35 weeks!

I can't believe that I'm now 35 weeks along - crazy! Overall I'm feeling good, but really large and I honestly can't imagine getting bigger than I am right now, even though I know that is exactly what is going to happen. Here are two pictures that Matt took of me yesterday when I got home from work. I looked at them after Matt took them and one word came out of my mouth... "WHOA!" :)



Later that night we went out to dinner with Dan and Abby at a yummy Mexican restuarant by our house, El Loro. We had so much fun catching up with them!

Back to School!

It's that time of year again... those three little words that mean a lot to teachers, students, and parents alike - BACK TO SCHOOL. This time of year is bittersweet for Matt and I. On one hand, it's sad to see our fun and relaxing summer come to an end and know that we have 9 months of hard work ahead of us before our next nice summer break. On the other hand, it's good to get back in the swing of things, start classes, see our friends and co-workers, see our old students, and meet our new students. This fall is also exciting for us for another obvious reason... just about 5 weeks left or so until our much awaited and anticipated baby is here! So last week Matt and I had faculty meetings, and this week the kids come. Please pray for both of us during our transition back, as we begin classes and continue to prepare for the baby and that we can be effective teachers that care about our students and help them learn and grow. Thanks for your prayers - we appreciate them all!

I am also preparing for the sub that will take over for me for two months while I'm at home with the baby. The sub that the school has lined up to fill in for me is great, but I am still practically making myself crazy making sure all of my plans for her are as organized, complete, thorough, and "perfect" as I can make them... I get that perfectionism trait from my mom, I think. Thanks a lot, mom! :) The baby is due October 2nd, so I will work until she is born, and then I plan to take off through our Thanksgiving break from school. Then I will go back and Matt will stay home with the baby through our Christmas break. Then we have a two week break at home, and we'll both go back to school in January. I am fortunate that I only have to be at school (most weeks) on M/T/Th to teach, and then I do administrative things for the school from home on W/F, so it is a nice schedule. My parents just recently told us that they are willing to watch the baby on the days I'm at school for the rest of this school year, starting in January when we go back after break, which is so generous and wonderful for us and for our little one. My parents will get to know her well, and she will form a bond early on with her Person grandparents - how special. We feel so blessed. Blessings to all of you on this beautiful, sunny MN afternoon!

Minnesota State Fair

Today Matt, Kristi and I went to the MN State Fair, otherwise known as the Great MN Get-Together. It is one of the nation's largest and best-attended state fairs, as well as boasting the most "foods on a stick" of any fair, such as cheese on a stick, MN hotdish (known to most as casserole) on a stick, spaghetti and meatballs on a stick, deep fried candy bar on a stick, and much more. Every year there are a few new treats on a stick added to the lineup, and this year one of them is chocolate covered bacon on a stick... sounds strange, right?

I was wondering how I would feel at this point (34.5 weeks) and if I'd want to go or not, but I was feeling good, so we went for it. We left home earlier in the morning so we could get back home for our last evening before school starts tomorrow. It was a beautiful day, not too hot, and I held up surprisingly well. Here are some pictures from our day. Enjoy!



Kristi took this picture of Matt and I and wanted me to put my big belly in where your face should go. Funny picture! Notice the famous big yellow slide in the background.


One of Matt's favorite state fair treats - Pickle on a Stick!

I took this picture of Kristi for her to send to her friends in Alaska... home of the roving moose in the street. :)





I love to go to the Miracle of Birth Center, an agricultural education exhibit that is the birthplace of approximately 200 animals every summer, including chicks, ducklings, bunnies, calves, lambs and piglets during the fair’s 12 day run. The animals are so cute, and fun to watch in their first few days and to pet. :)




And 7 hours after we arrived, we were definitely ready to go home... we'll sleep well tonight! It's fun to think that next year we will have a little baby to experience the fun with us. :)

Matt's 32nd Birthday!

Matt turned 32 on Friday, August 15th, and we did some fun things that day, like go to see The Dark Knight at the MN Zoo Imax Theatre. But a week later we had a birthday "fun day" around town - a full day! First we went to the Science Museum of MN in downtown St. Paul to see an Omni theater film about movie special effects and to see the Star Wars exhibit. It was awesome! Next we ate lunch at Fabulous Fern's Bar & Grill, a few blocks from the St. Paul Cathedral. After that we made a stop at Home Depot (one of Matt's favorite stores) to buy a gadget for Matt's summer garage organization project, then to Babies R Us to buy a baby swing. You may notice my rather large belly - how could you not... :) I'm now 34.5 weeks and counting, and getting more and more excited every day. Lastly we stopped by Brad and Jessica's house to see our niece and nephews, Sarah, Tommy, and Jacob. My Dad was watching them because Brad and Jess are out of town at a Luis Palau festival in Portland. So we played with the little guys for awhile before their dinner time. Finally we got back home and Kristi made dinner for us. It was a fun and full day. Here are some pictures... Happy Birthday, Matt! :)





















Fun fact: Did you know that Yoda's appearance was partly patterned after Albert Einstein? Also, the same guy that did Grover's voice from Sesame Street and another character (can't remember which one) from the Muppets did Yoda's voice too.

Baby Shower!

On Saturday, August 9th, several family members and friends gathered to shower Baby Johnson and I with love and well wishes at my first baby shower. There were people from all parts of my life - my mom and sister, aunts, cousins, and a grandma, high school and college friends and their moms, friends that I met through my sister, and a neighbor of my parents that my family grew up with. Such a fun group! Many came from out of town, including from Rochester and Fergus Falls, MN, and Lacrosse, WI. But I think the prize for coming the farthest for the shower is my best friend Laura from high school. Laura lives in the Los Angeles, CA area, and it meant so much to me to have her there. Laura and I have been friends for 17 years, and she is and has been such a great friend to me over the years - supportive, encouraging, and caring, just to name a few. After the shower, we went to Laura's family cabin in Alexandria, MN with her parents for a few days. I think I've been going to that cabin with them for almost all of the 17 years of our friendship, so that summer visit is always fun and something I really look forward to.

Here are some pictures from the shower. Thanks to everyone that came to celebrate with me - I so very much appreciate your love and support, and our baby will be so lucky to have such a wonderful group of extended family and friends!


Here are the wonderful shower planners - my sister Kristi, my friend Jamie that I taught with at Minnehaha, and my sister-in-law and good friend Abby. My other sister-in-law Jessica also helped plan the shower, but she couldn't make it that morning - she was taking pictures at her friends wedding. We missed you Jess!





All of the decorations were really cute and the food was great. Awesome shower, party planners!



Jamie, Abby, Janna, and Laura hanging out by the beverages. I love these gals!





The shower game was baby charades, with baby-related words like diaper change, lullaby, etc. There were several teams playing against each other. It was fun, and everyone got into it - great game Jamie!







We received so many wonderful gifts at the shower, including many to go with our nursery theme of ladybugs. My mom and dad gave us most of the cute ladybug things for the baby room, but one of the things Matt's aunt Rose and cousin Kristina gave was an adorable ladybug bikini! I love it! I guess there aren't many times in life that you can look as cute in a two-piece swimsuit than as a baby girl, right? :)



Matt's grandma, Marjorie Anderson, was able to make it to the shower, and I was so happy she could be there. She was enjoying the gifts too!





Nemo was also a hit at the shower. She sat near the gifts during most of the gift opening... and after all that excitement, boy was she pooped! :)



Most of my Bethel Roomies were able to make it to the shower - Janna, Ang, Abby, Katrina, and her cutie-pie son, Micah. We missed you Janine!



It was a really fun morning. I feel very blessed to have so many loving and supportive family members and friends. Thanks again to everyone who came and made it so special for me and our little one!