And Finally The Really Big News!!

Why you may ask is Isaac's nose all red? Because he insisted on looking like Rudolph for about 3 weeks before Christmas (off and on...) and Christmas day for sure! This year, his pride and joy was receiving a "baketball hoop" and tools from santa, and an awesome combine, though I'm sure he'll grow to love the clothes and electric toothbrush he received as well... Ha!

So Christmas is over and we're all feeling the post-holiday-partum blues, but never fear, we have saved the best news for last! We are going to add a new little Pieper to the world June 1st (or hopefully sooner!!) Yes, that makes me 20 weeks along, and no, you are not the last person on earth to find out, though I'm sure some of you are starting to feel that way! We actually decided to wait until Christmas so that we could tell Ben's family in person about the good news. Some of you may be thinking that we are insane to wait until we are 18 weeks to tell our immediate family, and you would be right. Though everyone is now excited, I am not sure excited was the word to describe everyone's initial emotion! Some were a little more than disappointed we had waited so long:) But, we had good reason, and it was actually kind of fun to be able to deliver such great news.

Isaac was able to tell both of our sets of parents and siblings with a t-shirt we had made for him. It says "Big Brother 09 Isaac" It's really cute, I should definitely take a picture of him with it. Then, the most observant person in the room got to find out first.

Other than that, our break was great. We really enjoyed being together and are starting to feel like all these big plans are actually taking place. It will be an interesting 6 months of preparation and extreme craziness, but we can't help but feel so blessed! Certainly everything happens under the Lord's timing and plan.

(new vibrating toothbrush... very exciting!)

We did have the opportunity to travel to Pinedale to spend some time with Joni and Clay in the frozen tundra- brrr! And then on to Rexburg for more coldness:) I never thought I would refer to Laramie as a "warm location," but at times it's seeming more like that! It was really great to spend a week in Idaho and really have a chance to be with the family.

Now, this week has been our wake up call back to reality! We are working on finding a sense of normalcy and I'm sure we will soon, but getting back in the groove is tough. Anyway, we'll keep you posted on what "normal" is going to mean for us this spring, but so far, it just means really busy!

So, may each of you enjoy the new year and find some peace (oh, and when you find it, help us get there too!!)

And Finally The Big News!!!

A little poster Isaac and I made to help our neighbors find out about our good news... We have had so much help in getting to this point. So many prayers, fasting, etc. that we wanted everyone to know:)

It occurred to me that in all of our ecstatic rejoicing, we have failed to mention that Ben was accepted to Dental School!! He was accepted to Arizona on Dec. 1st, first thing in the morning. I think both of us were crying and laughing. It's definitely a funny feeling, I'm sure everyone can relate, but we had been praying and hoping and putting our trust and faith in the Lord for so so long- with this matter in particular- that to finally have that prayer answered and to be supported in our decision to pursue the course was really overwhelming. It's like praying for something for 3 years and wanting it so badly and knowing the whole time that that is absolutely the path for you, but being "shot down" for years in a row, regardless of your hard work, etc. We are so grateful for the opportunity to go now and know that the timing is finally right and the place will be right too. We trust and have felt that the Lord needed us here for the past 3 years. We have seen so much growth in our personal lives, our spiritual experiences, and Ben's professional development that we know we needed Laramie. We also know that we have been able to experience things and experience a trust and faith so strong in the Lord and His plan that we may never have had to do otherwise. So, though it was trying at the time, we know that it turned out exactly the way it needed to and we are, once again, so grateful for the journey and the Lord's plan.

So, from here the plan will be interesting. We are thinking we will be moving somewhere outside of Phoenix (around Glendale, where Ben will be going to school) around July. Should be interesting, as always, but this cold spell has made us love the thought of Phoenix, that's for sure!!

Ben also finished his immunology class last week. To his astonishment, and thanks to lots of hardwork and the help of the Lord, he was able to pull of the highest grade in the class! It was definitely one of the most difficult classes he has had to take and along with another 4 credit course, and 40 hours of work each week, he has definitely felt the load! This spring semester, Ben doesn't have to take any classes, so we are going to really enjoy the calm before the storm!!

As for us, Ikie has been battling little colds and I actually found out that I had strep throat, though I didn't know it and had no symptoms-- lucky me, a day off work! Anyway, it has given us a couple of chances to be home together and relax a little... Something that doesn't happen too often! We are in the midst of a wonderful Christmas season. I love this time of year and the special spirit we can feel when we stop and take a minute. We are also taking great joy in making gifts for lots of friends and family (beware!!) and teaching Ike the same. So, while we make it through this last week of school and work, we will remember these special times and look forward for a great break and an opportunity to catch up with many of you. May this week be blessed for you all!

"It looks like guacamole!"

***Disclaimer: May be a little graphic for the faint of heart***

If ever you hear these words uttered from your two year old's mouth while sitting in the bathtub, "It looks like guacamole!" Know that you have a catastrophe at hand! Apparently, Isaac has a stellar imagination already, though I'm not sure I appreciate the link between a little poo and guacamole. I think it'll be awhile before I can eat chips and guac again! It does make for a great story to tell his girlfriends when he gets older!

This week has been great. Though Ben and I both feel like we are being pushed to our limits and staying busier than we ever want, we know that we are headed in a good direction and that the things we are doing are worthy causes. Ben is about to finish his two classes (8 credit hours)! Whoa! All the time he is working full time. We are so looking forward to this week with some friends and family and the opportunity to watch my little brother (who is much taller than me) play basketball for Regis University. (http://www.regisrangers.com/) It promises to be a great week of eating and basketball (and maybe a little black friday shopping...) So, here's to another great week in what we like to call paradise! May we all take a minute to give thanks and to realize the truly wonderful things in our lives.

The Indiana Diary

Ben, Isaac and I left for Indiana on October 28th for Ben's dental school interview Oct. 29th. He had a great interview and really feels like this would be a good place, if it's where the Lord wants us. While Ben was interviewing, Isaac and I went to the Indianapolis Children's Museum with our friends, Ashley and her daughter Lily, and Emily and her daughter, Lexi. We had a great time! I think this is the best Children's Museum ever... certainly on a different scale than the ones we are used to! I think Isaac's favorite part was the haunted house and a pool ball maze (difficult to describe, but a very intricate design that took balls up and down and through loops, etc.) He could've stared at it all day trying to figure it out!

Making cupcakes with Lily-- this is post them throwing dry cake mix at each other in the two seconds we were turned around... great cleanup!

We spent the rest of the week in Indiana with our friends, Roger, Ashley and Lily (and their family). We had a wonderful time and especially enjoyed trick or treating with our two little pirates! We also enjoyed going to Rog and Ashley's ward (a little backwards!) While we were there, the only really funny thing was in Sunday School when a guy's phone went off and it was a country song about getting it on! We all had a good chuckle! Ike also had a dream come true! He was able to ride with Roger's dad (and Ashley and Lily) on a real combine while they cut soy beans! It was pretty much the highlight of his two years of life and he talks about it all the time! I think he may have a good future as a farmer!

We sent Ben back home to work and go to school on Sunday and then Ike and I spent another week "chilling" with the Whites. It was so fun to take a step back and just be with our kids enjoying each other's company and letting the kids play a ton. It certainly took care of my stress problem, at least for awhile and made me so excited for the day I can live next door to these special friends! (I'll keep looking on Craig'slist for our next house!)

Well, here's to another week of fun! Life back to "normal" is quite exciting too, especially with this two year old around!

4 Birthdays... Really?? Overkill? Maybe...

Isaac on his First BirthdayIsaac on his 2nd Birthday Each year I am taking his picture on his birthday in our rocking chair... sniffle... he is growing so fast. What a fun little man!

We have just celebrated Ikie's Birthday for the past two weeks! I don't know if he remembers a time when it wasn't his "birthday season!" It all started when we were in Kansas visiting my grandma and she made Isaac his first birthday cake (angelfood-- a longstanding tradition of Pokorny birthdays-- yumm!) After that we hit a hiatus for a week until his real birthday on October 19th. We had birthday waffles for breakfast (an adopted tradition that we love!!) I let Isaac choose what kind of cake he wanted me to make too. He chose lemon, just like his daddy! So, we ate lemon cake that night and he opened a couple of presents with Grandma and Grandpa and us. Then our fourth birthday celebration came this past Friday when we had a little "Spook-tacular" 2nd Birthday Party with a couple little friends and our family. It was a crowded little event, but so fun! I actually made homemade donuts ("spudnuts") and put candles in that instead! So, all in all, Isaac insists he is four years old when you ask him, he is an excellent candle blower outer, and I am about to be in a diabetic coma from all the sugar!! It was sure fun though:)

just a few friends and family at the party... Not enough room for everyone we love, but it was certainly enough to feel some love:)

If you couldn't deduce from my shotty attempts at keeping a blog, or any contact at all, we have been "bouncing around" the country this month with interview season. We started off going to Nebraska and Kansas to interview and UNMC Dental School and then went to see my family in Kansas. We had a great little weekend that went all too fast, but we sure enjoyed everyone. Isaac still can list everyone we saw from "Grandma Ponininini" to "Grandma Leafy" and "Aunt Rita," etc. Sure was fun to catch up a little!

Ben then took a trip last week to Phoenix to interview for dental school. He has felt good about every interview and comforted in that he did his best effort, but he really enjoyed this visit and the people he met. We'll see... We really have turned this one over to the Lord and know that when the time is right, we will go. No worries on this end!

Now we are preparing this week for a trip to Indiana on Tuesday and Ben's 3rd interview this year, at IU in Indianapolis on Wednesday. Ikie and I are pretty excited to go along to see our good friends and adopted "families" and to spend Halloween somewhere warm with lots of leaves changing colors:) We'll have lots to report I'm sure!

Anyway, as we continue on through interview season and this interesting time of life, we want to thank all of you for your never failing support and faith in us and on our behalf. It makes all the difference and truly has blessed us in everyway! Here's to a great week!

Singing in the rain, Singing in the sun, singing, singing

A picture of Isaac post carrot cake episode:) He awoke early from his nap and snuck into the kitchen where he proceeded to eat his fill of carrot cake without me knowing. When he was done he was sure to tell me all about it!! So cute!

This week has been really wild around here... So wild, in fact, that my stress-induced zits are arising!! ahhh! If that doesn't make you want to de-stress, I don't know what will! Anyway, I know it'll all work out for the best. I find it so difficult to own what is mine, and not everyone elses'! After we take a step back, though, we realize how truly lucky we are and how much we love where we are in life. It's all worth it and we really are very happy here.

This weekend we were able to do just that. Ben did some community service with our stake this weekend planting over 160 awesome trees on 130. They look great! While he was out doing good, he happened to take all our sets of keys with him (on accident, I'm pretty sure!) So, in the meantime, I promised Ikie we were going for a walk in the "trolla" as he calls the stroller. In his mind, this is the epitome of everything wonderful, so to say the least, he was disappointed when all the keys were gone and the jeep was locked! So, thinking on my feet, like every good mommy, I decided we would just take the bike trailer, until I realized I left it at my parents' last week. So, again, thinking on my feet, I determined the only mode of transporation we had left was the framed baby backpack. I loaded Ikie up and away we went (finally)!

Just wait, it gets better... So, my sister had called to see if I was garage saling (as we both need some things). I couldn't let her down, so off we went. The first stop ended up being way farther north than I thought, so we essentially walked to the end of town on the north (about a mile from our house) and then didn't find anything (of course!) So, we turned around and I decided I was going to hit this one neighborhood sale and then go to my parents' to get the bike trailer (the very southern edge of town). It only took 2 hours! Luckily, Isaac loved every minute of it and I got a great workout! By the time we got to their house, I think we walked over 5 miles with all the garage sale detours. Crazy, I know! The best part is that Isaac really loved it, the worst part, I didn't find one single thing at a sale. 5 blocks doesn't seem too far until you've already walked 4 miles with a baby on your back! Oh, and then we biked back home (another 3 miles)! Whew, I'm exhausted just retelling it!

So, that was our Saturday morning. We spent the rest of the day running errands and getting things done around here, which was so so nice! I love days like this!! Then today was equally as lovely. I subbed for a Sunbeam class of 10 kiddos- a little crazy, but it was really great. Then we hung out around here and took a little time to splash in the puddles outside our house after a rainstorm passed through. A perfect end to a great weekend!

2 months!!

How in the world did two months go by without a post... I guess life really is as busy as I claim! We have seen a few ups and downs this past little bit, but mostly ups and lots of laughs from the downs! We spent the summer traveling all over visiting friends and family and hosting several family and friends here too! What a treat! In Wyoming it is really true that we have to take advantage of our precious summer months because they don't last long! We took many opportunities to go hiking in the mountains... These are pictures of a gold mine we found above Centennial, WY about 20 minutes from our house. It's pretty difficult to get up there, so we're glad my dad found it and told us about it! Ben's parents made the great trek over Wyoming to come visit us a couple of weeks ago. We had a great time at the first football game of the season with Hannah, Mary and Peter (or Petey as Ike insists on calling him). We also enjoyed some delicious meals together and even a deep conversation/fireside on the last days. Joni and Clay just happened to be back in town for that too, as was my friend, Jamie. It was a really neat experience.

Mary and Ikey watching the rain fall on our patio. Too cute to miss!

Last weekend we finally crossed another of our "must dos" of the list! We drove to Canon City, CO with my friend Jamie and rode the train down the Royal Gorge. It was awesome and Isaac was beyond words! He loves transporation and trains are the ultimate in his mind right now... It was great.

This was the night before our garage sale... Ike thought it was funny to sit in the mirror and make faces with "make offer" stickers on our noses!

I also have to tell you a few new things Isaac is doing... He is all of a sudden speaking in phrases. About 20 times a day he says "Where'd daddy go?" My favorite for the moment was this morning when he came in on his tigger rocking horse toy saying "I'm-a goin to da library!" It was way cute!