I actually get to enjoy the holidays!

Because I was so sick I basically accepted that I would not be able to enjoy the holidays this year, but week 16 seems to be a lucky week, because I am feel so much better! I mean I've accepted that I probably won't be my old self again for long time, or until baby comes out, but I have been better enough to do all this pre-halloween/autumn stuff.



Hank and I went for a walk at the mouth of Provo Canyon. I am really going to miss the fall colors when we move to California.



Danniey, Tyler (they live above us) Hank and I made pumpkin pie from a pumpkin! I don't know how much more autumnie you can get. It was so so delicious!



I had a headache that night, that's a cold wrap around my head. But look, I am around food!...what a change!



We carved pumpkins for family night, this pumpkin went through many creative incisions to correct mistakes.



I think Hank's pumpkin is pretty cool.



Except the poor guy dropped it on the floor and now his pumpkin looks like it has a cleft palette. He was so disappointed.



Later that night we went to Cornbellys with our friends Spencer and Kim.Its like a carnival/festival place that has a cornmaze, a hay ride and a bunch of halloweeny stuff.



It always takes a lot of nagging to get Hank to smile like a normal person in pictures. When he does I think he's pretty cute.

My big annoucement...

Okay so I have some news I have been withholding from my blog, but its time...I'm Pregnant!!! I am 16 weeks along and starting to show just a little. It's all very exciting and if I can avoid it I NEVER, EVER want to EVER go through this again. For those who don't know I've been rolled over by an Indiana Jones boulder of nauseous and if it weren't for modern medications I would have been been getting food through IVs. I also recently started getting migraines (around February is when they started) my doctor told me that they would either get better, stay the same or get worse...mine got worse. Unfortunately there isn't too much medication I can for use for migraines while I am pregnant, except Tylenol, which is about as helpful as doing a voodoo dance in front a crystal ball. Basically I've been a miserable wreck... I could go on and on but I wont, instead I've posted a picture of my stomach for your enjoyment :)




I am feeling a lot better, thank the maker! I am still queezy throughout the day and I am always walking on eggshells with my headaches, but I am glad I am through the worst of it. Thank you so much for all those who were so kind to me throughout this whole ordeal. So much of my family consistently called and visited to lift my spirits. You all really did, thank you!



This is what my baby kind of looks like...we find out its sex in a couple weeks. I want everyone to make a prediction...so please comment let me know if you think we're going to have a boy or a girl!


Anyway, I'll keep you all updated!

Hank's in a Movie!

Hank is in a movie that's being produced by the church called Diantha's Crossing. It's historical and I don't really know too much about it, except that it looks good. This is a little trailer/clip from the movie. It should be airing on KBYU sometime in December, I am not really sure when. The actress in it is one of Hank's professors. She wrote the story. Anyway, I am very proud!

Black Hair!

Hank is in a concert of Sweeney Todd at the Castle in Provo, he play Adolpho Pirelli and he's really funny. Anyway we had to dye his hair black for the occasion. If any of you live in Utah and want to do something fun for Halloween the concert is suppose to be really good. I am giving late notice because its only this weekend and next Thursday and Friday...even so check out the website for more info.



Before



During



After!



This is Hank in all his glory. He's so cute and funny!

On prop 8

I remember 8 years ago when prop 22 was on the table, I was a freshman in High School. It was a strange experience for me during that campaign. A lot of my friends judged and excluded me from their groups because I was open about my beliefs, a lot of really hurtful things were said. That experience made me think a lot about tolerance. I often feel that being a member of an organized conservative religious group some would assume that my support for prop 8 would be because of intolerance that I have towards homosexual couples. This is such a misconception. Just as I desire for people to be tolerant of my beliefs, even if they disagree, I strive to do the same. As for myself and my church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) we have nothing against homosexual couples receiving all the same rights, privileges and freedoms of a heterosexual couple. In fact I believe in loving, serving and caring for all of God's children and that is exactly what the LDS church teaches. This new law legalizing gay marriage is not concerned with equal rights and freedoms, it is about re-defining what marriage means in our society. For most religious groups this raises a concern. Marriage and family is often a core belief for most religious organizations and expanding the definition of marriage to include groups other than one man and one woman, seriously conflicts with that belief. I know that the LDS church puts an enormous amount of energy to promote family unity and fights against forces that break up that unity. By legalizing gay marriage the state is forcing people to accept something that is against their fundamental belief system. As time passes and children are taught in school to accept these new ideas of marriage as normal, those who wish to maintain their religious viewpoint of marriage will find it harder and harder for their beliefs to be tolerated. By supporting prop 8 I want to not only protect marriage and family but also religious freedom. I hope that those who are reading this blog will understand my concerns or at least will find out more about the ramifications of legalizing gay marriage on religious groups, even if you are not religious yourself. I hope the best for all of you and may God bless you!

I have included a link that gives more specific details on the impact legalizing gay marriage would have on religious groups and religious freedom. It is a statement from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints that describes, in better detail than I can, the concerns and consequences of this issue for those who hold religious beliefs.

The Divine Instituion of Marriage

My sister-in-law also has a really neat blog with a lot more links

I think this video shows how people's rights are being taken away from them

So does this NPR article