We're Moving! Baby Shower! Fun Surprise Date! and Sam's Birthday!

Back in the beginning of August Sam applied for a job at MathWorks. This wasn't just any job-- it was a job that fit his skill, experience, and interests to a T! Seriously, who knew Sam's dream job actually existed!? After 4 rounds of intense HR and whiteboard/engineering interviews they flew him out to Massachusetts!! It was intense, crazy, but an exciting time.

^^On his way to Massachusetts for a day--it was a quick free trip^^

Needless to say: Sam nailed it! He felt really good about how it went. Then they did a background check and talked to Sam's referrals. They basically interviewed Sam's mentor professor--asking questions like Sam's "intellectual aptitude." (click here for more details)

Then... A few days later they made Sam a job offer!! and we accepted!!!

The most ironic thing about it all-- is that for the past couple years, when I talked about where we would live after Sam graduated I always said Boston/the Boston Area... I thought it was because it was really the only place outside of Utah that I had been because my sister lived out there and I visited her once... but maybe I deep down I knew?? was He was preparing me for a few years to make such a big step? I think so. I know at times it will be hard living so far away from family and missing big exciting events-- but we are sooo excited for the adventure!!!

^^It was crazy accepting a career after he had only applied to one full-time job! But when you feel good about it, what do you do?^^

^^I celebrated all of Sam's hard work both in school and in the many many hours preparing the the interviews by taking him to the Cheesecake Factory!! {Still loving these wedding gift cards! :P}^^

About a week later Sam's supervisor sent him an Edible Creation--it was a super fun surprise!!

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Back in October my amazing, talented, wonderful sister threw me a baby shower and it turned out soooo cute, perfect, and wonderful!! Seriously, it's the cutest shower...ever.

^^No, it wasn't bought from a store... Cami painted it!!!^^

^^Our little guy's Grandma and Aunties--A, B, C, and T!! Thank you so much girls!!!^^

A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who came and celebrated our son!! We really appreciate all of your love and support! :) 

^^Watching Lucas and Sam play around together gets me sooo excited to be having a BOY!! They have such a fun relationship!!^^

^^And these two!! Need I say more!? . . . "Bryn Bryn??"^^

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One Saturday a few weeks ago, Sam took me on a surprise date to the Living Planet Aquarium!! We seriously had a ton of FUN!!

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Happy 27th Birthday to Sam!!! 

^^Of course he would ask for authentic Mexican for his birthday dinner :)^^

We're Having a Baby Boy!!

After a long wait, much anticipation, a roller-coaster of emotions, we couldn't be more excited to announce that we have our little miracle baby coming this winter!!! :D

^^It only took us about five tries but we finally got this awesome shot on the 4th of July! Thanks to Sam for his photo skills! Missy (B) Justin (A) Cami (b) Alex (y)^^

I am due December 30th-- a very exciting time of year!

^^15 weeks--I was barely showing, my pants were tight or not fitting at all, but this is when people started to comment on my baby bump when I was working in the temple. For some reason my temple dress made my baby bump look a lot bigger--and I loved it!!^^

^^17 Weeks^^

^^20 Weeks--when we were up at Heber Valley Camp @ the Flink Family Reunion^^

 ^^How we announced on social media ^^

Sam started to feel baby kick when I was almost 21 weeks. The first time I really felt baby kick all the time was when I was in the temple and it made the experience just that much more divine and wonderful!!!

^^When I was 22 weeks pregnant^^

I am going to be 25 weeks pregnant this week! and I have the cutest baby bump!! I love it!!

Expecting has been such a blessing to our family! Not just in the sense that we're having a baby! but also how this experience has been able to lighten the times of life that are hard. Let me explain:

Sam has been wearing a lot of hats lately! Not only is he working at being a great husband has been so busy prepping for a full-time job offer after graduation, doing his calling in a YSA bishopric (it's time consuming getting people to speak on Sunday when 1/2 of the ward is in the middle of vacations and moving out!), doing his research | thesis--and being a good team member and meeting those goals and deadlines, prepping for interviews at MathWorks (more coming on that later), starting his first CS class, taking a ME class, being a temple worker for 5 hours every Wednesday (we love love love working in the temple!), Sam's brother, and being a TA. All great things and we don't want to give any of them up but man, it's a lot on ones plate!!

Even among the chaos-- Sam is still placing being a father as one of his greatest priorities! 

We love going to my OBGYN appointments and hearing baby's heart beat!! And those ultrasounds are one of the greatest things ever invented!! Just seeing baby move and interact and do all of those cute things babies do--just melts my heart, and feels me with one of the greatest feeling ever! The way Sam responds is so priceless!! 

When Sam gets really stressed or can't sleep--he just puts his hand on my belly and baby will move and Sam just gets so filled with JOY!! I love watching Sam bond with our baby--he talks to baby all the time, and plays with baby when i'm sleeping. It's amazing that when Sam wants baby to move -- he does!! 

I can just see the stress and worry melt away as baby turns and rolls over and Sam feels him. It's all so heavenly. My heart feel like it's about to burst! Baby has already brought so much joy to our family!!!

It's not too much work lately-- but we love being parents! It's amazing thinking of myself as a mother. I love feeling the responsibility of being trusted to care for one of His spirit children, I love creating a human--our child!!, I LOVE feeling just that much closer to the veil. I love getting to know babies kicking patterns. I honestly love being pregnant!!

My heart goes out to those who are still waiting for their little miracle. I know our wait wasn't as long as many others and my heart still aches for them. Keep trying--it'll all workout.

San Francisco!

This post is way over due... but it was so fun to go back and reflect on all the excitement and good memories!!!

^^We may or may not have gone to Ghirardelli Square a few times for that wonderful free piece of chocolate on our different trips around town^^

Our walk down Lombard Street

We went to the Exploratorium. {Thank you Brittany for having a membership!!} It's a place PERFECT for kids and mechanical engineers. We had so much fun exploring and learning! Here are just a few of the many fun photos.

^^Brittany being an AMAZING mother--she is such a great example to EVERYONE around her!! She is the best!!^^

^^This pretty much summarizes my week in California^^

^^Brittany was about to move when we were there so we got to check out her awesome new place and help her pack! P.S. Helping others pack is REALLY fun!^^

Some more pictures from Fisherman's Wharf:

^^The Magician^^

^^The man that scared people that walked by-- it was h i l a r i o u s!!

^^The classic "bread in baskets" shop. They also make some pretty amazing animals out of the sour dough bread^^

^^When we were there they were filming a movie right out front. It's called San Andreas with the "The Rock" as the main star. Sam guessed the name before they even told us.^^

^^I love how cool everything looked. Just not quite the same as Utah^^

^^LOVE HIM!!!^^

^^This is how Spencer and Sam always walked around {every time. s e r i o u s l y.}!! They were Bestest Buddies all week.^^

We were also very blessed to get two bike rental for FREE for the whole day! :D {Thank you Elisa for working at Blazing Saddles when you did!}

^^It was all rainy and wet when we biked across the bride. Then we biked to Sausalito--which was b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l!! and took the ferry back to the Pier. We had a BLAST.^^

^^We got a little sun burnt^^

^^The last day we went to the beach for a couple hours. The water was pretty cold! But we still had FUN!^^

Thank you Brittany and Bob for being such gracious hosts!!

I wish I had photos of every meal we ate!! Let me tell you-- my sister is one AMAZING chef!! Everything was SOOO delicious and gourmet!! We were definitely spoiled!!

 I am sure we will remember this trip for FOREVER. It was a PERFECT vacation for us!

We love you!!