I was recently called to teach Relief Society. This is new to me, and so different than YW. There are so many resources for YW... not so much for RS. So I thought I would share the handout. I am passing these out with S'more bars.
Friday, June 12, 2015
Thursday, April 2, 2015
Charlotte's Blessing
Rather than dream about my wedding I often dreamt of my first child's blessing. When I was little I loved watching the couples share this moment and marvel at the love shown.
I don't think there is a more special day than watching your husband bless your perfect little girl. Her day was perfect and I'm so grateful for the priesthood in our house.
Charlotte you were blessed that if you partake in the saving ordinances necessary for the Plan of Salvation that you would receive great blessings. You were urged to seek an education and by doing so would find success in this life and the next. Your Heavenly Father is grateful for your choices and loves you very much. You were promised that you would have good friends and would find a choice husband when the time comes. I add that your dad and I love you very much. You're our world.
We also felt so special because Mimi made your dress for you and friends and family drove just for your special day.
I don't think there is a more special day than watching your husband bless your perfect little girl. Her day was perfect and I'm so grateful for the priesthood in our house.
Charlotte you were blessed that if you partake in the saving ordinances necessary for the Plan of Salvation that you would receive great blessings. You were urged to seek an education and by doing so would find success in this life and the next. Your Heavenly Father is grateful for your choices and loves you very much. You were promised that you would have good friends and would find a choice husband when the time comes. I add that your dad and I love you very much. You're our world.
We also felt so special because Mimi made your dress for you and friends and family drove just for your special day.
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
Charlotte's Birth Story
Disclosure that personal information follows...
On the 2nd I went to the doctor for an appointment. They told me, again, that I was close to labor and wouldn't see my due date. However, my blood pressure was 150/90. Extremely high since it had been under 120/80 for my entire pregnancy. Obviously the doctor was concerned, and sent me for lab work, and told me to quit working. I agreed to the lab work, but begged to see my 11 o'clock patient. After some convincing she told me to see the patient and then go straight home. I got my blood work and my 24 hour pee bucket and went back to work. I was really upset. I wanted as little intervention as possible for my birth and I wanted to work up until I popped the baby out. I felt so disappointed, but went back to work to tie things up. I extracted a tooth on my patient then went and told my boss (still crying) that I had to be finished working. I went home (with my 24 hour pee bucket) and started to see the silver lining. I figured that since I was only 38 weeks I had a least 1 week of total freedom until I would fight induction at 39 weeks. I didn't even bother nesting that day because I had at least 1 more week to finish everything.
The next day I woke up and used my modified bed rest as an excuse to forgo the gym. I got ready for the day and at noon got in the car to meet my brother for his birthday lunch. Then I got a call from my doctor's office saying to head straight to the hospital. The poor nurse who had seen my breakdown the day before was the one who had to deliver the news. Embarrassing. Since I had used my favor to finish work the day before, I didn't argue much. However, the moment I hung up the tears returned. I felt my liberal birth plan was out the window. The one thing I was opposed to was induction. I called Austin and somehow he figured out to head home even through my crying. My house, which had been clean everyday in preparation for our departure, was a mess, but we grabbed what we needed and left it behind. We got to the hospital and everyone was congratulating us on being induced. They were oblivious to the fact that I looked like I was heading to a funeral. Looking back I don't know why I felt like I did, but I was so upset about having to be induced. The doctor walked in and all I said was, I don't want a c-section. He thought I was crazy and tried to talk me down. With some convincing I held him off on starting the blood pressure medicine because I didn't want to slow labor and he applied prostaglandins topically to start things going. Within the hour my contractions were every 2 minutes. They came in 2 hours later and checked me. I was at a 4 so they broke my water. I should have gotten the epidural before this because it made labor unbearable. I couldn't move from my bed and by the time the anesthesiologist reached me I had lost control. My saving grace was eating popsicles and tootsie roll suckers. The epidural was great. It didn't ever take away the full extent of the pain, but took the edge off and allowed me to breath through contractions. They kept asking if I wanted the doctor to check it, but to me it was a good amount of pain. Within an hour I felt pressure, but didn't believe I could have dilated so quickly so I didn't tell anyone. I told my mom to go home for a little bit because I thought it would be a while. The doctor came and checked me 2 hours later and was very surprised that I was fully dilated. He had me practice push and I must have done a poor job because he then said he was going to be back in a while. An hour later a nurse came and told me that he was going to do a c-section and would be back in an hour. So I sat fully dilated for at least 3 hours. He came in and I pushed for 20 minutes and then the most perfect being I have ever seen was placed in my arms!
Austin was my lifeline during my hospital stay. I never changed a diaper and he handled the recovery grossness better than me. I realized how fun it is to live by family because it was so great having a steady stream of visitors. We kept telling Charlotte how loved she is because if it wasn't visitors coming in it was flowers! I was scared to leave the hospital because of how poor I still felt, but between my mom and Austin it was so nice to be out of there! I am so grateful for them and couldn't have survived without them. More about our first weeks soon, but until then... hospital pics.
On the 2nd I went to the doctor for an appointment. They told me, again, that I was close to labor and wouldn't see my due date. However, my blood pressure was 150/90. Extremely high since it had been under 120/80 for my entire pregnancy. Obviously the doctor was concerned, and sent me for lab work, and told me to quit working. I agreed to the lab work, but begged to see my 11 o'clock patient. After some convincing she told me to see the patient and then go straight home. I got my blood work and my 24 hour pee bucket and went back to work. I was really upset. I wanted as little intervention as possible for my birth and I wanted to work up until I popped the baby out. I felt so disappointed, but went back to work to tie things up. I extracted a tooth on my patient then went and told my boss (still crying) that I had to be finished working. I went home (with my 24 hour pee bucket) and started to see the silver lining. I figured that since I was only 38 weeks I had a least 1 week of total freedom until I would fight induction at 39 weeks. I didn't even bother nesting that day because I had at least 1 more week to finish everything.
The next day I woke up and used my modified bed rest as an excuse to forgo the gym. I got ready for the day and at noon got in the car to meet my brother for his birthday lunch. Then I got a call from my doctor's office saying to head straight to the hospital. The poor nurse who had seen my breakdown the day before was the one who had to deliver the news. Embarrassing. Since I had used my favor to finish work the day before, I didn't argue much. However, the moment I hung up the tears returned. I felt my liberal birth plan was out the window. The one thing I was opposed to was induction. I called Austin and somehow he figured out to head home even through my crying. My house, which had been clean everyday in preparation for our departure, was a mess, but we grabbed what we needed and left it behind. We got to the hospital and everyone was congratulating us on being induced. They were oblivious to the fact that I looked like I was heading to a funeral. Looking back I don't know why I felt like I did, but I was so upset about having to be induced. The doctor walked in and all I said was, I don't want a c-section. He thought I was crazy and tried to talk me down. With some convincing I held him off on starting the blood pressure medicine because I didn't want to slow labor and he applied prostaglandins topically to start things going. Within the hour my contractions were every 2 minutes. They came in 2 hours later and checked me. I was at a 4 so they broke my water. I should have gotten the epidural before this because it made labor unbearable. I couldn't move from my bed and by the time the anesthesiologist reached me I had lost control. My saving grace was eating popsicles and tootsie roll suckers. The epidural was great. It didn't ever take away the full extent of the pain, but took the edge off and allowed me to breath through contractions. They kept asking if I wanted the doctor to check it, but to me it was a good amount of pain. Within an hour I felt pressure, but didn't believe I could have dilated so quickly so I didn't tell anyone. I told my mom to go home for a little bit because I thought it would be a while. The doctor came and checked me 2 hours later and was very surprised that I was fully dilated. He had me practice push and I must have done a poor job because he then said he was going to be back in a while. An hour later a nurse came and told me that he was going to do a c-section and would be back in an hour. So I sat fully dilated for at least 3 hours. He came in and I pushed for 20 minutes and then the most perfect being I have ever seen was placed in my arms!
Austin was my lifeline during my hospital stay. I never changed a diaper and he handled the recovery grossness better than me. I realized how fun it is to live by family because it was so great having a steady stream of visitors. We kept telling Charlotte how loved she is because if it wasn't visitors coming in it was flowers! I was scared to leave the hospital because of how poor I still felt, but between my mom and Austin it was so nice to be out of there! I am so grateful for them and couldn't have survived without them. More about our first weeks soon, but until then... hospital pics.
Charlotte Diane Johnson
February 3, 2015
6 pounds 3 ounces
18.5 inches long
Thursday, January 15, 2015
A little Southern Charm for our Charlotte
When we picked out the name Charlotte for our
little girl my sisters immediately started planning a Southern brunch baby
shower. From the biscuit bar to the copious amount of yellow and gray to
match her nursery... it was the best shower I have been to (even without my
personal bias). I felt so overwhelmed by the amazing generosity and love.
Not only from my mom and sisters, but from my aunts and friends who
traveled to attend! I just kept looking around in awe that so many people love
and support our little family. Be prepared for a million pictures because
I just can't get over how beautiful it was!
Meredith is an expert diaper cake boss. She planned this cake for 6 months. It included 316 size 2 diapers, crib sheet, 4 receiving blankets, headbands and decorations! I would run into her at Target and every time she had more diapers in her basket. I have to say all her work was worth it because it was the hit of the shower! I am still admiring how amazing it turned out.
We played the embarrassing ribbon around my giant belly game. For the record NO ONE's ribbon was too short. Always good to find out you look bigger than you are ;)
The day of our ultrasound my best friend's mom, Cathy, called to tell me she would make me a quilt! I was ecstatic because her quilts are unbelievable. She took me to Ft. Collins to pick out fabric and then I had to wait 3 long months to see it. Even knowing how amazing she is, I was not prepared for how perfect Charlotte's quilt would be! My cheesy smile gives away how excited I was to have it.
I made Austin come help me open presents because I was getting embarrassed with all the attention on me!
Jessica and Emily left Friday night to be here for my Saturday shower. It was one of those gestures that made the shower even more magical and I'm so grateful for their sacrifice!
I'm so grateful that Charlotte will have such wonderful people in her life.
Most of the pictures are curtesy of Austin's amazing aunt... who is Charlotte's official photographer!
Monday, January 5, 2015
Holiday overload
I am officially over the holidays. Normally I can't get enough, but this year I had plenty. I started out the Christmas season with a last "girls trip" before the baby to Salt Lake. My mom and I shopped from opening to closing of stores and had so much fun getting ready for Christmas!
Our neighborhood does a Christmas light contest every year. Last year we thought ahead and found this blow up on clearance at Lowe's. I bought it thinking that for a hundred bucks a 4 ft blow up was a bargain! However, this year when we blew it up it was actually 12 feet and as tall as our house! Even with this white trash blow up, somehow we lost! I think it was fixed.
In my Grinchlike state I couldn't stomach the thought of buying, decorating and cleaning up after a Christmas tree. Luckily my mom sent this mini version for a little Christmas bling.
We then had Christmas parties every weekend night, and were already feeling ready to be finished. Unfortunately, for actual Christmas, Austin and I counted that we opened presents on 5 different occasions. My family had two Christmases and his family had two Christmases and we had our own little Christmas... it was a lot. In total we had 6 holiday meals! It was so fun, but at 8 pregnant, I was exhausted!
2014 was one of the best years of my life. It brought 2 amazing job opportunities, a new baby on the way and so many wonderful memories. We both feel beyond blessed for the life that we have. 2015 will be quite the change, but we are so looking forward to parenthood.
Our neighborhood does a Christmas light contest every year. Last year we thought ahead and found this blow up on clearance at Lowe's. I bought it thinking that for a hundred bucks a 4 ft blow up was a bargain! However, this year when we blew it up it was actually 12 feet and as tall as our house! Even with this white trash blow up, somehow we lost! I think it was fixed.
In my Grinchlike state I couldn't stomach the thought of buying, decorating and cleaning up after a Christmas tree. Luckily my mom sent this mini version for a little Christmas bling.
2014 was one of the best years of my life. It brought 2 amazing job opportunities, a new baby on the way and so many wonderful memories. We both feel beyond blessed for the life that we have. 2015 will be quite the change, but we are so looking forward to parenthood.
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