What will the baby be?

So today my sister called me to let me know that she and her boyfriend Rey are having a baby BOY. Which of course made me start wondering and anxious to know what Chad's and my baby will be. I was talking with my friend Megan the other day who is also due in July and she was lamenting about how July seems like forever away. At the time it didn't seem that far to me. Mostly because I was thinking about how we'll find out the sex in February and that didn't seem too far away, in fact it seemed very close. haha But now it feels like forever. I don't have any preference over what sex the baby is, but Chad is hoping for a little GIRL. We already have names picked out for a BOY or GIRL and I would love to be able to talk to the little baby growing in my belly and call it by name.

If it's a little GIRL her name will be Madeline Teresa. Teresa is Chad's Mom's name and she unfortunately is no longer with us. It's important to both of us for our child to carry something of her grandmother with her. I never got the chance to meet Teresa but everything I've heard is that she was an incredible woman who I would have been proud to call my mother-in-law. She was strong, loyal, beautiful and loved her children fiercely (just like my own Mom). All traits that I would love to have associated with me and my children.

If the little baby in my belly is a BOY, his name will be Tristan Nelson. Nelson is Chad's middle name (don't worry, the names we have for any other children will have my family names in them). The name Tristan also means strength according to some baby books... others say it means noisy. Uh-oh!

We decided it was fate that our children have those two names... if we have a boy and a girl.... because we both loved those names long before we ever knew each other. So now it's on to the waiting game, I just have to keep reminding myself that February is just around the corner and will probably be here before I know it.

UltraSound

So today was the first "official ultrasound". The baby is growing right on schedule and has a strong heartbeat. I know it's the 2nd time we've seen it now but it's still amazing. It's not quite real yet that there is something growing inside of me! What's even more amazing is all my other friends that are also expecting. My little sister Caitlin is pregnant and due on April 30th, Scott and Megan are pregnant and due July 25th, Vanessa (Eddie's sister) and her husband are pregnant and due in August and I just found out today that my friend Ryan Warrick and his wife are expecting their 2nd child on July 12th. Wow! Lots of babies all at the same time!

First Sight

So the last couple of days I've had really bad back pain and feeling really crappy. I of course got paranoid and went into the doctor today. Chad had a scheduling conflict and wasn't going to be able to go but about an hour before my appointment, his appointment cancelled and he was able to come with me. I'm sure glad he did! Basically I probably have a bladder infection... oh the joys of pregnancy! But our doctor did an ultrasound just to double check on everything. The ultrasound machine was quite antiquated and couldn't even print pictures but we go back next week for the official "1st Ultrasound" and we'll get one then. But we were able to see the little M 'n M size baby growing in there and could see the heart beat just flickering away! It was so cool! Well I feel much better now about going to Disney Land next week (even though I can't ride much) and super excited for next week. It's all so amazing!

Change of Plans

So funny story!!! Chad and I were all set to go to our Adoption Intake interview on Thursday at 9 a.m. We were both really excited to get everything started. Well we didn't end up going, instead we ended up at the doctor's office. I had a pregnancy test at home and was a couple days late for my period so I decided to take it just to be sure. I really did not expect it to be positive... after 2 years of negatives it's hard to imagine that it could possibly be positive. But it was!!!! We went to the doctor and they verified that I am in fact pregnant! We are of course thrilled! It's still very early but we're hopeful that everything will go well and we'll have a healthy baby sometime next summer. The tentative due date right now is July 22nd but that could change. We will know for sure at our first ultra-sound on December 6th. :D Thanks for all your support through everything!!! We love you all!

The Story of Us

Chad and I met online through Emode.com (I think it's tickle.com now). He isn't the first person I'd met online, but I was the first for him. He sent me an email through the website and my co-workers encouraged me to email him back. We spoke on the phone a few times before we actually met. I actually had a boyfriend at the time but he was kind of a jerk so I said, who cares, I might as well see what else is out there! :P The first time we met in person was February 13, 2004. I went to his house and watched a movie with him and his friends and stayed until 4 in the morning just talking. So we decided to go out the next night, on an official date. :) So yes, our first date was Valentine's Day. I later found out that he almost bailed on me... he was trying to come up with an excuse not to go but couldn't come up with anything good. He came to pick me up and came to the door with a single red rose. We were getting ready to go and realized he'd locked his keys in the car. So we had to wait for a locksmith to come unlock the truck. We finally made it to the movie, 50 First Dates (seems appropriate right?). Of course I found out later that he'd already seen it with his friends and didn't tell me. Such a dork! After the movie we went to the store and bought some food for dinner and I made him lasagna and garlic bread. haha and then I kicked him out so that I could go over to my crazy boyfriend's house.
We dated for a few weeks (about 3), in which time I dumped the crazy boyfriend. My friends weren't so sure about Chad and we had a long talk one night in the hot tub about whether I should really be dating him. I wasn't entirely sure how I felt about him but knew he really liked me and I didn't want to hurt him because we were good friends. So a few days later, the day after he'd taken me on a really nice date, I told him we could only be friends. He took it a lot better than I expected but that's because he knew I just needed time. We continued talking every day, usually by texting, for the next 2 weeks. At the end of the 2 weeks he told me he was going out of town with his friend to go to a funeral and that he wouldn't be able to talk to me for a few days. I told him to have a safe trip and I'd talk to him when he got back. The weekend that he was gone was really good for both of us. When I wasn't talking to him, I missed him. I sat up one night talking to my friend Ryan and told him that I thought I missed Chad. He asked if I really missed him or if I was just lonely. I thought for a second and realized I really did miss him. haha That scared the crap out of me!!!!
Well Chad finally text me on Tuesday and we got in a fight (through texting) over something really stupid. We both said things we really didn't mean and then felt bad after. Chad came to my work later that night to apologize and we sat in the parking lot talking for a while. When he broke the rules and kissed me. He apologized but I said it was alright so he kissed me again and then left. I walked back into work apparently very starry eyed! My co-worker asked me if I was alright and I just said, um I think so. So we started dating again but just dating, I told him that I wasn't ready for a boyfriend. I told my co-worker that I knew it was just going to go fast if we were exclusive and that scared me. I knew deep down that this was it but was too afraid to admit it to myself.
On Chad's birthday I went to take him to lunch, but he wouldn't let me pay! Later that night, after I got off work, I went to his house to spend more time with him. When I walked into his house, the front room was all lit up with candles and he was standing a few feet from the door in a suit and tie and holding a single rose. I was stunned but managed to ask him exactly what he was doing! It was his birthday, not mine! His response was, and I quote, "Even though it's my birthday, I want you to feel special no matter what day it is". I melted! That's the first day I realized I was in love with him but I was still scared. On March 31 / April 1 I told him that I would be his girlfriend. A week later he bought a ring. But I wanted him to meet my family first and to ask my dad's permission. So we made a trip out to Missouri to visit my family. We were engaged on May 14th (3 months to the day from our first date). He asked me on a walk near my parents house. It had just rained and we were in a grove of trees with water dripping down off the leaves. It was so green and beautiful... perfect!
Three months later (to the day, yet again!) we were married on August 14, 2004 in his dad's backyard. It was very laid back and fun! We went on our Honeymoon a month later to Hawaii, it was beautiful and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves - HAHA even our horrible sunburns!
So it's been just over 3 years and we're still going strong!

Growing up Chad

I was born in Salt Lake City, Utah on March 30, 1981. I was born 12 weeks early and I have a twin brother. Due to being born so early I experienced some expected health issues but my brother and I recovered fully and have no lasting effects. In fact my brother and I are considered "miracle babies" and when I was 9 or so we were on the Children's Miracle Network telethon for Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. I have lived in the surrounding area my entire life. My parents are Scott and Teresa and from a very early age they taught me the importance of family and there is nothing more important to me. Along with my twin brother I have a younger sister Jennifer. My childhood was what I would call farely normal. I did most of the typical things that children do. When I was five we moved to West Jordan, Utah and that's where most of my childhood memories begin. Right away I met who would become my best friend and who is still my best friend 21 years later. His family and mine became very close, like family and we did everything together. Growing up we spent all kinds of time outdoors and I quickly grew to love anything in the mountains such as camping, hunting, and fishing. We took many camping trips to the mountains in Utah and I experienced some of my fondest memories on these trips. We also went frequently to places like Yellowstone and Durango, Colorado as well as Disneyland. We loved to travel and that love continues for me today. I love all sports especially golf, basketball, and soccer. I played soccer and basketball competitively through Middle School. Golf was more of a hobby but one that I love dearly to this day. I stopped playing sports competitively in high school and was what my wife calls a "nerd" I'm okay with that though because I was able to concentrate fully on school. I was an honor roll student and I lettered in academics as a Sophomore. My love in school became architecture and computer aided drafting. I studied it with a passion and I excelled. I was able to be an active member in VICA and I competed in regional competitions as a Junior and a Senior in architectural drafting. It became my calling and today I own my own home design firm, Legacy Custom Home Design. After high school I attended Salt Lake Community College and studied Architecture. When I was 23 I met the love of my life and new best friend, Brittany. We only dated for 6 months before we married and it has been wonderful to this point except that we have been unable to have a child. (obviously). I know my entry is shorter then Brittany's but if I kept going it would turn into a novel and I'm sure I will post more soon.

Growing up Brittany

I was born in Mankato, Minnesota on April 26, 1980 to two amazing people. My parents are John and Brenda. My dad was born and raised in Minnesota and my mom grew up mostly in Kansas before moving to Minnesota as a teenager. They were high school sweethearts and married when they were both 20... they just celebrated their 30th Wedding Anniversary in September, 2007. They are and always have been my greatest example in life.
I am the oldest of four, my sister Caitlin was born 3 years and 6 days after me in 1983 - she was almost my birthday present! My sister Halley was born in 1985 and my baby brother, Evan, in 1987. Being the oldest I have a tendency to want to be in charge and mother everyone!
When I was four years old, we moved from Mankato to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where I basically grew up. I loved Sioux Falls as a child! We were often outside playing some kind of game with just us or several of the other neighborhood kids. I walked to school at Mark Twain Elementary almost every day (up hill, both ways, in three feet of snow!). I played soccer for one year when I was six, but it just wasn't for me. I also played basketball from 4th grade to 8th grade. I love to play sports but am not the most coordinated person in the world so it's usually just for fun and not anything organized. :) My parents also made sure we all played an instrument, I picked the flute and played from 5th grade through high school. I even marched in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 1994. I can still play but not nearly as well as I used to.
Junior High and High School in Sioux Falls were not the best times for me. You wouldn't know it now but I was extremely shy and often let people walk all over me. I was pretty quiet and was often alone. Until... my dad's company transferred him to Phoenix, Arizona at the end of my Sophmore year. Ooooo I was mad! I did not want to move, but it was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The first day I was in Arizona I decided that I was going to be a different person, that I was going to be out-going and not worry about what other people thought of or said about me. And it worked! My junior and senior year of high school were the best I could have ever asked for. I had tons of friends, went to the sports games, dances, etc. I also went on a dating spree! :P I hadn't really dated in Sioux Falls and now with my new confidence I had plenty of boys to choose from. It was a blast!
My senior year of high school I met a boy named Tim. We were together most of my senior year and decided to get married after we both graduated from high school. We were married in June of 1999 when I was just barely 19 and he was 18. Unfortunately, it didn't take long for him to change. Though I had never noticed it while we were dating, he was very controlling and became even more so once we were married. After 2 years of severe emotional abuse and some physical abuse, I left him. So at 21 I was divorced and life was a little rocky for a while. I made some poor choices and hung out with some people that were not very good for me until I realized I was heading down a road that I knew would never make me happy and I decided it was time for a change. I packed up my car and moved to Utah in June of 2002.
I had never been in Utah before, not even to visit. But I knew deep down that it was the right choice for me and where my Heavenly Father was directing me. Fortunately, I had some wonderful people to stay with that helped me more than they will ever know, Amanda and Neil. Amanda had been my young women's leader in Arizona and she and her husband Neil opened their home to me. I am eternally grateful to them for all their help and their continued support. After a few months with Amanda and Neil, I was able to move into an apartment with a roommate and started attending a single's ward at the University of Utah. I met some incredible people there, some of which are my best friends and always will be.
Though I know I've made some mistakes in my life, I'm grateful for all the lessons I've learned and feel that it's made me a stronger person. I will write more about how Chad and I met and fell in love in another blog. :)

Introduction and Background

Quick introduction... We are Chad and Brittany. We've been married for just over three years and live in Utah. Chad owns his own company designing homes and I work for an IT research firm working with clients. We have our own home which we love and have slowly given a face lift to so that it reflects our personalities very well! We have two dogs which are adorable, loving and very entertaining! I'm sure you'll get to know us more the more we post.

Chad and I have been trying for about 2 years to have a baby. And obviously we've tried in vain (although the tryin is always fun!). I've felt for quite a while now that we are not meant to have a child at this point in our lives, biologically. But Chad hadn't come to the same conclusion as myself until recently. We've tried all kinds of methods of getting pregnant and seen a couple specialists. I was put on Clomid for about 4 months and it was a miserable time for all! Clomid is the devil!!!! It made me a pissy pain in the butt!!! Any of you who know me would agree with that statement. In April we were referred to the University of Utah Reproductive medicine clinic. They figured out that we didn't really need the Clomid and that there is nothing wrong with either myself or Chad. There was no reason that they could find for why we hadn't gotten pregnant. We then tried artificial insemination. This is not fun or comfortable for me at all!!!! That didn't work either and at this point I was about to have a breakdown. The stress on myself and our marriage was getting to both of us.
Before our first round of Artificial Insemination, I had asked our friend and home teacher Joe to give me a blessing that everything would be okay. It was more for comfort than that we would get pregnant. Well the blessing was going along about how you'd expect until Joe said that if this doesn't work we need to be open to the idea of adoption. My entire body went warm, like I had just slid into a hot tub head first. That was all the confirmation I needed. We tried 2 rounds of the AI before Chad received an answer to his own prayers. After talking with his friend TJ who had just become a daddy, he prayed a lot about what we needed to do and received an answer that we are supposed to adopt.
We have made the first steps, submitted our application for adoption with LDS Family Services, submitted all our reference letters and attended the adoption orientation. We're now waiting to be assigned a caseworker so we can begin to fill out the mountain of paperwork that's required. When we attended the orientation, we were encouraged to be proactive in our pursuit of adoption so we're asking all our friends and family to please keep your ears open to anyone who may be considering adoption.