Easter Baskets

So the Easter bunny got a little lost this year...has this ever happened to anyone else?  Well, actually Mark and I thought we were REALLY on top of things.  I got the baskets and all of the goodies two weeks BEFORE Easter except for I ordered some books online because I had a coupon.  The books just got here TODAY!  I couldn't believe it.  I blame our postman.  Anyway, so we had second Easter this afternoon.  Which was fine.  Although, this is probably the last year that we can get away with that ;)

And then the inevitable happened...

Oh happy mess!

Easter Eggs

Saturday afternoon we dyed our Easter eggs.  We learned that Jacob is perhaps a little too young for this activity still ;)  We had more than one very close call with the eggs and the dye but we still had fun - plus,
 IT'S TRADITION!  

Dying Easter eggs is serious stuff...

Jacob spent most of his time just looking out at the geese and other "wildlife" in our apartment complex.

And then we got out the bubbles and that's always a winning activity!

Look at those cuties!

Rho Chi Society

So I have been dying to do this post for the last month.  But Mark told me I had to wait...but it is FINALLY here!!!

About a month ago we found out that Mark was invited to join the Rho Chi Society.  It is a honors society for pharmaceutical students.  It is not something that is easy to achieve at all and I am so unbelievably proud of Mark.  He has worked so hard the last three years.  He never fails to surprise me with how intelligent he is.  But he works hard at it.  And I am so happy that I get to spend forever with someone that earnestly strives to do his best in whatever he is doing.

So Friday was the initiation dinner.  And I was SO excited to have a real "date night."  Mark and I never go out on dates.  Plus, this was a get dressed up sort of date which was also exciting.  But, can I just tell you, I don't know if I have ever changed my outfit so many times before a date!  A couple weeks ago (in anticipation of this event) I bought this maxi dress to wear thinking it would go great for our little date.  However, I put it on that night and...nope, not great.  It was sleeveless so I knew I either had to put a shirt underneath it or wear a sweater.  The shirt underneath option looked way too casual and the sweater just made me look big.  I am sure I was overthinking it but it was a special night and I wanted to look good and make Mark think, "WOOT WOOT she's MY date!"  (Now, just to clarify - Mark is great and always makes me feel that way, but I think all of you ladies will know what I mean!)

I asked Mark if he knew what kinds of things the women were wearing and he pulled up some pictures of past initiations and then I just got even more nervous.  All the ladies were in tight pencil skirts and other business attire.  I don't have much in the way of "business" clothes anyway and I definitely could not fit into them right now (because, trust me, I tried).  I was discouraged.  And after trying on several different outfits I solidified on one and Mark made me feel like a gem so it was a win.  P.S. I don't know why I just went into so much detail on me deciding what to wear but it is kind of funny in all of my insecurities now looking on it - it will make me smile to read it again one day :)

ANYWAY, we dropped Jacob off with the Zurchers and headed to our dinner.  It was nice to spend time together and talk about grown-up things.  We sat next to one of Mark's professors and his wife and they were both really nice.  And Mark got a fancy pin and is now a life-long member of this society.  

So proud of my man.  

21 Months

It has been a long while since I have done a post just for Jacob so I decided it was time.  Here is an update on our little BIG man.  

Jacob Scott is doing just swimmingly.  He had an appointment at the doctors this last week so I have got some "official" stats!  Jacob is three feet tall and a whopping 33 pounds!!!  WHAT?!!!  The kid is a GIANT!  Seriously.  Our doctor came in and those were the first words out of her mouth.  It's true.  Well, to us, he is just Jacob, but he is a big boy! 

Oh my goodness, so this is Jacob at his doctor's appointment.  They had me change him into this gown and it was just way too cute.  I should have waited longer to take the picture because he sure loved strutting around in it by the end.  You should have seen the view from behind! ;)

But he is perfectly healthy and (I hope!) happy!  I love his sweet spirit in our home and he never fails to make me smile over and over...and over again throughout the day.  I love watching his personality become more and more apparent.  I don't know if this will make sense, but it is crazy to me how well I feel like I understand him and how he works.  It is just amazing.  I love how in tune we seem to be with one another.  He knows when I need a snuggle or will randomly just come up and give me a "love."  And it just melts my heart and I soak it all up.  I love my little guy.  

Before you think Jacob is a perfect little angel - he does have his moments.  There were about two weeks just a little bit ago that we were definitely not in sync.  It was like tantrum central...constantly.  I just kept asking in my mind, "where did my little boy go?!"  It was a little discouraging at the time.  

One of the many, many wonderful things I love about Mark as a Dad is that he takes his role as father seriously.  He wants to be an active part of raising our children.  I never feel like it's just me.  And after we sat down and talked about how we thought things were going and different ways we could go about doing things, things have been so much better.  I love that.  I love that we work together as a team.

But back to Jacob.  Some of his favorite things to do are have "dance parties," go on walks holding our hands (melts my heart!), folding laundry, reading, and he has also recently gotten more interested in coloring.  It is so much fun having this little guy around.  We love you little man!

March Madness

Can I get a "WOOT WOOT"?!!!  After three years I have finally WON March Madness.  It definitely wasn't that great of a year for any of us.  We even had Jacob join the fun!  We had him pick different toys for different teams.  Yep...we're weird.  Jacob particularly had a rough bracket but he can only go up from here!

MARK

ELISE

JACOB

Love - the Essence of the Gospel

General Conference was amazing - as usual!  It was a little harder to catch everything since we have a wiggly toddler on our hands but it was still wonderful just the same.  I can't wait to be able to read and study these talks more in the months to come.  PLUS - it dawned on me in the middle of Conference that NEXT Conference we would have TWO kiddos!!!  What?!  Crazy.  But oh so fun.  Also, I thought I had felt the little one moving before but during the Saturday Afternoon session I KNEW that I was.  It's been happening more and more frequently since then.  So exciting!  But on to the goodness of Conference...here were my favorite tidbits!

Spiritual Whirlwinds
Elder Neil L. Andersen

"Challenges will come to you, but as you trust in God, they will strengthen your faith. 

You are [God's] son or His daughter.  He made your spirit strong and capable of being resilient to the whirlwinds of life. 

Families are the treasure of heaven. 

The way you feel in the temple is a pattern for how you want to feel in your life. 

Don't let the whirlwinds drag you down.  These are your days - to stand strong as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Build more firmly your foundation upon the rock of your Redeemer.

Treasure more completely His incomparable life and teachings. 

Follow more diligently His example and His commandments. 

Embrace more deeply His love, His mercy and grace, and the powerful gifts of His Atonement. 

As you do, I promise you that you will see the whirlwinds for what they are - tests, temptations, distractions, or challenges to help you grow.  And as you live righteously year after year, I assure you that your experiences will confirm to you again and again that Jesus is the Christ.  The spiritual rock under your feet will be solid and secure.  You will rejoice that God has place you here to be a part of the final preparations for Christ's glorious return."

A Priceless Heritage of Hope
President Henry B. Eyring

"Whoever you are and wherever you may be, you hold in your hands the happiness of more people than you can now imagine.  Every day and every hour you can choose to make or keep a covenant with God.

Wherever you are on the path to inherit the gift of eternal life, you have the opportunity to show many people the way to greater happiness.  When you choose whether to make or keep a covenant with God, you choose whether you will leave an inheritance of hope to those who might follow your example.

Our loving Heavenly Father gave us the gift of His Beloved Son, Jesus Christ, as our Savior.  That great gift and blessing of the Atonement of Jesus Christ brings a universal inheritance: the promise of the Resurrection and the possibility of eternal life to all who are born.

There are things you can do early, when those you love are young.  Remember that daily family prayer, family scripture study, and sharing our testimony in sacrament meeting are easier and more effective when children are young.  Young children are often more sensitive to the Spirit than we realize.

After all we can do in faith, the Lord will justify our hopes for greater blessings for our families than we can imagine.  He wants the best for them and for us, as His children."

Roots and Branches
Elder Quentin L. Cook

"Our Father's plan is about families.  

The essential doctrine of uniting families came forth line upon line and precept upon precept.  Vicarious ordinances are at the heart of welding together eternal families, connecting roots to branches.  

Our doctrinal obligation is to our own ancestors.  This is because the celestial organization of heaven is based on families...We need to be connected to both our roots and branches.  The thought of being associated in the eternal realm is indeed glorious.  

Temple and family history work is not just about us.

The eternally significant blessing of uniting our own families is almost beyond comprehension.

Family commitments and expectations should be at the top of our priorities to protect our divine destiny...Our precious roots and branches must be nourished."

Grateful in Any Circumstances
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Everyone's situation is different, and the details of each life are unique.  Nevertheless, I have learned that there is something that would take away the bitterness that may come into our lives.  There is one thing we can do to make life sweeter, more joyful, even glorious.

We can be grateful!

Our loving Heavenly Father knows that choosing to develop a spirit of gratitude will bring us true joy and great happiness.

Could I suggest that we see gratitude as a disposition, a way of life that stands independent of our current situation?  In other words, I'm suggesting that instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our circumstances - whatever they may be.

We can choose to be grateful, no matter what.

When we are grateful to God in our circumstances, we can experience gentle peace in the midst of tribulation.

Being grateful in our circumstances is an act of faith in God.  It requires that we trust God and hope for things we may not see but which are true.

True gratitude is an expression of hope and testimony.  It comes from acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will.

Have we not reason to be filled with gratitude, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves?

How blessed we are if we recognize God's handiwork in the marvelous tapestry of life.  Gratitude to our Father in Heaven broadens our perception and clears our vision.  It inspires humility and fosters empathy toward our fellowmen and all of God's creation.  Gratitude is a catalyst to all Christlike attributes!  A thankful heart is the parent of all virtues."

Love - the Essence of the Gospel
President Thomas S. Monson

"We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers on this mortal journey.  Likewise, we cannot fully love our fellowmen if we do not love God, the Father of us all.

Actually, love is the very essence of the gospel, and Jesus Christ is our Exemplar.  His life was a legacy of love.

Every day of our lives we are given opportunities to show love and kindness to those around us.

Some of our greatest opportunities to demonstrate our love will be within the walls of our own homes.  Love should be the very heart of family life...If we would keep the commandment to love one another, we must treat each other with kindness and respect.

As we arise each morning, let us determine to respond with love and kindness to whatever might come our way."

Daughters in the Covenant

I love Conference.  I really do.  I need Conference.  Every six months I am anxiously awaiting General Conference.  But I felt like I really needed it this last weekend.  The General Woman's Meeting could not have come at a better time.  

I feel like I have been more emotional this pregnancy then I was with Jacob - especially last week.  I knew I was just getting more frustrated about things than I should have.  And then I would feel guilty and feel frustrated that I was frustrated.  Oh the endless cycle!  I was not a very happy duck.  

Can I just gush about Mark for a second?  I don't think he is human.  Nobody should be as selfless as he is.  Really.  This semester has been crazy in school.  I didn't think the demands of school could get more intense for him and yet, somehow, they did.  They have so many expectations on the students this semester.  Mark (as I write) is going through a very intense verbal exam for the entire afternoon.  He never complains...ever.  He just plugs along.  The last two weeks (in preparation for this exam) have been particularly intense.  He would leave early in the morning to go to school all day and study every spare second he had, come home for dinner and family prayer and scriptures and oftentimes go back to study at school.  He studies until three (on average) before coming to bed.  How does he even function?!  

So it would leave me feeling super cruddy when in my mind I get mad at him when he is late for dinner.  Seriously, am I the most selfish person ever?!  He comes in happy and ready to help with everything even after he is exhausted and had a very full day (and a full night ahead of him) and I sit there and complain about him being late.  Uggg...the guilt.

Then there's Jacob.  The child is a rock star...usually.  He really is.  He spent all of Sacrament Meeting on Sunday looking at the hymn book.  What child does that?!  There isn't even pictures!  But I found myself getting impatient with him over things that are just not that big of a deal.  He obviously has his moments when he's not that awesome to be around (tantrums...they are a killer!) but I found myself getting more frustrated about them then just knowing it's his age.  Which my rational mind knew but my emotional mind forgets.  

The point (I promise I'm getting to it!) of all of this was that by the end of last week I was needing something.  A direction or a purpose or something to just make me feel an added measure of the Spirit.  And I got it.  Conference is amazing.  I loved the videos, music and, of course, the messages given in Conference on Saturday.  But I especially loved President Henry B. Eyring's talk.  Here are my favorite bits that I needed to hear.  

"You were tutored by Him before you came into this life.  He helped you understand and accept that you would have trials, tests, and opportunities perfectly chosen just for you.  You learned that our Father had a plan of happiness to get you safely through those trials and that you would help bring others safely through theirs.  This plan is marked by covenants with God.  

It is our free choice whether we make and keep those covenants.  Only a few of His daughters have the opportunity in this life to even learn of those covenants.  You are one of the favored few.  You dear sisters, each of you is a daughter in the covenant.  

Heavenly Father taught you before you were born about the experiences you would have as you left Him and came to earth.  You were taught that the way back home to Him would not be easy.  He knew that it would be too hard for you to make the journey without help.  

You have been blessed not only to find the way to make those covenants in this life but also to be surrounded by others who will help - who, like you, are covenant daughters of Heavenly Father.  

He is pleased every time you try to choose the right.  He sees not only what you are but also what you may become.  

My Heavenly Father, your Heavenly Father, sees greater potential in His children than we or even our earthly mothers see in us.  And whenever you move upward on that path toward your potential, it brings Him happiness.  And you can feel His approval.  

He sees that glorious potential in all of His daughters, wherever they are.  

I have a sure witness that God the Father watches over you in love.  He loves each of you.  You are His daughters in the covenant.  Because He loves you, He will provide the help that you need to move yourself and others upward along the way back to His presence."

Love it.  This week has gone so much better than last week for me.  I cannot wait to get spiritually stuffed this weekend with more words of directions, comfort and peace.  WOOT WOOT!