More fun & hard work too!

I realized after I posted yesterday that I did not post anything about Matt. So I thought you should know that he has been working night and day on his dissertation and has finished two chapters. I am sure he thinks they need a lot of revision, but I thought you should see the proof of his diligence!
Besides the hard work, Matt of course plays with Abby all of the time! Sometimes he says to Abby, "how can I get anything done when you're being so cute?!" One of her new favorite games is bouncing on the exercise ball with Daddy's help! I think she even bites her tongue and just keeps laughing! Take a look!


One more video. Abby LOVES to dance and I caught her on video this morning while we were listening to a CD. Anytime music comes on she begins to dance. You can also see our kitchen chair turned on its side. That is because she climbs right up on the chair and on to any table or cupboard she can get to. She can accomplish this in a matter of seconds! She is quite the little monkey!

More Abby!

Okay, so I can't help myself. I see an adorable picture of the cutest girl in the world and I want to share it with everyone! So here is a picture of Abby at playgroup. She actually went under the water this time, although I don't think it was planned. She spent most of her time on the step and making me chase her around and around the pool!
One of Abby's favorite things to do is to climb. She can get up on just about anything. I don't have a good picture of it, but she also likes to turn anything into a chair for herself--a box, a toy, anything! So her car seat often serves as her personal chair.

This picture is just plain cute!
Here is a picture of part of my seminary class after an awesome Friday review game.
We have so much fun. They are the best!
My ASU Women's Chorus performed for the ASU High School Leadership Conference on September 19. There were over 330 high school students and teachers and they were a fabulous audience. We performed 2 pieces of music and one was called, "Heaven Bound Train" by Stephen Hatfield. They've only had 5 rehearsals and they already sound pretty darn good. I cannot wait to hear what they sound like for our October concert!

September Adventures

Teaching seminary is a blast! It is a little bit difficult to prepare a lesson each day, but the kids are the best. One day, while studying the book of 1st Nephi a few of the kids put their interpretation on the board as we read chapter 8. One of the girls, Veronica had a very creative interpretation and I wanted to post it on the blog. I learn more about the students each day and I quickly found out she loves to draw.
I (Jen) performed last night and will perform again tonight with the ASU Choir and the Phoenix Symphony. We are performing a piece by John Adams in honor of the people that died on September 11th. It has been a very long week with multiple practices, but a really unique and awesome experience. Here are pictures of the choir and our view of Symphony Hall.
Abby doesn't really hold still, so I haven't made any efforts to paint her toe nails. The other day she kept looking at my toes, so I grabbed her and tried to paint her toe nails really quickly! It certainly isn't a masterpiece, but a fun start!
We've also enjoyed some fabulous BYU football games the last 2 Saturdays! The BYU vs. Oklahoma game was truly amazing and we had friends over that were standing up and screaming multiples times last week! Abby would just stare at us and then start to smile and clap! Here is a picture of us today (I realize the hair is a bit much for a football game--it's for the concert tonight!). Our friends, Jeremy, Roshelle and Kylee joined us today for the game. Kylee was singing the BYU fight song when I took the picture!

Catching Up

First things first--I (Jen) PASSED! I PASSED MY COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS! Woo hoo! I studied all summer long (plus all of the years prior) and took my written August 10-13 and the oral on September 1st. When they say "comprehensive" they are not kidding. I answered 12 questions in the written and then each question was revisited during the orals. Then they added any other question they thought I should know. It was a bit frightening because the five professors on my committee are like walking encyclopedias--so it was difficult to know what they would ask and I hoped that they would be pleased with my answers. I could not answer every question, but I felt good about the things I said and the professors seemed pleased. All in all, there was a lot of laughter and when they asked me to step out at the end I could still hear them laughing. After a few minutes they opened the door and Dr. Gentry (they head of my committee) shook my hand and said "congratulations." I was extremely relieved and very excited! So now I need to do the research and write my final paper. I do want to add one more thing about this subject--Matt is the best husband in the world! He gave me time each day to study and the week before if I came out of our bedroom he would say, "what are you doing--get back in there and study!" I appreciate all of his help, I could not have done this without him. He's my inspiration.

On to other things, we obviously started another semester. Matt is teaching two classes--one on-line class and one normal class. He is excited about having great discussions with his classes. He is trying to write his dissertation, applying for post doctorate opportunities and the few jobs that are available. We are not sure when he will graduate, so we are attempting to plan for every possibility!

I am directing the ASU Women's Chorus which now has almost 90 members! A few years ago they had a total of 30, so we are really excited about the numbers and more importantly, about the sound and positive energy! I'm honored to conduct them! I also conduct the Arizona Deseret Choir, teach private lessons and play for some vocalists. What is missing? Classes--no classes for me! I just love spending all the time I can with my Abby! She is the sweetest little girl with endless and I mean endless energy! She now climbs on everything. Yesterday I came into her room and she was standing on her changing table dancing. She saw me and squealed with excitement. I find her on the table and anything else and she has bruises from falling off of things! She is saying many more words and we are currently working on "football" and "BYU" as we are currently watching the first BYU football game! We are having a football party as we speak--blue and white balloons and all!

So it has been a while since we've posted pictures, so here are a few pictures from the past. It took a while partly because we were busy and because my computer crashed after the second day of my comprehensive exams. I lost every file, video, picture, etc. I just wanted to cry. Here is one from July--Abby now likes to put on my shoes, especially if they have high heels! Take a look closely at her feet!

Here is just a cute one--Abby actually sleeping! She doesn't do this for very long, so I had to get a picture.
This is just a good picture of Matt and Abby and a picture of Abby and I (we match!).


The morning after I took my written exams, Abby and I boarded a plane for Utah to see Brent (my brother) graduate from BYU. So here are a number of fun pictures from Utah!

Abby and Grandpa Mark:

Proud siblings! Jen, Tiff, Brent & Kevin

Christie and Abby
Abby actually eating--watermelon, yum!

A trip to Park City with Christie, Kylee, Kennedy, Tiff, Abby, Jen
The girls at dinner
We were also happy to see Amanda (Abby's birth Mom) and her new husband Richard.

Abby has no fear! She went right up to Aunt Cindy's big dogs and didn't think twice.
Jen and 3 of the students from Wasatch High--Brandon, Brian, Austin! What a reunion!
Kylee, Brynley, Jen, Kennedy at the Salt Lake Temple.


Abby sees the Salt Lake Temple!

To finish things off, here is a funny video of our darling Abby. She LOVES to dance and try to jump so she will turn on her little farm toy and it plays music. She will push the button and then dance all over the house!

Okay, last thing! Abby climbs on everything now and she often climbs up on the piano bench and plays. Watch and see!

Birth-mother Meeting

Last night we attended a birth-mother meeting at the local LDS Social Services office. We agreed to go speak with them all to share the adoptive parent side of things. Our caseworker said we would be good to illustrate to the mothers that there are good adoptive parents out there. I thought that was a strange twist--would-be adoptive parents always want to know there really are birth mothers out there.

I would not be honest if I did not admit were were a bit disappointed that every single woman there had either just given up a child or had already selected the adoptive parents--not a potential prospect in the bunch--but it was still really nice to just chat with them and get to better see their side of things. We have a really good relationship with Amanda--Abby's birth-mother--but this was another opportunity to see the other side of the coin.

We really do believe that birth-mothers are amazing women.