By special request...

So my friend Natalie so kindly reminded me that I need to take/share some belly pics. Yeah, lets just say I haven't taken any except for one today. My camera has been lost in the moving mess and I found it yesterday...so I decided I should probably document some of this pregnancy. :)
Here I am in all my prego glory (plus I just ate, so that definitely doesn't help) just a day and a half shy of 16 weeks:

 I feel like I shouldn't be looking so pregnant, especially since I have stayed in the same 5 lb. range that I bounced back and forth in pre-pregnancy. So with no weight gain it seems weird to look in the mirror and see a belly. But I will take it!!!!
Thought i would throw this pic in for fun...This was taken when I was 5 weeks pregnant with baby #1. I was the same weight, size etc. This is basically what I looked like at 5 weeks with this pregnancy, just 3 years older and different hair :)

If you missed my facebook status update about a week ago, we found out early that we are having a BOY!!! The doctor said he was 300% sure and he got all sorts of good shots. We believe him and are sooooooo excited! Matt about hit the roof when they said "boy"! This kid is going to be a daddy's boy for sure! Here's a cute little peak :)

Anyway, things are going great.  This little guy has already been spoiled rotten by grandmas, sister-in-laws, sisters, and of course his mamma. I keep thinking that he had better come or else I am going to have a really sweet stash of baby shower gifts!! ;)
We are slowly getting things somewhat organized in our new house, I will be back to work in two weeks, and Matt is anticipating starting grain harvest any day! The little man is growing and looking great, I have been feeling really good (with the occasional wave of nausea), and life is great!

Our little big news :)

I'm back. I wish I could say "by popular demand", but it's more of a nagging in my brain that tells me I need to start blogging so I can justify my blog-stalking. :) Which by the way, I lost ALL of my blog addresses in my little make-over process....ugh. So if you stalk me and wouldn't mind me stalking you then could you send me a message or an e-mail with your blog address? That'd be great. (mbbitter@gmail.com) If not I might find other ways to get your blog address and I will stalk you without permission ;0).

Anyway, on with updates and news I'm sure you are all dying to hear.

GRADUATION/JOB:
First off, I graduated in December (I walked anyway) then finished up with student teaching in April.

It feels SO AMAZING to be done with school. I am so grateful for the experiences I had at BYU-I and for all of the great people I met there. Most of all I am grateful for the best husband and family in the world who supported me through 2 1/2ish years of non-stop school! You guys motivated me and helped me so much...I seriously could not have done it without you! Along with that news I passed all certifying requirements and am now a licensed K-8 Elementary Teacher in the state of Idaho! Yay! I have a job this next year at Terreton Elementary teaching a reading program for the junior high and teaching the advanced learners grades 3-6. I am so excited! I could not have asked for a better job in a more perfect place! Which leads me to my next news...

MOVING:

We moved! That's right. We are now living in Terreton! Matt has been commuting to work for the past 4 years of our marriage so we figured since I was done with school and got a job in Terreton we might as well make the move. The house we are living in is so wonderful and is so much more that we could have ever hoped for. I am not sure how long we will be here, but I know that no matter how long it is we will enjoy every minute! The yard is so big and such a joy after living in a townhouse for two years. We are just country kids and need grass and dirt roads to play on ;)

 (taken 2010)

Now we can shoot guns and dig spuds right in our back yard!
We are so happy to be here and feel so blessed to have the chance to live and work on the farm! Ever since I was little I have dreamed of living on a farm and raising my kids on a farm. I can't believe we actually have the chance now. I tell Matt every day he makes all my dreams come true...and he does! Love that boy :)

BABY IN MY BELLY!:

Alright...now on to the news that everyone really came to my blog to hear. This is "our little big news". So if you are reading this you most likely know my history with trying to have babies. For those of you that don't or aren't up to speed here's the scoop: Matt and I have been trying to have kids since we have been married (4 years). I have had 6 miscarriages, all between 6 and 8 weeks. I have tried different medications relating to hormones, my Crohn's Disease, and other things. Nothing has worked....until now :)....we hope! I found out I was pregnant in May, which was a shock because I had just miscarried in March and I have never gotten pregnant that quick after a loss. I went to my doctor and asked him if we could try a medication I had been researching. It's called Heparin and it is an injectable blood thinner. He was on board so I started the medication right away. After 8 weeks of twice a day shots and lots of vitimins, nausea, tears, scares, and ultrasounds...I am excited to announce that baby # 7 is 12.4 weeks along and is looking so healthy and so cute! My due date has changed a few time (which I guess is normal since I had a ton of ultrasounds in the first trimester). But the official due date now is January 24, 2012.

4 weeks....


7 Weeks...


10 Weeks...top-4D, bottom-regular


At our 10 week ultrasound the heartbeat was 169 bpm and the baby was measuring right on track. We have seen healthy heartbeats with some of our other babies, but never past 8 weeks. So we are pumped that I have made it this far and that the baby is doing so well. We really think it's the injections that are doing the trick for us. I have felt pretty good and have only had occasional nausea etc. Just in the last two weeks have I really felt my gut starting to change and am feeling like I am in the "are you getting fat or are you pregnant?" stage. Luckily I have lost weight and not gained any :). So, fingers crossed and you can bet we are praying hard that this little guy or gal keeps on growing! We find out the sex in a month...I cannot wait! Thank you to everyone who has kept us in your thoughts and prayers through this whole trial. The prayers have been felt and I take comfort in knowing so many of you have cared. Obviously we don't know what the future will bring, but I am grateful for all of the trials I have had and know that they have only made me better and stronger!

Phew...that was a lot of news. As you can tell life has been treating us pretty well lately. We feel so blessed and honestly could not ask for one more thing!

No promises on being faithful in the blogging world, but I will try ;).

We Love Zimbabwe!

Last year around this time our family was privelaged to help a few pro golfers gather items to ship to Zimbabwe (click here to learn about them...they rock!). Matt's brother Marshall was privileged to get to know these ladies on his mission and we are so blessed to still be in contact with them! An e-mail we recieved showed us where some of last years donations went....

Both Harare Stake Young Women’s Camps received sleeping bags, journals, hygiene kits,clothing, towels etc. (almost 500 Young Women in total) HOW COOL IS THAT??? I cried when I saw all the pictures of these girls loving their new things. Also something that was said is that some of these girls only own one pair of clothing. Can you imagine?? Also, if you don't remember here is what Matt's sister Krystal gathered for her Young Women project:

And here is Matt and I delivering the goods and Matt on top helping pack up the crates:

A few days ago Reeve and her friends (the golfers) found out that their golf sponsors are allowing them to trade their "goods" they would normally be sponsored with at events for 2 empty crates to ship to Zimbabwe!
We are thrilled about this news and are planning to make a trip down to Utah in the next while (between the 15th and the 25th of NOVEMBER). We have started gathering items to take down with us (including a ton of clothes from our closets that will hopefully be used by some of those sweet girls!) It is a lot funner for me to give things when I know EXACTLY where they are going and when I know the person who will be handing my things over to those who need it. (A lot better than taking it to DI and never knowing what happens to it!)


If you or anyone you know would like to help us gather items, here is a list. (Notice that there are many medical items as well. If you know any doctors that would be interested in donating, that would be fabulous! ) Also, as you look over the list remember that every little bit counts. We are not giving a ton ourselves, but we are giving...and that is what matters! If you do not have any of the items or do not want to go out and search for them, Matt and I will be making a trip to the dollar store to buy things to take- so money is welcome if you wish! Thanks Everyone...love you all! :)

·        Books (Bibles especially as the African people have a GREAT reverence and respect for The Lord’s word, Bibles in turn will allow the Children an opportunity to become literate)

·        Reading Glasses (strengths +1.5 to +4) While we were distributing Bibles to the Children out in the bush from your last shipment we further realized the vast importance of reading glasses as there are thousands of Orphans and often times their only living Relative will be a Grandmother who knows how to read and could teach the Children, however she requires reading glasses!! (I have recently acquired my first pair!)

·        Water Purification tablets & purification bottles

·        Baby Milk Powder (for Mom’s with HIV to feed their babies) & Baby Bottles to feed them with

·        Nutritional Food Supplements (i.e atmit)

·        Tuna fish in oil

·        New born kits

·        School kits

·        Hygiene kits

·        Notebooks to write in

·        Pens

·        Clothing(babies, children/adolescence etc.)

·        Primary children’s Church clothing, smaller white shirts, pants, dresses, children’s underwear etc.

·        Missionary clothing for Elders - white shirts, ties, suits, shoes, backpacks, belts, sweaters, overcoats (including smaller sizes)

·        Missionary Clothing for Sister Missionaries

·        Antiseptic soap / Bath soap

·        First Aid kits (however NO medicines) Bandages/Band-aids/splints etc.

·        Seeds

·        Laundry soap

·        Towels

·        Blankets, Sheets (linen)

·        Underwear

·        Sweaters

·        Socks

·        Shoes

·        Hats

·        Toys/balls

·        For the Stake Young Women’s Camps (500+ Girls) - Sleeping bags, Journals, Pens, Towels, Hygiene kits, clothing

"Last year we spent MANY hours sorting through the clothing into sizes so that it might be easily distributed once it arrived as we do not have a warehouse in Zimbabwe which to unpack the goods into. Therefore, as cheeky as this might sound, we would be SO, SO GRATEFUL if the donated clothing could be packed and labelled according to sizes" i.e.

·        BABY

·        CHILD – Girl             

·        CHILD - Boy

·        TEENAGER - Girl     

·        TEENAGER - Boy

·        ADULT –Female         

·        ADULT - Male

WE DID IT!

We met our goal of making 100 pairs of baby leggings!! WAHOOO! (We actually made 130 pairs...that's 260 socks people!!)

THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH to everyone who contributed in ANY way!!

We had a great sewing/cutting/tying crew that showed up today...and I couldn't be more greatful for the help! You ladies are AWESOME!

Here are some pics from the day! (Sorry to those who left before we got our group shot!!)

If any of you are still wanting to help or need to get me your finished leggings, PLEASE try to get them to me by the end of this month! I want to try and have them sent off to the Webster family by the 1st of October!

Again, THANK YOU so very much for all of you love and support! It means so much to me that all of you would help me out with this project!!! <3

Leggings Update!

First of all THANK YOU to everyone who has volunteered to help make leggings, donated money, or bought socks! You are all WONDERFUL!

I am confident that we will meet and exceed our 100 legging goal!!

*If you have talked to me about giving money but have not been able to meet up with me, please call, text, or e-mail me ASAP so we can arrange something!*

We are still in need people to come help sew the leggings on the 8th of September...so let me know if you can help!!

I have made a couple pair of leggings to practice...it is so FUN and EASY!!!

Aren't they adorable?!

I can't wait to see all of our finished products!!