Babies, Birthdays and a lot of couch time!

Ben turned 23 yesterday! His first birthday as a husband and last birthday not as a dad! He had been hoping more than anything that baby Gracie would be born on this day, simply because he genuinely just wanted to share it with her to make his birthday more meaningful. And I was in high hopes, too, that this would happen because I've been ready to not be pregnant for a long while now.  We spent it at his parents house eating tacos, Mmmm.

Ben got accepted in to ASU Online and will be starting this fall, wooo!

My best friend & sister got married to the greatest man that could ever be found on the earth for her. Beyond bummed that we couldn't fly there to be there.

At the end of the month we are leaving Midvale and moving to South Jordan.

I received the Donald C. Sloan Community Speaker Award from the Dean of BYU.

He blogged: "Being Married to the Tattooed Mormon." Read it HERE.

I blogged: "I Have a Confession..." Read it HERE.  

Baby Gracie Updates:

I am currently 36.5 weeks! As some of you have heard through a few non-informational Instagram & Facebook posts, pregnancy the past month-ish has been a frustrating and difficult one. Out of nowhere my blood pressure spiked like crazy and I have had countless complications since then that have brought us to both OB Emergency and our doctors 3 times within just one week, being watched for preeclampsia, countless tests throughout the whole month, having to wear a heart monitor all the time for either 30 days or until the baby comes, having to check my blood pressure daily & report them to my doctor, feeling faintish and shaky, heart racing, hard time breathing, most days spent on the couch, battling migraines, an unnaturally-more then just the average pregnant- swollen body, and so on....

But good news! Baby Gracie is 1,000% healthy and unaffected by any of this.. We were able to have an ultrasound when I was 35 weeks and see how big she's gotten! She's huge! She already weighed 7 lbs then. And just got word a few days ago that if things don't get better by our next apt. we will schedule a day to be induced. I'm definitely counting down the days.

And more good news! Ben is #1. Having to spend day after day home with me and not ever has it bothered him. Willing to even blow dry and brush my hair on my worst days without even me asking. Still thinking I'm attractive when we have to keep urine jugs in our fridge to bring to our doctors, (TMI??? haha). Every day I am impressed by him. I could go on...but I'll spare you all from a sappy ramble.

We've gotten hooked on yet more games, Connect 4 & Mancala. Ben got me hooked on Mango-A-Go-Go at Jamba Juice. Took some randon trips to small town hotels just to get away together and watch movies & go swimming and not feel pregnant for a little bit. Still making it to the temple weekly, with the exception of the times I was in the hospital, grateful for Initiatories that are short and don't make me feel like I am on fire from being so hot all the time, haha. Justin Timberlake and Micheal Jackson's new song is still our favorite. And our pups are still alive and well and in love.

All in all, life is great, even with some health hiccups. A lot of blessings from God. Still in love. Still smiling. Pumped for this upcoming week when Gracie will hopefully come and join us and we'll have more updates for you. So until then, laugh often and love more. —The Carraways