6 Months ALREADY?!

This is Alexander when I first put him in the tub.



This is Alexander at the end of his bath...still smiling. He loves bath time and he LOVES to splash!

He turned 6 months last Friday. I can not believe how fast he is growing up. Alexander is now 28 1/4 inches long and 17.2 pounds. His two bottom teeth broke through and he likes to chew on teething cookies and apples. Actually, he wants to taste everything we eat. Luckily he doesn't seem to be a picky eater. Lets hope it stays that way.

He still loves reading time and is so close to crawling. He is a wiggle worm. I know he'll be into everything once he is mobile.

Goals- Update

Here is an update on the new years goals,

1. I am not training for the Wasatch Back or the Ogden Marathon anymore, but I am still planning on running the Salt Lake Half Marathon. Between school work, church callings, Alexander and the family sickness that keeps circulating, I just can not seem to keep a good training/running schedule. The good news is...
2. we have lost some weight. Gordon has lost over 20 pouns since Christmas and me, 12. It is amazing just how quickly men can lose weight...it seems like I have to work double time. Workouts have been rather enjoyable...we start out playing an hour of racquetball with other teams (doubles or cut-throat)and then do another hour of weights or cardio. The slim-quick weight lose commercial keeps coming to mind.."Now we're both unhappy." chuckle!!
3. I am much more peaceful when driving. I still catch myself getting tense and irritated every once in awhile, expecially when I am running late to get somewhere. The key for peaceful driving for me.....leave plenty early so I can take my time getting to the location and really listen to music instead of hearing "noise."
4. Last goal- to graduate. So far the grade in my class is on track so I can graduate. Lets pray it stays that way! :o) As for the rest, the previous blog explains it all.

Fortunate Unfortunate Events

A lot has happened since my last posting. Some blessings and a few more "bumps" in the road. I have been pondering everything that I have been learning and the best way to sum up my experiences is to say that sometimes fortunate things can come of unfortunate events.

During these past several weeks I have been reminded that I am loved and supported by family and friends. I also realized Heavenly Father sure loves me and wants me to be a succesfull mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend and student. I think I had already known this, but my testimony was strenghtend again when I recieved a phone call from the university stating that they had corrected their "graduation evaluation error." I no longer have to take the "last class." So, I am graduating May 2nd at 10:30 in the morning!! We are going to have to have a grand party...or at least have a party at the end of summer when Gordon graduates.

This whole incedent reminds me of the scripture, "Be still and know that I am God," and "Consider the lillies of the field." If we just do our best to be beautiful in all things (just like the lillies) and have peace (faith), God will take care of us. Things happen in His time, not mine. God takes away and gives, leaving the perfect path for me.

Another punch to the Stomach

Well it seems like Heavenly Father is testing me to see just how bad I want to get my degree. I went to get my graduation clearance today and was told that I need to take one more class. It was a transfering credits advising error on their part, although they will never admit it because "students are the stupid ones." I am amazed that three years, 5 transcript evaluations, and two extra classes beyond orginal requirements later, I am thrown ANOTHER punch to the stomach.

Somtimes I just feel like putting myself in a quiet corner and just letting all the "challanges" rain/pour down from above. When it stops raining, I will get up and face it all rejuvinated with "super power." Reality is, I know that God knows I can handle this and whatever I feel weak in, he can make me strong. What is that famous quote?...What doesn't kill us only makes us stronger? :o) I also like the quote..
"What is pain?..It is weakness leaving the body."

Anyways...we discovered that Alexander's two bottom teeth have broken through! He has been ill this past week, so I thought his fever was just from his cold, but it was the combination of the cold and his teeth coming in. He handled it really well. Hopefully the rest will come as easily.

Gordon left this morning for Reeno. We drove him up to the university at 5:00 this morning to meet the other teams and load the bus. Before leaving, I prayed that the bus would function properly and that the bus driver would stay awake and alert for the long drive. About an hour after dropping Gordon off, I called him to see how they were doing and he said that the bus driver had rear-ended someone on the highway and that they were pulled over with cops around! I had to laugh. Luckily no one was seriously hurt and they ended up making it to their destination safely despite all the snow.

I sure go crazy when he is gone. It is like my energy to get anything done is gone and I get lonely. I love having little Alexander to play with, but I go crazy for some adult conversation. So I made plans with friends for the rest of the week and weekend.

Grateful for True Friends

I just spent that last hour and half talking with a dear friend on the phone and I can honestly say that I have been blessed. It is every once in a great while that God sends me a TRUE friend from outside my immidiate family. God blessed me with such a friend these last two years, for which I am grateful.
It is difficult to describe just how she has touched my life so that it would give any justice to my feelings. I can only say that she has touched my heart and stirred my soul through her life stories and example. It is rare to find a friend who will stand by you and defend your honor when engaged in a draining battle, even when it means putting their own life in harms way. She has done this for me, even when going through trials of her own. Where does she get the strength? It could only be from God above. God sent her to be my angel. N.R., Thank you, thank you, thank you. Love,Alana

Sunny Day at Last!

Yeah, we finally have a break from the snow and grey skies. It will be short lived though...we are expected to recieve several inches of snow on Wednesday. I am so anxious to get my car cleaned inside and out. I am usually pretty particular with how clean my car is, but this has been record amount time between washings!

Alexander is growing like a weed! I am sure he is 29-30 inches long by now and he is getting tons of new hair growth. You can hardly notice his bald spot and his golden-red hair combs so nicely to the side for church and going out. He is so handsome. I see some of my father in him, particulary his lips, and I also see my father-in-laws cleft chin, my eyes, and Gordon's nose and hair color. You can definitly tell he is our child! He is a very independent baby...he will be a handful once he can crawl. He already likes to pull the table cloth off the table and anything else he can get his hands on while in his walker.

He is a patient baby though. I've had to take him up to the university several times in the last couple weeks to meet with my team for my last class, and he has done very well. I am grateful for that. This strategic management class is a lot of work, but it is pretty fun. Basically my team in responcible for controlling a million dollar business and we are suppose to make it even more profitable. We make across the board decissions, i.e. HR, R&D, financing, production, marketing...etc, so in sense we are CEO's and we are competing against other rival product companies to steal the market.

Gordon is going to be gone pretty much this week to compete in an estimating competition in Reno, Nevada. He had a blast last year at the competition and he learned so much from the experience, that he has been pumped to go back and try to get the scholarship and maybe a new job opportunity. We are still unsure of where will be moving for graduate school. Hopefully we will know within the next couple of months. I am getting buggy to move on with life.

As far as my new year's goals....well, I have lost some weight, but it is so much harder to train for a marathon with a baby, and it being in the middle of winter, and a husband going to school and work full time. It was only with Gordon's support that I was able to run the Arizona marathon last time. So, I am just training for the Salt Lake Half marathon for now. My sisters Britney and Julie and their friends are going to run the half with me. It will be fun.

Well, I had better sign off. Alexander is pulling the trash can over and blowing spit bubbles at me to get attention.