More good news!

On September 15th, 2011 at 9:00 am we found out some fabulous news! Drumroll please..................................Gavin passed the Idaho Bar Exam!!! We are so excited and thank everyone for their prayers and encouragement.

Right now we are hoping to get a job with the US Patent and Trademark Office. Gavin externed there as a patent examiner last summer and really wants to go back. They are starting another round of hiring in October (soon!) and Gavin's qualified for the position plus he was an extern and they liked him so we're really hopeful that they will hire him. We're hoping that they are as motivated to hire quickly as we are to start working quickly...come on government agency! Be swift!!!

A funny little story about Gavin passing the Bar: so I was at work when he found out (they post online who passes--if your name is on the list then you passed), so I asked him to call my work and let me know (for those who don't know I'm a medical assistant and work in a doctor's office). So he calls me and tells me his name is on the list and I'm so excited. Karrie at work is walking by and I tell her the good news. She runs up to the front of the office and says "Tiffany's husband passed!" All the ladies up front are horrified at her enthusiasm until she explains, "he passed his big test, he didn't 'pass on' or pass away". Lol, you can't use that lingo in a doctor's office, everyone momentarily thought Gavin had died. Haha.

So there's our happy news. I'm so proud of Gavin for passing the Bar exam on his first try. It is such a hard test and a lot of people don't pass it the first go around, but he did and we are so happy.

Pregnancy is still going well, I'm 35 weeks along if you can believe it! I have to post some pictures soon, I look like I have a basketball under my shirt--just pokes straight out. Mostly I'm just tired, a lot of which is due to the fact that I have to go to the bathroom 3-4 times a NIGHT and I get pretty bad leg cramps about 2-3 times a lot of nights. I feel like an old man getting up so much. But that's really the worst of it so I feel extremely fortunate! Pictures hopefully to follow...

Baby Girl Names

Alright. So I get asked at least twice a day (sometimes 10 times a day, no exaggeration) if Gavin and I have picked a name for our baby yet. The answer is no, not yet. But we have finally narrowed it down a bit. Here's what is in the running, first and middle names:

Emery Alice (Alice is my sister's middle name)

Clara Lauren (Lauren is Gavin's sisters name)

Adelaide Ann (Ann is my middle name, along with my aunt and cousin's middle name, and happened to be the middle name of 3 of my 5 first college roommates. it's a popular one)

Hazel...and we don't have a middle name for her yet. I'm holding out for Jean, which is my other sister's middle name and my grandma's, but I haven't sold Gavin on it yet.

Nothing sticks out way more than the others yet, so I think we won't make a decision until we see her. So you can still cast your vote! :)

Gavin had another great adventure this past weekend: backpacking trip #2! This one was with my dad and they hiked Castle Peak in the White Clouds. It was a pretty intense hike--lots of climbing and scrambling over rocks. Definitely not for the faint of heart, but right up Gavin and my dad's alley.

This is what I mean by "not for the faint of heart"--can you believe how steep that is?! But they conquered it. My dad said it was hard, but worth it.

Here's Gavin diving into the lake they camped next to. He swam across the whole lake and back. When he told my dad that's what he was going to do my dad just replied, "Well, ok, but if you get a cramp in the middle of the lake I can't come in after you." Glad to know you've got Gavin's back, dad. :)
This was taken from the base of the peak. The peak farthest to the right is where they summited.
My dad catching a fish. He said the fishing was great in the upper lake, and caught 4 fish in the hour they were up there.
This is their campsite south of the peak. Great view!

Gavin came home with his hands pretty scratched up from the rocks, plus a few more scratches on his legs. But if you've seen his legs, they can't get much worse from all the scars he already has. My dad however is still limping around. But he kept up with Gavin so way to go Dad!

Gavin went on a backpacking trip with his brothers this past week. Tobin was in charge of the pictures so we'll have to wait to post some of the hike. But here's Mr. Hot-Stuff-Mountain-man-Gavin all unshaven and dusty. The hike was about 20 miles up in the Sawtooth Mountains. They hiked by lots of different lakes: Alice Lake, Bowknot Lake, Twin Lakes, Petit Lake and a few more. I'm just happy he didn't get in a fight with a bear.

August 7th came like any other usual Sunday for Gavin and I. Woke up, went to church, ate lunch, had a Sunday nap. At about 3:00 pm Gavin says to me: "Hey, today is our 2 year anniversary!" Both of us had totally forgotten about it! We hadn't planned anything but Gavin remembered that we still had our wedding cake in the freezer since we were in DC last summer. So we ate 2 year old wedding cake, and let me tell you it was DELICIOUS! 2 years old, in the freezer, and it was tasty. Here's some pictures of the impromptu celebration:

2 years down, an eternity to go!

Gavin enjoying his first bite. It was fun to relive all the fun memories we've had over the past 2 years.
Looks pretty good for having traveled hundreds of miles (we've gone from Boise to Moscow and back to Boise again with this cake) and for being frozen for 2 years.

It's been such a fun 2 years and it just seems to be getting better and better. We don't know where the next year will find us but we're excited to find out!

This is 18 weeks along, I'm now 20 weeks. I'm a little bigger now, but not much. If you can't tell by the background,

IT'S A GIRL!

It was so much fun to get the ultrasound and see her little face and hands and feet and know her gender. Some people can wait to find out but I just couldn't! Now it's time to go shopping for pink frilly stuff.

I can't believe I'm halfway through pregnancy already. I thought this would be the longest 9 months of my life, but it just seems to be flying by!

Here's a few quick updates:

Gavin passed the Patent Bar Exam a few weeks ago! I am so proud of him. It has about a 50% pass rate and he passed it the first time he took it, studying for the test amidst all his other school work and finals and papers to write. He has officially graduated from law school and is taking the Bar exam the end of July. WE ARE SO CLOSE TO BEING DONE!!! So come the last week of July keep us all in your prayers that he will pass this one too!

Baby update: 20 week ultrasound is tomorrow!!! Boy or Girl?