Book Review x several

Tim and I went to the library a few weeks ago and we've been reading somewhat voraciously ever since, so I'm grouping my book reviews to keep this more concise:


Georgette Heyer - Georgette Heyer was the author of dozens of Regency novels, set during the times of Jane Austen's books and written in a similar style. She was writing and publishing over fifty years ago, but the novels still feel fresh today. I've read four or five of her romances and though they're all relatively similar, they are all very entertaining and enjoyable. I usually can't put them down once I get going and may or may not have spent two hours sitting on my bathroom floor reading one at some point this month. They are delightful, perfect for light reading, and I particularly recommend this month's favorite, Frederica - I loved it. Three stars on average for Georgette Heyer's books.


Orson Scott Card - I've read other books by Orson Scott Card but this month I started tackling the Women of Genesis series. I've finished Sarah and Rebekah (haven't finished Rachel & Leah yet) and for the most part, I've really enjoyed them. Orson Scott Card did a great job of creating very real people from the stories in the scriptures, people with both flaws and virtues. Plus he added in a lot of cultural details that helped explain some of the actions or reactions of the characters. I thought some of his choices for portraying the characters were interesting and where I had my own preconceptions, I didn't necessarily like or agree with those choices. Overall though, I've really enjoyed reading about these women and what they could have been like. Three stars for Sarah, two and a half for Rebekah. 


Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind. Tim got a slew of fantasy/science fiction novels from the library and he told me enough about this one that I became intrigued and wanted to read it for myself. Terry Goodkind created a fascinating and very complete fantasy world, and while I was mostly drawn to the relationship between the two main characters, I was impressed by what he came up with. Unfortunately, he was also very very good at creating evil and there were several parts of the book that I either skipped or wished I had - lots of torture going on. And the style of the novel was very uneven, sometimes feeling more casual and other times much more "high fantasy" formal. Tim read the next book in the series but I decided not to. If you're way into fantasy and don't mind the evil stuff, you'll probably really enjoy this book. If not, go ahead and skip this one. Two stars.

Dear Paul, Bekah, and Grace:

Thanks so much for letting us come up yesterday and take over your afternoon and evening! It was so excellent to see you guys and catch up on all the details of life. We so appreciated the time and quality of the company and conversation. Plus we had a lot of fun at the air show! I'd never been to one before but I am so glad we go to go. You guys are just awesome and we loved seeing you and your new apartment. Our only regret is that it didn't turn into a sleepover and that we are too far away it do it more often. And Grace, thank you for letting us commandeer your parents' attention for so long - you were far more patient with us than I would have been. 


Let's not wait too long to do that again, okay?


Kate & Tim

(Sorry for the spot on the pictures - I still have not been able to get that fixed.)

Summer bucket list

At the beginning of the month, Tim and I started to come up with a list of must-dos for this summer. Some of them might become less possible as I become more pregnant, but I think having a list of fun things to do is an excellent way to start the summer out!


In no particular order...


- Summerfest fireworks (2nd week of June)
- Timpanogos Storytelling Festival (end of August)
- Game nights (every Tuesday!)
- Visit the BYU Museum of Art
- Picnic at Bridal Veil Falls
- Outdoor movies at the Scera Shell
- Outdoor (hopefully free) concerts
- Miniature golf
- Trip to Capitol Reef (at least one)
- Timpanogos Caves
- Stadium of Fire fireworks (4th of July)
- Go to the library, find some new books, and read in the park
- Swimming/7 Peaks
- Antelope Island
- Make ice cream, popsicles, slushies, etc.
- Provo Farmer's Market
- Rooftop Concert Series (1st Friday of every month)
- Thanksgiving Point Gardens


Shoot, I think I'm forgetting some now... Anything you'd add? I'm getting more excited for summer just looking at all of this!

Come play games!

Quick announcement for everyone: every Tuesday night through August we're having a "Game Night in the Park" at the Orem City Center park (100 North 300 East, on the side with the playground) starting at 6:30 pm. Bring your card games, board games, outdoor games, pretty much anything you want to play and bring everyone you know. This is open to anyone who wants to have fun and enjoy the beautiful summer weather. So come and play!

Some thoughts on pregnancy

Now that our "secret" is out, I feel like I can share some of the thoughts I've had about not being able to get pregnant right away. I know we had a much, much easier and quicker time of it than many couples, so I don't want to exaggerate anything, but I also feel like it's worth honestly talking about some of the experiences I had during the 10 months of "trying." 

Not being able to get pregnant is incredibly lonely. It's lonely to feel like the only one who isn't having a baby when it seems like everyone else doesn't have to struggle (even though I know that's not true). It's lonely because it's hard to talk about. Everyone I did talk to during those months had kind, sympathetic advice for me, and though it did help in one way, not being able to get pregnant was more than just not having a baby. It was this fear that my body was broken, that I was somehow fundamentally failing as a woman, that I was letting people down (myself included). I sometimes worried that Tim was secretly resenting me or was disappointed in me (he wasn't). I felt "less than". I had to remind myself that my creative powers aren't limited to creating life and that I still had potential and worth.


Those were cyclic months, so there were times when I was fine and trusted and had faith that everything would work out how and when it was supposed to. There were other times that I worried I wasn't doing enough and I obsessively counted days and tracked the months. Christmas was especially hard because I had expected to feel a special kinship with Mary last December as I carried my own firstborn - but I didn't. Tim played Joseph in our ward's nativity but I was not Mary and that felt far more symbolic than it should have.


When that long sought-after plus sign finally appeared, I was almost unprepared for both the joy and the anxiety that came with it. As I adjusted to my new, sought-after reality, I was surprised by some of my reactions to other people's reactions. Once we started telling people in general, it was a little upsetting to me how casually my pregnancy was regarded. It was so precious to me, such a special gift, that hearing it discussed like any other topic or, even worse, joked about (as a side note, please do not call my child "spawn" - I'll bite your head off) made me defensive and upset. I think part of this was because of how long we had waited for it, but maybe all new mothers feel that way at some point. (I sure hope so, at least.) When it's not you, it seems like everyone is having babies and while it's exciting, it's not new. But to us, the first-time expectant parents? Every day is anticipated, every other thought is about the growing baby and the changes she will bring. Every moment, even the sick ones, are laced with gratitude.


My struggles were small, I know this, but I am grateful for how they've changed my perspective. What was once a sacrifice became a privilege; what was once a burden became a blessing. What seems easy and casual on Facebook ("I'm pregnant! Yay!") might hide months of anxious waiting and heartfelt prayers. I hope I can remember, even when I'm on child number four and getting pregnant feels unremarkable and overwhelming, that every healthy pregnancy is a gift and always treat it as such.

It's a...

GIRL!!! 


We were so certain we were having a boy but we had our ultrasound this morning and this baby is most definitely a little girl! We are so excited - I've never been more happy to be wrong. A tiny part of me is slowly tucking away all the dreams and plans I made for our little boy to save for later, but most of me is just happily making new plans for our daughter. She's going to have a girl cousin only a few months older and I am so excited for them to be friends. Everyone has been asking us if we have a name picked out and the answer is no - we have several names we like, but none that are really standing out. Besides, we may just have to meet this little girl first to find a name that fits.


I'm just so, so, so excited. So surprised, but so excited. Hooray for healthy little girls!


P.S. The ultrasound tech moved my due date back a few days - September 22nd is the date now. I think the 17th is still the "official" date but we're trying to mentally make the switch.