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.