Trip Pictures

I decided to try my hand at Picasa and post my Colorado pics there - I have a public set that is open for everyone and then one with just pictures of me and Sonya posing around (didn't want to make that public). So, you can click on the link to the right you'll get the public set and if you'd like to see the 'private' set, let me know and I'll send you an invite (I'll need your email for that if I don't have it already!). Enjoy!

It's a boy!

Well, we had our 20 week ultrasound on the 11th.  We are having a baby boy!  Bo and I had a little issue picking the first name, but after consideration, the baby's official name is Korban Atreyu Brooks.  We picked Atreyu for the middle name in honor of my friend Nikki's son, Atreyu, who passed durring labor.  She is very touched that we chose to name our son after hers because she wants the world to know that Atreyu DID, in fact, exist.  Just because he was still born doesn't mean that he wasn't here, that he didn't live, and that he didn't have an impact on other's lives.
On a brighter note, we got the specs back from the ultrasound a couple of days later.  Korban is very healthy, everything is just the right size it should be, etc.  They did find out that I have a...retroverted (?) uterus.  So, that's why I'm only looking 3-4 months pregnant instead of 6.  My uterus was tipped back, now it's straight up and down and it SHOULD pop forward to the correct placement around month 7-8.  The only difficulty this posses is that it's harder to feel where the baby is at right now.  Which would explain why I'm not feeling him move nearly as much as I think I should considering how active Korban is!
Work is getting very difficult.  I'm going to apply for the Oregon Health Plan once I reach my third trimester.  If I wait until then, I will be 100 percent covered, if I get accepted.  And if I do get accepted, I'm quitting my job!  Nikki and I are starting a business together.  We will be making and selling cloth diapers, blankets, burp cloths, post-partum pads, nursing pads, etc.  We have almost everything in place.  We just have to figure out our pricing (we know the cost to make each of everything and aproximately how long it takes to make them), get some inventory stocked up, and get licensed.  We all ready have an offer from the store "Off the Rack," a baby consignment store, to sell our diapers!  I'm very excited for this! It's also something I can do from home while taking care of Korban!

Tetons and Yellowstone

I'm never quite sure what pics will be in what order when I add them, but now that they're here, this is what you see! Top pic is of Yellowstone Lake from the top of the Elephant's Back. Second down is the Fishing Hole geyser in West Thumb Geyser Basin - they used to catch fish and then dip them into here to cook them! Next is up in the Tetons on the Canyon Cascade Trail. Last is a beautiful morning in front of the Tetons. I'm hoping to get all my pics up and into a web album soon! We had a marvelous time and loved every minute of our trip (except for maybe road construction...).

Red Rocks, Aspen and Rocky Mountain National Park

The first pic is at Red Rocks Amphitheatre where we saw the tribute to John Denver. Red Rocks is an amazing place and we got there early to explore and then just stayed until the concert. The place was packed, the weather awesome and I almost sang myself hoarse! The next pic is of Emerald Lake from our last day in Rocky Mountain National Park. Sonya and I hiked over 9 miles and visited 7 lakes on the hike! Next pic is of the Ute Trail in RMNP where we came across these two marmots and this one kept getting closer and closer to Sonya! Next pic is near the Alpine Visitor Center at RMNP at about 11,796 altitude. We hiked up the 'stairs' to Marmot Point and this view to the Never Summer Mountains. Last one is up at Crater Lake underneath the incredible Maroon Bells just outside of Aspen. I got to see a pika up there! I can see I'll need to set up a Picasa account for all my pics! We've had a great time, and leave tomorrow for the Tetons and then Yellowstone!

Big South & Agnes Lake

The top pic is of incredibly lovely Agnes Lake. Just a mile from the Nokhu Hut we spent the night in last night. We had to cross some snow fields, but well worth the effort. The bottom pic is of 'Big South' going up the Poudre River. Sonya and I both loved the hike most of the way along this gorgeous mountain stream. Home here for tonight then off to our concert, Aspen and Rocky Mountain National Park tomorrow!

June business

Wow, I can't believe it is already June 25th. Where did the month go? I thought that after Andrew graduated things would slow down lol. Oh well, I will just have to slow myself down on my own. Graduation was, in and of itself, quite the ordeal. At least Andrew is done with high school. The trick is to now get him done with college ha ha. The next Saturday was his party, we had a house full. Then I got to bake over a hundred cupcakes for my friend to choose for her reception. Thankfully my cousins were here from Alaska and we had a family dinner to go to, so I got to take the extra cupcakes there to get rid of them. I made eight different flavor combinations. We just got back from Sun River and now I am planning Jadeon's birthday party, he turns four on Saturday! It doesn't sound like I am slowing myself down does it? I will keep trying.

God is good, He is very good! He gave me two tickets to be able to go and see my granddaughter after she is born! This also means seeing my daughter and son-in-law whom I know I will be missing like crazy! I already am missing them and I know that I will get to see them before they leave! I just can't believe it though, the way God shows Himself is amazing. I had just finished telling a friend that I didn't think that I would be able to go and see Ferynne after she was born because of financial reasons and then another friend came up to me and wanted to talk to me before I left church, so we went to the nursery (how fitting,now that I think about it) where she proceeded to tell me that God gave her a gift but it was meant for me to have it. She had won two tickets to Europe; any destination, any time frame between August 10th 2009 and August 10th 2010. She felt that God had told her that she was supposed to give them to me, so she did! I couldn't believe my ears! I was crying all the way home from church knowing that I don't deserve these tickets, but am so thankful for a God who delights in my joys and wants to give me the desires of my heart! Needless to say, I AM GOING TO ITALY!!!!!!!!!!!

High in the Colorado!

Fabulous flight into Denver! I was lucky to get a window seat and this was taken out the south windows just as we started descending into Denver. We should be in these mountains on Sunday heading to Aspen! Sonya and I just messed around together for the rest of the day. Had lunch at the Silver Grill (in business most of the time since 1912!), toured downtown (don't go into the Cupboard shop! Too many cute things!) Saw the Budweiser Clydesdales - they have a brewery just on the edge of town and 6 of the clydesdales are here in training - Evan was in one of their commercials as a young colt! Hooked up with Brendan and headed out for a picnic dinner at Horsetooth Reservior and watched the sun set. Back to their fabulous apartment (wow, I wish I had their shower, kitchen, amazing!), getting to know the kitties (Cocoa and Cookie) and planning out hikes for today and tomorrow just north of Rocky Mountain National Park! Mt. McConnell here we come!