Shout Out!

This summer I had the privilege of being present at my old roomie and blessed friend's sealing in the Seattle Washington Temple. It was a great reunion between old friends and in October we will have the chance again at Rebecca's wedding. It was the first live sealing I've been to since my own and it was beautiful! I couldn't stop crying. I finally downloaded the pics. Here are just a couple. I love you Laura and you were the most beautiful bride! Being in the temple makes me realize so much more that we need to fight to preserve the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman. I can't believe how intensely it is under attack (especially due to the issues at hand in California right now). It has been a test of our faith, and a blessing to realize the Lord's will and that prophets do testify of truth and of the times. There is so much good to stand for in this world. It just takes courage and conviction. When the prophet asks us to give generously of our means, time, and talents I don't know what more conviction we need to go forward. Marriage is such an amazing blessing and now that I'm pregnant, I am realizing what a gift God has given us to bear children. I mean freak how can we produce another human being within our own bodies. Its remarkable! What an exciting road ahead Laura--here's a shout out to Lady Laura!

P.S. I thought this photo of you and Jason was appropriate! I just couldn't resist!

HELP...Blogger Layout

So I'm a retard and I can't seem to figure out blogger. I was a pro at myspace, but I'm just feeling stumped. I want to change my background/layout to one from another website but everytime I do it says the configuration is wrong or I lose half of my info on my page (all my contacts especially). I need help. So many of you have figured it out. What's my problem? I am loving white more than I used to as you will notice in the picture posted we just put up white curtains in our living room and we love them! Thanks Ikea! We were going to go dark, but I decided to keep them light (our floors are wood and our couch is dark too. I've also been changing over the color scheme from lots of different warm colors to black, white, brown, and a poppy red color like our chair as punches of color through. I've got about half the room done. I'll have to finish soon though so I can focus on the baby's room once we figure out the gender (we find out first of november). So, although I appreciate white, even though its technically not a color, I would like to spice up my blog. HELP!

baby beck!

The news is out...we're having a baby! Unfortunately, this post is short because I'm exhausted! I'm in my first trimester and trying to hold back the negative talk as I push through to the 2nd trimester. Its been a rollercoaster ride so far! We are very excited! I'm in my 11th week and am due March31st. I've dedicated a separate blog to this growing baby. We go for our second visit (ryan's first) next week! Hopefully we'll get to hear the heart beat! We also created a video to announce the pregnancy, but we're still figuring out how to get it on the web from windows moviemaker. Anyway, we couldn't be more excited (unless the myth of the stork delivering the baby were true--I'd skip pregnancy if I could). The blog is http://iwantmybabybeck.blogspot.com/.

my bucket list

So, recently Ryan and I watched "The Bucket List" and its made me think lately about things I'd want to do in this life. More so, its made me wonder how I can make it all happen. The mission in Africa, backpacking in Central America, New York City and the US Open, Wimbeldon, Europe, the Mediterranean, all seems so far out of reach. Don't get me wrong I'm still counting on Ryan to make millions so we can do it all when we're 60, but what about now? (FYI, in case you missed it, the last sentance was somewhat humorous--I don't expect Ryan to make millions, I'm excepting billions). So I've been devising my bucket list on paper and here it goes (these aren't in any particular order, yet):

1. Live in Portland Oregon
2. Soak up the history and beauty of the east coast--in person.
3. Party it up in New York City.
4. Grand Slam--French Open, Austrailian Open, US Open, and Wimbeldon (this ones for Ryan)
5. Serve mission in Africa (not sure which part yet)
6. Donate money to have a city tennis court facility built and promote children learning/playing tennis.
7. Figi
8. To bear and raise our own children
9. Own a Volvo SUV
10. Live debt free (including our home)
11. Let go of my past--completely
12. Love God more than myself
13. Love myself
14. Adopt a child
15. skydive
16. hang glide
17. Live on a yacht in the caribbean sea
18. raise a fun, beautiful, and talented family
19. become an experienced and good chef
20. learn to sew and create my own line of fashions, home accessories, and textiles (fabrics)
21. Get my masters, and then PHD (wanted it in political theory, but not sure now)
22. Increase my vocabulary
23. Master spanish and learn Italian
24. Become concert pianist
25. Own a Steinway Grand Piano
26. Pursue Journalism and publish a book
27. food critic, experience all the finest restaurants
28. experience fulfillment in my own life instead of envying (or looking for it in) others creativity, beauty, fun, passion, excitement, etc.
29. get all my closets/house orgainzed (this one I can actually achieve, maintaining it another quest).
30. Live in Mexico
31. Be an intellectual guru
32. become a good photographer
33. live close to the beach (warm, sandy beach)
34. Live in San Francisco
35. compose beautiful music with my husband
36. temple worker
37. Be naturally optimistic and love life in the moment regardless of the circumstances.

#1 is definitely raising a fun, beautiful and talented family!

i hate fire!

So forget exciting stories about the first things your cute kiddies say, my favorite is Ryan's new one..."I hate fire". Yep, its official! He's even writing a song on his guitar about it. Fire is definitely not the nor cal's friend this year, nor the b.e.c.k.'s. As many of you know, we had our very own HOT seat a couple weeks ago! Fire broke out in the creek way away from our house. The grassy field we once coveted (who wants neighbors on all sides of them) became our enemy as the fire scorched across the field. Ok, enough of the dramatized storytelling...well, needless to say we came really close to losing our home, I guess it could have been closer, but it was CLOSE ENOUGH (oh about 30 feet close). Thank goodness for firefighters. Thanks to the fire though, we have 1. food storage 2. first aid kit 3. an ugly view from our back yard and 4. the best memories of ryan carrying to glass pitchers of water to me at the fence to put out the fire with if it came to close (what? I actually threw them on the ground--not much two pichters and a garden hose can do). oh and the best memory of all...I was losing it and found ryan praying in the backyard and all that came out of my mouth was, "What are you doing? Do just sit there and pray, you have to do something. DO SOMETHING!" Riiiiiiiiight. So I guess that will show you the measure of my faith! FYI, before we left the house from being evacuated I suggested we offer a prayer on our home. I'm not that bad! P.S. I'll keep you updated on the "I Hate Fire" song. Watch for it on You Tube!

speaking of packages...

just wanted to say quickly again, how amazing ryan is! i forgot to mention that when i arrived home from utah (at 1:ooam) ryan had left me the most amazing surprise. you may have to close your eyes to imagine the amazingness, sorry no pictures. well, walking in from the garage i notices a poster on the door. it welcomed me home and said that he had left me a little scavenger hunt throughout the house. how fun! first there were cinnamon rolls in the fridge for breakfast to eat while i watched the episode of grey's anatomy that i missed while in utah, then the newest issue of my favorite decorating magazine waiting on the couch, flowers and potting soil outside to enjoy my current hobby of gardening, my fav salad from trader joes in the fridge for lunch, and a new addition to my wardrobe ("because the brown section was looking a littl grim"). how awesome! i couldn't believe it! then the best of all, he was asleep in bed waiting for me! what a stud!

may 2008

I can't believe its already been a month since I posted last. Life is so busy and I know we don't even have kids yet. Well, regardless of that fact...ITS BUSY!!!! In may I traveled solo to Utah to visit my sisters and the kiddies. It was sooooooooo tiring! I never believed the saying about a stay-at-home mom's job being busier than a full-time career. Well, ladies I'M A BELIEVER!!! The gals at the office were concerned I'd come home from the time with the kids and be pregnant or ready to make it happen, but as I predicted it worked more in the favor of birth control. It only took a day or so before the exhaustion subsided and I was ready again for a family! Too bad I can't control that all on my own...
Utah was great! It snowed, poured rain, and shined. Too bad all I brought were flip flops. I was able to attend an endowment session at the SLC temple (my first time there) with my sister Julie. It was beautiful and really made me think! We took a trip to the Hoogle Zoo too! I was also able to see one of my best friends, Emily and her new baby Brennan! How fun! I was however, VERY EXCITED to return home after being gone 8 days. I don't know if I can be gone that long again from Ryan. I guess maybe with time, we're still newlyweds I guess. It will be 2 years this fall and 4 years since we began dating and we are really enjoying our relationship. I think we're growing more and more closer and more comfortable with each other. We have definitely moved beyond the adjustment period---THANK GOODNESS!! We're just both excited about the next chapter(s) of our lives.

After a week of recooperating, we headed off to Santa Cruz for a weekend trip with Ryan's parents. Can I just say that I have the MOST AWESOME IN-LAWS! I wouldn't even classify then as in-laws. They are family to me!!! They invited us to Santa Cruz with them and gave us the most relaxing weekend ever and we really needed it! Work has been stressful for the both of us and it was a needed getaway! Thanks Craig and Janice! You're lifesavers! We ate amazing food, tons of our favorite cookies from Pacific Cookie Co., surfed, laid on the beach, went to the movies, shopped, ate more great food, and just enjoyed Santa Cruz--the crazy place it is.

Life doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon...In to June--camping with my family, more con ed courses for ryan in portland, he's got an old friend coming to intern with him at the pt clinic and living with us half the week, and more stress at work for shizzle! It too will pass...it better darn it! Then in July--more con ed (just a weekend course in Sac this time), I fly to Seattle for old roomie/friends wedding and reunite after years of separation, Ryan's sister visits and hopefully they move back from florida, and hopefully we get a short vaca in before the summer is over...oh ya and all those crazy church responsbilities we have lately. Gotta love 'em!