Leather Work for Tyler

One of our friends Tyler graduated from high school this week and Kanyon made his graduation gifts! I am also including a wallet that Kanyon made for him probably a year ago that I never got a picture of until we were at his graduation party last week.

Tyler requested a zebra belt! I think it turned out so cool. Kanyon free-handed it and I was impressed.

The wallet is worn in a little but is still very pretty. I love how Kanyon tooled the floral around his initials.

And his other graduation gift was a bible cover. I really love it and so did Tyler!

For Valentine's Day this year, I tried to surprise Kanyon with a maker's stamp to put on all of his work. I say "tried to" because as I was in the middle of having it made, Kanyon started calling around to get one himself. I finally had to tell him that I was getting him one!

Sometimes it hits me...

... that I never would have guessed I'd be here 6 years ago at my high school graduation.

Not that I hadn't ever dreamed about what it'd be like to be married to Kanyon. Because I did. In fact, I wish all the time that I could go back to my 14 year old self at camp and tell myself that I would be marrying Kanyon Brown, that boy I had a crush on (along with a few other girls). The look on my face would be priceless.

But on Sunday night, as I am driving down the turn row (what I am doing above) slowly as Kanyon fixes some things here and there, I realize, I never would have guessed I'd be a farmer's wife and doing this right here. I definitely wouldn't have balked at the suggestion though, it would have sounded like fun to me even then.

And I am so happy to call this place home.

As I drove to Midland on Saturday, I took a back way out of Welch instead of taking the main highway and found myself appreciating like I do every once in a while, like its the first time, how beautiful the place is that we live. Sure there are some places that aren't so pretty like the fields that look like a desert but even those look beautiful with our kind of sunsets behind them. West of Welch is probably my favorite area where the flat plain becomes small hills all of a sudden, with green grass as far as I can see.

There is something comforting in the fact knowing that you will live in the same town for your whole life. (Well its comforting if you love where you live.) Not to say there won't be lots of traveling but that one spot will always be home. I don't think I would have ever felt that way about the suburbs I grew up in or any suburbs but of course, I can't say that for sure. There is just something different about the country that allows you to claim a whole area as home. This is where my kids will grow up. This is where they will visit Kanyon and I, or maybe even settle down here themselves as Kanyon's parents have been fortunate enough to experience. 

I told Lauren this weekend as we talked about dating and marrying that I would have followed Kanyon anywhere. But I'm really really glad its here.

Updates

I took these early last week with the intentions to post it then! Woops. It was a busier week than I've had in a while so I guess I can say there is a reason this time!

I really can't even recall if I've shown what our porch looks like in a while. So if I already have, just make me think I haven't.

I do know that I took a picture of this bench when I first painted it though. But here's the whole view. I still really love driving up to this view!

Kanyon won't be too happy that I posted this before he was able to mow again. We had a lot of rain last week and they grew like crazy! Not complaining though, that rain was so needed.

In fact, I trimmed our Dusty Millers (the grey plants) to all be the same height and then the rain came and they exploded! Guess I'll have to do that again. I definitely don't claim to have a green thumb or to know anything about keeping flowers and plants alive! I'm usually surprised if they survive.

Another change that I've been yet to document is a buffet that I bought from my friend Kelly a while back. I love it. It really fills out the space better than the buffet I had there before. I changed up some of the decor, too.

I bought another shelf to match the one I had on that wall above the table to add some more height to that wall. I took down the small gallery wall I had going on around the clock because we are having one of Kanyon's deer mounted and that wall will change soon anyway.

And last, the flowers that Kanyon surprised me with for Mother-to-be's Day!

Coming Out of the Fog

By the fog, I mean all that entails first trimesters. Morning sickness, no appetite, no energy, just a general don't-feel-good feeling.

I am finally feeling so much better! I actually have not revolted at the thought of food at the majority of my last few meals. I'm still having a little nausea but only very sporadically. I've been able to get through the days without falling asleep at my desk! Its nice to be back in the world, again.

I got a great pick-me-up in the form of my mom and brother coming to visit last week. It was really just what I needed. My mom cooked every night, even extra meals to put in my freezer, cleaned the house and came and visited me at work everyday. My brother just made me happy by hanging out with me :) He and Zeb really like each other, too. Cole has a couple more weeks in Abilene and then he will be moving back to Colorado where his heart is and starting another summer internship with Dry Bones as their mountain guide leading groups on treks.

Last week I also had the pleasure of finally showing quite a bit more! It seems like I just popped out a couple inches all of a sudden. Its not much yet and I don't have a picture to show (that I want on the world wide web...) but maybe soon I'll take a picture of the baby bump that I'll put up on the blog.

On Friday morning, Mom, Cole, and I headed to Oklahoma for my cousin's graduation from Oklahoma University. Kanyon stayed behind because its planting season. On Friday night, we met up with the Shipleys (my mom's sister and her husband and 3 daughters) for dinner after picking up my dad at the airport in OKC. It was great to see everyone again!

Saturday was graduation day! We woke up and headed to Norman for the ceremony. The ceremony was just for the people in Bethany's specific college so it was a smaller affair. I still remember how amazing it felt when I graduated from ACU.

After the ceremony, we took some quick pictures and had some lunch close to campus before heading back to Edmond to help prepare for the graduation party later that afternoon at the Shipley's house.

Bethany with my family (minus Kanyon and all squinting hard)

(I was really shocked to see how pregnant I looked in this dress!)

Bethany with her sisters, Sara and Emily.

The party was from 4:00 pm on so we got to hang out with a lot of friends and family all day at the house. The plan was to have some swimming that afternoon but unfortunately a cold front blew through and we were all freezing outside! Jenny and Dean and Sara made a really good bbq dinner, too.

Sunday morning, we slept in and had a Mother's Day breakfast by the pool with all the cousins before Mom, Cole, and I all got in the car to head home. We drove to Dallas and had a quick lunch before Cole and I jumped on a plane and flew to Lubbock. Cole headed on to Abilene after dropping me off at home and I spent the rest of the night at Kalith and Vaughn's house with family. 

I was very surprised to get lots of texts yesterday wishing me a Happy-Mother-To Be's Day! I honestly did not expect it at all and was very flattered. I even got a gift from my husband and Vaughn! Vaughn got me a beautiful cotton shirt that I will be able to wear for a while during the pregnancy (and after!) and Kanyon got me a pedicure and flowers! He also surprised me with some earrings he bought at the Western Heritage Show he went to with Landon on Saturday. They are handmade sterling silver oval hoops made by the same man who crafted Kanyon's gorgeous belt buckle. I was showered with unexpected gifts!

I hope you had a great Mother's Day with your mother and especially if you are a mother!

14 Weeks

Yesterday morning, we went for a 14 week ultrasound at my doctor's office. My mom was in town so she and Vaughn tagged along, too! It was fun for all of us to get to see the ultrasound together.

When he started it, I was instantly shocked to see how much the baby was moving! I repeatedly said that all day yesterday - "I can't believe how much the baby was moving!" He/she was twisting and turning and flapping its arms so much that we could hardly get a good picture. But we did get a few!

This is the best one of the baby's side profile:

And this one we think he/she is waving at us:

It was really cool to see how much the baby had grown and to see him/her moving so much!

The doctor said at our next appointment when I am 18 weeks, we may be able to see what the sex is! We have another appointment at 20 weeks with a sonogram specialist who will definitely be able to tell us if we can't see it at 18.

Its getting pretty exciting! This morning, my mom said that the shirt I was wearing really showed my baby bump. I'll have to start taking pictures soon!