning: it may not be explicit, but it is a long post)

So, you mostly already know that I got married twelve months ago and how awesome that was.  Now I've decided that I want to document the awesomeness of our honeymoon for posterity, even if it is after the fact. Because I am going to be a better blogger, for serious this time.

We left our unbelievably awesome reception around 9:00pm and drove up to Park City, where my awesome husband had booked us two nights in a suite at the incredibly incredible Waldorf Astoria.  Wow!  If you've never been to a five-star hotel.... Just Wow!!!

You can't even imagine all the little touches they add to make it a luxurious experience.  It would be impossible to describe the experience, so I will just say that my favorite thing was that when you call the front desk they would answer, "Hello Mrs. Harker.  How can I help you?"  Here is a video Matt took showcasing our room (notice that I am wearing the fancy Waldorf Astoria robe):

The next morning we had breakfast at their fancy restaurant, and I can't remember the details, but I'm sure it was very delicious and very fancy.  Then we got ready to go to Matt's mom's surprise birthday party.

First, let me explain that as soon as I started to realize that Matt was actually going to succeed in his goal of convincing me to marry him, I started eyeing Friday June 24th as the perfect day for the wedding.  When I brought that up to Matt, he told me that his sister Kari had reserved that weekend several months ago for a huge, blow-out, surprise birthday party for their mom.  Before we were even engaged, he called Kari for permission to add another event to the big weekend and got her blessings.  It turns out perfectly because the out-of-state relatives only had to make one trip.  So on Saturday afternoon, we took 'er on down for the big party.  It was pretty much THE event of the year. From what I could tell, everyone who had ever met Pat was there.  It was a PAR-TY.  Pat was very, very surprised-- especially to see us there!  Plus, it was awesome because I got to meet the mother-in-law of mother/daughter-in-law duo who originally set up me and Matt.  I hadn't realized before that she was involved, so I was very glad to get the full story.

It also worked out because we got to stop at my house and Matt's house to pick up a few things we had forgotten.  And we went to his parents' house to get some of the leftovers from the reception.  Yum!!! We hadn't gotten both flavors of the wedding cake the day before (except I had eaten some crumbs with my fingers while waiting to leave which just left me wanting more).  We got some hot dogs, etc and brought them back with us.  (The cake was SOOOOO delicious, and we enjoyed eating it the next few days.)

Then we went back to The Waldorf Astoria (I just love saying it!) and enjoyed the awesomeness of our suite (including, but not limited to, the personal jacuzzi) and of the whole place (including, but not limited to, the swimming pool with the marble bathhouse).

The next morning was Sunday.  We had a relaxing breakfast on the beautiful balcony of our room,

then packed up and headed out on our cross-country adventure.  We stopped and attended sacrament meeting in Wyoming, which was cool, and then just kept driving.

I have made the cross-country drive more times than I could count, and it has always followed the pattern of three to four hour shifts of driving, then switching.  After about three failed attempts of asking my sweet husband if it was my turn to drive, he finally said, "In my family, I never saw my mom drive if my dad was around.  He didn't want her to have to worry about it.  I'd like to continue that tradition."   I'll tell you, I was surprised by how loved and cared-for that made me feel.  It was a 22 hour drive to our first stop, and I only drove three hours (so Matt could sleep).  If I'd known he was going to insist on doing all the driving himself, I would have scheduled a hotel stop, but since he is accustomed to being sleep-deprived, it didn't turn out to be a big deal.  And it was awesome for me to chill and not have to drive.  We had such a good time just being together and talking and we listened to the relationship CD I got from his mom at sisters at my shower.  (As a side note, let me say that CD was awesome!!  We highly recommend it to everyone, and it is what we give for every wedding we go to.)  We both love road trips.

Now you KNOW I'm a mid-west girl through and through, but after a few years in Utah, I just get so surprised and excited to see how green everything in that part of the country is.  I took lots of pictures trying to capture the green, lush, wonderfulness of it all, but of course the photos don't do it the least bit of justice.  But this one did the least bad job:

We arrived in Gurnee Illinois, home of Six Flags, around noon and they let us check in early.  We had a nap, then got some Chicago style pizza and explored the town a little.  We went to bed early to get ready for our action-packed day at Six Flags.  We both love roller coasters, so we decide to schedule that in to our honeymoon.  We walked to the park from our hotel, stopping for breakfast at Dunkin Donuts (Yum!!  Matt had never been!  Love their hot chocolate!!) and spent the day having so much fun riding their way-better-than-Lagoon roller coasters.  I noticed right away that in all the lines for the awesome rides, there weren't any other people our age-- just teenagers and middle-aged people.  I guess it is because most of the people our age were on kiddie rights with their offspring.  I thought that was interesting.

In addition to the awesome thrill rides, Matt won me an awesome hat.  I'd seen people wearing them all day and I really wanted one.  I intended to include a picture here, but I can't find one, so just imagine an awesome orange octopus that you wear on your head, and you'll generally have the idea.

After being at Six Flags from opening to closing, we were pretty tired, but we mustered our energy so we could go to Steak and Shake (again, Matt had never been.  Why, oh why, don't they have Steak and Shakes in the west?).  I love Steak and Shake so that was a big treat for me.  We even went there again for breakfast the next morning.

We left the next morning and drove to Michigan City, Indiana.  I wanted to spend a day on a beach of Lake Michigan (which, in case you didn't know, is GORGEOUS).  My Aunt Sue recommended this city, plus I was glad to honor my roots by spending some time in Indiana.  The beach was BEAUTIFUL!!

Everybody who's anybody has a photo of themselves on their honeymoon at a beach, am I right?

Apparently, Matt enjoys burying himself in the sand.

We stayed at a hotel overlooking a river and could see the fish swimming in the river from our room.  I thought that was pretty cool. (You can even see them in the photo if you look for them.)

We went to Red Lobster, which seemed a fitting end for a beach day

Love the cheesy bread!!!  (it's was Matt's first time)

 They also had a nice outlet mall, so we did some shopping, and I learned that it is great to have a husband around to carry your bags!  Much more effective than doing it yourself.  I love being married!!!

And what is a honeymoon without a chocolate fountain?  Our hotel had a buffet restaurant, and the chocolate fountain totally sucked me in.  Now, I did not know this about my husband before I married him (and PROBABLY it wouldn't have affected my decision), but he apparently does not care for buffets at all.  (Crazy, right?)  But he took me to the buffet because he is a good man and he loves me.  Here is the proof we were there:

After our two relaxing and beautiful days on Lake Michigan, we headed to our last stop--my parents' home in Saginaw, Michigan where my Aunt Sue and Uncle Dave hosted an incredible reception for us.  I lived with my parents in Saginaw for two years after my mission, so even though I didn't grow up there, it feels like home.

The reception was in their backyard and it was one classy event, let me tell you.

(can you even believe the awesome fountain in the pool?)


My cousins and various friends from the ward brought different kinds of yummy salads

 A lady I used to visit teach carved a swan out of a watermelon and filled it with fruit salad.  Classy, classy!

And we had more wedding cake!

And so many of my Michigan friends and family came.  It was so much fun!  And so beautiful!!  Thank you Aunt Sue and Uncle David!!!

And my husband looked so handsome that day, I had to capture it with a photo

Honestly, I could just pass out and die from his hotness.

After the reception, we got to spend some time with my folks:

And then right after church Sunday we started on the 24-hour drive back to Utah because we wanted to be back in time to enjoy the fireworks on the 4th of July.  So, we took off driving.  Again, we really enjoyed being together in a confined space for such a long period of time.  I slept a lot.  Matt listened to the relationship CDs again.  We discovered some new ways that our minds work the same way.  We just had such a good time together.

We got home by about 3pm on the 4th.  We called Matt's parents to have them save us a place at the fireworks and then took a nap.  Unfortunately, we were awoken to the sound of fireworks going off in our own neighborhood, so we missed the family gathering that we had been looking forward to.  But, that's okay.  We were excited to be together in our house and to start the "serious" part of our life together.  Matt went back to work the next day.  I took the day off to get settled in after the trip.

The honeymoon was busy, but we got to do so many fun things and see so many of the people that we love. Matt got to experience a little more of the Heartland.  We loved being in the car so much together.  It was really just perfect!!  And a year later, our honeymoon is still going strong.  I am so so lucky I married Matt!