All is calm...

because it wasn't for the past few weeks around here.

I have lots of catching up to do on this blog...but it must wait until after Christmas.

Chad's Birthday
Thanksgiving
Planning and throwing our ward Christmas party
Alexis' Birthday
Chad studying like crazy for the GMAT (that's been going on for months!)
I've been working longer hours
...and of course getting ready for Christmas.

I've tried to stay positive. I've tried to be happy. But I must admit...I'm pregnant and there have been emotional outburst.

-Chad wasn't doing as good on his GMAT practice tests as he would have liked.
-6 days before the ward Christmas party Chad and I overheard people complaining about our plans for our "Polar Express Christmas Party" and the fact that we requested..."wear your pajamas." The words that were expressed very loudly were "this has got to be the lowest of lows for our ward" while reading our flier. That hurt. I'll spare you the details of how I let the Relief Society have it during my announcement and burst out of the room crying! Let's just say when I got in the car after church Chad's jaw dropped when I told him! Then he started busting up laughing. Lots of people commented on it being my pregnancy...but I can hands down say...Chad and I were both hurt. When you put so much time during the holidays into throwing a ward party...you just wish people would be grateful.
-Chad was extremely ill and in bed for 4 days prior...just when I needed him most with getting ready for the ward party.
-I was asked to host the dinner at my house for the Relief Society Progressive dinner. I was excited because I needed an excuse to really clean my house and because they were doing all the work for the dinner. At the appetizer house the cups were labeled...as to who's house was whose. I thought that was weird because usually you don't know who's house you are going to until you have picked your color. Guess how many people picked my color...Yes...labeled..."Amber's house." TWO!....You bet I was holding back the tears! But then they came like a flood when I was alone with my husband that night.
-My Christmas cards didn't come when they were supposed to and the company failed to let me know they were behind. Finally they came 6 days before Christmas...to the wrong house an hour away. You bet your bottom I drove in the horrible rain to get them. (I passed 5 really bad accidents on the freeway if that begins to tell you how bad the rain was.) I literally stuffed and licked 100 envelopes in 12 minutes and put them in the slot at the post office at 4:59pm Monday night!

but guess what...I let that frustration out by doing physical labor around my house...it's never been cleaner!

The the really good news...
-I didn't have snot running down my mask at work today! First time in 2 weeks.
-Chad did AWESOME on his GMAT Monday night. He said it was harder than any practice test he took and considered not finding out his score...thus the score wouldn't be sent to the schools...but thankfully he did. He scored 80 points higher than any test he ever took and is now competitive to get into the top schools he's applying for. Whoo hoo!

*I wrote this back in early December and never posted it. But...it was pretty honest of our life during those weeks...so for documents sake and the fact that I obviously needed to vent...here it is.