She's Number 1

People ask, "What are you naming her?"

I say, "Emma."

One common response: "Oh! That's so cute! Just darling! I love it!"

The other common response: "I just heard that Emma is ranked as the #1 most popular baby name right now."

Awesome. Thanks for the information. Did you want me to name her something weird just to be different?

Here's what the internet tells me about the name Emma:

Popularity Rank in the U.S. Population

Year	Rank	Total out of 1,000,000 Babies
2008	#1	9,043 babies
2007	#3	8,698 babies
2006	#2	9,154 babies
2005	#2	10,035 babies
2004	#2	10,722 babies
2003	#2	11,330 babies
2002	#4	8,379 babies
2001	#13	6,723 babies
2000	#17	6,286 babies
1999	#17	6,021 babies

So, in the past seven years the name Emma has been in the top five. That's funny, because I work in an elementary school and I know of only one girl named Emma who is under seven years old.

Hi. My name is Sarah. Would you like to see the popularity of my name? (Too bad! I'm showing you anyway!) Check this out.

2008	#20	4,332 babies
2007	#18	4,713 babies
2006	#15	5,322 babies
2005	#15	5,672 babies
2004	#12	6,306 babies
2003	#12	6,852 babies
2002	#8	7,472 babies
2001	#6	8,024 babies
2000	#5	8,863 babies
1999	#4	9,809 babies
1998	#5	10,253 babies
1997	#4	10,834 babies
1996	#4	10,964 babies
1995	#5	11,118 babies
1994	#5	11,428 babies
1993	#3	12,288 babies
1992	#5	12,289 babies
1991	#6	12,404 babies
1990	#6	12,568 babies
1989	#5	13,948 babies
1988	#4	14,750 babies
1987	#5	14,883 babies
1986	#5	15,249 babies
1985	#5	13,477 babies
1984	#5	14,354 babies
1983	#5	15,216 babies
1982	#4	15,707 babies
1981	#4	15,760 babies
1980	#5	14,466 babies
1979	#6	12,196 babies
1978	#8	12,157 babies

For TWENTY-FOUR YEARS Sarah has ranked in the top 10. It's #20 for 2008... not too shabby. The year I was born there were apparently 15,706 other Sarahs for every 1,000,000 babies born. (This doesn't even count all of the girls who don't have the "h" on the end!)

Sarah ranked #4 in 1982 with a total of 15,707 Sarahs. If the data from 2008 holds true, yes, Emma may be the #1 ranking name of 2010, but there will only be 9,000 something Emmas out of 1,000,000 babies. That's nothing compared to what I've experienced over the years and I turned out okay. (Mostly.)

Oh Emma. You are so amazing.

5 Days Until Christmas

"How do the little piggies eat?"

I feel like doing this 99% of the time.

Thank goodness Winter Break is here. I have two weeks of NO WORK at all. I am trying not to cram too many activities into this time off so that I can maybe enjoy some relaxation time. Fat chance. I've got a to-do list the size of a small country. School stuff, Primary Stuff, and (my personal favorite) Getting-Ready-for-Baby stuff!

Hooray for the holidays. Who else still has to do all of their Christmas shopping?

So Thankful

I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving.

Mine was wonderful, but it has been a busy four days and I pushed myself too hard. Thursday was Thanksgiving with my family (about 3 hours in the car). Friday was Thanksgiving with Barry's friends and family (about 2 hours in the car). Thats when the occasional cough I've had increased in frequency. Saturday was work at the vet's, then a drive to Eureka for Grandma Dee's 80th Birthday (5 and a half hours in the car). That night I slept poorly on a mattress that was too firm for my sore hips and achy back. Sunday, visit with the family some more, then drive the 5 and a half hours home. Sitting that much during pregnancy is not a good thing.

I got home exhausted last night and kept pushing myself to get things done so I could get to bed early. My hot shower followed by the chills was my first clue that maybe I wasn't just tired. My pregnancy book says that I should call my doctor immediately if I have a fever of 102 F or higher. Mine was 101 F. Awesome. I still didn't know what to do.

Then I asked my husband for a blessing.

If this pregnancy has taught me anything, it has taught me to have greater faith in the power of the priesthood. The only blessings I had received before being pregnant were blessings of comfort when I was emotionally struggling. I asked for blessings then because of the spiritual nature of my problems. I never asked for them when I was physically ill because I doubted the connection between spiritual matters and physical illness.

That has changed. I have received three blessings for physical ailments since I've been pregnant.

This little love inside of me is my world. Her health is the most important thing in my life, so my health is more important to me than it's ever been. I have tested my faith for this child, not for myself, and I am so glad that I have, because my testimony of blessings has finally formed and grown strong.

With the help of a blessing and some acetaminophen my fever dropped steadily. I talked to a nurse and doctor on the phone. I called in my absence for today and lined up a substitute teacher. I had my plan in place should things get worse instead of better. However, each time I woke up during the night I felt more and more like myself.

Now I have the day off to rest and recover, to sleep and relax.

Today I am most grateful for my family. I am grateful for my body and for my growing baby. I am thankful for my husband and for his worthiness. I am thankful for Target brand acetaminophen, digital thermometers, and telephones. I am especially grateful for my Heavenly Father, for the power of His priesthood, and for the love that He has for me.