Almost the End and A New Beginning

First and foremost I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, Hanukkah or any other holiday that you may celebrate this time of year. I know we had a nice quiet one which will probably be our last quiet one for possibly the rest of our lives. 

We are at an odd place in life right now. As of last week I have graduated with my Bachelors in Photography and as you can see just about ready to explode. 

I am so grateful for an incredibly patient husband, as these last 2 semesters have been a roller coaster ride between morning sickness and other pregnancy adventures and finishing up my degree. Garett graduated in July so he was working and waiting for me to finish these last few months. I could not have survived all of this without him. 

Also to my dear parents whom invested greatly in me and always pushed me to work hard. I thank them. They have always supported me in doing what I love and have encouraged me to try new things. I owe them more than I'll ever be able to repay in my lifetime.

We loved getting to spend time with them this past weekend and were sad that we couldn't be there for Christmas. 

Regardless we had a wonderful Christmas. Below is my phenomenal homemade, personalized stocking made by Cathie, Garett's mom. (Just fyi Cathie I absolutely love this! You can ask Garett, I was dancing around the house for joy when I got this in the mail. Thank you for working incredibly hard on this for me! It means the world to me). All the Bonds kids had stockings like these and I think it is the coolest tradition ever.

This year it was just the 2 of us in Idaho. We decided to stay in town, being that baby boy's due date is in 2 weeks and I would hate to be stuck in another state when he arrives.

Garett made our Christmas loads of fun by jumping out of bed yelling "It's Christmas!" and dancing around the house. We of course had to be wearing our Christmas pajamas and start with the stockings. Garett pushed the couch out of the way so we could reach the presents easier and then proceeded to dump out his stocking on the floor. His facial expressions were priceless and though we are not quite parents yet, he had enough excitement for us and 3 of our unborn children. 

 It was nice to have one little Christmas to ourselves, but of course we missed out family that is spread over the country. 

We got to enjoy the rest of the day with our friends Bryton and Ron. We had brunch at our place where Garett cooked up a storm and then enjoyed a fantastic Christmas dinner made by Bryton. We were definitely stuffed full with delicious foods for Christmas. It was really nice to be able to share the day with our friends and enjoy some great company. (Thanks for sharing your Christmas day with us Bryton and Ron!)

 Rexburg also did not disappoint as it gave us almost a foot of snow for a beautiful white Christmas. Up until now Rexburg has been unusually warm and you could still see the grass on Christmas eve day. Literally overnight we got this beautiful blanket. I am grateful I didn't have to deal with this during the semester and it was nice timing to have it during the break. I would have been sad if our first and last Christmas in Rexburg was snowless. 

Now I am 38 weeks pregnant (below is at 37) and kind of just waiting.

It's weird waiting to become a parent, to bring a child into this world. I think it is finally feeling real that he can come whenever he wants now. Part of me wants him asap and part of me is content with waiting awhile longer (probably the insanity of having to actually give birth to another human being plays a part in that). I am both thrilled and terrified on a daily basis.

It is also strange to think we are basically done with Rexburg. I have had a wonderful 4 years here and 3 of them with Garett. I have truly grown to love this town as it has become my home. It is where so much of my life changed for the better. I have met some incredible people here over the years including my amazing husband Garett and some of our dearest friends. It is where our story began. It is about to be the beginning of our little family and it will always be dear to me.

Now we are starting a new chapter. 

We are about to have a baby boy, to become parents.

Our lives are about to change forever.

We are working on figuring out where we want to go for grad school.

Everything is about to change and I am sitting on the edge of the cliff waiting.

It seems rare that we get to hold on and savor the turning points in our lives.

Often they happen suddenly without warning, for better or worse.

So here I am waiting, waiting for this new chapter to begin, for everything to change.

I guess I should count it as a blessing that I get to be in this place and take it all in.

It is exciting, terrifying, thrilling, overwhelming and incredible.

I am grateful for an amazing husband to share in this adventure with.

I'm grateful to our family and friends that have supported us in everything we have decided to do and are always cheering us on.

This new road is coming and knowing that I have the greatest support from the most incredible people gives me peace. 

I know it will be a new and challenging road, but I also know it will all be okay. 

I am blessed beyond reason and know that when tomorrow comes I will welcome it with open arms.

Here's to new beginnings and with the new year, will come a new road and a new adventure.

Thank you all for being a part of it. 

I love you all and wish you the best in this coming year.

May it be filled with great and marvelous joys and experiences.

-Megan

And We're Having.....

A SWEET BABY BOY!

We found out the gender of our sweet baby on Thursday.

The night before I didn't sleep a wink because I feel like I've been waiting forever and couldn't wait another minute longer. I'm at 21 1/2 weeks which isn't really past the range for finding out gender but I've been ready to know for a long time.We no longer have to call him an "it" which is a great feeling.

The appointment went well. He started out asleep head up which was perfect for the doctor to get all the pictures of his brain and make sure everything looked normal. Sadly that was all he stayed asleep for and began being very wiggly.

Below is his bum and cute little legs.

You can't look at these feet and not sigh in awe! Are they not the sweetest???

When it was time to find out his gender he was not shy at all. By time we were ready to find out he had flipped over completely with his bum in the air.

Before the doctor even said his gender we saw it. He was not shy even a little.

It was pretty surreal to find out his gender and is only now starting to kick in.

Speaking of kicking he is a VERY VERY VERY energetic little boy!

He loves to kick and wiggle any time he is awake.

His little head, not quite sucking his thumb.

Gosh I'm in love with that little guy!

He has a strange idea of comfortable positions, I think he gets is from me.

If only I could be that flexible.

We're so thrilled to have him in our lives.

Already Garett, my mom and a friend of mine have gotten to feel him move.

It's a fun sensation to know he's there listening to my voice and growing stronger everyday. 

As for names we are far from making a dent.

In my baby book of names I've only gotten through the C's without much luck. 

Luckily we have time.

My mom came up this weekend to help us move and in doing so was able to help us get the crib set up and his nursery is slowly coming together little by little. 

I never thought a little boy less than a pound that I haven't even technically met yet could change my world so much. We really are happy beyond compare and it's only growing everyday.

He will be the first great-grandson Bonds for Grandpa Royce and the first grandson Bonds for Garett's parents. Their name-sake shall continue on!

As always we're grateful for all the support from our friends and family and we'll keep you updated as our little boy gets bigger.

-Megan

A Year In Review

I know this is slightly late, but hey at least it is not February yet.

I decided to take a look back over 2011 to see what I have learned and experienced.

I spent my first off track semester in NC where I got to spend time with old friends.

Start a work out habit.

Enjoyed a RIDICULOUSLY warm winter.

Ate some new food, invested in warm clothes.

Stocked up on important things like magnets and mugs.

Did TONS of puzzles with my dear mother.

Jumped in puddles and watched Aaron get his braces off.

Also on my off track I got a new phone.

Tried having bangs for a little while.

Spent quality time with some adorable boys.

Ate WAY too many doughnuts.

Learned a little about Japanese characters.

Ate more food and discovered cupcake piggy banks. 

(Please say that 10 times fast!)

I finished off my off track after working as a smoothie make/cashier at the YMCA

and headed to Utah for a week.

During that time I had many discoveries.

I learned of AMAZING Mexican food (Cafe Rio) and amazing Thai food!

I discovered Cheerwine Popsicles, Just Dance for Wii and that playing in colored powder was truly as awesome as I dreamed it would be. 

There is nothing like sneezing purple for 3 days and watching Koolaid colored water cover the tub from washing your hair.

I learned I hate living alone for a week

and enjoyed General Conference with my siblings.

Spring semester was an unknown blessing.

I met one of my best friends Nikki and played dress up with her. 

I learned to sew.

My mother enjoyed sending me Easter stuff.

I moved to the 3rd floor of my complex.

We enjoyed Sunday Night Desserts and I had some awesome roommates.

I got addicted to cheese 

and saw the tallest stack of mountain dew cans I have EVER seen.

I learned that peeps are meant to be burned to death.

That blankets and water balloons make for great adventures.

NEVER do the cinnamon challenge

or the whipped cream game in doors. 

Supported my semi-apartment volleyball team

and met some awesome people.

Finishing up my spring semester:

I met some fairies,

cut my hair off,

wore a giant diaper,

was a model for a day,

ripped my favorite jeans,

met a cute puppy named Moose,

climbed a building,

painted myself,

conducted a surprise party

and took lots of walks.

While at home I played and enjoyed a little TOO much the summer rain 

and learned to spray paint

In the summer I said goodbye for now to my best friends in NC,

said goodbye to my hometown

and ate MORE Krispy Kream.

Back to school I played Glow-In-The-Dark Hide-N-Go-Seek.

Learned you CAN freeze eggs, 

saw the best fireworks show of my entire life

and spent quality time with my best friend Rachel.

On a side note, through out the year I started doing photo shoots for friends and clients.

I got to work with some amazing young men and women and for various reasons.

I have to say my work is improving constantly.

And to wrap up my year,

I learned to be gansta (Thanks Jaide!)

I began enjoying the privilege of having my family 3 1/2 hours away.

I got to watch my sister grow her first baby boy,

went to my first BMX contest,

had the BEST roommates of all time,

ate some treats, partied with friends

and began my personal scripture counter.

Not to mention I began learning to cook (and I actually like to!)

And of course met my best friend and boyfriend Garett Bonds.

All in all this has been a wonderful year.

A year of firsts and experiences I hope never to forget.

I know there was probably much more learning spiritually and mentally but I shall save that for another post on another day.

If you actually read this whole thing my hat is off to you.

Speaking of which I am craving old movies and pickles.

Hope you had a wonderful year and maybe now you will reflect back on the adventures you had.

My love goes out to all of you.

Thanks to many of you for sharing these adventures with me.

TTFN Ta Ta For Now

-Meg

Just In Case You Didn't Know

My sister is having a baby boy!!!!

Check it out here.

Yup! That is right! I am going to have a nephew and I am certain he is going to be the CUTEST thing ever! Especially since both his parents have the prettiest blue eyes ever and some killer looks. Needless to say I am ecstatic and happy for both of them.

Congratulations Catherine and Jesse!

Already from the pictures my sister put up he looks to already be the cutest kid ever.
I can't wait to meet him in a few months and hold him and play with him and then give him back to his mommy when he poops. Yup, being an aunt is going to be great. =]

I hope y'all are having a great day, I know I am! Can you say YAY to know work again until next Tuesday? Can I get a Halleluiah? Have a wonderful Wednesday!
I feel like my weekend has just begun. =]

I get to see my family on Friday!
Happy happy happy happy happy!
Happy happy happy happy happy!
Happy happy happy happy happy!
Happy happy happy happy happy!
Meg

Random thoughts of Megan

I am quite happy with today so far, and here are a few reasons why:

1) I slept in! Now before you get mad at me for skipping German, I know for a fact I didn't miss anything important because now we are moving on to verbs, which are REALLY easy and also I NEEDED IT! All of my roommates get at least one or two days during the week in which they can sleep until their hearts content. But not me =[ I am up by 8am Monday through Thursday and then 7am on Fridays! So I needed it and it seriously made my week better already =]

2) I actually kind of learned something in photography! I guess I probably already knew it but it was a great review that I actually needed on lenses and focal range.

3) Devotional was on Temple attendance today which is good because I have yet to have gone so I need to get on that. But it also reminded me of this one time this past year when we went with the youth. During that time I was able to do the work of an older woman for her grandmother and great grandmother and afterward I was able to talk to the woman and she thanked me for doing their baptisms. It was a great feeling knowing I was able to be a tool in the Lord's hands to do the work for this woman so that her family may accept and enjoy the blessings of the gospel.

4) Also during devotional I saw the smallest, cutest baby girl ever! She was probably a few weeks old, with dark thick brown hair that stuck out in all directions. Her mother wasn't much bigger than me and the baby's head was not much bigger than my fist. She was amazingly quiet during the talk except for one or two little moans of sleepiness. It was so quiet I barely noticed but man, I swear EVERYONE within 15 feet heard and all turned to look at this tiny baby!!!! And being all kind-hearted softies, we all sighed and awed at the little thing. For some reason, that made me happy, maybe it's because most of the people I knew back home never want to have kids and that is sad. =[ Where as here, if there is a baby, we all just oogle at the darling little thing and are secretly dying to hold it and touch it's tiny hands and feet. Let's face it, everything tiny is CUTE, except for when it's candy (bite size is not "fun" size, fun size is as big as your head!) then tiny is just dumb.

5) I got to talk to Aaron after devotional and I got to hear ALLLLLL about his awesome day! I love hearing such news especially from Aaron since he doesn't usually say very much about his life.

6) My dear, sweet mother sent off a package to me today, even though I only barely asked her last night. And now I am going to have my warm fuzzy fleece blanket that I have been missing terribly! But not as much as I miss my dear mother and father and Aaron!

7) I came home to a clean kitchen! Alisa and Cacia did the dishes and mopped the floor. They did the dishes because they knew it would make me happy not to have to do them! And it did! =D =D (When I woke up this morning, we had NO cups, bowls or spoons. We had 2 forks and 3 knives. Seriously.) So I am EXTREMELY grateful to them for doing that! =D =D =D =D

8) We have banana pudding, I ate some for breakfast and it was HEAVENLY!!!!

9) I got to chat with Jared Hall for awhile last night, it was fun and I am going to see him and his family this weekend in Provo =]

10) Speaking of Provo......I GET TO SEE MY SISTER ON FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!! (If you missed my last post.....let's just say that saying I am excited to see my sister is an understatement....)

11) I found my ipod!!! Surprisingly behind my bed since I never have it on or anywhere near my bed....but oh well. =]

Cleanliness is next to Godliness =]
Meg