Dear Blog Readers~~~ Consider yourselves WARNED!

I am more surprised than anyone to realize that myself, my hubby, and my mom are not the only one that read this thing.  According to my reader tracker, there are indeed quite a few of you who stumble upon our page. So here is the plan---- Along with doing brother's countdown to come home post every month---- I have decided I am going to continue catching up from last year (ended with Mazatlan).  I was just going to do my "tribute to 2011" post, and call that a catch up- and start where I am---- but after looking back at all the post I have ever written- I enjoy all the memories each post has given me.  So I will be including a few more fun trips we took over summer and the holidays in "extended versions", and include a pregnancy journal along the way.  Sorry if this sounds boring to you.... but I am not good at keeping a journal and this is our best source of memories for now.... you have been warned.

Also, *WARNING* I am a nursing student.  Any student in the medical field is a bit odd.... and forgets what is appropriate in the "real world."  The way our bodies work is fascinating to me! I have watched "In the womb" and thousands of birthing movies in my career (yes, it seems like being a student has been a career for me) and NOTHING grosses me out, nothing appears too graphic.... it is just AWESOME!! I have also taken more sex ed and human sexuality classes than any one undergrad student should have ever taken, so if something I say sounds crude or innappropiate- I probably do not even realize it. SOOOO.... Why am I telling you this?? My pregnancy post may be pretty open. Pregnancy itself is awesome- what your body goes through, having a little cell replicate a million times and form a human, having a some person inside you growing and doing all it can to survive off your body---- crazy!! I will share the good, the bad, and the ugly--- along with some baby bump photos.  With that said- if I use the words "being knocked-up" or refer to Erik as "my babies daddy"- do not be offended. That's my sense of humor. I think pregnancy is beautiful and I'm so grateful to be a co-creater with the Man upstairs- but what's life without some light and humor?? You and have warned!

*Warning!!* In about 4 months this blog will be taken over by baby Fitz.  There will be picture overload- everything he does will be "the cutest thing ever" and I know I will be completely obbessed with this new little addition to our family (I mean really--- you have seen how obssesed I am with my dogs. This is a baby here!! And our baby at that).  There are some on facebook who don't understand that parents want to share EVERYTHING about their child- like when they "went pee pee in the toilet today!!" or the cute, funny things they say every 30seconds, or the picture overload in every single outfit anyone has ever gotten them--- I have been one of those people that didn't quite understand the obsession.  And although I still don't completely- I am getting a glimpse of it. So--- b/c our blog is titled "ERIK AND KIMBER"- I think it is fair game that people that come here, are here to hear about US! So--- don't get annoyed when everything is about baby Fitz and our growing family~ You have been warned!

19 months down------ 5 to go!!!

As most of you know- my brother Kade is serving an LDS mission in Spain.  Spain has different areas to be called to.... So Kade's area is shown here, is the Barcelona Mission (my cousin James- Kade's bff- is ready to leave the missionary training center and is called to serve in the Madrid Mission. So they will be pretty dang close!!): 

Brother has been gone for 19 months already!!! It seems like I have not seen him in forever- but at the same time, it feels like he just left.  We don't get to talk to him on the phone except Mother's day and Christmas (so I have heard his voice 3 times, and we were actually able to skype him 2 of these times, so I have seen his face).  We are able to email him every week, but his time to email is so short I usually receive one liners saying "I ran out of time, I'll email you next week." Or "I can't wait to see how fat you are getting." Or "You suck at updating your blog." Or "When are you going to do a blog post about me?" He does send a nice long one to my mom and dad though, so I can stay updated on him through those emails.  Bottom line--- I miss my brother!! These next 5 months are going to fly, hopefully!!!

Kade has served in only 4 areas these past 19 months. He was just transferred to his last area, so those are the 4 he will serve his whole mission.  This is very unusual. I think some missionaries would get restless and bored serving the same area for nearly 6 months.  But it was perfect for my brother. The Lord truly knows Kade! He takes a while to break out of his shell, and is not real good with change.  Staying in the areas for so long made him feel more comfortable, helped him become the best missionary possible, and truly made him fall in love with the people he was serving--- and they all really fell in love with him.  Along with that- transfers were all really difficult for him, but he got through them and looks forward to returning to each of his areas after his mission is completed! 

So- my goal over the next 4 months is to blog about each of his areas.  I will show pictures, tell my favorite stories of Kade (how he grew, funny quotes he has said, challenges he gave, etc), along with some of Kade's favorite memories and introduce you to some awesome families he got to know and teach.  And then the last month he is out--- I will just get excited for his homecoming, and.... oh yeah, HAVE A BABY!! (*P.S. our due date is 2 weeks before his mission is complete- Exciting times!!)

As a jump start to the count down of brother's arrival, here are some of my favorite pictures from his mission:

 (Kade's favorite companion- in the blue striped shirt- and family. They are awesome. We were actually able to meet them all over Christmas while we were in Utah).

(Bother's first day in Spain. Look how scared he looks!! Poor little guy!!)

Welp--- brother has not changed much the last 19 months he has been away. He still has has stupid sense of humor that I love. He still makes fun of everyone. He is still immature. But--- he has also grown a ton.  He is a true missionary. It's fun to read his emails now and compare them to when he first left. He loves his mission, he loves the Lord, he loves the gospel, and he loves the people of Spain.  His Spanish is awesome (it was fun listening to him and my dad speak Spanish together on Christmas morning), he is way more open-minded and less judgmental and less selfish. So yes--- he is pretty much awesome!!

 

Stay tuned for more of Brother's mission!!