Our Residence for the Summer (Can't Bring Myself to Call it our Home).

Here is the story of our apartment... and by the way, it is a horror story.

Here we are right when we pulled into the driveway for the first time--happy and naive,
not knowing what was lurking inside this house. 

When we walked inside it smelled so bad! And we soon found the reason why...

We weren't sure, but we decided it was probably a dead baby otter rotting in our sink. 

What a WELCOME HOME right?! Not only was this crap in the sink, but it was EVERYWHERE. All over the counters, seeped into the cupboards, on the dishes, all over the floors. Just everywhere was covered in this nasty, smelly, slimy, gunk. It was dis.gust.ing. This "stuff" must have clogged the sink and flooded the kitchen/family room area. We had to wait a day and finally the landlord came over with a snake to unclog it.

Since the first night we were here, we have come to HATE this apartment.
Here are just a few of our favorite things about this place...

The apartment is probably around 400 square feet. One bedroom. Our kitchen is tiny. No dishwasher, half of an oven, so so so small.

Keep in mind- that is like a third of our apartment right there. 

We kill spiders and find dead rolly-pollies on a daily basis. (How do they get in here?) I have never liked spiders but since living here, I have grown even more scared of them. Not only do we have these mutant, scary beetle-looking spiders but they surprise scare me almost every day. I have NOT gotten used to it. I still get scared every time. PLUS!!! We have had two separate occasions when the spiders have had BABIES here!! One day I heard Ryan yell, "Don't come in here!" So of course I run over to see what's happening. Yep. Bad idea. Spiders. Dozens and dozens of them crawling out of the top of the hall closet. Little, tiny, baby spiders that will grow into big, creepy, sick, spiders except that we will KILL THEM. (Thankfully my brave, warrior husband takes care of that part). We also had a similar experience finding tons of baby spiders in our bathroom. These are the types of experiences that make you very paranoid to live in your own house.

Dead Rolly-Pollies. All over. Every day. I seriously have NO idea how they get in here. 

Here is one of the mutant spiders that we found in our house last night. Sooooo creepy I wanna die.
OH MY GOSH!!!! I just had a gross realization!! Is this spider PREGNANT?! 
I mean look at that Ba-donka-donk!! It has to be pregnant! Oh. My. Gosh.
I have the worst heebie jeebies right now. I can't believe I didn't notice this earlier! 
That would have been the THIRD spider to have babies here. Gosh, I can't wait to leave this place!! 

So because our move was only for a few months, we only brought what would fit in our car. So we have been sleeping on an air mattress all summer. It's hilarious because every time one of us moves or gets up to go pee (thanks to pregnancy, that is multiple times a night) the bed not only redistributes the air to wake the other person, but there is no carpet, so it squeaks so bad and it's so noisy every time someone moves or gets up. It's really actually hilarious. However, it is the NICEST air mattress ever. Thank you to Ryan's parents for the super convenient b-day present they gave him last year! Who knew we would end up sleeping on it all summer? However, we are really looking forward to our normal, real bed back in Indiana.

 Our toilet sometimes leaks brown water out of the side, onto the floor. Most of the time it's just "clear," (probably because Ryan and I stay hydrated). ha! We keep paper towels next to it to soak up any leakage. It leaks spontaneously so sometimes the towels will be dry for a week or more. Other times they are wet often. It's gross. I know. I promise I do my best to keep this place clean but it's just old and crappy and no matter how much I clean, it just always feels dirty.

Here is a freshly wet paper towel before I changed it out. I know, I know. It's totally gross but I want to PROVE to my children where we lived, "when we were newlyweds." We check these every day to see if they are wet and need to be changed out. Then we Lysol the floor and try to make it sanitary.
Sorry if you need therapy now. 

The whole place reeks. It has a moldy-poo smell. It makes me sick. No seriously. It makes me physically sick. Remember how pregnant people get a sixth sense of super-smell? That is THE WORST super power to have when you live in this apartment. Exhibit A: We have had Glade plug-ins all summer to help mask the smell, but last week they ran out and since we are moving next week, I didn't want to buy more. So, the first day the plug-ins are gone I left the apartment to take Ryan to the train. When I returned and came through the front door, I caught a whiff of this apartment's true smell and I gagged. I then proceeded to vomit all over the bathroom floor. Almost made it to the toilet... but not quite.

I think this place is preparing us very well for the
dirty diaper smell coming in January. 

 It is loud! It's a duplex. The only thing that separates us from our neighbors is a door. No insulation or sound barrier. We can seriously hear them ALL the time. Plus they have three kids and a dog. The first night, I was irate. I told Ryan there was no way in Hades that I was going to live here. Our neighbor has a very "colorful" vocabulary and speaks at least a million decibels higher than the loudest person I know. However, after some nice chats, they have really quieted down a lot and they are really nice, friendly people. But we still hear them all the time.

We also live 10ish mins. from the airport so we get to hear airplanes taking off all day and all night :) 

The weather here. Every. Day. We didn't get a summer. It's always cold. It is always foggy/cloudy. If you are a vampire, or have an allergic reaction to the sun, you should move to Daly City. If you hate  sunshine, summer, or happiness, move here. If you want to become poor, move here. If you want depression, move here.

This was the fourth of July. Depressing.

Every day. Sometimes we get lucky and it gets into the 60's.  

This is our street. It actually looks like this everyday. I'm NOT kidding. This photo was taken in July.

This photo was taken in August. It is always like this and it is realllllllly starting to depress me.
I really miss the sun. 

Oh my gosh. So An adventure just happened while I was writing this post. HILARIOUS that as I am writing about our crappy apartment this just happens...

This apartment is so well constructed.

That is our cupboard. It just FELL OFF THE WALL. hahahaha this is seriously hilarious that this just happened while writing this post. Wow. Our apartment has the shoddiest workmanship imaginable. Everything is so cheaply put together and stuff breaks all the time.

On a brighter note. The girl who lived here before didn't want to get a storage unit and so she offered to leave a bunch of her things like her kitchen table and chairs, a couch, a bookshelf, lamps etc. This has really come in handy and we are grateful for that. Also, we have a tiny backyard. Very filled with weeds and spiders so I don't like to go out there, but it does have a pretty view. We've only seen the view about two times considering that it is always too foggy to see, but on those two days, it was a nice view to have. Also, the backyard has a lemon tree. I have enjoyed plucking fresh lemons from the tree as needed.

Most days you can't see beyond the trees but it's pretty beyond that!
 And the lemons have come in handy. 

I know this post is pretty negative and filled my whining. But that's life. Sometimes it is hard and sometimes bad stuff happens or we have to live in crappy places and when I'm not crying about it, Ryan and I just laugh. I really wanted to capture some of these details so we can look back on it and remember what it was like. Living here has given us a huge appreciation for living...well, anywhere else. We have been counting down the days til we get to move away. No really we have been counting down the days. I even made a paper chain.

Every night we rip one off and we are one day closer to leaving this place :) 

Ryan's Mono Story

My morning sickness started a few days after our move to Northern California. It was so bad, I almost cancelled my flight to go to one of my best friend's weddings because I was just so sick. Ryan gave me a blessing and said I would be able to go and that the sickness would subside while I was away. It was a miracle! While I was in Utah I was OK! I was so grateful. But the day I got back, I was throwing up and so sick again. When Ryan came to pick me up at the airport we were both feeling like crap. I could tell he was not well just by looking at him. His eyes looked really weird. It scared me. I don't know how to describe it. He just looked really ill. He was complaining of severe headaches, back pain, stomach aches, eye pain, etc. The eye pain is what really freaked me out and I really wanted to take him to the doctor. We looked around for an urgent care but apparently all there is late at night in this area is the ER. Ryan didn't want to spend the money to go to the ER so he insisted on waiting until the next day and he would just go to the doctor.

The next day we headed to the doctor. She pretty much had NO CLUE what was wrong with him and thought he should be tested for meningitis that day. So, guess where she sent us? To the ER. Great! So now we are paying for the ER after all, and as a bonus we get to pay for a doctors visit too! Plus we get another bonus of paranoia that Ryan has meningitis. Anyway, we head over to the Emergency room and they had to do all of these tests and blood tests, as well as a spinal tap!! It was kinda freaky. They inserted this long needle into his spine and withdrew fluid. I felt so bad for my boy. 

We waited around the ER for a few hours and finally the doctor came in with good news- no meningitis. In fact, what Ryan had wasn't scary at all. He had Mono. Mono. Wait. Mono? We came to the ER for Mono? The kissing disease? We thought it was weird but the doctor just said Ryan had a really bad case of it and that we shouldn't kiss for a little while. (Dang). The doctor told Ryan to stay home from work until the fever went away. Well, the fever didn't go away, in fact it started to get worse. His overall condition was getting worse. I mean he was so tired, he had no appetite, he was nauseous, he had severe abdominal pain, he had horrible fevers of 103 degrees, night sweats, chills etc. He just kept getting worse and then one night he was tossing and turning all night because his pain in his abdomen was so severe. About 5 or 6 he started violently throwing up. I ran to the bathroom to check on him and I swear he was about to pass out! He looked so weak and dizzy and just so completely ill. I have never seen someone that bad before. It really, truly scared me. I could tell he was in so much pain and I was really concerned about what was going on inside of him. I helped him get dressed and drove him to the ER. Again. 

This time at the ER was different. We had to go to a different hospital because it was closer than the great one we had been to last time. Let me tell you, the staff was the lamest ever ever ever. Here we were in what we genuinely felt was an emergency and they were making us fill out all this paper work and asking us personal questions like what religion we were...all while my husband feels like he's gonna pass out from his abdominal pain and he can't stop vomiting. I mean seriously. He's throwing up the entire time the lady is putting his info into the computer. I'm like, "Hello! He is very sick!! Can't we do this later?" So annoying! I felt so bad for Ry! Then the security comes out and tells me I need to leave and put this parking permit in the window of my car. WHAT? Ok so I need to leave my sick loved one in the waiting room, by himself, throwing up and about to pass out, so I can put a parking pass in my car? I was really starting to get bugged. When we got back to the room, the nurse that was helping us just put me over the edge. We said that we were worried about Ryan's spleen and a possibility of it rupturing due to his mono. The nurse just rolled his eyes and asked, "Why would you think that? Mono is in the throat. You get a sore throat from mono. Your spleen can't rupture from it. And believe me, if that was going to happen you would be in a lot more pain." Oh. My. Gosh. I wanted to punch him so hard. So rude. You do not ever say something like that to a patient. And you never ever ever belittle someones pain or worries like that! The hospital also didn't have AC and here was my husband in this unbelievably hot room with a high fever. He couldn't stop sweating and was so uncomfortable in so many ways. I just felt so bad for him. I just wanted to make it all go away and the nurse just acted like we were overreacting and being a bunch of sissies. 

Ryan ended up getting a CT scan and a bunch of other tests and the first doctor who came in told us his spleen was very enlarged and they were worried it might rupture. They also said he had abnormal liver function and "he had never seen anything like this." OK not what you want to hear! I was so worried about my husband. Then another doctor came in. His exact words were, "It looks like someone has taken a baseball bat to your spleen." He also told us that a third to a half of his spleen was infarcted. This means that it was not receiving proper circulation and the tissue was dying or had already died. They said "Ryan needs to be admitted to the hospital for a few days so we can make sure his SPLEEN DOESN'T RUPTURE." Oh my gosh when I heard that... it's a good thing that nurse wasn't around or it would have gotten ugly. Real ugly. Seriously, I was fuming that our nurse was so rude earlier and told us that this "could never happen" and to basically stop being a paranoid baby. Then it ended up being the very reason that Ryan was admitted to the hospital! 

Ryan had to stay in the hospital for three days. The first day they put him on an IV. He was so dehydrated and couldn't keep foods down. I think the IV really helped a ton! The second day he had a clear liquids only diet and the third day they put him on a regular, liquid diet. They also gave him some morphine to help manage his abdominal pain, (caused by the enlarged spleen). He just took the time to rest and get the necessary medical help.

While in the hospital there were several tender mercies. The first was that we took him to the hospital in the first place. He was supposed to catch a flight to Texas that morning. I don't know what would've happened if he had gone to Texas and had this happen there. I would've died knowing he was in the hospital so far away and I couldn't be there.  It was also a huge testament to how great it is to be a member of the LDS church because no matter where we go, there is always a ward that can help us and give us aid in anyway we need. It's really like having family no matter where in the world you are. There were three men from the ward who came by to give Ryan a blessing. We also received so many calls and emails to check on us. Another tender mercy was that once again, Heavenly Father momentarily took away my morning sickness so that I could comfort and take care of Ryan. It was funny though, because the day they said Ryan would be leaving the hospital I ended up running to his hospital-room bathroom and barfing! It was back...

We both went home sick and I did my best to take care of him. But it was honestly a pretty lousy attempt. I remember one day we needed to run to the store to get a few things. I was so sick and throwing up and Ryan was in so much pain and felt so sick too that neither of us were in any condition to go to the store. So we both went. We decided to divide and conquer and get in and out of the store as fast as possible. Well, that ended up with me dry heaving over the trash can at the store, and vomiting in the parking lot. All while Ryan felt like he would pass out at any moment and walking around like a zombie. I tell you, that was a low day. We were so sick and tired and didn't have the other person to help take care of us. This went on for quite a few weeks.

Ryan ended up missing about two and a half weeks of work! Including the big conference he was supposed to fly to Texas for. I felt so bad for him. He really wanted to come to this internship and blow Saleforce away. It was kind of bad timing with me being sick, and him having all this pressure at his internship to perform. He felt a lot of pressure to do well and to impress them so that he could get an offer at the end of the summer. He honestly should have missed more work than the two and a half weeks but he didn't really have a choice. He had to get back. Needless to say, it was a very rough start.

Ryan is back to normal now. Took several weeks and he still gets tired but he's doing well and working hard. I'm so proud of him and so grateful that it wasn't something worse. I love him so much and seeing him sick was so hard. So happy he's doing better.

Oh! And another miracle- I didn't get Mono!! How did that happen? It was hilarious because while in the hospital, I asked another Dr. for how long we should wait to kiss. I explained that I was pregnant and didn't want mono on top of my other symptoms. She told me we should wait to kiss or "do anything else" for SIX MONTHS!!! hahaha I seriously started laughing when she left the room. Like I'm gonna go six months without kissing my husband?!?! Wow. so funny. Also, I can't write this here because Ryan might be embarrassed but I don't want to forget Dr. Sydorak's very "thorough" exam. hahahaha Oh man Ryan. You had to endure quite a lot while there didn't you? Love you babe.

Feeling so sick. Poor guy :(

This was Ryan's third day of meals. Tea, jello, flavored ice, juice, soup. Yum? 

We're Having a Baby!

We are so excited that we are having a baby!!! Our little bundle is due January 22, 2015. We can't wait! Here's the story of how I found out and how I told Ryan :)

I had been pretty baby hungry for a while. In September 2013, I started really hankering for a child and to become a mother. I didn't feel quite ready though, and neither did Ryan. In December 2013 we both felt good about it and decided it was the right time and we started "trying." :) Anyway. I figured we'd get pregnant within a month or two. I mean how hard could it be right? Well, I was convinced I was pregnant the first month! For the first time in my life my boobs were killing me, I was SO tired, and my period was late! I just KNEW I was pregnant. I HAD to be. I went out and bought a test and planned out exactly how I was going to tell Ryan and I got so, so excited! I was practically singing and dancing while peeing on the stick. I was so happy! Then I got a negative test result. What what??? So I did what any woman would do, I assumed it was a faulty test and took another one. Negative. Again. I was in shock. I mean I didn't know what it felt like to be Prego Miss Prego Pants but I was so sure that I was! I know that it's rare to get pregnant the first month you try and I shouldn't have been so sad but because I was so sure I was pregnant, I was really heartbroken.

In mid May we were getting ready to move out to California for Ryan's summer internship. Ryan was outside finishing packing up the car. While he was outside, I hurried to the bathroom and took a pregnancy test. I didn't think I was pregnant. But this time, Ryan had gone out and bought me an ovulation kit (best 20 bucks we ever spent) and we figured out I was O.V-ing about a week late. Um hello- that's why it hadn't been working. So I did have more hope this time. Anyway, much to my surprise and excitement the test was positive!!! I was thrilled! I started jumping up and down with happiness and said a prayer of thanks to Heavenly Father. Then I realized Ryan would be coming in soon and I needed to think fast! We were moving across the country in 5 minutes! How was I going to tell him this news? I wanted to do something cute and surprise him. I didn't want to tell him while he was driving, or tell him at a gas station. Then I got a great idea!

When Ryan walked back inside he shouted that we were all packed and ready to go. I said I was ready but that I just wanted to do a once over on the apartment, to make sure we hadn't forgotten anything. While searching the apartment, I shouted, "Oh no! You have got to be kidding me! Ry, there is a huge box in the closet!! How did we forget this? This is never gonna fit in our car!" Because it was only for the summer, we were moving only what would fit in our car and it was PACKED already--there was no way the box was fitting. Ryan picked it up and realized it was empty and gave me this look that said, "haha very funny." I told him he should just make sure it was empty. He opened it up and saw the pregnancy test. I will never forget his face. He looked up and asked if I was serious and started to tear up. I nodded my head and we both just started crying! We were so overjoyed. Seriously, one of the happiest days of my life.

I know there are a lot of people who cannot have children. And I know that there are so many couples who wait and pray and hope for a child for years. So, our 5 months of waiting is nothing compared to what so many have to go through. However, it was still tough for us. We would hear about people who got pregnant their first try or at least within a few months and just wonder if something was wrong with us. We would worry or wonder if we would be able to have kids. I know we were paranoid but these are the kinds of thoughts that cross your mind when you want a baby so badly and it isn't happening. Looking back, I am so grateful that we had this experience, because even though it was only 5 months, it still felt like forever to us. It really opened our eyes to a tiny glimpse of what some couples have to go through to have children and it has really made our hearts and our prayers go out to those families. It also made us want to become parents more each and every month and trust in God. We hope and pray for those couples who want children that they will be able to have them.

We cannot wait til January and are so excited to add a little baby to our family. We love this baby so much already!

Took two tests so Ryan could have it spelled out for him :) 

Can you tell we've been crying with joy? Cause we have :)

Baby's first ultrasound picture at about 6 1/2 weeks

Looks like I can start parking here! :) 

12 week appointment! Always fun to see our baby on the ultrasound :)

Hearing our baby's heartbeat for the first time!

Baby's second ultrasound picture. 12 weeks

Here is an embarrassing but funny video that shows how excited Ryan and I were the day we found out we were having a baby! We were on our long drive from Indiana across the country and decided to film our happy news along the way.