Mom I'm Famous!!!

This was a fun surprise the other night.... When we first moved here to Utah our neighbor down the street who is a professional photographer asked if Alyssa and I would be models for a photo shoot in the kitchen, we thought it would be fun so we said sure! He sells these pics for advertisements but doesn't know when, where, or what they'll end up in, but if they ever hear of where our pics go they'd let us know.

So I was on facebook the other night and came across a post from my friend Heather in our ward at church asking if we had ever taken a pic making a pie, because she thinks its us in the LIVING magazine??? Could this be....one of those pictures we took almost a year and a half ago? It killed me that I was home that night by myself with the ladies and they were already in bed so I couldn't just run to the store and see for myself. I had to wait until morning and when we got to Walmart and opened it up I could not believe it..... there we were in a full page ad. The most fun thing was Alyssa's reaction. I hadn't told her why we were there looking at the magazine so when I found the page I turned it around and showed her and she looked confused for a minute and then said "Mom that's us, oh my gosh, I'm famous".

We have been told that some of the other pics they took that day have sold they just don't know where they went!

Missing my legs (warning...rated scary)

I am not (okay maybe a little) trying to brag but I used to have the best legs, until my sweet Bella was about to enter our world. Late into my pregnancy with her my legs swelled to a ridiculous size, so much so that as I was delivering her I asked our dr. when I could expect for them to get better. He told me 2-4 weeks. Well I am just here to tell you almost 5 years later he was wrong. She was worth it just to be clear.

Trying to find answers for this crazy pitting swelling (which is mainly in my right leg) I have been to a cardiologist, a vein doc, had ultrasounds, had vein mapping done and worn compression stockings (like the old ladies I took care of in the nursing home) and finally been told last year I have Lymphedema.

I have always been in control of and taken pride in my physical appearance, so this has been very humbling to say the least. When I am pregnant it is obviously worse due to the extra weight, which is a large reason that this baby girl who will be here in 3 and a 1/2 weeks will be our last baby. The doctors have a hard time understanding why I have this condition since I have none of the symptoms a typical lymph patient has such as morbid obesity, previous cancer surgery, trauma to the leg, burns, brake or fracture. The only thing I can think is Heavenly Father is trying to keep me humble. I know that there are far worse conditions or afflictions I could have and so I have to take this all in stride. There is no cure..... only treatment, which really consists of compression with the stockings and elevation which I have loads of time for. But I just have to say I really miss my legs.....

those were my legs back when Ry and I were datingthese are my legs now on a bad day......when I've been on them all day
This was an especially bad day.
pretty sexy huh?!