Only 5 more weeks....

... but lets be honest. I was 10 days late with Caleb and had to be induced. I had not even had one contraction before they hooked me up to the I.V. Then, when he was born the doctor said he looked early. I guess I just cook them long. So, although my due date is in 5 weeks, I probably have more like 6.5 weeks to go. Still not bad.

A few weeks ago, my doctor was worried that I was too small, so he ordered an ultrasound to make sure the baby was still growing. I was really small with Caleb so I wasn't worried. Everything turned out to be fine. The ultrasound technician gave me some profile pictures and one of them I think is funny. One is just a normal baby profile but the other looks like she's laughing with a big open mouth smile.




This baby also moves around a TON. She is constantly stretching, flipping around, or kicking. I hope she doesn't give me a run for my money. Caleb overall has been a pretty easy baby. I don't know if I can handle a high maintenance girl along with a 17 month old boy who does lots of boy things like get into the garbage or call Japan on my cell phone.

High maintenance or easy going, I will be happy to have this baby here and not be pregnant anymore. This sunshine makes me want to go out for a big run and really get my heart going. I'm also excited to see what she'll look like. Babies are so wonderful!

Happy Valentines Day...

Along with the crazy weather we've been having lately,

we also had a very nice valentines day. We went out to lunch to avoid the crazy evening crowds and concluded the day with a very small but candle lit dinner.



Valentines Day really is such an ideal holiday. It is full of love (obviously) and beautiful decorations but it isn't a commercial over kill like other holidays have turned out to be. It can be relaxing but somewhat exciting at the same time. You get to choose. We chose low key this year. Caleb got a fuzzy dog because it is his favorite animal.


On a different note, here are some funny pictures of Caleb with his cousin Jane trying to take a bath together. Caleb ended up making Jane nervous by splashing all the time. On top of that, Jane was very upset about all the toys in the tub. She wanted them safe on the ledge out of the water and wouldn't rest until every object was out of the tub. She got so upset we took her out and got her dressed but she wouldn't stop crying until she saw that every rubber ducky was out of the water and safe. What a tender soul!

These are a few of our favorite things....

Caleb has a new past time which I found quite funny. He loves climbing into things... and staying there for a while. He first discovered this with the laundry basket. He has a hard time getting in because generally he goes head first and the basket ends up tipping before he can situate himself properly. He enjoyed the hamper but needed help getting in.
Once in a box or basket and with other toys to occupy his time, Caleb can be entertained for quite a while which is very helpful to me.


I was recently tagged by my friend Elise to say six lesser known facts about myself. All I could really come up with are different passions I have that people don't really know. I tried to come up with events or things that I've done, but I guess I'm pretty boring so here six lesser known facts about me.

1. I LOVE cheese!

Before my mission, I avoided cheese just for the fat content and because I didn't think I liked it that much. My mission cured me from being too cautious with food and I gave myself free reign to cheese. What I discovered... cheese makes pretty much any food better and is pretty divine just on it's own. I can identify with Wallace from Wallace and Grommet and his obsession with cheese and crackers.

2. I currently have the calling that I dread the most... choir director.

I have always thought to myself, even at a young age, that it would stink to be called as the choir director. You have to try and make people come who usually don't sing all that great. You have to meet every week outside of church time interfering with precious Sunday free time to relax or spend with family. You have to come up with enough legal copies of good music to perform when you have no budget whatsoever. And you have to wave your arms around dramatically which I thought would feel a little silly. I was called last November and am grateful to say that so far, it isn't that bad and I am surviving quite well.

3. I like my toes.


These aren't my toes, I couldn't get a picture in focus. But anyway, even in high school when everyone is insecure about everything, I was able to take confidence in my toes. I think they are cute and am not embarrassed about them at all.

4. The two sounds I hate most in the world are the sounds of ice grinding together and the word "nipple."

People chewing ice, ice machines, chewing popsicles or even ice cream, it all makes my skin crawl. The second one I even had a hard time typing, although I am getting more used to it since have to deal with bottles a lot.

5. I saved a alcoholic woman from dying.

It really wasn't that heroic but it sounds heroic when I condense it into one sentence. She was passed out on a bumpy dirt road late at night in January in Ukraine. I almost tripped over her myself because it was so dark. At first I thought it was monster because she kept making grunting sounds and her face was really disfigured (swollen and red) from being drunk all the time. Anyway, a car came along and would have run over her but I stood in front of her and the car stopped. Two friendly Georgians hopped out and we together moved her into a neighboring stairwell where she wouldn't freeze to death. A lot of people die over there from passing out in the cold after drinking too much.

6. I've been to the real Matterhorn, not just the one in Disneyland.
It was on a choir tour of Europe in high school. It was pretty cool. It takes days to hike up so I just went to the base. In the town below there is a large cemetery of people for the last two hundred years who have died trying to climb it.

So there you go. Now you know just a little bit more about me.

President Gordon B. Hinkley

1910-2008

We as a family just wanted to write our own small tribute to our prophet. He passed away Sunday night after serving diligently for most of his life. He has influenced both Adam and me in so many ways.

His words have always been words to uplift and inspire. I remember when he and his wife surprised our stake by attending our stake conference unannounced. I remember that he said that we were all doing a wonderful job and the he was so grateful for the faithful members of this church. I was impressed at the time by his constant optimism as well as his hard work ethic. He said that when he had a weekend off, he and his wife would travel to local stake conferences to visit the saints. I know that if I were in his situation, I would have much rather had a relaxing break on a Sunday afternoon as opposed to traveling some more. He was a constant and diligent man.

On my mission, our mission president showed us a video of President Hinckley's life during a zone conference. It has since become a movie I really enjoy watching because it is so inspiring. It is called, "Gordon B. Hinckley, Man of Integrity, 15th President of the Church."

My favorite story from that video is related by Elder M. Russell Ballard concerning President Hinckley's trip to England for the dedication of the Preston Temple, in which area President Hinckley had served as a missionary. Elder Ballard relates,

"When he learned that a brother with whom he had tracted was in the audience, he immediately picked his way through the crowd of more than 10,000, searching faces as he walked. When he spotted Robert Pickles, now confined to a wheelchair, tears began to flow. And as he bent down to embrace him, and then stood holding his hand as they talked, it was obvious that years of separation hadn’t diminished the feelings for his old friend." He then says that this love and compassion were typical of President Hinckley.

I must admit that I am happy for him, that he is now with his sweet wife. Maybe now, he can have bit of rest and relaxation.

Start of a New Year!

It's 2008 and the Mills family future is so bright that...

.... we need to wear sun glasses! Even Caleb.

Here's a little re-cap of the holiday's.

Christmas was great. Caleb had more fun with the wrapping than with his clothes that Santa brought him. We had Christmas morning together with the family and then dropped by Grandma and Grandpa Ellertsons' house for a spell. Then we spent the rest of the day with Grandma and Grandpa Mills up in Clinton. It was a busy day.





Caleb also had his monumental first hair cut. His mother has cut his dad's hair a few times. It turned out alright considering the squirming and the stylists lack of experience. Here are a couple of before and after shots. He looks so much older with his short hair. I am glad to report though, that his curls have grown back just as curly, so it wasn't as dramatic of a change. In fact, he's already due for another cut.





New Years we were all sick so we spent it at home and played games with Bryan, Suzanne, Brad, Jessie, and Daniel.

Good news for all those who don't know. After some grueling pre-recs and one failed attempt, Adam has made it into the Construction Management Program at BYU and now has a graduation date in sight. We are so proud of him!
(This picture is exactly one year old. It's from last year's birthday, but I think he looks so cute in it, I just had to post it.)

Christmas is coming and Lara's getting FAT!

... with a baby that is.
But, I tell you what, the combination of being pregnant and surrounded by delicious food and attending lot's of Christmas parties is a bad combination. Not to mention the cold weather and lack of a gym pass does not give me much motivation to exercise as much as I did when I was pregnant with Caleb. But, as I keep telling myself, "oh well..." (I know, real self control and determination huh)

I turned the big 26! I am now closer to thirty than to twenty. Again, I say to myself, "oh well..." because there really is nothing I can do about that.

We have been enjoying this season with the snow, fun decorations, and our traditional gingerbread house decorating which this year went quite well because I made a point to tell Adam that we have to plan it out and work together as opposed to just throwing whatever on top. The key really was he glued the sides together and I did most of the decorating while he watched Caleb and ate the candy!
But, the best part of this Christmas season has definitely been the music. I have been lucky enough to attend the best two local Christmas concerts available: the BYU Choral Christmas Concert and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert which this year featured the King Singers, of whom I am a big fan.


The two best numbers without a doubt were "Oh Holy Night," an arrangement by the incredibly talented Mack Wilburg and I believe it is a new arrangement done just for this years concert. It had just the men from the choir singing along with the King Singers, mainly a tenor soloist. It was absolutely wonderful.

The second was by a fairly new composer, at least one I have never heard of. He is only a few years older than me, and obviously extremely talented. His name is Dan Forrest and the combined BYU choirs and orchestra sang his song, "Carol of Joy." As I read the words and listened, I could not keep myself from crying I was so moved. He has a recording of "Carol of Joy" posted here. It was recorded with just piano and choir at Carnegie Hall, I believe. I really look forward to the recording of the BYU choirs with the orchestral arraignment. The words are also posted on Suzanne's blog. I encourage all to take a look and a listen.

Encouraged to blog for missionary purposes

It has been confirmed to me that blogging can be a good thing! I mean, I thoroughly enjoy reading about other people's lives, but as I have expressed before I don't feel absolutely comfortable with posting my personal life completely online for the whole world to potentially see, even though I realize that most likely, only those who already know me are going to be coming to visit. However, recently, Elder Ballard, an apostle for the church, encouraged us (the internet savvy) to use these forums as a place to talk about the church. What a novel idea! I mean, who can count the numberless sites full of misinformation and anti-church propaganda that people probably stumble upon and read everyday. I loved this quote in his most recent General Conference address.

"I would hope that those who know very little about the Church would seek to learn more about us. I would hope they would get to know our members rather than judging us by the misinformation given by those who do not know and in some cases by those who would deliberately mislead or defame."

As I have been following the current presidential election campaigns, I of course have been very keen to hear what people say about Mitt Romney and his religion. I am not surprised to hear the bad, but I have been shocked at how many people have such bogus information about the church and how they cling to it as doctrine without the slightest ounce of open mindedness to other possible truths.

Thus, as you may have noticed, I have added a little sidebar containing links to church websites, including the Kiev, Ukraine mission website, which is where I served my mission.

Here is my awsome companion Sis. Oyuerden from Mongolia talking to a local vendor in Kiev about the Book of Mormon. The next is me and my companion, Sis. Cook, with a wonderful member of the church, Anna at her chastnie dom (meaning she had her own free standing house and yard, which was rare in Kiev).



Now, this does not mean that my blog is becoming completely church oriented. I still have lots of other things to post about. I just wanted to let you all know why I have attached the church related links and to maybe encourage others out there to start a dialog on their own blogs about the church. Because, I know that many of you out there are much better at this than I am.