Thankful

Anne loves to look at her books with her daddy.

Hooray, Anne's first Christmas pjs, that probably 

wont fit her by Christmas. But they are super cute.

This Sunday was Anne's first time at church. The dr. wants us 

to keep her away from crowds of people during the winter

because of flu season. But we wanted to go to church as 

a family. I have really missed going to church it was so

wonderful to sit as a family. She slept through the whole

meeting and only peeked her eyes open during the 

singing. The organ was really loud.  

Thank goodness for my mom being close, Anne and 

I escape to her house about once a week to play.

I don't think Grandma minds a all.  We've sewed

her blessing dress and our Christmas stockings during

 our get-a-ways. It is so wonderful to have her close.

I was planing on writing a Thanksgiving blog but didn't have

time before we left for Thanksgiving. 

We have been so abundantly blessed! I am soo grateful to

our Heavenly Father for His tender mercies! 

Going through the year:

January: for the amazing amounts of snow!

February: for the answer to thousands of

prayers over five years, we were able to be pregnant

March: so grateful for a great couch to crash on pregnancy = tired!

April: for a fun trip to Wyoming, job hunting and

for the guidance of the Holy Ghost, although

we didn't understand we followed and are

 so grateful for the job found in Rexburg it 

has been a huge blessing.

May: for fun together and for the first

pictures of our baby

June: sharing our time with a few nephews 

who came to work on Scott's landscaping crew 

and for a starting a super fun series of books

that made the time pass quickly

July: four family reunions....whew! We 

are so grateful for Eternal families and the wonderful

relationships that we have with all of our family.

August: my brother getting married and again

for a comfy couch to crash on.

September: for absolute MIRACLES!!

For our beautiful daughter, Anne

for amazing hospital staff, wonderful doctor,

for feeding tubes, incubators, NICU, for my amazing

family who cared for our every need!! For my amazing

rock of a husband who held me up through all of the craziness!!

For perfect timing, divine intervention, for an amazing body 

that knows how to heal, care for itself and create nutrients 

for our baby. Truly amazing! For prayer of family and friends.

For a baby shower that supplied us basically for Anne's

entire first year! Mostly for a loving Savior, who's arms

I felt around me in our time of need! For the gift of prayer,

for the gift of the scriptures, for blessings, for peace, for

love, for patience, and so many other things my heart

cannot put into words.

October: for being able to bring our baby home! For

family to visit us and give us support, for continued answered prayers.

For Anne being able to transition from, tubal feedings-to bottle

and now being able to nurse.  For her weight gain and my loss.

For the joys and happiness of being in our own home together.

For the spud harvest break and my hubby being home for 2 1/2 

weeks with us!  And days with my sweet mother in law.

November: For continued answered prayers, for first smiles,

rolling over, tonz of diapers, first shots,Thanksgiving break.

December: lots of happy smiles and coos, still lots of diapers,

for Christmas lights, decorations, beautiful music, first date with

my hubby since Anne was born, a dozen red roses. The birth

 of our Savior and the focus of the season. For family togetherness,

happy memories. And soon to be the 6 year anniversary of

Scott and I being married! Halleluia  for ever for that! 

I haven't followed through with a tag in a long time to here goes...

Here are 10 questions to answer about you and your sweetheart:

1. Where did you first meet your sweet heart?  I met my sweet heart on his front step, 45 min. after he arrived home from serving a mission in Canada.  I was with one of his high school friends. 

2. What do you remember about him/her the most?  He was still wearing his suit. He bounded down the steps and jumped into his friends arms. I was taken  back by his charming smile, his glowing ora and his gentleman like behavior, asking who I was and treating me like a friend instantly. He was GLOWING! He still glows!

3. Who asked who out first? Well this is kind of complicated because our first official date was after we were already dating...does that make sense. Not really! So, I guess he did. But actually, about a month and 1/2 before that,  I called him to ask if he would accompany me to his home town to visit a mutual friend who had recently been in a serious car accident. We spent the entire 1 1/2 hr drive talking about his family, singing and getting to know each other. I was slyly trying to impress him while learning all I could about him.  haha

4. What did you do on your first date? First official date, ate at Arbys (can't go wrong with curly fries, yum!) We played silly games in the park with a bunch of other friends. I had a meeting in the middle, he did some laundry while I was at the meeting and then he picked me up after for ice cream at DQ.  Silly first date considering we'd spent all of our free time the past few months together including an amazing 3 day backpacking trip with some other friends up the Alaskan Basin in the Tetons. It rocked. 

5. What was your favorite thing to do together when you were dating? Talking probably: on the phone, while hiking, taking walks, traveling etc.

6. When was your first kiss with your sweetheart? A few min. after he proposed... he said, "Can I ask you another question?" "Can I give you a kiss?"  I said..... YYYYEEEEESSSSSSSSS! I was his first kiss ever! Love it!

7. When did you first realize you loved him/her? I think that I knew I loved him much earlier than I consciously realized or admitted it. Consciously, it was during a training retreat for my job, at a cabin located close to Driggs, ID. We were doing some 'getting to know you' games and the question was... Have you ever been in love? I looked up at the majestic Teton moutains, realized that I really did love Scott ,and said, '"YES"

8 Who said it (I love you) first? He totally did! He said it after a trip to Utah to visit my family. It took me a lot longer to say it out loud. Poor guy would say "I love you" every time we were together and I couldn't muster up the courage to reciprocate, until about a week before he proposed. 

9. How did s/he propose? He took me, a long with a large group of roommates, sister and friends to his hometown. I had suggested a few weeks earlier that we should sneak away from the group for a sunset or sunrise, just to be alone. He totally forgot that I had suggested that. So, Sat. morning Sept. 28. 02' he woke me up really early and drove me up into the mountains. I thought that this had been my idea. He was so calm and collected I didn't even think that he would propose. I wanted him to, but I was stunned when he did. We watched the sky as it turned colors. (Seriously the most perfect and beautiful sunrise I had ever seen). He proposed just as the sun crested! I said, "YES"! I would say it again and again and again. 

10. What are two things you remember most about your wedding? I remember that I got my hair done and it was terrible. I am talking seriously horrific. When I walked through the door at my parents house after getting it done and no on said anything... they just stared.  I had to quickly wash it, re-do quickly! Yikes!!  And then I remember walking out of the brides dressing room and seeing Scott standing down the hall way. I think that I was floating. He was so handsome, smiling looking at me like I was the best thing he had ever seen. It was so wonderful!

Now Tag at least three people: I tag, Candra, Diana, Kari, Chelsea, Cassie, Lacey, and anyone else who is feeling a little cheesy today!

Our wonderful girl is growing up.   She did this on her own about 5 times today.  She has been very strong since she was born and she is just getting stronger.  She is now over two months old (this means that she is only 3 1/2 weeks from her due date).  We love her so much.  

Scott

We really didn't get into Halloween this year. 

But Anne sure looked cute in her Halloween outfits.

Thank you Aunt Jill, Uncle Joseph and Melanie!

She had a cute little hat but didn't want it on her head.

We are just in love with her, we've (mostly Scott)

have taken probably too many pictures of her. 

We love it!

she's gettin' some chub

I am so comfortable!

Listen Bub, I want my milkies right now and

I don't want to hear another word about it.

Mom, you ate what for dinner...oh, great!

I am an angel!

I love to snuggle with grandpa, even if 

it is on the floor. 

Baby Cakes

Silly Baby!

Hello, Daddy! Look how strong I am.

Hi, Grandma thanks for the cute shirt

One Month old whew!

Life's Simple Moments

It is amazing how simple life can become:

eat, sleep, poop!  We've gone back to the

basics you could say.  That is basically our 

life right now and so the seemingly simple

has become some of the more 

beautiful  moments of our lives.

One night after being awake for a long time in the

early morning, Anne finally was settling down. 

I had her cuddled up in my arms ready to lay

her in her cradle,  she started smiling. She

smiled several times (okay okay probably gas but still), 

it was so beautiful. Swells of love filled my heart and 

out my eyes as I realized again, what a miracle she is.

She was the answer to thousands of faith filled prayers,

years of waiting and then more miracles still.

The name Anne means: Grace of God.  How

true that is in our life. Even though I was so tired

that morning it didn't matter, I held her longer, 

believing those smiles were just for me.

Another beautiful moment was this morning,

I went back to bed. As I started drifting back to sleep

I heard Scott, doing the dishes, making french toast,

singing "Let it snow" (which it just did, but didn't stick),

and talking to our baby. I fell asleep smiling!!!!!!

Honestly, what more could you want on a Saturday morning.

We're Home!

We are HOME!!!

On Wednesday, Anne, ate all of 

her feedings and so on Thursday, evening

we all came HOME!!!

She is doing great! And we are loving

being home all together at last! 

Our hearts are sooo thankful!

Love is the most amazing thing; there

is always room for more of it in your heart.

My heart feels like the grinches, since

this miracle my heart has grown several sizes.

My love for Scott, Anne and a loving

Heavenly Father has grown more deeply and

 in ways that I never realized were possible. 

Also, the love and gratitude for my loving 

parents has grown as I am beginning to understand

the love that only a parent can feel. 

WOW! 

Although, the last few weeks have been absolutely crazy;

we have felt the arms of the Lord wrapped around us, lifting

us, guiding us and giving us comfort.  

Angels have truly surrounded us. And as Elder Holland said in

conference today, many of those angels have been

people who have been the answers to our prayers.

One angelic figure has been my mom. She has intensively

cared for us for the last few weeks and there are not

words or adequate thanks that can be given. 

Love you MOM! 

Wonder of Wonder.... miracles of miracles!

This is a picture of Anne just a few hours after she

was born.  We have jumped through so many hurdles. 

When I say "we" I actually mean  Anne, and the help of

Heavenly Father!! She no longer has an IV, or her incubator. 

She can hold her own temperature, her Jaundice is no

longer threatening so no more lights; her stats are 

perfect. All that she needs to do is keep resting, growing and

learning how to eat orally, instead of through a tube. 

She is getting it!! The doctors say she is so perfect and

that she will one day just get it. It is a developmental

response to be able to eat orally, you can't teach it, it will 

just come in time. So now we wait, and go to the hospital

every three hours for her feedings. She does some on breast,

bottle and through her tube. Whewwww! We are tired but

extremely happy and GRATEFUL! She is so beautiful!

Scott is so amazing with her. He has been so strong through

all of this. He has cared for me and her night and day!

It will be so exciting when Anne gets to come home. 

Hopefully within a week or two! Hurray!!!

This is under the billy light, aren't her glasses awesome!

She's got a strong sucker! Go, Anne you can do it!

She has a little curl in her hair. How fun!

Scott would hold her 24-7 if he could. She loves her Daddy!

Daddy and baby asleep.

Saturday we had our baby shower. Anne wasn't 

really supposed to be there anyway. It was sooo fun.

It wore me out! With a few special surprises from 

some old friends. Thank you Hillary for coming and bringing 

your mom! It was sooooooo gooood to see you and

everyone else who came!

This picture is a little out of order.

This is when she was only a few days old.

But I love the look on her face....

 I think we'll have our hands full! ha ha ha

My grandma came up for the shower.

4 generations! WOW

We truly feel so blessed and have felt the strengthening

power of the spirit. We know that we are being watched

over. One of my biggest comforts was when my

favorite scripture came to mind.

Proverbs 3:5-6 

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine

own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him,

and he shall direct thy paths. 

My family has been unbelievably amazing, especially my mom! 

While I am intensively caring for Anne, my mom has been

intensively caring for me!

Thank you for your comments and especially your prayers!

Our Miracle, ANNE!!

Surprise! This is our beautiful daughter, ANNE!

WOW!  We sure didn't expect her to come so early.

Friday, morning at 5:45 my water broke. We called

the doctor, rushed to the hospital, with water rushing

down my legs. I was dilated to a 6, wow and little

Anne was shoving her way out with her legs.  About

30 min. later I was at a 10 and going in for an emergency

c-section. And at 7:42 our Anne came into the world.

She came out screaming at 5 lbs 5 oz. 

She is doing pretty well but will have to be in the NICU

for a few weeks. She was only 33 weeks along. She has

lost some weight, but is doing really well for her age.

We feel so blessed to have this sweet little angel baby.

I guess she just wanted to come and see us so badly.

She knows our voices and calms down when ever she

is upset if we talk to her or touch her.  Every time

Scott talks to her she looks around for him.

She is so cute. We are absolutely in love with her.

Thank goodness for my amazing family and parents

who have been helping so much and amazing hospital staff!!!!!! 

She is doing well but has a long way to go, please,

dear family and friends keep her in your prayers.

Are we nuts or what?

Whew we have been sooo crazy...

family reunion in Rexburg with adventures to Bear World,

another family reunion in Palisades with river rafting and

excursions into Jackson Hole, Girls Camp, and 

Scout Camp, my brother Jeremy getting his mission call,

long lost friends visiting from Illinois, a week full

of my brother Joseph's wedding (haven't posted pictures yet),

Scott started teaching school at Madison High in Rexburg,

a week at my parent's when they went to Georgia for the 

other half of my brother's wedding stuff, camping in 

my parents back yard; they couldn't go any where 

because of scheduling difficulties so we camped out there. 

It was super fun, we ate dutch oven, cooked on camp stoves 

and even my mom slept outside all the night. WOW!

Plus, I am getting huge! Hurray only 8 weeks away! Yikes

Anyhow we've been sort of busy! Here are some 

pictures from some of the adventures. We forgot our camera a lot.

F.F.F.R= fabulous fillmore family reunion

We didn't take a ton of pictures but this is my favorite.

Scott's big brother, Brad flying down the slip-in-slide.

Only 2/3 of the family was in town, but it was

so much fun. All the nieces and nephews are getting

 so big! We played games in the Mountains, so fun!

I looked at this picture of myself and 

thought... "Holy Honk I am pregnant!"

Oh, and here is Scotty. 

We had a super great 4th!

We attended a concert that was 

put on by the little town of Rockland.

Scott's mom sang in the choir.

I cannot help but to shed a few tears when

we sing the national anthem; especially the last verse:

 "And this be our motto: 'In God is our Trust.'"

I hope that we choose to remember the divine 

powers that set forth this nation, 

"Under God, with Liberty and Justice for All."

Also, I cannot help but to shed even more tears

when our dear vets stand up with their hands

on their hearts. We owe them so much and I 

am grateful for them and the thousands who

have fought for our freedom and continue to fight. 

God Bless AMERICA Land that I LOVE!