Pregnancy Update

So this is me at 25 ish weeks-I think. I am feeling great, besides being forgetful and getting big! I can feel her move around constantly now and I am pretty sure that she has given me my first stretch mark right above my belly button-bummer! I feel like time is going by much faster than with Carson which is good and bad because I kind of feel like this baby isn't getting as much attention as the first and she isn't even born yet! I had my first "craving" last week, I just had to have a Jr. Western Bacon Cheeseburger and criss cut fries, it was delicious and so not good for you but I haven't had one of those since at least high school.

The fact that we are having a girl is finally sinking in and I am super excited! I sewed the curtain panels this week and went and bought the paint for her room today. I am a little hesitant on the color but I was indecisive for weeks so I figured that I would just go for it! We'll see how it turns out. We also should receive all of the bedroom stuff Monday and I can't wait to see it all together.

Our only dilemma now is choosing a name. In the Morgan family there has only been one girl in 49 years and she is 17 so I feel like I have to choose a "perfect" name, not that anyone really cares but who knows if we will have another girl so I want it to be good. There are a few names that we are debating between; Caitlin, Madison, and Taylor.

I like Caitlin because it is not super popular but still a solid name, plus she could shorten it if she wanted without it being too nick-namy. Madison has been my absolute favorite name since I was in 7th grade and the only thing stopping me from using it is it's popularity and the fact that I don't love the nickname Madi which without a doubt what her friends would call her. Regarding Madison, Andrew approves and says that I shouldn't let it's popularity be the deciding factor, "if you love it we should use it"...seriously tempted. Lastly, Andrew's favorite name is Taylor and he has said that, "if her name is Taylor she will be cute, if not there's no guarantee!" I think it is super cute for a girl but I am not in love with the name.

I would like to now what you think, but anonymously so VOTE.
You have until Thanksgiving and please only vote once!

Rewind, then fastward quick!

Thinking back to my life last semester I am amazed first that it was so crazy and second that I survived. This semester has been great! I mean it is still school but the stress level has been almost nothing and I am glad that I stuck with nursing because for awhile I had had too much stress and I was worn out, defeated with my confidence shaken. I am grateful that I have a new teacher and that I get to prove that I don't have a "learning disability." I have only a few weeks of class left and then I am off...for a year! Part of wishes the timing would have worked out like I had originally planned because I would really like just to be finished with school but I am grateful that we are having another baby and I really can't wait to meet her! I loving my new-found school freedom; the feeling of being able to breath and that school isn't dominating all of my time. Unlike last semester I don't have to feel guilty for spending time with Carson, doing projects, cleaning, etc. It has been so nice.

On a side note, aren't these boys cute!! They are the best of friends and apparantly their name isn't all they have in common...now if only Carson would potty train as easily as his friend (more on that to come).

The Love of God

Andrew gave the lesson in EQ at the beginning of the month and in his preparation we reviewed the lesson together and I thought it was a great topic.

He gave it on a talk by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf titled, The Love of God.

I had started this post that day but had abaoned it until I was reading the conferance edition of the Ensign this morning and came to his talk so I decided to finish what I started.

Preparing for this lesson got us thinking, does our life reflect what we truly believe?

A memorable quote by Ghandi was:

My life is my message"...

Andrew started his lesson with some random tombstone inscriptions that we thought were pretty funny.

Here lies a man names Zeke, second fastest draw in Cripple Creel

-Gunfighter, Silver City, Nevada

Here lies the body of Jonathon Blake.

Stepped on the gas instead of the brake.

--Jonathon Blake, Uniontown, Pennyslvania

Everybody love somebody sometime.

-Dean Martin

Here lies the body of our Ana,

gone teh death by a banana

It wasn't the fault of the fruit that laide her low, but the skin of the thing that made her go.
--Anna Hopewell, Enosburg Falls, Vermont.

"That's all folks."
-- Mel Blanc

Food for Thought:

What will we be known for when our time has past?

Below are parts of the talk and lesson that Andrew gave that I especially loved.When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align.

Why should we Love God?

...the greatest of all good things is God. Our Father in Heaven has given us, His children, much more than any mortal mind can comprehend...He offers his children the promise of a glorious and infinite existence and has provided a way for us to progress in knowledge until we receive a fullness of joy. He has promised us all that He has. I love that, He has promised us all that He has.

How Can We Increase Our Love of God?

We increase our love of our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with God's word. His pure love directs and encourages us to become more pure and holy. It inspires us to walk in righteousness-not out of fear or obligation but out of earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him. By doing so, we can become "born again...and cleansed by blood, even the blood of the Only Begotten; that we might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory.

My dear brothers and sisters, don't get discourage if you stuble at times. Don't feel downcast or despair if you don't feel worthy to be a disciple of Christ at all times.

The first step to walking in righteousness is simply to try.

We must try to believe. Try to learn of God: read the scriptures; study the words of His latter-day prophets; choose to listen to the Father, and do the things He asks of us. Try and keep on trying until that which seems difficult becomes possible—and that which seems only possible becomes habit and a real part of you.

Why Is Love the Great Commandment?

The divine love of God turns ordinary acts into extraordinary service. Divine love is the motive that transports simple words into sacred scripture. Divine love is the factor that transforms reluctant compliance with God’s commandments into blessed dedication and consecration.

Love is the guiding light that illuminates the disciple’s path and fills our daily walk with life, meaning, and wonder.

Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship.

Love is the way of the disciple.

“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” (1 John 5:2-3)

In this world where people doubt God and rationalize the things that they do I think it is important to remember The Love of God and to always be taking baby steps to perfection because what we love determines what we seek.

What we seek determines what we think and do. And what we think and do determines who we are-and who we will become.