National Infertility Awareness Week

April 24 - May 1 is National Infertility Awareness Week.

You all are aware that Mike and I struggled with infertility for nearly 8 years. We face a very real chance of dealing with it again. However, we feel so blessed that we were able to overcome this trial. We also are grateful for the many blessings we received while going through it.
Please help raise awareness of infertility by showing your support through a blog post, facebook status, or tweet (is that the right term?). So many couples go through this. It is something that is so hard to bear when it seems to come so easily to all those around you. It is not as simple as "just relax" or "quit trying so hard"
Infertility is real, it is growing, and it is something that you can not understand completely unless you go through it. BUT- even if you can not fully understand it, you can be supportive, give a hug, let those who are going through it enjoy time with your family, and let them love your children. Had it not been for us having friends who let us love their children in our lives, those years of infertility would have been unbearable.
I have said it before...I would never wish infertility on anybody, but I would not change our journey for the world. It has brought us closer together, given us life-long friends, and built our testimonies of the Atonement and the Savior and Heavenly Father's love for us.

37 WEEKS! AKA FULL TERM!

Today is the 37 week mark. (While pregnancy is approximately 40 weeks, 37 weeks is known as full term!) WOOHOO! It is so strange to me to think that this little man could come any time and will be here at latest in one month! After such a long struggle with infertility, it still seems so unreal that this little guy is really coming to be a part of our family.
We are pretty sure on a name, although we are making sure it fits him once he is actually born. We are still debating on what info we will share on this blog since we want to keep it open (as in not private where you have to be invited to view). I guess we will see how it goes. We have been pretty lucky with not having any issues with an open blog yet and we know we can easily switch to a private blog if a problem ever arises.
I only have 2 weeks left at work so I am really hoping this little man decides to stay put until after my last day.

Dear Baby-

We are excited to meet you BUT could you please stay in there for at least 2 1/2 more weeks? You keep acting like you are wanting to come out right now and I would LOVE to have a few more weeks to prepare for you. Your father would like to finish the semester as well. I know you will come out when you decide it is time but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE....hang in there a little bit longer.

5 Things To Be Happy About in April

I am a little behind this month! OOPS! Here we go though-

1. Our knowledge of the Plan Of Salvation and knowing that families can be together forever
2. General Conference weekend and all the uplifting messages
3. Getting to see family and friends that have supported us through the last 8 1/2 years of trying to start a family and finally being in the home stretch to welcome our little man
4. WARM WEATHER (70s later this week)
5. Being full term (37 weeks) on April 21st which means lil man will be here soon

Baby Shower

Yesterday my sisters Carma and Amanda and my friend Sabrena (with the help of her mom and sister) threw a baby shower for me. It was a lot of fun to see all the family and friends that have supported us during this journey. I missed those who were not able to come but look forward to seeing them after the baby comes.

Here are a few pictures. I was so busy talking and catching up with people that I didn't take any pictures with people in them....I guess I am a little like my sisters. (I always tease them that they don't take any pictures of people while on vaca)

Here is the cake that Sabrena's mom made. I didn't know they still had finishing touches to put on when I took the picture. They put teething rings on the sides.

My sisters had people decorate onesies for the baby. These are just some of them. They all turned out SO CUTE!

Many of my family chipped in for the crib and mattress. Because Mike's work has mandatory overtime this month we were not sure when he would actually be able to set up the crib so he did it last night.

The quilt is not the one that came with the bedding set (my mom is turning it into a wall hanging). This one is the one my mom made. Here is a close up.

We won't be using the crib at first but it is nice to have it set up so we can finish arranging the baby's room/office. I admit I overdid it this weekend between the shower and then coming home and starting to set things up, etc. Even though I drank TONS of water I started having some swelling. I am really have a hard time accepting that I shouldn't be doing as much stuff, even if I feel like I can.

Mike- 5 Pounds To GO

Mike is only 5 or 6 pounds away from his goal. He thinks now he may want to lose another 10 though.... We shall see. He is still wearing his too big clothes as we have not wanted to buy him too many new clothes until he is at a steady weight for a month or so. We were at the Train Depot this afternoon before I had a photo session so I took a quick picture of him. The one of us at the Alamo (currently in our header and also on the side bar) is him 45 pounds heavier.

Mike Attempts Photography

While we were at the park earlier today Mike snapped a few photos of me. Here is me at 35 weeks! WOOHOO! I still don't have a HUGE belly. Guess it is from my wide hips.

Islas Girls

Today I met up with an old friend from high school so I could take some photographs of her ADORABLE daughters. The weather was GORGEOUS and I had a great time watching these girls get so excited about everything from the Geese and their babies to the flowers. I enjoyed the walk and the weather. Here are a few pictures I took today.

I hope they love their pictures as much as I do! I love being able to develop this new skill and can't wait to put it to use with our own little one.

COUPON TIP

If you are expecting, sign up for ALL THE NEWSLETTERS. I have a separate email account for my "junk" mail so I use this when they ask. But I went and signed up on the Huggies sight, the Pampers sight, BRU (they signed me up when I did my registry), Motherhood (inside the store when I bought some maternity clothes) and Babycenter (used my regular email for them). Through those I have started getting TONS of FREE magazines. The best part....the magazines have HIGH VALUE COUPONS! That is right. Like $1 off ANY SIZE wipes (usually the most you find is $0.75 off a larger tub). $5 off any size Huggies, yeah a BIG SAVINGS! So, if you don't know to do this already, sign up. It doesn't matter if it is your first pregnancy or your fifth....you still can get all these free coupons and magazines.

Come Listen To A Prophet's Voice

I {LOVE} Conference Weekend! I always feel so uplifted after conference. This conference was no exception. In fact it was more uplifting then I could have imagined. I enjoyed the focus on family. I feel as though I have been given that manual parents wish they got when their children are born. Their were so many wonderful talks on parenting and family. I am so excited to get the May issue of the Ensign so I can have them all in print.

Poppy

It has been a hard week here in the Robins' household. Last week Mike's grandfather (Poppy) went into the hospital and was not doing very well. Mike took the much needed trip up to Lewiston to see his grandfather. Poppy was not very responsive and the hospital decided not to move him to a nursing home as was originally planned. Wednesday morning, Poppy peacefully went to join Mike's aunt and his (Poppy's) siblings that have already returned home. Poppy (and Grandma) raised Mike when he was growing up.
We have been blessed that financially we have the money for Mike to make the trip last weekend and again this coming week to attend the funeral. We love and miss you Poppy and can not wait until we see you again.
It is times like these that I realize how grateful I am for my knowledge of our Heavenly Father's plan for us. I am grateful to know that this is not the end and that we will be able to see Poppy again and that because of the Gospel and the Sealing Power here on this earth I know that families can be together forever.

I thought it was Spring!?!

I thought it was spring. The calendar has it printed on March 20th. The temperatures have been in the upper 50s to mid 60s....SPRING right? Well then, what was with the weather today. What did we have here in the valley, and the mountains above? SNOW! CRAZY!
Hoping it clears up by this weekend since I have some photo sessions scheduled. But it was kind of entertaining to have the snow fall. I am just glad it dried up by the end of the night so it wouldn't freeze overnight with lots of water on the roads.

It Was Brought To My Attention

By someone that I love that my blog backgrounds have been a little on the girly side..... Which was FINE when it was just Mike and I..... BUT.... Soon I will be outnumbered by BOYS so I need to MAN IT UP a little. So bare with me as I play around with our blog background and header in preparation to handle so much MASCULINITY.... (I hope you are able to pick up on the SENSE OF HUMOR intended for this post)

Thanks To Those Who Give Their Spouses

Mike is out of town today. He left to go up to Lewiston to visit his grandpa who is very ill and in the hospital. Since I am getting pretty far along he wanted to get up there in case he can not get up there later. So, I will be home alone AGAIN tonight. (I can not sit for a 5 hour drive 2 days in a row.) So, I am sitting here, wondering what to do with myself, feeling bad that I don't have my husband here even though I know how important it is for him to go. I could never be a Military Spouse!
I just want to give a big THANK YOU to all those who serve our country. But I also want to give just as big a THANK YOU to their spouses. They give up their spouse for weeks, months, and sometimes a year plus, so that they can keep us safe and help others around the world. I know I would never be able to handle it but they all do. So once again THANK YOU!