Working Woman and Preparation

So last Monday was my first day at my new job. It has been a fantastic week! I work at the base Thrift Store which is only open weekdays(except for once a month on a Saturday for three hours). All but Thursdays are within Garrett's hours so it works well for our one car household, I just have to get up at 630 to take him to work, which isn't so fun. The manager, Traci, has wanted to hire me for quite some time but hasn't been able to because of conflicts with the Asst. Manager and not having a position open. She's known since November that she wanted to hire me and was so glad that I was sill available. I started out as one of five pregnant women, one being a volunteer, but by the end of this week will be the only one left except for the volunteer. Traci is super great about allowing me to have snacks, lots of water, and never lets me lift anything large or heavy. She even took over today when I was helping a customer with a headboard. I started out working on the floor; collecting hangers, keeping things straight, that sort of thing. I have received many compliments over the week for how quickly I learn and the way I do things. It's been great! I love working there already. She is training me for a sales associate position, but really wants me to be in charge of a consignment store they want to start within the store because of my background at Plato's. I at least have some experience with consignment-type stores. She told me she basically wants it to be my baby. I get to help set it up and find a system that will work for us this summer, and then it will open in the fall. All growing up I have only ever wanted to be a stay at home mom, and I still do, but Garrett and I have talked about my still working three days a week after the baby comes just so we still have some extra income, and I get to still work doing something I have really come to love. This job is so similar to Plato's Closet, and that was by far the best job I've ever had. I excelled quickly, and it seems I'm doing so here as well. I have received many compliments on how fast I am catching on, the way I organize and clean things(I am a little OCD, okay a lot OCD), and Traci already has expressed that she wants me to help train some of the new girls that are starting this week or so because she likes the way I keep the floor and wants them to learn from me.
It feels so good to be working again. I don't know if it's pregnancy, or just not used to spending hours on my feet a day anymore, but I have found it seems like these shifts are so much longer than ones I ever worked at Plato's. But, I don't mind. It feels so good to be doing something outside of my house and earning money! Koji has not liked it too much that he has to be put in his kennel everyday for at least 6 hours, but he doesn't seem to be taking it too hard. He seems to still love me, so I'm glad about that.

I can not believe that I am just about 14 weeks along now! It seems so crazy. I've started showing just a bit!

Garrett says I look thirteen in this picture... Is it ironic that I'm thirteen WEEKS in it? Sorry, I couldn't help saying it. We find out the gender on June 12th, but haven't decided if we're telling you yet. Sorry, to burst your bubble if you're waiting anxiously. We'll make a decision by then, promise. 

Another perk to my job, anything we can't sell (i.e. kids clothes with paint, even if it's brand new, clothes that have small holes or missing buttons, stains, or missing an unimportant piece) we get to take home for free! The other pregnant girls have said they have more clothes than they possibly need because of it! How awesome?! 

Garrett wants me to update on his accomplishments recently as well, so I will comply since I haven't been great at keeping up regularly. A few weeks ago he had a blues inspection for his shop and he worked really hard making his uniform perfect so he could be the sharpest looking guy there. He definitely succeeded and won a free comp day(basically a day off without having to take leave) by not only looking sharp, but being professional when it came to speaking to the 'grader' while being inspected. He was so proud of himself, and I was too. This last week, or the week before, we also had to get his mobility bag ready which was not a cheap task. As Garrett likes to say, 'The Air Force gave me $100 and took back $99'. A mobility bag is basically an emergency bag that has to have three months worth of supplies, i. e. uniforms, underwear, pt gear, toiletries, etc. He found out about it only a day or two before it had to be complete. And then, he got a new list that didn't say he needed some of the stuff the old one did. Alas, we spent a few nights perusing the BX trying to find the things that all the other guys were trying to find too. There were a few things that made no sense why he needed to have them, for example, conditioner and a comb... He has no hair! But we have survived, with our bank account running a little low this paycheck, and he has all he needs in case he is called for duty unexpectedly. The reason he needed his mobility bag ready is the Air Force was having some sort of inspection last week, so Garrett had a very long week. He was constantly on call, and then had to go in for a mock deployment at 0130 Tuesday morning. He had to do all the processing paperwork and go to the terminal as if he were really deploying. Talk about a long morning.  

We are enjoying Okinawa still. I especially enjoy seeing the blue as jello ocean on clear days everytime I drive to our house. We are looking forward to exploring more as the weather warms and are preparing ourselves for typhoon season. Hope all is well with you! Sure love ya!

Small Blessings

I realize I have been an awful blogger, I will admit it is not my strongest point. Our new computer was sort of on the fritz for a while(still is) and I just seemed to forget that we have a second computer and that I can use it to post.
As many of you know, we found out we are expecting on February 23rd. I have been blessed to have a great pregnancy so far. I have had some major fatigue and small appetite, as well as my back kicking up and seeming to hate me, but I'm making it through. I have a friend here, Jessie, who is also pregnant just 6 weeks ahead of me. She has been having a rough time of it. She was put on bed rest and put on high risk for pre-term labor. Luckily, she is no longer high risk, but I just am so lucky that I have not had to face that thus far. Even though I am having the symptoms and the various tests have come back positive, I still felt like this whole thing was unreal for me. That I would go in for my ultrasound and they would tell me there wasn't really a baby in there. Much to my relief, there really is a baby in there and we are blessed to have the technology to see it before it comes into this world. When Garrett and I went in for the ultrasound on Tuesday, I didn't know how I would react. I didn't cry or freak out when the image of that baby came on the screen. I was simply in awe that I have a wonderful son or daughter growing inside of me.

I am now 10 weeks along, due October 30 of this year. I am so excited to be able to become a mom. So many women face the horrible realization that they are unable to have children of their own, and my heart goes out to them. I know that they will not be forever unable to have children though. I believe they will raise children in the post-mortal world and have every blessing, and then some, of those women who are able to here on earth. All I have ever wanted is to be a wife and mother. Growing up, as we were told to pick careers and education goals to reach it, I knew that I wanted to be a stay at home mom if I was able. I am greatly blessed to have a husband who has a job that offers healthcare and benefits, and pays enough to allow me to stay at home. I hope that we are able to raise our children in a way pleasing to Heavenly Father and be the examples that they need.
Garrett and I are blessed with a wonderful, loving, and supportive family. I am so excited for this summer when we are able to return to the states and be sealed together as man and wife for time and all eternity. That this is able to happen in time to bring our child into an eternal family. I can not wait to be able to enter into the temple, and just be on the grounds of such a sacred place. Being so many miles away from the temple has been hard for me. I was lucky enough growing up to have a temple just 15 minutes from my house. I had a few friends who would always accompany me even just to the grounds and we were would share in the most amazing conversations. I miss the beauty and peace within those grounds and within the temple itself. It sometimes felt as if the whole world were blocked out as soon as I was through the gate. I know that Garrett and I have our Heavenly Father on our side. We have been blessed every step of this journey together, despite being unable to be sealed in the temple initially. He knew what he was doing when he prompted us to get married earlier, despite meaning we wouldn't be able to be married in the temple like was planned. I know he had the Air Force send us here to Okinawa for a reason, and I hope that we are able to fulfill whatever he has planned for us here. I love my Heavenly Father and can't wait to listen and watch His prophets this weekend despite being half a world away from the Conference Center.

I also want to share just a small act that kind of made my day today. So, this week I have severely been needing to get groceries, but I just haven't been feeling like going. But when I was barely able to find food for breakfast this morning, I realized I really could not put it off any longer. So after spending almost an hour walking around the Commissary, I checked out. Now the baggers who help to take the groceries out to your car are only paid on tips. Growing up in the military I'm used to tipping the baggers with my mom and being on my merry way. When Garrett and I moved here to Okinawa, I brought up an idea for a gauge of how much to pay them. My argument was that we pay waiters at restaurants 15% of what we pay for our food and all they really do is bring the food and drinks to our table. I told Garrett that I wanted to be generous in our tips for the baggers and give them 10% of what we spend. A few weeks ago, we did this for a young man who is in our branch at church, with Garrett shouting after him to make sure to pay his tithing. At a Relief Society activity the next week his mom told me that our tip made his night. I was pleased to hear that. So today I had an older Japanese woman helping me, and as she finished putting the groceries into my car, I slipped her the bills for her tip. She proceeded to return to the store and I noticed her stop as I was reversing out of my spot. She gave me the biggest grin as I passed and bowed repeatedly to show her gratitude. Although it is just a simple sign, I am glad to be able to give such small things as joy.