2017: Year in Review

Here is how our year went!

- Adam started his last semester of graduate school!
- February was spent mostly with me helping Adam job search and him finishing his thesis project.
- Adam had four job interviews in one week.
- In March, he got offered the job as an Online Curriculum Designer for BYU-Idaho and we accepted the offer!
- We took a quick day trip up to Idaho to look at some rental houses and then signed a lease for one we liked.

- At the end of April, Adam graduated! Both sides of our family came into town to celebrate and then we packed up and moved to Idaho Falls!

- Adam's brother and his wife came into town and we all went to Yellowstone! It was the first time me going and I went to two new states that day (Wyoming and Montana).

- Adam turned 28!
- We traveled to Washington for my sister's wedding and celebrated Adam's birthday and the Fourth of July in Vancouver.
- We got to see my sister get married in the same place that me and my other sister got married! :)

- We adulted super hard and bought a minivan!
- In August, I went on a trip down to Las Vegas (first time in Nevada!) and spent some time with my friend Kayla.
- My mom came to visit and spent Eli's birthday with us!
- Eli turned two!! His language definitely was the biggest development of 2017. He talks all the time and loves learning new things.
- On Eli's birthday, we witnessed the total solar eclipse!
- Labor Day weekend, we traveled to Wyoming for our new niece's baby blessing (Adam's brother's daughter).

 - I turned 26!
- In October, we found out that I'm pregnant!!!!! Then I felt sick for the next three months xP haha

 - I took a weekend to have some fun girl time with Kayla without our babies!

- My parents and oldest sister's family came to celebrate Thanksgiving with us!

- In December, Adam got diagnosed with blood clots in his leg :(
- We celebrated Christmas and our 6th wedding anniversary!

And that's our crazy year!! Hopefully 2018 won't be as filled with turmoil, but just the exciting entrance of our new baby boy!

December Update

Gosh this last month has been crazy!

Adam: started having pain in his left leg off and on earlier in the month. Then after having severe pain so bad he could barely walk, he went to the doctor. They suspected a blood clot so they ordered an ultrasound for his leg. Eli was very confused watching the screen while Daddy got his leg checked because it looked like when Mommy goes to the OB haha. He kept talking about the baby and pointing to the screen. We tried to explain to him that Daddy did not have a baby in his calf. However, it was discovered that he had a blood clot in his left calf (also known as a deep vein thrombosis). We are so grateful that we were able to catch it when we did because DVT can lead to a pulmonary emobolism (when the blood clot travels to the lungs and heart) which can be fatal. So the doctor started him on blood thinners and the waiting game began. Slowly he has improved with lots of rest, occasional walking, and tylenol. It was very hard for awhile because I wasn't fully out of the early pregnancy symptoms when this happened. Luckily, he's doing much better now. He can almost walk normally and just has occasional swelling. We have been so grateful for all of the support of our ward (local LDS church congregation) as well as his employers. He used some time off and then was able to work from home for a bit. Also, friends have willingly watched Eli so I could get a break, brought us dinner, and the scouts shoveled our driveway. Thank you!

Ashley: began the 2nd trimester this month! I am firmly in maternity jeans and I'm looking more pregnant than just fat (thank goodness). Nausea got rarer towards the end of the month but energy is still low. I know I was definitely strengthened by the Spirit during Adam's time of being incapacitated. Our marriage has worked so well because we try to be equal partners in the home when it comes to chores and taking care of Eli. So, when one of us is down, it really throws us. This time was extra hard because neither of us were at full capacity. But things are on the up and up for both of us now :)

Eli: is growing up so fast! This month has been a lot of excitement for Christmas for our little guy. From seeing Santa to singing Christmas songs (his attempt of singing Jingle Bells is the cutest), this season has been magical. He got so excited whenever we got mail so that we had to be careful to hide packages when we brought them inside or he'd beg to open them haha. He is such a goofy little guy and is very curious about everything. This month he has also started speaking more sentences and most of them consist of questions. "What are you doing?" and "where you going?" are often heard whenever we leave the room or do anything other than sit and watch him play haha.

Christmas: We spent a nice quiet Christmas at home this year. We were planning on doing a weekend in Utah to see the lights at Temple Square but the blood clot kinda derailed that plan. So we just enjoyed watching Christmas movies and making cookies on Christmas Eve. Eli LOVED making the cookies. We don't usually let him help us cook but we cleared a spot on the counter for him to sit and watch/help. He was so proud of himself every cup of flour and sugar he poured into the bowl. The morning was very exciting and he really got the idea of opening gifts. And he's been playing with his new toys ever since. Then that evening we spent with my family that live in the area which is always fun.

Anniversary: We celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary this year! In the morning, we went to do sealings at the Idaho Falls temple while my cousin sweetly watched Eli. The afternoon we went out to lunch with a bunch of family to celebrate my uncle retiring. Then in the evening, we went all out, got a babysitter, ate some yummy Indian food, and watched the new Star Wars movie :)