Baby Sorensen is 21 weeks!

Just to give you an idea of how big our little guy is right now, I found these two cool stories on babies born or in surgury 21 weeks along (our little guy is 21 weeks along as well). I have provided the links as well...pretty amazing stories!

This first one is Baby Amelia. What a fighter. She was born 21 weeks and a few days and still survived...and was doing well! Amazing story. This is the link to her story: http://sistertoldjah.com/archives/2007/02/19/21-week-old-baby-survives/





This next one is an incredible story about a doctor that did surgury on a baby at 21 weeks also. It is so touching. You can read about it at www.michaelclancey.com

Our Little Boy

I had my 20 week ultrasound the other day. Originally we didn't think that Jeff would be able to go, so I asked my mom and mother-in-law to go with me. I thought it might be fun for them to see their grandbaby. Turned out that Jeff was able to go, so we had a little party in the room. It was such a fun experience to have everyone there. The Sonographer was awesome. She started checking the baby over, dumbing up what she was doing for my sake. I told her to go ahead and use the correct terms since Jeff, Rose, and RobbiAnn all are familiar with medicine. I thought it might make it a little more fun for them. She would talk about everything and then look down at me and say...this part looks good, or this is perfectly normal. I just had to laugh, because that is all I got out of everything she was telling us. I would hear, "Interesting", and "hmmm..." from everyone else...they obviously understood it all. I just know that I have a healthy, normal baby. My favorite part though, was when she was checking the heart. It really is so fun to see all the different chambers, and it's cute little beats. She couldn't get the best readings, so she stayed there for a while pushing so hard on my belly, while explaining everything medically that was going on to my entorage. Of course, I really didn't get it, but wasn't really paying attention because of how uncomfortable it was. I could feel our little boy inside not liking it either. He was moving all around. I am sure he felt pinned. It felt like frustrated movements in there...(which now make me laugh, because sometimes he is perfectly content in his movements, and sometimes not...I can really tell). Well, we got confirmation of this when the nurse laughed and told us that sometimes it seems like babies know what is going on. She said that ours definitely did. When we looked at the monitor, he was squirming around...yeah really didn't enjoy that heart check. He definitely has a little personality. A little fire in him...I love it! We had a great time. The only sad thing was...we didn't get one of those cute profile pictures. He just wouldn't have it. So, we ended up with his little face (all you can see is the skeletal structure), but it is the cutest little skeletal structure I have seen yet!

BYU GAME

It is tradition every year in the Sorensen clan, that when Grandpa Slater comes...it means BYU FOOTBALL! Being a newcomer to this group has been really, a lot of fun to watch the excitement on their faces in their football preparations. I went last year, and really found it much more fun to watch all of them so intently watching the game. This year we decided that it would be great fun for the guys to go...Jeff was very excited for this...what guy doesn't want male bonding time at a football game...it is a no-bainer. Well, love my husband to death, because while I was doing errands the morning of the game, he cleaned the whole house...such a good guy! My favorite part of the day though, was when he came home. I asked him how it was, and his reply was, "Fun." I then tried to prod a little, like all girls do..."so did you guys talk about anything exciting? How is so and so...? Anything funny happen?" He looked at me and smiled. His reply was this, "No, we just watched the game sweetheart." So funny. Girls could have found a million things to talk about while watching the game...it is how we bond...guys just watch the game. I think it is great. All in all, I think he had a great time with Grandpa at the BYU game.

On to new Horizons

I had the special opportunity this week of listening to one of my favorite General Authorities. President Uchtdorf spoke to all the pilots at the Provo Airport UVU hangar, and I am sure they expected something a little different. President Uchtdorf is well known for his rank of Chief Pilot of Luftansa Airlines, and that is what brought many there...I was excited because I got to listen to a prophet of the Lord speak to me about what I was interested in. He spoke of his challenges learning English, his service in the military, and his career as a pilot. He explained that the airplane that he loved most was the one he flew at the time...I thought that was so cute...He also gave a ton of jokes about flying...FLYING IS THE SAFEST WAY TO FLY...MANKIND HAS A PERFECT RECORD IN AVIATION: WE'VE NEVER LEFT ONE UP THERE...everyone loved it. He made many analogies to flying and life. He spoke of how redundant airplanes and checklists are...they leave little room for error. He stated that in flying we must always have alternate (back-up) plans, and so it is the same with life. It will never go the way we want it to. He said that in life we must always have a flight plan...and as pilots our jobs are to be PROTECTORS and not GAMBLERS. I thought that was especially important for all the new pilots...he followed that by saying..Don't fly in a thunderstorm in times of peace. Great advice for flying and life.

My favorite thing that he said over and over again, and touched my heart the most, was when he explained that flying could seem like everything right now, our world, but in no way does it have as great importance as our families. I understood it as you could have everything in flying, and end up with nothing in life if you have left your family behind. I struggle sometimes wanting to be a career woman...flying jets, making money, and having that prestige. I felt such a confirmation at that time that the choices that I have made in life were righteous. I have chosen to be a mom. I prayed going into this meeting, knowing that he would give a pep talk about flying and reaching your potential, that I would not be discouraged in my decisions, and that I would be able to feel happiness for the pilots who were doing what I wanted to do...My prayers were answered through a prophets voice that my decision to be a mom and put my family first would be the most fulfilling and rewarding job that I could ever have. I was the only one who walked away from that experience blubbering like a baby...I think being pregnant might be the cause of some of that!

After explaining that he has not been flying in 12 years, and has served as a General Authority, someone asked the question: "Do you ever miss your job of flying?" He stated that on his last flight, his children were waiting at the airport with a sign that read: UP UP AND AWAY...ON TO NEW HORIZONS. He said that what he is doing is just that a new horizon, as beautiful or more so than before. He stated that when you do something worthwhile...you will always know what to do with your life...

President Uchtdorf stated that sometimes you just know what is right, and so it has been with his life. He quoted Stephen Hopkins, the RI delegate in 1776, saying,"My hand trembles, but my heart does not." That is how I feel sometimes making the transition from flying to family. I know in my heart that it is right. I am so excited to be moving on to new horizons!