Andelyn Dior Beck

She's here!!! And what a journey it has been to get her here!
Our sweet baby girl was born at 31 weeks, about 2 months early, because I developed something called severe preeclampsia. After being in the hospital for a time, I started to get worse, and it was decided that I needed to be induced into labor early before I developed eclampsia. I was induced Thursday night, labored most of Friday, and delivered Saturday, January 26th, at 7:07 am.

Taken right after she was born, in her isolette.

Andelyn was born at 3 lbs 14 oz and 17 1/2" long. Just a tiny thing - you could hold her in one hand!

My first time holding her, a few days after she was born.

A life changing moment. 

Because she was born prematurely, Andelyn was in the NICU (Newborn Intensive Care Unit) for a little more than a month. Fortunately, she never had any serious concerns!

Jeff and I were finally able to bring her home last Monday (March 4th). She is such a good baby! She has a very mild disposition. Jeff and I have only heard her cry a handful of times: at birth, during an eye exam, and when she got a shot - but never at home. I'm hoping that it's a habit she'll keep. She is quite an impressive grunter though!

What a joy it is to have our little family together at last! We are a very blessed, very happy, if not a little sleep deprived, family.

Welcome to the world, Andelyn! You are very loved.

Abraham & Isaac, the rest of the story?

Yesterday, in my Biblical Hebrew class, we discussed the theory that Abraham actually did kill Isaac in Genesis 22. While pondering this theory I found this article and wrote a response to it: 
I just went over this chapter in my Biblical Hebrew class in the last two months. My teacher mentioned this theory in our class yesterday, while emphasizing that he was not preaching doctrine, and the more I think about it the more I think it makes sense. Consider afterwards how Abraham leaves the mountain without Isaac, and how Abraham goes directly to Beersheba, not back to Horeb, where his wife is. In fact, his wife dies before he returns to Horeb. Why? In class we joked about how Sarah would kill Abraham if she learned that he had killed their precious son. Perhaps that isn’t completely off. Maybe Abraham didn’t return because he couldn’t bring himself to face her. Now, if Isaac was killed then he must have been raised from the dead, because we know his story later in the scriptures. I believe the strongest evidence that I know of for this is Hebrews 11:17 and 19. This story may be one of those plain and simple truths that was corrupted and lost to us. If this theory were true though, how do you think members of the Church – or anyone for that matter – would handle God commanding a father to sacrifice his son? If this theory is true, then I suggest that it requires a more spiritually mature perspective, of which many of us do not yet have. Our Heavenly Father feeds our spirits line upon line and precept upon precept, baby steps, so that we can fully digest truth and prepare ourselves for greater understanding. For this reason I believe that the full truth of this story is yet to be made known to us.

Hello and Hello!

It's been such a long while - how did two years fly by so quickly? I'm even sounding older too! I caught myself saying to my 18 year old sister-in-law, "when I was your age, " then stopped, horrified. I've also noticed that I'm a lot more like my mom than I ever imagined. I'm terrible at keeping track of my cell phone and charging it, I have at least 3 projects going on at the same time, and Jeff often comes home to see me in the middle of a new mess. My mom claims that the messes stimulate our creative energies. And she has a point. It's much easier and more fun to have every possibly needed material right in front of you when you start a project. Anyways, 

Since last I've posted I've:
Gotten Engaged
Lived in China
GOTTEN MARRIED
& returned to BYU-Idaho

I had no idea that my life could change so permanently so quickly, but I've never been happier. Jeff is my very best friend and we've had an amazing start. 

Speaking of which, our FIRST YEAR ANNIVERSARY is coming up in only 4 days! I have a gift - I can't tell you what yet, just in case Jeff checks my blog - but I know he'll love it! I would like some advice though! What can we do for an anniversary to makes it more special than a regular Friday night date? We have a little money to spend for the occasion ($50 tops), and considering we live in Rexburg, our options are a tad limited. Any ideas? Advice? Anyone, anyone?