We're HERE!!!

Well folks, we are SO HAPPY to finally be in Indiana!  We left last Monday (4/27) to drive down to my parent's house in Alpine, UT so that we could see them one last time before heading East.  After spending the night there and eating breakfast as a family, we left Tuesday morning for the first leg of the trip.  It's about 1600 miles from Alpine to Indianapolis, and Ross really wanted to cover about 1,000 miles the first day.  I figured that he would be driving most of the way anyway, so I let him do what he could do.  We ended up pulling into Salina, Kansas around 1 am and we were SO TIRED!  It took quite a bit longer to get there because we started losing air in one of our tires and had to stop several times to fill up the tire.  It was stressing both of us out because we thought the leak stemmed from my accident a while back (sliding perpendicular across the highway wore down my tires a bit...).  Ross woke up early the next morning to take the car to a shop (thank goodness for GPS!  We were in the middle of nowhere!), and they were able to fix the tire because we had only run over a nail.  PHEW!  We were VERY happy that it wasn't anything worse than a nail, although the guys did tell Ross that we should replace all 4 tires, and it would only cost us $650.00.  I DON'T THINK SO!  The tires might have been worn down a little from the accident, but we definitely did NOT need to replace all of them.  I think those guys were just bored and wanted to make a quick buck.  Anyway, back to the journey...

We left Salina after Ross came back with the fixed tire, and we hit a torrential downpour just outside of Topeka.  It was scary!  We turned the radio on to listen to the road report, and they were calling for flash floods in the exact area where we were driving.  There was standing water on the freeway simply because the rain was coming down so fast and so hard that it couldn't drain off the road fast enough.  We drove through the rain for about an hour, but after that we enjoyed rainless weather for the rest of the day:)  The only detour we made was to Independence, Missouri.  We hadn't ever seen the church historical sites there, and since it was so close to the freeway we decided to stop.  It was fun talking to the Sister Missionaries at the Visitor's Center, and I actually ran into a few who know some of the same people I know.  There were quite a few who spoke Spanish, so I took the opportunity to practice my Espanol.  And there was one Sister whose younger sister is leaving next month for her Spanish speaking mission to Anaheim, California!  My mission!  It was awesome to feel their beautiful spirits, and it was by far my favorite part of the trip:)

We finally pulled into Indianapolis around 10:30 on Wednesday night, and I was SO ready to get into our apartment and SLEEP.  HOWEVER, our apartment had been used as the "back up" apartment for when others had arrived and their apartments weren't ready yet.  I didn't really care that other people had stayed there before us, but because the keys had been passed around so much between several people, nobody knew where the keys were... THUS, we couldn't get into our apartment.  I wanted to cry.  BUT, our friend Chris (the sales manager) reserved a hotel room for us nearby and we were able to get some rest Wednesday night.  It felt GREAT to sleep in and take our time getting ready Thursday morning, and by the time we got back to the apartment complex, the leasing office had made us a copy of our key.  We have an awesome 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a balcony that overlooks a lake.  It has a washer and dryer in a separate utility room right off the kitchen, and a cute little fireplace and mantle:)  And now that we have the internet set up in the apartment, life is pretty much complete!  I don't have pictures yet, but I will soon!  Ross shadowed some installs for the first 2 days, and now he has a few of his own installs under his belt.  It's amazing the stuff he's learning!  He'll be able to wire just about anything by the time this summer is over with!  As for me, I've been setting up house and getting things underway for having this little baby boy of ours.  There's an awesome hospital called St.Vincent Carmel Hospital, and not only is my insurance accepted there, but it is highly recommended in this area.  And it's less than 10 miles away!  Ross' manager's wife is a friend of mine, and she wants to go with me on Monday to take a look at the facility.  I have a good feeling about it, so now I just have to find a doctor!  Gabey is growing and his kicks are getting powerful enough that they sometimes throw me off balance.  He still gets the hiccups multiple times a day, and when he stretches I can feel pressure on both my bladder and my ribs.  It isn't the most comfortable thing I've ever felt, but I just love this little man!  I love feeling him move inside me, and we can't wait to have him with us.  Ross and I think that Gabey will look like his daddy, but that he'll have my eyes.  It's just a guess, but we'll know for sure in 8 short weeks!  The time is flying by and we can't wait to hold our little Baby Gabe!  

We are loving Indiana and it reminds us so much of our Virginia home.  We're having to re-acclimate to the humidity, but we are L-O-V-I-N-G the green lushness of this area!  Overall, life is good and we are blessed!  

*T

1 down, infinity to go...

I can't believe it's been a year... time flies when you're having fun!  Here's a glimpse back to some memories from April 19th, 2008:

Today has been a wonderful day of reflection as I've thought back on the memories of this last year.  Ross and I were married a year ago today, and the time has FLOWN by.  It seems like it was just yesterday that we were sealed in the temple for time and eternity, and now we're here... 2 apartments, 1 house, 6 jobs, and a pregnancy later:)  Baby Gabe has the hiccups (for the 3rd time today) as I write this, and I wish I could say that my sweet husband was sitting next to me with his hand on my stomach.  However, Ross is 3,000 miles to the northeast, sharing music and the gospel with the people of Alaska.  He is with BYU-I's Collegiate Singers, and they left last Monday for their choir tour.  They'll be gone for 2 weeks, so I have another week to go before Ross comes home.  But he's been extra wonderful today, calling when he can to wish me a Happy Anniversary and just to talk.  In fact, as soon as they finished singing at a youth fireside tonight, Ross had a bunch of the Young Women from the Wasilla, AK stake yell out to me "Happy Anniversary from Alaska!".  It's been hard to be away from him (especially being pregnant, celebrating our first anniversary AND his birthday apart from each other, and trying to prepare for our move to Indiana next week), but I know that he is having some amazing experiences, seeing some beautiful sights, and sharing his wonderful musical talent.  Thank goodness Verizon doesn't charge extra for roaming when calls and texts are in the same network!  I made sure to clear that up before he'd been gone too long... we definitely didn't want to end up with a horrendous phone bill at the end of the month! 

Anyway, here's to our First Anniversary:)  I love every day that Ross and I are together.  Like Ross said to me, "we've had some good times, but we've really had some GREAT times."  Every day I learn from his optimism, his pure heart, his thirst for knowledge, and his caring and forgiving attitude.  He truly makes me a better person, and he is the absolute light of my life.  He doesn't just make me happy... he fills me with joy.  I am forever grateful for his patience (that has been 18 years in the making when it comes to dealing with me), his hard work, and the sweet love he shares with me, his eternal companion.  We really were meant for each other.  

So babes, Happy First:)  I miss you.  Te quiero mas que las estrellas de los cielos.  

*T

a not-so-bedtime story

We have had some crazy busy weekends these last few weeks, and I'm starting to think I could make the drive from Rexburg to Alpine with my eyes closed.  That obviously would be a bad idea, so I won't do it, but it reminds me of a time when I almost DIED a few weeks ago.  So that's where I'll start:) 

There are times when Ross gets a little behind on schoolwork, which happens to most college students (especially crazy-busy music majors).  Well, a few weeks ago I decided to take a trip to visit my family and give Ross the opportunity (i.e. time, space, freedom, etc.) to catch up on everything.  I left Rexburg in the afternoon to give myself plenty of time to get to Utah without it getting dark.  Well, I was less than 2 miles south of Rexburg and had just passed a pocket of traffic (including a semi-truck) when I made the mistake of looking down at my console to make sure I had my cell phone within reach.  I don't know how it happened, but the next thing I know I'm halfway off the road and into the median.  I remember thinking to myself "don't overcorrect, don't overcorrect!", but my first reaction was to pull my car back onto the road.  I had just barely set my cruise control at 70 mph, and it wasn't until I (involuntarily) jerked the wheel to the right that I hit the brakes.  My car (a Honda CR-V) squealed across both lanes on Highway 20, hit the right shoulder, and I frantically tried to gain control of the car.  I ended up overcorrecting again, sending my small SUV flying back across both lanes and into the median.  I am SO THANKFUL for my car... had it been any other SUV, I would've rolled it.  I know it sounds dramatic, but the first police officer to the scene actually saw it happen.  He said that when I hit the median the 2nd time, I had two wheels in the air and was sliding sideways down the highway.  He thought that I was going to roll the car when I hit the median, so he was very surprised when I landed with all four wheels on the ground.  All I remember is that before the two wheels went into the air, I was looking down the highway out of the passenger window.  That's how far my wheels were turned.  I think it was also a blessing that the snow had just melted on the median, so the dirt was softer and more squishy and it actually helped to keep me from rolling.  I've never been uncontrollably hysterical before, but I think it took about a nanosecond for my body to go into complete freak out mode.  I started to shake all over, I couldn't breathe without wheezing, and I started to cry.  My first reaction was to call Ross, and because I was so hysterical, he thought I'd had a REALLY bad car accident.  I barely had time to tell him where I was before a nice cowboy in a pickup pulled off the road to make sure I was okay, and then the cop pulled up (the one who saw it happen).  The cop noticed that I was literally clutching my belly, so he asked if I was pregnant.  When I said yes, he called an ambulance to make sure I was okay and that I hadn't hurt the baby.  All I could tell him was that my sunglasses were on before I lost control, and by the time the car stopped in the middle of the median, they were on the floor.  They wanted to check my head and my vitals, and they also did a belly check to make sure everything was okay.  Poor Ross... by the time he got to where I was, there were 3 cop cars, an ambulance, and a fire truck (a LITTLE over the top, but that's how they do it).  He sat and rubbed my hand while they checked my blood pressure (which went from 130/96 down to 117/80 by the time I could get my breathing under control), and I've gotta give him props for staying so calm.  After confirming that all was well, including Baby Gabe, I shook the hands of the men who helped me and walked back to my car.  Ross put his arms around me as we were walking and said "I just wanna hold you for a second."  We both realized how close of a call this really was... according to the police officer, this could have been a very bad accident.  Ross followed me back to Rexburg so we could take the car to the shop (it was making a grinding sound when I'd turn left), but other than cleaning out LOTS and LOTS of dirt and gravel from the wheel wells, they only had to replace part of the axle that was bent.  Did I mention that I love my car???  Not only did it literally save my life, but it held up pretty nicely considering it took a pretty good beating.  

Anyway, Ross and I now think twice before taking our eyes off the road.  Unfortunately, it took this incident to shake me up and make me realize the importance of staying alert ALL the time.  I looked down for a second, but it only took that second for me to lose control of my car.  So, as my plea to all who read this, please keep your eyes on the road.  Don't look down, DON'T TEXT, don't allow yourself to get distracted.  You can't afford to take your eyes off the road!  Believe me, I KNOW.  Please, just be smart when you drive!  

*T  

time to catch up

Time to catch you up with some pictures!  Some of these are from Valentine's Day, but what the hey.  I have to brag about my husband's amazing culinary skills somehow!  But first... (and sorry if these are facebook repeats for some of you...)

Baby Gabe is growing!  24 weeks down, 16ish weeks to go (Van Leeuwen babies tend to come late).

Mom got me a maternity dress and I LOVE it!  So comfy! 

Here's little Gabey at about 21 weeks.  It's a profile shot, so you can see his little nose and mouth.  So cute!

Here's what my sweet hubby had prepared for me when I woke up on Valentine's Day... I wasn't nearly as excited about the contents of the gift bags as I was about that crepe!  Just LOOK at that thing!  It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!

BYU-Idaho's Collegiate Singers heart-attacked Brother Kempton's truck WHILE it was in his garage.  This choir director didn't know what to think (he's the one hanging out the driver's side sporting the peace sign).  It was supposed to be a surprise, but we couldn't help but make our presence known:)  I was there as moral support since I'm just a choir alumnus (but Ross is in the choir), and it was so fun to be a part of this crazy night! 

Ross has been busy with opera this last week.  He's in 3 different opera scenes, and their performances started last night.  He has a concert tonight and then again on Monday, and both of us are excited for him to perform but SO READY for it to be over!  He's doing amazing things with his voice and he sounds better than ever.  He's also quite the comedian up on stage, and it's fun to watch him engage the audience.  I really miss performing, but I know that my calling now is to be a mom and not a diva.  And I've never felt Baby Gabe move so much as the times when we're either at one of Ross's concerts or sitting in on choir rehearsal!  This baby's bound to be a musician!  

Although the snow is finally melting and the roads are clear, Spring hasn't quite reached Rexburg yet.  It's still in the freezing temperatures, and I think there's snow somewhere in our 10-day forecast.  Our move to Indiana is only 6 weeks away, and the longer the cold lingers around Rexburg, the more excited I am to get outta here!  We love Southeastern Idaho, but it's been a long winter and we're ready to be warm!  Plus, the sooner we get to Indiana, the sooner I can find a doctor... and then we'll be all set to go to have little Gabey:)  Life is good!  

*T

A productive morning

Well, I guess I should say that it all started last night.  After making a yummy dinner for Ross and I (buffet burritos), I set out to clean up the kitchen so I wouldn't start my Monday with dirty dishes and a messy counter.  Doing the dishes really wouldn't seem like much, but we don't have a dishwasher and our sink is TINY.  Ross, being the wonderful man and husband that he is, did most of the dishes while I disinfected countertops and dried and put away the clean dishes.  I sometimes get on a roll once cleaning has started, and I want to conquer the cleaning empire before I sit down... which might have been the case last night, but Ross pulled me onto the couch so we could relax and spend the evening together.  Luckily, when I woke up this morning I found that this desire to conquer was still thriving:)  I'm taking a break for this first time since breakfast simply because I'm proud of what I've done today and I want to blog about it!  So here's what I've conquered so far:

* cleaned the breakfast dishes and disinfected once again (the only thing I'm kinda OCD about)

* did 3 loads of laundry and put clothes away

* sewed a button back onto my church coat

* wiped down the front side of the kitchen cabinets and the stove... it's amazing to see how dirty those can get until you clean them and see how sparkly they are!

* cleaned/disinfected some fridge shelves and reorganized/cleaned out food in the fridge

* made the bed, picked up around the bedroom

* organized our pantry

* kissed my husband when he came home from class (I know this shouldn't really count, but it's important)   :-)

Now it's time for lunch, but after that we'll see what else I can get done today!  Life is great, Baby Gabe is growing and KICKING, and it's March!  That means Spring should be coming soon... I hope :)

*T

another week gone by...

Life has gone by fast in the last 7 days.  After saying goodbye to Mom and Dad in the hospital parking lot after we found out that Baby Gabe is not Baby Genevieve, we started what was to be a pretty busy week.  Well, Ross' life is always hectic as an upper level music student, so I guess I just felt busier than usual:)  I was able to substitute twice last week for a 5th grade class at Madison Middle, which I've come to realize is ALWAYS an adventure.  Day 2 was easier than day 1 since I already knew the schedule, the kids, the routine, etc., but I will admit that 5th graders are quite animated little creatures.  And I KNOW FOR A FACT that discipline in the classroom is up to the teacher.  Mrs.Mitchell is supposedly a pretty strict teacher, and I could tell the difference between this class and the first class I taught (totally out of control, no discipline, etc).  As a substitute, I'll take a strict teacher any day!  The kids just know how to listen better, they follow directions, and they DO THEIR WORK.  When a teacher is a good teacher, their substitute is very grateful!!!

I am also teaching 2 voice students, and in the last week I've had 4 more students/parents show a lot of interest in starting lessons.  3 of them are girls from our ward who I know from Young Womens, and the 4th was a referral from a fellow voice teacher.  So I hope to add them to my schedule before too long!  

Here are a few pictures we've taken this last week:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Baby Gabe and Mommy, 19 1/2 weeks

Our gorgeous temple on a foggy/snowy evening. We love it here. 

Okay, I went with Mom and Dad to Walmart so they could re-stock our pantry (thanks guys!)  We spent the highest percentage of time in the fiber aisle so that the 'rents could make a decision as to which fiber supplement was best.  They ended up going with the Equate brand...

Pops found the elastic headbands and tried them on, although they're usually used when one actually has hair ;)

So life is good here in Rexburg, though it is cold, snowy, and windy.  It's about 16 degrees outside at the present moment and the wind usually drops the temperature several degrees.  But we're happy, healthy, and staying warm (when we're inside)!  This will be our first Valentine's Day as a still-completely-in-love married couple, so there's another to celebrate life!  Hope all is well with all of you!

*T  

Moment of Truth!

Well, as many of you know, yesterday was a BIG day for us.  My parents came up from Utah on Sunday, we ate some yummy food and watched a lil' football, and although I took a Unisom (doctor prescribed for the nausea) at midnight on Sunday, I was awake at 6:30 yesterday morning.  I was so excited to finally find out what was going on with my little butter bean that I was like a kid on Christmas morning!  After breakfast with mom and dad, we did a little grocery shopping and restocked the pantry (which was awesome, parentals!  THANK YOU!).  I was giddier with every passing hour (waiting til my 3 pm appointment was not easy!), and I don't know if I've ever been so insistent to leave so EARLY for an appointment.  And to test my patience even more, the ultrasound technician had to take an emergency patient who showed up in the ER and we had to wait another hour before she could see us (which was okay because we didn't exactly have an emergency).  Our technician, Jessica, was awesome and she really knew her stuff!  It amazed all of us when she pointed out Baby's kidneys, the four chambers of the heart, the two halves of the brain... incredible stuff!  And then came the moment of truth... Jessica stood up and, using the little wand thing like a microphone, smiled and said... 

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

I could NOT believe it!  I really thought I was having a little girl!  It seriously took me a while to wrap my head around it, but we are SO EXCITED!   We could not be happier to have little Gabriel Ross on the way.  I was actually relieved to see him wiggling around so much because I haven't felt him move since last week.  In fact, he was so active that it took the tech longer than normal to get a reading of his heartbeat just because he wouldn't sit still!  He was kicking, waving, and rolling around all over the place.  It was such a neat experience to see him.  And the interesting thing was that I had a Braxton Hicks contraction during the ultrasound and we could SEE the contraction!  Like I said, Jessica was awesome.  Not only could she see every little thing, but she explained it to us and showed us exactly what we were supposed to be seeing.  Right now, Gabe is about 5 inches long and weighs 8 ounces... so he's got QUITE a bit of growing to do:)  And Jessica said that his growth shows a due date of July 3rd.  So there's a possibility that we could have an Independence Day baby!  We'll just have to see what happens!

Other than that, I had my first lesson with another voice student and got a referral today for someone looking for a voice teacher.  And I'll be substituting for the next 2 days at the middle school, so I'm staying busy!  Ross is, of course, busier than ever and just trying to stay on top of it all.  He finally admitted that he secretly wanted a boy all along, so although he's a busy man, he's excited to have a son!  

Life is great!

*T