Are there TWO lines on that stick??

YEP!! IT'S OFFICIAL THERE IS A BABY DAMANDA ON THE WAY!!!

September 18th 2011 was a day Dan & I had been looking forward to for a while, and it turned out more memorable than either of us had planned. We were celebrating our 1st Anniversary, and had a few ideas of things that would be fun to do that day.

It was a Sunday and also the weekend of Stake Conference, so we got up and went to the church. While we there I began to feel VERY tired.. which is pretty normal for me, but this was a different kind of tired - (and I may or may not have been weirdly cranky too - I might have snapped at Dan and told him to "hurry and just find a chair and sit down!" he gave me a weird look.. I'm not usually like that). This was the kind of tired that I just wanted to curl up on the floor of the cultural hall and fall asleep next to the kid that was doing that in our row.

We finally (when you're that tired, yes, 2 hours does feel like FINALLY) got home and I thought "I might be pregnant." We had been trying for a few months and so most anything during the past few months felt like "symptoms" but I thought we might as well just check. So I took out a test I had bought a few weeks before and peed on the stick. We waited the three minutes then saw what seemed to be a positive line in the "your pregnant" box.

We both had a hard time believing this, and wanted to be certain that it actually was positive, so we jumped in the car and went to buy a test that was a little more obvious. We ended up getting one that would tell us either "pregnant" or "not pregnant". Fortunately, I had no problem peeing again (I am sure you can guess why), and sure enough, it read "PREGNANT". We both started crying and hugging. We could hardly believe it! It was the BY FAR the BEST 1st ANNIVERSARY EVER!!

Endowed & Sealed for All Eternity

It was the weekend of Friday Sep 23, 2011, and it started with Amanda’s endowment session. We awoke on Friday morning, and after many last-minute preparations such as packing, getting lunch together, etc, we left a little before 11am. We arrived at the San Diego temple with a few minutes to spare before 12:30pm, since Amanda’s endowment session was at 2pm. As we approached, Amanda remarked how she was really starting to feel the butterflies; I felt a little nervous too. As always, the temple was beautiful and majestic as we pulled up, helping to calm us. We took a few deep breaths before getting out of the car. We were ready.

Amanda’s mom, Kris, was already there, waiting to be Amanda’s escort. We all entered the temple and went through the necessary paperwork for Amanda’s first time. Then, before I knew it, she was taken away from me – in good hands, however, between her mom and the temple workers. I waited for a temple worker to come for me, who escorted me to the men’s locker room. I did some temple work for a little while, then the time was upon us.

Joining us for the endowment session was many of our family and close friends – Mom & Dad Smith, Mom & Dad Eichten, Allison & Hector, Brittney, Andrew & Jen, my friend Matt Sandberg, and our friend Lynn Rothey. It was so great to see them. It felt so good to see them there – a joyous reunion. Alas, my brother Eric could not be there due to work, but he did arrive later in the evening.

I remember seeing my wife Amanda in the temple – she looked beautiful and pure, more so than I had ever seen her. She was smiling and glowing. It warmed my heart. The endowment session was phenomenal, the Spirit was so strong, and it touched us deeply to share it with our family and friends.

Afterwards, Amanda and I quick went to check in to our hotel room at the Sheraton, then headed on over to PF Chang’s for our post-endowment family and friends dinner. More loved ones joined us - Garth, Sherri, & Olivia, my brother Eric, Todd & Dena, Brittney’s baby Oliver, and Amanda & Nathan. The food was fantastic – it was a great time.

Amanda and I eventually headed back to the Sheraton. We wanted a good night sleep for the next day – a huge one in our lives, even our eternal lives. We pre-ordered room service breakfast. We didn’t need to get up that early – we just needed to be at the temple by 9am, for our sealing was scheduled for 10am.

I approached our temple sealing not necessarily with nervousness, but more with a sense of anticipation and excitement. It was a feeling of finally arriving home, a feeling of accomplishing that which must be, which I always knew must be. I had simply been waiting for it, patiently waiting. And now it was here, and I was ready.

All systems were smooth in the morning, and we arrived at the temple on time. Kris came with us in the car from the hotel – she was again to be Amanda’s escort. My Dad met us at the temple – he was to be my escort. Again, we (Amanda, Kris, and I – there was only room for three in the little room) went through paperwork with a temple worker, after which I met up again with my Dad and a new temple worker – a young guy who was to be my official temple escort. He was a really good guy. We went up into the men's locker room. In the meantime, Amanda and her mom were doing the same – it was a little different for them because she had a special bride’s room to get ready in, with her mom helping, while I just had the plain locker room. Hmm… inequality? Haha, j/k.

When Amanda and I were both ready, my Dad and Kris were taken to the temple sealing waiting room, while Amanda and I were escorted into the celestial room. We were lucky to have a few moments in that beautiful room together, alone. The celestial room in the San Diego temple is truly amazing, and the Spirit was so strong. We heard someone softly crying for joy in the room, which was moving to us. We spoke together, thought, prayed – it was a wonderful moment.

Eventually brother Romulo Casos, our sealer, came in and met with us in the celestial room. He talked to us for a little while, getting to know us better, and us him. He was a caring, warm-hearted man from Peru, with full, white hair and a kindly smile. We really liked him. He explained to us exactly what would happen in the sealing ceremony, so that we knew what to do. He departed, we waited a few more minutes, then they came to get us. It was time.

They escorted us to the beautiful large sealing room close by. I remember entering and seeing so many familiar faces of family and friends turn to us – it made me so happy to see everyone. Amanda and I sat down next to each other with Amanda on my left. Her mom was next to her, and my mom next to me. The sealing ceremony was beautiful. Brother Casos spoke about using the example of Christ to help guide our marriage and our relationship. He spoke of charity, and referred to Moroni 7. Brother Casos was without guile, very sincere, and such a nice man.

The sealing ordinance was performed, with such a powerful Spirit and emotion in the room. It was truly a moment we shall never forget, as we got sealed together, looking into each other’s eyes, soul to soul.

After the sealing was completed, Brother Casos invited our family and then friends to come up and greet us and hug us. It was such an awesome experience to greet my family and friends in that way, in the presence of such a Spirit and joy. Thank you thank you to all you loved ones who were there to support us and share that moment!

On the temple grounds all our friends and family were waiting. We took pictures, and then many went to a picnic we held at nearby Nobel Park, where we served sandwiches, drinks, and a cake. The cake! :

It was a beautiful day, and such a great time to be able to interact and have fun with everyone.

It finally came to an end. What a truly exceptional event in our lives. In the space of 27 hours – from the time we left Huntington Beach to the end of the picnic – our lives changed deeply and eternally. What a blessing it is to Amanda and me to be sealed together forever, for her to be endowed, and for us to be starting our eternal family. We thank God every day for our blessings. He has led us to each other, has guided our path along the way, and will continue to be with us and our family always.

And we are STILL ALIVE!

I know, I know I am sooo horrible at posting! When we were dating I thought there would be so many cool and exciting things to post about once we got married and I was wrong.. ha it's just like normal life.. only we live in the same house and sleep in the same bed. Since my last post there have been a few exciting things that happened tho! I did end up getting a new job (3 months ago.. ha I'm awful I know!) It's at a new dental office in Costa Mesa so ALOT closer to home! (15 min compared to an hour and 15 min..) Which helps ALOT especially with not having to pay $4 a day to take the toll road and gas prices these days. The V8 & Hemi don't help with that either. Dan & I have planned a few little weekend trips coming up that we are really looking forward to! We want to be able to do some of these little "get aways" before we have one "on the way". We have been told by countless people to get little trips in before we start trying to have any kids because it makes it alot more difficult once they are here, and with only one income. So this weekend we are headed to PALM SPRINGS!! It's only about 2 hours away but about 20 degrees hotter!! I'm so excited!! Then Memorial Day weekend I will be going to Minnesota to meet my new nephew (who will hopefully make his grand appearance in the next day or 2!!) After I get back the next weekend we will be heading to VEGAS!! I love Vegas! (which again in about 20 degrees warmer than here). The next weekend Dan is going to Atlanta for work. Then in July we are going to the East coast for 10 days! I am SOOO looking forward to this trip!! I have been to New York twice but once was for New Years and once for Christmas so it was COLD & I didn't get the full New York experience! So we are staying with Dan's parents in New Jersey and making some trips up to New York to see Ellis Island, ground zero and times square & go to a Yankees game at the new stadium!! YESS DEREK JETER!!! Then we will be driving down to DC for the 4th to watch the fireworks at the Monument. I've heard of a few people doing this and decided we MUST do this!! I'm sooo excited!! I LOVE the fourth of July!! Then in August we are wanting to go up to San Francisco.. it's not planned yet so we'll see.. But once we do all these trips hopefully I will post about them.. no promises. ;)
Anyway on another note I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day yesterday! I am so thankful for both my Amazing Mother & Mother-in-law! I feel so blessed to have those two wonderful women in my life, and so look forward to the day when I have children & will know they have the best Grandmas ever!! Saturday Dan took me to a "non" Mother's Day dinner, we went to this place at the South Coast Plaza called Anqi. It was AMAZING! We had some fillet pot stickers to start and then I had the rack of lamb with marble potatoes and a golden curry sauce, and Dan had short ribs with sweet potato polenta and plum sauce. It was so so good! Then at church on Sunday they had the men take over for the women in Primary so Dan, with one of our our home teachers, taught my Ctr 4 class. He had so much fun with them, and like a little mom I missed them like crazy and ran from the relief society room to class room so I could see them before they left, so silly I know!
ONE last exciting piece of info! DAN & I SET OUR TEMPLE SEALING DATE!! We will be sealed September 24, 2011 in the San Diego temple!! We can't wait!!
I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day and I will try to be better at posting!!

We're ALIVE!! ;)

Whoa I can't believe it's ALREADY 2011!! 3 words: THAT-CAME-FAST!! 2010 was such an amazing blur for us but we have a lot of really wonderful moments to look back on, and things we will remember for the rest of our lives.. #1 being the WEDDING!! I can't believe it's already been 4 months, and things are finally starting to settle down a little.

Well, I feel we should do a little catch up and then hopefully I can get better at posting more! Dan is still working as a product manager for Experian and loving it!! It's a great job and we are so blessed that he has it!! He hasn't had a lot of time (and the weather hasn't cooperated very well) to do one of the thing he loves most, if anyone knows Dan they know what it is! Cycling!! He was able to go out last weekend and had such a great time and from what he says he wants to do the Century ride again down to San Diego (over 100 miles! GO BABE GO!). This brings back a few memories because the first night we started talking was after he did that back in 2009. He has the summer to prepare and his wife as his little cheerleader on the side.
I right now am no longer working at the dental office in Laguna Hills. My last day was last Thursday and in no way is that depressing. I decided to look for something closer to home and something that I felt I could see myself at longer. So I am currently a stay at home wife. It's quite boring for me.. so hopefully I will be able to come across something soon that seems like a good fit for me! Also I am the new primary CTR 4 teacher at church. That's right, 4, as in 4 year olds. After I received the calling Dan and I are sitting in sacrament and I turn to him and asked, "What does a 4 year old look like?" For those of you who don't know, SMALL is the answer! They are sooo little!! But I am already starting to fall in love with them! They are so sweet and have such amazing spirits! I know this calling is more for me than for them!
So between everything we are just working on building our humble little apartment into a home. It's slowly getting there!! On Monday our newest addition arrived!! (My new favorite thing!) Our kitchen table!! We had a folding table up and some bar stools up to the counter but it's just not the same. We also just finished our last week of our temple prep class! When we decided to get married on the beach our goal was the following year to get sealed. So this September (maybe October we still have to pick a date) we will be sealed in the San Diego temple! We are so excited and I personally can't wait for it get here!!
We hope everyone is doing well and had a great holiday! I promise we will work harder on posting.. please don't delete us yet!! ;)