1 Month

Our little pumpkin turned 1 month old this weekend. We celebrated with her Grandma and Grandpa Wollersheim because it was also their 35th wedding anniversary on the same day! We went to a rotating restaurant in downtown Phoenix and watched the sunset. Mia on the other hand slept through the sunset. We are so completely in love with little girl.

Mia Rose has arrived...

Mia Rose Wollersheim arrived on Thursday, April 21. She was two weeks and three days late. She is beautiful and healthy. I learned that my wife is an incredibly strong woman - she gave birth naturally completely un-medicated. Mia weighed 7 pounds and 6 ounces and is 19 inches long. We are so blessed!!! And totally in love.

New Preggo Pics

So I have not taken many pictures of my pregnancy, I have been really bad about it. Poor Baby. So last weekend, Joe took some pictures of me in our back yard, thought I would share them with you all.

So I have yet...

So I have yet to post pictures of my pregnancy, so I decided to post tonight. Here are a few:

28 Weeks...and...

31 Weeks. It is amazing how much bigger I feel I look in this photo than I do when I look in the mirror in the morning. Maybe I am trying to fool myself. :0)

We are almost there and can't wait for Baby Wally to be here!!!!!

Oklahoma defeats Uconn

I didn't realize that I was a big OU (Oklahoma University) fan until Ashley and I got a chance to go to the Fiesta Bowl in which Oklahoma Univeristy played University of Connecticut. The game was played in Glendale, AZ at the same stadium where the Arizona Cardinals play. We went to the game with Amy, Debbie, Itchy, Pam and Karlee. Tons of fun!

Christmas in Sedona

We are in the middle of our Christmas week with Debbie and family in Sedona. It was about 70 degrees the day we arrived, we have spent our time hiking, eating and the Martin women have done their fair share of shopping. Over the last two days it has snowed 8-10 inches, which makes for beautiful pictures against the red rock of Sedona.

Baby Trace!

Picture from the top of Doe Mountain

Snow in the desert!

Picture from Bear Mountain

A frozen little cactus

Adam's model pose

Hiking Bear Mountain

Adam, Ashley & Clint relaxing

Ashley, Debbie & Aaron on a hike of Doe Mountain

Joe, Adam & Clint in the hot tub enjoying the snowy scenery

Baby, Friends, Africa, Christmas...

I am not even sure where to start, it has been so long since we posted last. We moved to Phoenix and time has gotten away from us. We have been so blessed since being back in the states, we settled into Phoenix nicely. We feel that this transition has been one of the easier ones out of all the places we have moved. We are feeling plugged in and it has only been about 5 months. I have to keep Joe's ideas at bay for our next great adventure, and reassure him that I am not going anywhere anytime soon. :) Here are ten highlights.

1. WE ARE HAVING A BABY! She is due April 4th and we are super excited. I am just over 6 months and feeling great.

2. We bought a house, it is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath and it has a pool!!!! Joe is excited about hosting a Polar Plunge Party every year. (Yes we do realize it won't be as cold as in the mid-west, but that is the best part)

3. Joe got into school at ASU. He will be starting in January, getting his MBA.

4. I got to meet my best friend's baby, Thijs, for the first time about a month ago. It couldn't have been sweeter!

5. We have gotten to see a lot of friends and family members since being in Arizona. This is Amy with her old roommate Lou who came to visit in Phoenix, she was also in Mali the same time we were, she was pivotal in our survival overseas.

6. We went home to Wisconsin for Thanksgiving, Joe's sisters are both pregnant too, so we got to all be pregnant together, sooooo fun. Minus the Wisconsin cold.

7. We hosted our first annual cookie exchange with another couple. It was a success.

8. We do not miss a White Christmas, we are loving the weather here in AZ in December and do not regret our move here at all.

9. We have talked to our friends back in Mali, we can still converse in the local language, although it feels weird speaking an African dialect in your living room. We miss them.

10. We are gearing up for a Christmas in Sedona. My mom and all of the Martin siblings are flying out in just a few days. It is going to be a holiday full of memories! 7 days, 11 family members, one house...

Still in Phoenix...

It has been way too long since our last posting, sorry for the delay. Here are some highlights of the last few months:

• Move to Arizona - We are in our tiny apartment and loving it.
• New Job - I am teaching 6th grade, literacy and social studies.
• Road Trip - My cousin got married in Colorado and we took a road trip with Aaron and Becky (our new sister-in-law).
• Dad's Visit and Amy's Move - Dad drove Amy out to Phoenix for her big move, she started grad school and I ABSOLUTELY love having her near!!!
• Aaron's Wedding - Aaron and Becky had a beautiful wedding, we enjoyed family, friends, great food, laughing and of course at a Martin wedding DANCING!!!
• Labor Day Camping: We drove about 2 hours out of town and enjoyed a beautiful scene on the edge of a canyon. I love America!

Amy and I setting up camp.

Taking in the great view.

Amy and I at the wedding after the ceremony.

Joe and I, trying to capture the sunset.

Mom and I enjoying the botanical gardens together, it was only 115 degrees, no big deal.

Trace and I before the ceremony, gotta love him.

And the NEWLY WEDS!!!!

We have been in Phoenix three weeks.

So, we live in Phoenix! Ashley started a new job yesterday! And the temperature was above 100 for the last week! But our condo complex has a pool. Our house has air conditioning. And I just ate a bowl of ice cream.

Also yesterday Ashley and I celebrated seven years of marriage. Lets just say she is a keeper!!

These are a few pics I have taken in the last few weeks.

Ashley with our friends Andy and Lexi's little baby.

Breakfast with my mom and dad on fathers day.

My dad and I grilling out.

Ashley and her dad hangin out on the boat listening to Margaritaville.

Ashley and I at Indies wedding in Colorado Springs.

Haven't had time to stop...

So...

We really haven't had time to stop, think, or process. Is that good? I am not really sure.

After our time in Wisconsin, we headed to Iowa. I was so blessed that 3 out of 4 of my siblings were there to meet us (Aaron couldn't come but we saw him when we got to Arizona, and everyday after!!!!!) It was an awesome time, we got to swim, hold our new nephew for the first time, get to know little Trinity as a toddler, I got some sister time (which I missed a ton), had some shopping time with Mom (which also I missed a ton), and lots of yummy food.

We keep telling everyone who asks that being away from our family for two years was the hardest part about Peace Corps. We can live without running water, electricity, and good food but it is not easy living without our close family and friends. We love them soooo much.

Here are a few highlights of our time in Iowa. (Sorry the pics are so small, I don't know what happened)

Trace and I, I swear I didn't ever put him down!!!

Joe and Amy, always ready to make each other laugh.

Amy, Trinity, and I walking to go meet Grandma and Grandpa for dinner.

On our way to go swimming....believe me Trinity is FEARLESS! (She for sure takes after her dad on that one.)

My cousin Stacia with her gift from Mali, a Obama pillow case. She loved it!

Me, Tio Itchy, Aunt Pam and Joe, we are doing cheers with Jerry's Pizza, because Tio and Aunt Pam held out eating Jerry's Pizza till we got home! Troopers. (Well, not the whole two years, but for long enough, still troopers)

Mom and Trace, this must have been the one time I set him down.

Trinity and I in Tio's pool, it is not a complete trip to Iowa without a day in Tio's pool.

Me and Aubrey, headed to swim, with sunglasses and diet cokes in hand. Always.