Pregnancy...Real Life

So I picked my blog name for a reason, Rohos Real Life.  The world of social media portrays such skewed ideas of the lives people live.  So many get envious of other's lives and compare their own to the pictures they see on social media, but they don't remember that people are only posting the good.  I certainly want to focus on the highlights, the good things that happen in my life cause it's important to stay positive, but I think it's also very important to talk about the trials and to realize that everyone faces hardships, whether they post about them or not.  So my goal with my blog is to be very real.  I hope to create a real life memory for me and my family while staying positive through it all.  Luckily, I think I'm generally a positive person and would rather focus on the good things in my life because it simply makes me happier.  This post may be one of the most 'real' posts I ever have because it has been one of the most real challenges/decisions/blessings I've had to do and make and change.

So as most know, I come from a family of 12 children.  There are six boys and six girls, perfect, right?!  I'm the third child, the oldest girl.  I have always LOVED coming from such a big family and being born with so many instant friends.  There really is nothing I would rather do than spend time with my family.  I have so much love and respect for each and everyone of my family members.  I look up to my parents SO much!  How does a woman bear 12 children, each of them single births.  Tammy was pregnant for 9 years of her life!!!!!  How does a father ALWAYS put his family first?  I honestly don't remember a time in my life that my dad missed a sporting event, a church program, or any kind of special school program because of work.  He is fortunate that he is his own boss which makes this much more doable than it is for some, but he still always made it a priority!  His office hours have always been 9 am till the first soccer game of the day.  I never heard either of my parents complain about their lives of carpools or homework, they were never too tired for us.  They both woke up every morning to get us kids off to school and probably 4 of 5 school mornings in a week my mom had hot breakfast waiting for us on the table.  I've had people ask me if I feel like I got lost in the mix or was deprived of one on one time with my parents.  The answer is absolutely not!!  I never questioned my parents love for me.  I knew that they would both drop anything to help me in a time of need.  I don't think they could have done a better job parenting me and showing me love being one of twelve versus if I had been an only child.  All in all, I could not have asked for a better family life.  This being said, I get asked all the time if I want to have a big family like my parents did.  My response is always that I loved coming from a big family and if I had the patience and attributes of my mother, I think it would be amazing for my children's sake, but that is just not the case.  I unfortunately am a bit more Type A personality that my mom is.
I have lived in Utah essentially my whole life.  I have loved it here!  There are so many blessings I have received and so many trials that have been lightened by being surrounded by so many Mormons that share the same faith as I do.  There has been one challenge for me with being surrounded by the Mormon culture though.  And that is the focus the Mormon church has on the role of motherhood.  I agree with the teachings and strongly believe in the importance, but it scares me.  I love kids, I love my nieces and nephews so much!  Being an aunt has been so much fun for me!  I have been so scared to start my own family though.  I don't know why.  I have so much exposure to helping with raising kids within my own family.  But the thought of it truly being my responsibility and not just helping out my mom or another mother terrifies me.  I have always wanted a family, I don't want to grow old and never have children around, but I haven't really felt anxious for it to happen or that 'baby hungry' feeling that so many people talk about.  It's always been a future thought for me, not something I want now.
So Jerry and I had made an agreement that we were going to have at least a year together before we stopped birth control and we were going to go on a fun trip together.  So we went on our trip to India and I thought for sure he was going to be set on going off birth control right away.  Much to my surprise when we talked about it the beginning of 2015 his response was that he was just so happy with how our life was and the time we were getting to spend together and wanted to wait just a little longer.  I did not expect that, but was thrilled because of my fears.  But then come early summer, we went to the temple and we both felt like it was time.  I remember sitting there just crying cause I knew it was what I needed to do, but I was not excited about it.  And I felt guilty and still do feel guilty that I feel so resistant to such a big blessing.  But, I knew what I felt and had to obey.  Plus I'm not getting any younger!  And what if we had struggles getting pregnant, you just never know!  Fortunately for us, getting pregnant happened pretty quick. (I mean Fertile Myrtle Tammy is my mother!)  Jared was and continues to be so patient with me throughout deciding to start our family and my moments of anxiety during pregnancy.  When we decided to start our family I told him we just need to not talk about it.  When I got pregnant, it took a while before I was okay with him talking about how he was going to be a dad and I was going to be a mom.  I just needed to not think about it or it would freak me out. I was so conflicted inside because I knew how special this was, I knew how excited Jared was that we were expecting, but it took me a few months to really get excited.
It was around the time that we announced that we were expecting that it started settling with me.  It became more real life now that people knew and I kind of had to be excited.  I think having so many people around me that were so excited helped me to change my attitude, but there was still that underlying fear.  I've tried to explain to Jared what I'm so scared about.  I think it's just a big combination of lots of things.  Change in general, I'm really nervous about being in charge of child in this world how it is today- it's a scary world and kids are learning and exposed to bad things younger and younger, I'm worried about postpartum depression, am I going to be a fun, energetic mom, will Jared and I still get alone time to strengthen our own relationship and keep that strong, I love my sleep and that's certainly going to be affected.  Really it's a combination of so many things, both personal/selfish, and concerns for my children and my abilities to give them the best life possible.  But all you can do is your best, so that's what I'll do!
I'm not a super emotional person, I really don't cry that often.  But the vast majority of the tears I've shed during our marriage have been related to becoming a mother.  The other day we were getting new flooring installed in our kitchen and we needed to move the refrigerator.  The space we have for the fridge is really tight and you have to jiggy the fridge in and out in a really odd way.  I have done this a couple times while we've lived here and I've always just done it by myself, no problem.  Well as Jared and I were moving it for the flooring, I felt like I was of no help.  My ab muscles kept cramping up in a weird way and I'd have to stop.  I think it was mostly that I had just got home from work and worked a lot of hours the prior days, but this really upset me that I was unable to do what I normally do easily.  I don't think Jared even saw me cause he was doing all sorts of stuff getting the floors ready for installation and I was hiding it, but I just started sobbing.  I knew I was being ridiculous, but I was so upset that I was so incapable with my abs because of the pregnancy.  It really is amazing how much you learn a muscle group does when they're out of commission or weakened.   There are so many times that I have to do things differently because the way pregnancy affects the abs.
There was another time Jared and I were watching some of our nieces and nephews.  It really was a fun night and I enjoyed being with them, but when we came home I was laying in bed thinking about how that was going to become my everyday routine soon, and it again freaked me out.  I just laid in bed and cried.  My life is going to change so much.  And really, it's a selfish thing.  I'm worried about myself and my sleep and my time.  I really believe that when our little boy comes, my feelings are going to change and it's all going to work out just fine, but in the meantime, it has me pretty anxious.  I really do believe that as I get my children, one at a time, my heart and my love will grow more and more and I'll look back and wonder what in the world I was so nervous about.  At least that's what I'm banking on!  I'm just so grateful to have a strong man by my side that I know will be an amazing father and will continue to be a strong husband for me to fall back on.  He really is so patient with me!
I also have always loved my job and the work I do.  I get a lot of satisfaction in going to work and saving lives!  So many women, including all the women on both sides of my family, want nothing but to be stay at home moms, which is great, but that is not what I want!  I definitely want to be a mom that is always there for my children cause I know what a blessing that was for me growing up, but I need adult interaction!  I want to continue to have the fulfillment I get from working as a nurse.  I went to school for a reason, not just to have a degree to tuck in my pocket.  Fortunately being a nurse, full-time is only 3 days a week and part time is 2, so I feel like I can still be a good mother and be very involved without completely quitting my job and my passion.  Sometimes I worry that others may think it's wrong of me to keep working if I don't financially have to, but I have to remind myself that it's my life.  Jared and I get to decide together what is best for us and our family and other's thoughts and opinions don't matter.  Jared knows how important my job is to me and he is fully supportive of me continuing to work.  I don't think he has an opinion about me working full-time vs. part-time, but he actually wants me to continue working, probably because he knows I'd go crazy staying home all day every day.  He knows what I do, the passion I have, and is proud of the hard work I put in to it.  So the plan for baby number one is full-time work.  Luckily Jared can work from home one day a week, so it's just one day a week I'm working out a sitter.  Then when we have multiple kids I'll cut back my hours.  The nice thing is I can always change my mind!
As I write this, I'm 36 weeks pregnant.  Baby boy is coming soon, like it or not!  But I really have come a long way.  It has been amazing to experience the bonding that occurs carrying this boy with me constantly.  I'm not one of those crazy people that enjoys being pregnant.  So many women love the feeling of having the baby move around.  I'm perfectly fine with the little guy holding still!  I do have fun pushing his leg back in as he kicks into my side or pushing him back down out of my ribs.  I figure he has to learn sometime who is in charge, why not now!  Right?  But I've been lucky and have had a decent pregnancy.  I haven't gained a ton of weight.  I haven't had any morning sickness.  I've been able to keep working like normal.  I really have been blessed.

A simple selfie at my one month left mark! (Dirty mirrors and all!)

So as I stand now, being full-term, I still am nervous, I still have nights where I stay awake feeling anxious about the changes ahead, but overall I'm so excited to meet this little guy!  Is he going to look like his momma or his pops?  Is he going to come on time or will I be getting induced?  Part of me wants him to come early, and part of me will take any last moments I have to spend with just Jared and I.  I'm excited to see how our dog Louie does with him.  I'm pretty sure Louie will be super protective of baby boy and probably share a few too many kisses with him, but that's okay.  I'm curious what delivery and nursing is going to be like.  I am all for getting hit up with an epidural, so I'm not too worried about the delivery, but maybe I'm being a bit oblivious.  We'll see!  So mostly, I'm excited, but I still am nervous.  Hopefully all those worried feelings will subside the second they lay little boy on me.

So there you have it.  ROHOS REAL LIFE.

First Years of Marriage

For the first year of our marriage we lived in Provo in a condo my parent's own.  It was a nice starter place, gave us some time to settle into married life, and save some money.  I remember my friend Bobbi telling me multiple times before I got married that "Marriage is the best, it's HARD, but it's the best."  Bobbi's always been one that's very straightforward and says things how they are rather than creating a fantasy picture like so many do, and I sure have appreciated that!  Another great word of advice came from my mom.  She said if you are happy 90% of the time, you're doing really well!  I remember we had only been married for a month or two and the little irritations that come with molding two lives together started to arise and thinking gees, we're still in the 'honeymoon phase' and we're getting irritated with each other already, this shouldn't be happening already.  But talking to Bobbi and those little words of wisdom really helped me through and to realize, this is normal!  It's never easy for two people who have lived life in different ways to suddenly be put together; you have to know there are going to be trials that come along with it!  I don't want to paint the picture that Jared and I were always fighting through this time, because we weren't, most of the time things were great, we were still falling into my mom's 90% of the time happiness, but there are major adjustments and learning how the other does things that come with moving in with someone.  For me, it was those first 6 months that were the hardest and required the most adjustment.  But with those challenges came great growth and learning.  Learning about different approaches to life, learning about better ways to show my love for my husband, learning how to be a team player and working together rather than total independence.  These were hard things to learn, and I certainly haven't mastered them yet, but it's definitely made me a better person.  All around, Jared has made me a better person and I still strive to be more like him and to follow his example.  I just feel so dang lucky that he's my man, he's the one I get to have by my side forever, he's the one I get to hug when I get home, and he's the one that my littles will call daddy.  I'm just so lucky!

Cheering on the USMNT during the World Cup '14

Roho Family Pictures 2014

Loving my man 2015

Midway Ice Castles 2014

So after being in the condo for approaching a year, we decided to look into buying a home.  We figured we knew we weren't going to be moving for work or anything, so let's start paying a mortgage instead of rent.  We started with one realtor who kept showing us homes that were above the price range that we had set and kept trying to convince us why it was a good idea.  This got real old real fast.  Our friends the Browns had recently bought a home and recommended their realtor Mindy Fung.  I gave her a call and instantly loved the way she worked!  She took us out to see a few homes and the first one we viewed we fell in love with!  We went around and saw others but none of them touched the first one.  We did more research at home, went out and viewed some more, but nothing in our price range was comparing to the first home.  So we made an offer. The process went back and forth a few times with counteroffers, and then we came to an agreement.  We were so excited!!  We loved the house, the location, we met the neighbor across the street and she was so friendly and you could tell how much she loved the neighborhood and the ward.  It was just so perfect.  So we ended up moving into our house in August 2014 and have had no regrets!  It really has been the perfect place for us.  And we really do have such an amazing ward/neighbors!

The day we signed for our new home!

When we got married I had told Jared how much I wanted to go on a really fun, adventurous vacation before we started a family.  I was fortunate enough to be able to do a fair amount of traveling before I got married, but I wanted to be able to experience one of these fun trips with my husband.  So we planned a trip to India.  We went in January 2015 and had an amazing time!  We went for about two weeks.  We did things in true Angie fashion and booked flights to and from India (which I found a great deal on) and just showed up, went to the department of tourism there in New Dehli and planned out our trip there.  I have always liked doing it this way cause then you're booking through the local companies rather than American companies so it's cheaper and more authentic.  It's also nice cause they know which hostels are safe and in good, close locations.  I feel like I have saved a lot of money and seen what really is worth seeing by doing trips this way.  We ended up spending time in New Dehli, Pushkar, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra, and Varanasi.  We got to see the Taj Mahal, ride elephants, play with monkeys, ride camels out to the wilderness where we camped, learn and see Hindu rituals, tour through all sorts of amazing palaces, and so much more.  It was a really neat experience.  The great part about it is that Jared totally fit in there!  When he wasn't by me, locals would speak to him in Hindi and then be surprised or not believe him when he said he was American and only spoke English.  My cute husband and his ethnic confusion.

Taj Mahal

Classic Indian Man Smoking His Opium

Riding Elephants

Camel Safari/Camping In The Wilderness

My cute Indian Man

Jared and I found out in August 2015 we were expecting a little one to join the family in April 2016.  I really wanted to get one more Disneyland trip in before we had a baby that would change the way we Disney for a long, long time.  So I talked to my OB and they didn't seem too concerned with me going to Disneyland at 11 weeks.  So we went out there for an early anniversary get away and had a great time.  We stayed at a cheap hotel about a half a mile away so we could just walk there and we were fortunate enough to have connections through a friend of Jared's to get two day hopper passes for free.  It was so great!!  So we enjoyed a few days out in California doing Disneyland and the beach to celebrate our 2 years together.

Disneyland


The Blue Bayou at Disneyland.  So yummy!



We ended up making the baby announcement to everyone when I was 13 or 14 weeks along.  I wanted to wait another couple of weeks before announcing, but Jared and I were headed down to Vegas for one of his company's events and I was going to be staying with my sister Mindy and felt like she would be able to tell.  So we went ahead and made the announcement a day or two before heading down there.  I just find so much humor in the fact that Jared looks to be about anything but Caucasian, so we had to do a play on that!  This is what we did.  I think most people caught on fine, but I know a few people on Instagram didn't catch on that this was an announcement, not just a funny speculation.  They must not have read my caption saying, "Even the baby predictor app is confused about Jerry's ethnicity!  Baby Roho coming April 2016!"

Baby Announcement Picture

The beginning of December is when we got our 20 week ultrasound and found out its a little boy joining our family.  We were thrilled!  But really, I would have been happy either way, but I'm very pleased I don't have to worry about doing girls hair.  I'm sure I'll have to figure it out one day, but that's one thing I really don't look forward to.  I do bare minimum with mine cause I hate styling hair so bad!  But anyway, I really didn't care to do some big gender reveal party like so many do.  I wasn't blessed with a cutesy, crafty gift, so simplicity is the route I take!!  So this is the little announcement we threw together and selfie'd a picture of after the ultrasound.

It's A Boy!!

And this is our little guy posing for us.

First Blog Post!

I've finally decided to give in and start a blog.  I guess now that Jared and I are expecting our first little one, it seems like a good idea and good way to do some basic journaling for the fam.  I don't know where to start, so I suppose I'll do a run down of mine and Jerry's journey together so far.

How We Met/Our Dating Life/Marriage

So in March of 2013 I was hanging out at my parent's house after work and Heidi started telling me about the new raging app Tinder.  Basically a new form of online dating, just much quicker, and actually more superficial, but it was in iphone app form.  I was super opposed to it when she first told, but after some convincing and her telling me how she'd been on it for a day and had three dates lined up for the weekend, I figured what the heck, everyone seems to be doing it right now, what do I have to lose.  I certainly can't say I signed up even with the thought of meeting a potential spouse, but I thought it might be a fun social app and way to meet some new people and expand my social horizon I guess.  So that evening I just kind of lounged around and began 'swiping' away.  If my memory serves me right, it was that first evening of my Tinder membership that Jared and I got 'matched' meaning we had both swiped like to each other's profile.  We started messaging back and forth and set up a lunch date at Zupa's for just a couple of days later.  I thought he was really cute, was getting close to graduating from the MAC program at BYU so I was stoked to see a man that was actually doing something with his life (this was my biggest complaint with the dating world prior, all sorts of nice guys that just had no motivation or drive in life.  Yuck!)  So Jared and I met up at Zupa's on Thursday for lunch and conversation was great, I thought he was really good looking, and again, he was doing something and going somewhere with his life, he had goals, he was motivated, it was simply amazing and so attractive to me!!  Apparently I had said a few of the right things too cause he asked me out for a second date!  I was very interested in Jared really quickly, I can't remember if it was after our first or second date, but I deleted Tinder from my phone within probably a week of getting it cause I was really interested in and wanted to pursue Jared and didn't feel the need to go out and meet other guys.  Jared had a date lined up and went out with one other girl either Thursday evening or the next day on Friday, but I think he was kind of in the same boat and put Tinder on hold to get to know me better.  Our second date was bowling and s'mores.  But it wasn't any bowling and s'mores.  Jared had a bowling ball and a few bowling pins, so we went to the underground parking lot at Glenwood and bowled down the little ramp leading into it.  After bowling, he laid a blanket out down there in the parking garage and we roasted mini marshmallows with chocolate chips and teddy grahams over a little rubbing alcohol fire in a dish and we just talked the night away.  I had a blast, which if you ask my family, they were blown away because normally I would be goobered out by such a 'zoobie style' date like this.  They knew I was clearly very interested in Mr. Roho if a date like this didn't cheese me out.  But I loved it!  On our third or fourth date Jared invited me to be his date for the Y Awards coming up a couple weeks later.  This took me by surprise, but also really excited me that he was asking me to such a big event in the future like that.  It showed me how interested he really was, cause I sure felt the same way!  The Y Awards are for BYU athletes and there are all sorts of individual and team awards.  Jared's cross country team was up for an award which they won, it was the Men's Team of the Year.  So that was fun to see him be a part of that.  But even more honoring was that Jared was nominated for the Floyd Johnson Service Award.  He was nominated for his role as President of the Cougar Council and for organizing the first student athlete career night.  This was just another thing about Jared that I loved, always going above and beyond what is required of him.  We had a really fun night there and it was exciting getting to dress up extra nice for an evening to recognizing his greatness. :)  Jared and I had our first kiss on Easter.  Jared had been out of town for a track meet and got home pretty late.  I really wanted to see him, so I put together a little Easter basket and took it over to him (another thing that blew my family away cause it was so out of character for me).  Jared came out to my car cause I was just dropping it off and in return for the gift he gave me the sweet gift of a smooch.  I was ecstatic.
The month of May was approaching and I was a little nervous cause I was leaving town for almost the whole month for a trip to Europe.  I was really liking Jared and knew he was liking me, but this early in a relationship I was worried his interest in me would fade while I was gone for so long.  It was right before I headed out of town that I came home from another great date with Jared and realized I was in love.  I remember being in my room weirded out and giddy and almost emotional realizing how crazy about this guy I was and how badly I hoped these weeks away wouldn't affect our relationship negatively.  I ended up making a little card with a treat or something simple for Jared to open each day I was gone.  Fortunately, we were able to FaceTime a fair amount and Jared was so busy studying for the CPA exams and cranking those out at a ridiculous rate, that I think it probably worked out for the best.  Distance makes the heart grow fonder, ya know.  And Jared was able to focus and cruise through those dreaded exams like a champ!  So it was the very end of April that I realized I was in love with Jared, but that was not something I was ready to be the first to say.  Jared came with my family on our Lake Powell trip in June, and it was there that he finally came to the realization that he loved me.  So we had a super romantic evening up on the houseboat under the beautiful starlit sky when he told me he loved me and I finally got to confess that I loved him!  Pretty sure he already knew I loved him, I finally got to say it out loud.  We had a great summer together.  Took a trip out to San Diego where his sister lives, did a lot of fun things around town, and then took another trip to Lake Powell in August with my family.

The night I knew I was in love with Jared


The day Jared told me he loved me down in Lake Powell


Loving on my cowboy


Just one of our amazing dates together.  This is after he danced with me, which is a really big deal to get Jerry out on the dance floor!  I was thrilled!!!



So I always thought I would date a guy for a year before marrying him cause I still believe that people get stuck in a visionary phase and it takes a while to see through clear eyes rather than twitterpated eyes to see a person's true character.  But I think with the years of dating and being slightly older, for the Mormon world that is, I just really knew that Jared was the man for me and that I wanted to spend forever with him.  So I have this idea in mind that we're both done with school, we're 25/26 years old, we've experienced enough to see what we truly want in life and from a partner, so what are we waiting around for.  And I totally thought Jared was right there with me and the topic of marriage was bound to be coming up soon.  Well, we're down at Lake Powell and me, Jared, my mom, and Raelyn Woolley are chatting and Jared starts talking all excited about this housing contract that he signed and what a great deal it is and that spring/summer was so cheap.  That's spring/summer of the next year!  My mom and Raelyn instantly look at each other thinking, whoa, he's talking about his housing contract with his bros a year from know and Angie's thinking marriage.  I too was completely blown away and instantly flipped into biotch mode!  Poor Jerry was clueless as to what was happening and why I was so ornery!  Later that day or the next day, my mom and I were chatting on the boat when Jared was out tubing and she threw out the idea of me going through the temple with my brother Cameron that had just got his mission call.  I really hadn't even thought about going through the temple prior to this until I got married but when she suggested it, it soaked in and I set up an interview with my bishop the day we got home.  I met with my bishop and he was stoked on the idea.  I realized I probably should share my plans with Jared.  So the day after my interview, I was over helping Jared move out of his apartment- he was moving home for a week or two before moving into the house with all his bros.  So I told him my plan and that I had talked to the bishop and he was all for it.  Jared's initial response was a bit confusing to me.  It was like he was trying to fake a smile and be excited for me.  But he quickly explained that he was just confused and had imagined himself being the one to take me through the temple for the first time when we got married.  What a relief, he actually had been thinking about marrying me!!  So we of course then started talking about when we would possibly get married and it turns out he never actually had plans of staying in the house through the following spring/summer, he was just excited about the great deal for...I guess I still don't know why he was so excited about a deal he never planned on actually using.  Whatever.  Long story short, Cameron was heading on mission October 9th, April was coming home from her mission mid December so there was no way I was going to get married while they were both gone, can't have two siblings missing from my wedding!  Well neither Jerry nor I wanted a winter wedding and I had no interest to wait till the following spring, so that meant it had to be before October 9th, less than two months away!  So crazy as it was, we did it!  Jared officially proposed to me on August 27th and it was magical.  We had planned to hike up past the Y so we headed out on that venture.  When we started the hike it was beautiful, but as we were making our way up the mountain some gnarly storm clouds were rolling in quickly.  Soon after we passed the Y to keep going to our destination, it started raining.  Well, I love a warm rainy day!  So we kept on going and the rain drops kept getting bigger and bigger and it was turning out to be quite the downpour!  I was still absolutely loving it though!  We could see the big boulder/look out where we were headed and there were a couple people there.  With the rain and everything I couldn't really make them out, but I also wasn't really trying to.  At one point I remember hearing the guy laugh and it reminded me of Cameron's laugh, but I didn't think much of it.  When we were turning a corner to approach it, suddenly Devin comes bolting at us, basically running into us, sees us and runs back.  I obviously knew something was up then.  So then I look up to where we're going and Cameron, Adam, and Devin are standing there drenched and laughing like a bunch of buffoons.  Jared took me up there and got down on his knee and proposed.  Cameron snapped a few pics and the three of them were out of there running back down the mountain to get out of the rain!  Jared and I staid up there for a while and he showed me what it was supposed to look like, the boys had used the cloth that should have been laid out as shelter to the rain, the flower petals were drenched, the bouquet of my favorite flowers was off to the side, music should have been playing, and the boys were supposed to be hiding and secretly taking pics.  I would not have changed how it turned out for anything!  I absolutely love that it was a ridiculous downpour and we were soaking wet!  I love that my goofy brothers had used the display as shelter.  And I love that Jared still found a way to make it so romantic and perfect!  So, we got a wedding all planned and six weeks later we were husband and wife!  It's totally crazy, but I wouldn't change it!  Plus the fact that I had very little interest in being involved in the wedding planning made it much easier.  I told the wedding planner what colors I like and kind of the feel I was looking for, picked a location, and turned it all over to her!  Dress shopping was easy, I just wanted to rent a dress, so we headed over to Pamela's, I tried on my dress and liked it and would have walked out right then, but my mom told me I should try a couple more, so I tried on two more and said nope, let's do the first one, and I was out of there!  Jared was a good planner, a few years prior in one of his singles ward they had done an auction.  A member in his bishopric was a goldsmith and auctioned an engagement ring at cost.  So Jared auctioned on that and paid about $300 to get any custom made engagement ring completely at cost.  I actually never thought I would get a diamond ring, I just wanted to spend a minimal amount and get a pretty sapphire or something, but I figured if I was getting it at cost, I may as well go with a diamond.  I sure do love my ring!  Due to the short engagement, I had a loaner ring for several weeks and then got my ring about 2 weeks prior to the marriage.  Our wedding day went wonderfully.  We were lucky enough to be able to have all of our family (except April who was in Russia on a mission) there even on such short notice.  It meant a lot to us cause I know it wasn't easy for everyone to get work off to come out.

The proposal and the downpour that made it extra spectacular to me.


The night I received my endowments.


My 'white trash bridal bash' my coworkers threw.


We were sealed in the Provo Temple on a nice Tuesday morning, random right.  This is cause the weekend before Cameron leaving on a mission was General Conference so the temples were closed and I just couldn't do it any earlier!  So we did Tuesday October 8, 2013.  The day before Cam left on his mission.  So the sealing was that morning.  Random note about that, the temple had a bit of a moth infestation so the temple curtains were seriously filled with moths and when we were taking pictures outside afterward, I found a moth trapped under the lace of my dress.  So random, but Jerry and I loved it, such a unique and bizarre memory.  We had our luncheon at La Jolla Groves in the Riverwoods and it was delicious.  Then that evening our reception was at Coleman Studios in Provo.  It was a busy day, but it was magical.  My only regret was that I didn't try any of the food we had at the reception.  People had even given me the advice to pack some up to take with us for after the reception, but with the business, I didn't even think about it.  Oh well.

Bridals


First pic after we got sealed!


Jared and his groomsmen.


Me and my bridesmaids.


That night we stayed up at Johnson Mill Bed and Breakfast in Midway.  It was such a beautiful place.  Then we came back the next day, went with my family to drop Cam off at the MTC, and then flew out to Aruba that afternoon.  We had a great time in Aruba.  I had made Jared get scuba certified, so we did a couple days of diving and a whole lot of beach time while we were there.  I think it was the perfect place for a honeymoon.