Graduation

On Friday I finally graduated with a masters degree in special education from the University of Utah. I started the program in 2005, but had to stop when I was diagnosed with MS. I returned to the program this past fall and have been student teaching and going to school to finish up. Many thanks to a wonderful advisor, parents, friends, family, and most of all my dear husband.

Our Baby Girl

Most women describe the feeling of a baby inside them as having butterflies fluttering around in their stomach. Libby relates to having an over-sized goldfish swimming around inside. This process of the quickening has intensified and only a few nights ago I felt my baby girl for the first time.

She seems strong to me though I don't know how strong babies should be halfway through a pregnancy. I felt the sharp jab beneath the skin as the baby's foot collided with the uterus. Thoughts of a professional athlete, perhaps a soccer player, popped into my head. I could see a young athletic version of my daughter sprinting down a soccer pitch about to give flight to a black and white ball. My thoughts were interrupted by more temporary protrusions on Libby's stomach. Not only is she strong, my little girl has some endurance. She consistently kicked hard for a half hour before stopping her tirade.

These episodes have started to follow a routine now as our little girl has decided that the best time to kick mommy is right before she goes to sleep. Of course Libby has started to endure the daily thrashing with ease, but it still keeps her up until baby is satisfied with the beating.

A few weeks ago, Libby and I were worried about the baby getting enough nutrients. As the baby continues to grow Libby has actually been losing weight. However, our worries were laid to rest with our monthly visit to the doctor's office.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but your baby is kind of like a ..... parasite. You see, babies have a way of getting all the nutrition they need by leaching off the mother's body even though the mother might not be getting the nutrients that she needs."

While I think the doctor's description is accurate, I would prefer to think of my baby in a different light. Instead of a parasite, I believe she is simply the priority by design. As such she has grown strong and healthy despite Libby's sometimes constant aversion to food. Our heavenly father is taking care of our baby for which we are eternally grateful.

Our Growing Family

Dustin and I are happy to announce that we are pregnant. Over the past several weeks we have been filled with happiness, fear, anticipation, anxiety, and gratitude. We are thankful that our prayers have been answered and will be welcoming a child into our lives June 10th 2010 or thereabouts. The baby is strong with a heartbeat of 164 bpm.

Morning sickness started about four weeks ago and does not let up. Really, it should be called all day sickness because it never lets up. We were told that it is an indicator of a healthy pregnancy, but it does not make the morning sickness any easier. I am experiencing almost every attribute of pregnancy outlined in What To Expect When Your Expecting. I also learned to only read about the week of pregnancy you are in and not skip ahead. It becomes rather overwhelming and a little frightening to read ahead. So, until Wednesday I will read all about week nine and nothing else.

L&D

a happy visit

At the beginning of August, Dustin and I took care of our niece Taisa (2), and our Nephew Zac (3). Zac worships the ground Dustin walks on and was really excited to stay at our house for a few days. We were able to take advantage of the amenities Daybreak offers and the kids had a blast. Here are some pictures from our adventure!

Zac (3)

Taisa (2)

At the pool
(Love the googles!)

Taisa playing in the lake

Beach and bucket fun

Our fun at the beach ends

Time for bed!

another year has come and gone

I know what your thinking. It's June (now July), not January. For me however, the end of a year is designated by the end of a school year. June 10th 2009 ends the 2008-2009 school year at Northwest Middle School (NWMS). NWMS is an inner city school in the Rosepark, Glendale area of Salt Lake City. Those of you who hail from bigger cities might scoff, but the past two years has taught me that SLC has a dangerous inner city. Everyone has heard of Compton, Longbeach, Watts, and other cities in California that glorify gang life. Up until the late 70's, these gang ridden areas were the cheapest easiest place for illegal immigrants to settle. However, when the violence became too frequent and too intense, these immigrants needed a safer place to go. One of the many places they found was a small quiet neighborhood called Rosepark, in the SLC area. Many people left their families, children, grandparents, and friends to come to a safer place. What they did not leave behind was their gang ties and loyalties. In the 80's SLC was forced to create a Anti-Gang Task Force to help combat the gang problem that had migrated to SLC's north west side. In the early 90's the gang problem became so big that four large gangs picked up and moved to Ogden, Utah. What remains today is a community stuck in termoil. NWMS is comprised of 90% Hispanics (over 80% illegal), 4% Tongan, 4% Polynesian, and 2% other. Despite the hardships, violence, and influences my students face, they want to do the right thing. Doing the right thing is incredibly hard if your everyone around you is making bad decisions. I commend my students for ignoring the "hard looks", name calling, and bullying by other students in order to finish middle school. Cheers to a wonderful 2008-2009 year!

The Last Fetzer Graduation

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS CHARDO! You are the last Clark B. Fetzer. and the last Percy K. Fetzer to graduate. What a legacy. Graduating high school is the first day of the rest of your life, and the day you've been waiting for. Your graduation on June 2009 is exactly ten years after my June 1999 graduation. "Oly...Oly, Oly, Oly!" You have the world at your feet Rich. College, a mission, getting married, having kids, having an incredibly successful carreer, and serving others along the way. I know that getting to this point was not easy, and I am proud of the hard work you have done.
Love,
Libby

Interior Pictures

As requested here are some pictures of the interior of our home. As it is new and was originally built for an out of state investor, the interior lacks the detail and character that accompanies most older homes. Libby and I see this as our opportunity to truly make this home ours. In the coming years we will be making many modifications. At the top of our list? The most practical of modifications: a garage door opener. Libby and I, with the help of some friends, installed our new garage door opener this last weekend. I am happy to report that it actually works!

In time however, we would like to add paint, laminate flooring, a back splash for the kitchen, trim and a closet organizer. For now we are just happy to be in our new home.

Finally:.Home Sweet Home

Our Home:.
As seen from a walk we took together

25 Random Things

I was sure I would be able to avoid the 25 random things post, but I have not. I feel better about posting 25 random things than e-mailing it. I hate mass e-mails that are sent out. I feel like I am "force feeding" unwanted information to people when I do that. Friends, co-workers, and family have asked me if or when I will post 25 random things. My answer is now.

25 Random Things

1. Instead of saying swear words out loud, I sign them. (ASL)

2. I recently started wearing jewelry. (necklaces)
3. In college, I got so frustrated with a music theory class that I threw my workbook over the cliff on Fourth North. (Dustin and Trent retrieved the book later that night)
4. I passed music theory.
5. I'm an ultimate Aggie.
6. While learning sign language, I told a guy who asked me on a date that I could not go because I had to make out all weekend. (I meant work)
7. I LOVE to cuddle. Especially on Saturday mornings.
8. My favorite game is Ticket to Ride.
9. My favorite color is red.
10. Most of the time, I like not being able to hear. It is peaceful.
11. Our mail gets stolen quite often.
12. My favorite TV show is Chuck.
13. I never received academic awards or recognition in college, but I did receive student of the
year from the Disability Resource Center (DRC).
14. I got a D in Biology. To this day I am proud of that D. I worked harder, and spent more time
in my Biology professors office trying to understand the study of life than any other class I
have ever taken.
15. I don't understand Biology.
16. My first A in college was in a stress management class.
17. I stopped biting my fingernails when Dustin was in Iraq.
18. Now I only bite my fingernails when I am really nervous.
19. I have to give myself a shot every day.
20. When people clap, it hurts my ears.
21. I have never had braces, and my teeth are really straight.
22. I love my job.
23. I love being married.
24. I love to travel.
25. Coming up with 25 random things about me was harder than I thought.

Happy Birthday DDT

To my dearest husband, my "cheeseburger",
my best friend, my love love.
HAPPY 29th!