We had a 23 week check-up and ultrasound yesterday afternoon. It was wonderful to see our cute little boy. His heart is beating great, he's measuring spot on, and we got what was initially a scary ultrasound picture of his perfect little face.
At first we were like "WOAH! SCARY!" and Lucas said, "He's a little Zombie!" and I said "Zombie Zach!" (Though we have no plans to name him Zach. haha)
Then I posted the picture on Instagram and my friend Tim said he thought baby looked more like a fish and I looked again, and suddenly it hit me....
NEMO!
And just like that, a slightly creepy face is suddenly adorable.
Also, we watched him laying there and suddenly he got the cutest case of hiccups ever. We watched his little body jump with each hiccup and I'm 90% sure my heart melted and now I'm just a big slushy mess over our little fishy.
"Date: 11-16-97
Oops, I haven't written in here for about 8 months!" (Previous entry was on July 24, 1997. So about 4 months. Nice try though Little Me.) "Eli is now 11 months old And I am going to a new school. It is a puplic charter school. I love it! The bad thing about it is that I don't get report cards! :( Well I will Now tell you about Halloween. I was a witch, Sarah was a colonial girl, Emily was a butterfly, Jason was an Emperor's gard, Steven was a ? and Eli was an Indian! Today is Sunday and I had fun at church. When we got home my dad started making dinner with my mom. I am waiting for dessert*. Today at school I didn't do much so I won't talk about it. After school I went to Sams Club with my mom and Saw a boy that was in my old class. His name is Nick. He used to like me I dont know if he still does. I don't like him very muchAfter we went to sams club I had my after school snack, a spoonful of ccookie dough, and went upstairs to clean my room. I have been cleaning it for a long time because I just finished! It was really messy."
"Date: 11-18-97
Today after school I felt so good. I was dropping people from carpool off. and when we got to Laren's house to drop off Kaylie we all saw Laren playing with his ferret in his front yard! I got to get out of the car and see his feret. When Laren was showing Eli the feret I went and stood right next to him! I felt like leaning over and kissing him! But I didn't. Rigt now I am getting ready to go to the boys scout thing."
" 11-19-97
Today I went on a feild trip at school to lookout mountain It was pretty cool. We were suposed to learn about rocks and minerals but I was just bored. The most fun part was at lunch time because we all had a snoball fight. I hit a lot of boys. I was mainly after two boys: Sean and Jeff. After school we came home and went to acheivment day. We made family home evening kits. I brought nature pictures. It was pretty fun!"
"12-13-97
Today is saturday so I didn't go to shcol. (duh) I went shopping with Mom, Sarah, Emily, and Eli. We were buying Christmas presents. We went to Lil-things. (It is going out of busness)! There was practicly nothing there I got Sarah, Emily and Eli something. I got Sarah a kitten puzzle, Emily slippers and Eli a plastic hammer that skueeks when you hit it on the ground. I couldn't find anything for Jason or Steven. After that when we got home we went sledding. There was a big jump there and I wouldn't stop going off it even though I kept getting hurt. I was ok though. "
"February 23
Today nothing much really happened; I went to school at school I memorized 32 landforms. When I got home from school I cleaned up my room and then went and jumped on the trap with Steven. When I came in the house I played with Eli and then I watched Full House then took a shower. Actually I took I bath because Eli wanted to take one with me. After I took a shower we had family night. My Dad was Conducter my mom said prayers my brother steven did songs I was activity Sarah was treats, Emily read rom the work and the glory."
"July 13, 98
Today went to the museum of natural history we saw a real live mummy you could see her eyelashes and teeth. We sarw the stuffen bears and Eli kept calling them doggies. On my birthday on the 16th of june I got a turtle and today I redid his gace. We also went to a creek and played in it. Well, Bye."
"Date: July 14, 98
Today, well-yesterday Mallory spend the night with Sarah. We made a dance but we listened to the song so much we got sick of the song so we didn't do the dance. For awile we watched Emily dance with Eli. Eli is growling to himself. Now his is crawling on me. We are listening to a cd. One of the boys who sing it is really cute. It is nick name is Joker. He look kind of like Laren. Eli is fake criying And my mom is gone."
"Date: August 24, 1998
Today was the first day of school. My sort of new neiegbor Sam is in my class his brother Josh is in Sarah's class. We have a new classroom that is not attached to the rest of the school. I felt like I was in the same classroom I was in last year. We just did normal work. At recess we played Judge. ( I'm the Judge of the class). I met a new girl named taylor. She's in 4th grade I'm in 6th but that doesn't matter. I still havn't gotten my school supplies yet."
Lucas got a new job, again! He loved his job at Chapel Hill Mortuary and Cemetery, but they were completely unrealistic about what the income potential was. There wasn’t enough money coming in. With our baby coming in a few months, we needed something more reliable. The great thing about the job was he found what he calls “his calling”. He loves working with people and being there for them when they are going through such hard times. He loves being able to come from a place of understanding and helping them to make the hard decisions. It’s not every day a person learns exactly what it is they want to do with their life, so we will always be grateful for Chapel Hill.
Chapel Hill was like this conversation (that we had many many times):
Lucas gets home from work.
A: Hooray you’re home! How was work?!
L: It was great!
A: Good, I’m so glad. Did you have any appointments or make a sale?
L: Nope, but I talked to mr. So-n-so about his wife for two hours and we talked about everything. Grief and life and our babies and I really think it helped him to talk about it. It was really great.So I didn’t make a dollar today, but it was still a great day.
And then he would happily go about the evening. Money was the last thing we cared about. I made enough to get by, and I love seeing him doing something he loves and making a difference to people. Sure, we wished that he could find something he loved AND get paid for it, but I would never ask him to leave something he loved so much. Coming home happy and feeling good about the way you spend your time is more valuable than dollars to me.
Then, one day my mom told me of a connection to someone in the Funeral Industry. It was like “Amber, Ceci’s sister’s boyfriend’s dad co-owns a bunch of funeral homes in Colorado. You should have Lucas call him. He’s also the bishops cousin” (something like that)
So Lucas called him, and it went great. He set up an interview. Lucas went and talked to this guy about his passion for the work and what led him here. He wasn’t interviewing for a job per-se. Kinda just hoping this connection would go somewhere. They talked for an hour and then a week later he got asked to come back and meet someone else.After meeting with the people with this other company, Lucas was SURE he found the place he wants to work. He decided he wanted to be a funeral director and would do what it takes to get there. We were REALLY REALLY excited and super hopeful that they would find a position for him. Our favorite thing about the company is that it seemed to have great values, treat their customers right, and care more in general.
Then one day Lucas got a call from them. They said that they really liked him and believed in his passion. They wanted to offer him a position with the company and give him the opportunity he was looking for. They said, “We don’t have an open position, but we like you so we are creating one for you!”
Oh man I was SOOOOOO happy and proud of my husband. He really is perfect for the job. He’s a gentle, loving, patient, and hard-working man and I just knew this was the start of something for him.
They said they are going to have him work in every position for a while, working his way through the company and learning how it all works and then he will end up as a Funeral Director (though there is potential to move upwards if he wants to and proves himself!)
Right now he is in the hardest job, in the care center. He is the person who picks up people who have passed away and takes them to the funeral home. He will pick them up from homes, hospitals, morgues, hospices, etc.
So its really really hard. He is working full time at the care center, and in the meantime he is also on call all the time. He gets called to a transfer at all hours of the night. I think he has had at least one call and up to three between midnight and 7am every single night since he started work. He doesn’t get any sleep. Then back to his full time work and then back to being on call. It’s never ending. It is really hard on him but I’m SO proud of him because he jumps at the calls and works so hard for our family.
We are hoping this position doesn’t last too long before its time to learn the next one, but he’ll do what it takes to reach his goal. We’re grateful for the opportunity but the current position is HARD. I’m so proud of Lucas. He’s a superhero I tell you.
Sometimes when I think about his job I cant help but imagine this:
I found my Diary that I started when I was nine. It is small and has padded front and back covers, butterflies all over it and it "locks". There is no key, but luckily there is a button on the lock to unlock it. Also, written ever so tactfully on the pages when the book is closed is written "SARAH DO NOT LOOK! AMBER'S DON'T LOOK" Enjoy:
"Date: 12/25/96
Dear Diary,
Well it is Christmas day and I got what I wanted an American girl, a robe (oh bye the way with the American girL came with a lot of stuff) "Candy Land," a flashlight for reading in the night, this diary, jum rope, cat stencils, candy, finger nail and toe nail stuff, vidio cam, new P.J.s, gloves, a cup from my Uncle doug (he made it) a teddy bear with candy that comes with it that is all I can think of right now."
"Date: AMBER
Well it is monday January 27, 1997 and a went ice skating with a girl in my clas named Jamie. It was fun! (I was also just my 2nd time in my life to ice scate!)"
"Tues. Jan, 97
Today was our first day back in school. It was ok. there was a new kid name tylar he isn't the least bit shy! (I might be in a talent show tomarrow. but I might not. Trieouts are tomorrow and boy am I scared! I dont think I said that my mom had a baby boy his name is Eli. My aunt also had a baby boy I dont know his name but he is the sixth kid and the oldest in there family is only five years old! I was ivited to two slumber partys in a row. I can't wait! well now that I don't know what to say I will tell you some things about me. I can't get my eyes off a boy named Laren. He is so fine! But I swear his face canges every day! the problem is he loves Lacy _____ The good news is his girlfriend is going to dump him. Now that is wonderful! I also think this is bad Laren is 3 years older than me (darn.) I also think that a kid named Danny is cute, But Laren is still the cutest! Laren's old girlfriend Courtny is triing to get Laren to go out with me. got to go it's time to go to bed bye for now."
"Date: 2-2-97
My sister got babtized yesterday! and comp. Eli was blessed today and Sarah was cumfermed. I havn't had any sleep for the last two days so I am very tierd. yesterday at Sarah's babtizem I wanted to go home but my parents wanted to visit with some relitives. The reason I wanted to go home so bad is because I was invited to a slumber-party and I was not only late but 1 hour and 10 minutes late! today at church I saw Laren he looked so good! at my friend Becca's party Becca taped my mouth shut so this is what you would of herd "Led be go!" And now my lips hurt realy bad!"
Date: February 5, 96
Today I found out that Laren would speend the night at my house on friday! NOW I feel Like speading up time until Laren rings the bell. Today at school I feelt like a total geek my voice sounded Like a boys Also today someone kicked a ball and it hit me smack on the face! (that hurts^ bad) and I started to cry 5o everyone came over to me and started asking questions like "are you OK!" or "What happend" I was probably so embaresed that my face was probably red because of embaresment not because of tears,
THESE ARE MY STUFFED ANIMALS NAMES:
Ragity Anne, (doll)
Mecco, (raccoon)
turdey, (turtle)
sucks, (Bear)
Silk, (swan)
chubby, (rabbit)
Toe, Kuala)
Kirsten, (doll)"
"Date: THURSDAY
July, 24, 1997
Dear Diary, It has been a good and a bad week. First I will tell you about Sunday, Of course I went to church for the first hour I had know idea what was going on because I was sleeping!! (that is a very bad habit for me and Steven) for class we practiced for sharing time. We take turns doing sharing time. For sharing time we taught the other kids about choises. it was fun because I got to read a lot. Then we went home and had lunch and I jumped on the tramp with Sarah, well that is all I can remember about Sunday. Now I'll tell you about Monday, I can't really... tell you about Monday because....Well all I can remember is playing with Eli and Mallory didn't come over to my house! Tuesday: On tuesday I went to the pool with Mallory and Sarah and after that we went to the library and I checked out 3 books. Wednesday! On wednesday I got stung by a bee (ouch I also fell throo the tramp springs twice. and got four mad libs. goodbye for now"
Stay tuned for part 2 of the drama and tales of a now 10 year old me.
I was sure baby was going to be a girl, but NOPE! There was no doubt, this little one is all boy! (Notice his wizard nose has turned into a super cute swoopy WhoVille nose. I'm obsessed with his adorable profile.) We love him so much already!
We changed our ultrasound date up a week because Lucas got a new job (more on this later!)and he needed to be there. Here is the ultrasound news:
EVERYTHING IS GREAT! Baby is measuring perfectly Heart, Brain, Kidneys, Lungs, and all other organs look perfect so far. And the big news... his umbilical cord is attached in a GREAT spot, looks like he DOES NOT have the same condition with the attachment that Molly and Kellen had. We are feeling so blessed and happy! It's our turn to bring a baby home and I can't wait to hold him in my arms <3 <3 <3
