Photography- Gender Reveal

Brennan and Rachel's Gender Reveal was so so fun!

I love this idea of including their little girl in their gender reveal!

Have you ever seen a happier daddy?? :0

What a fun evening! I can't wait to meet this little man and I am so excited our girl will have cousins so close to her!

Lots of love, 

Brookeydee

Happy Birthday, Love!

 

It's Mikey's 23rd birthday today! I love this man more than I have words to express. Mike is my safe place. He eases my burdens, calms my troubled heart, and loves and supports me to no end. My daily life with Mike is full of so much love. He makes a point to hold me, hug me, cuddle me, and kiss me multiple times a day. Throughout this pregnancy he has stayed up late into the night countless times to help me try to get comfortable enough to sleep sacrificing his own rest. I cannot wait to see how gentle and tender he will be with this little girl. I have no doubt he is going to be the best daddy and he is going to love her unconditionally.

Mike is the hardest worker. He is always busy with work, school, our home, or serving others. He is so fast to offer help to anyone in need- those he knows and those he doesn't. I love this about him. I know he will always find a way to provide for our family's financial, physical, and spiritual needs because that is just who he is. I am so so grateful that he loves God and is a worthy priesthood holder. His worthiness has blessed our home and lives countless times already and will continue to do so.

Mike possesses so many admirable qualities one of my favorites is his ability to be adaptable. Mike is so adaptable and easy going when things happen unexpectedly. He is a peace maker yet still opinionated and determined. He is funny, he makes me laugh every single day, and I love it! He is creative, smart, and a problem solver. Mike is adventurous, he is always game to try something new and to go do something fun. I love that he loves being outdoors, we share this love and it blesses our marriage immensely. I don't know the word I am looking for to describe this quality, but Mike has an ability to see things beyond what they are. He can see the good in difficult situations, the humor in sad situations, he can always see our hard times in a different light and I love that he can ground me during those trials. Mike is humble. Mike is quick to be grateful, he doesn't expect things and is always so grateful for everything we have. Mike is patient when he needs to be, I don't mean that to sound back handed. He knows when he needs to be patient, and he shows that patience so well, especially with me. I am grateful that he can tell when he needs to be patient.

He is the perfect amount of stubborn and competitive that keeps me constantly interested and challenged, which I need. My life with Mike is better than I ever imagined, and let me tell you I imagined a great life with him, but he has made our life so wonderful. I am so grateful I get to have him as my hubby and I am so grateful I get to celebrate him today, because he deserves to be celebrated.

I love you babe! Happy birthday!!
Brookey

34 weeks

We are 34 weeks! This week the baby should be just under 5 pounds and almost 18 inches! She is getting so big! Just this morning Mike and I sat in bed watching her move and he was dyinggg. She was moving around a lot and you would see her bum or hand or foot push up against my stomach pretty high or at one point she stretched across my body and you could see her body stretching and then she pushed up at each end so my stomach looked concave (for the first time in months!) Mike thought that one was insane! It was so funny.

I am so relieved we made it to and from Hawaii in one piece! I have been a little concerned about not being able to go on that trip or having complications while there, but it was smooth sailing! The flight attendants on every flight said to me- "you keep that baby in until we land!" and it made me so nervous every time haha!

We are getting so excited to meet our girl!!

lots of love,
brookeydee

33 weeks on the Big Island

I cannot believe we are 33 weeks, when did that happen?! It is crazy that we are getting so close to meeting our girl! We have been on the big island for this whole week and it has been a blast!

Things are a little slower for me right now, I am at a full on waddle. And I am a lot more cautious of hiking. But I have still managed daily runs, walks, or hikes in the mornings and I have been plugging along on our adventures here. The big island is beautiful and amazingly diverse and we have LOVED it!

It's going to be really hard to leave this beautiful island on Monday night! We are trying to soak up every minute we can!

ALOHA,

Brookeydee

To My Mama

This Mother's Day is giving me all the feels. I am weeks away from becoming a mom to my own girl and I cannot let this day pass without expressing the thoughts and feelings that I have for my angel mother.

This woman has it all. She is courageous, adventurous, selfless, fun loving, quick witted, sassy in the best way, self disciplined, hard working, funny, beautiful, God fearing.. I could go on and on, but those are the big ones.

Growing up, she was perfectly tender when I needed it and perfectly firm when I needed it, and silly the rest of the time. What is her secret?? We all wish we knew. A balance I pray to find with my own children. She made it a priority to spend time with each of us one-on-one. I vividly remember her taking time away from her mile long to do list to come play store with me in my room (that was my favorite!). I remember her coming into my room and laying with me in my bed to talk to me, when I was just little and into my teenage and adult years. I remember girls nights or even quick trips to get a treat or a drink. I remember her praising us for choosing the right, being leaders, working hard (even if we had failed), and being peace makers in the home. Praising the things that truly matter, not the things the world teaches us to worship. Do you get the picture yet? She really is the perfect mom.

As I have transitioned over the years from needing everything from her to needing less of her for my day-to-day needs, she has taken on her new role as a mom of adults flawlessly. Surprise visits on the tough and good days. Keeping in daily contact without being obnoxious. Cheering us on. Helping us wherever she can. Feeding us every time we show up at her door (even when we truly are not hungry!! 😉). Offering advice. Listening when we just need an ear. Keeping up on all of the fun traditions. Continuing her Christlike example of loving God first and being a covenant keeper.

She was the one I leaned on when I had a broken heart. Or when my world seemed to come crashing in as I faced health challenges with no end in sight. She is the one I called when I was throwing up all day everyday for weeks with miserable morning sickness. She is the one that has tirelessly helped us clean and unpack every time we have moved. And she always has the perfect comfort hug when life begins to feel just a little too heavy.

I am so grateful I have her to hold my hand through the coming years as I experience motherhood, to cheer me on, to give me advice when I feel clueless. I wouldn't want it from anyone else. And I am so grateful that when I fall short as a mother, our little girl will see the example of her Nana. I cannot wait to see how she loves her unconditionally like she loves me. Having her as my mother is the greatest blessing, having her as the grandmother to my own children is even better.

Thank you, Mommy. I love you more than there are words to express. Happy Mother's Day!

Love you forever mommy, 

Brookey