Yuna(由奈) Ruth Tueller

Yuna (由奈） Ruth Tueller is a very brave, sweet, and definite little girl. She has been sleeping without mom nor dad since her birth. Not only nights, she has also been away from her parents for most of the day. Some days, she is even restricted to be held. She cannot be moved without her bunch of codes tangled around her body. She likes to be wrapped tight in a blanket. She likes a binky when it has some kind of flavor; we drop a few drops of formula milk or sugar water when she is fussy. She stretches her eyelids just like her dad; in other words, it looks like cat's smile. She cries as if she is in the NICU crying competition when she has a dirty diaper or she is simply hungry.

I cannot write these without my tears falling. I love her very much. I am happy to get up and make the way to the hospital, thinking what new things I can learn about her.

There was a moment that I felt parental responsibility for the first time. It was when a nurse called us and asked our consent for putting a pick in Yuna's system since most of her veins had been already used for IV pokes and gone bad.

Thanks to the surprising Thai food by wonderful aunts, I had energy to record this. Every night, I come back after 11 p.m., drag myself to bed, and set alarm in 3 hours for milk pumping. So I really appreciate all your support and love. With that note, I better go and get ready for another pumping.

Stop worrying about it! Do what we need to do.

Today was a beautiful service day. Our cherry blossoms bloomed fully and astonished my Japanese spirit as always.

Today, I cried for no reason. Well, being a pregnant is a good reason to cry for no reason. Then, I somehow pulled myself back up without my husband's help and stayed for the entire church time. Blessing was though that I found a new favorite hymn, which is "Because I have been given much." Yes, this became a theme song for my pregnancy although my pregnancy is about to end. It reminds me to look up and find someone who is in need of my help. It's not a big deal when my mom sees me in skype and calls me fat. (She does not mean to hurt me. That is how Asian people address their health concern about others.) This hymn gives me courage and patience to try to unclog the toilet, not to complain about different pains go through my body every 15 minutes, and be calm when the kids at work call me in F words or start kicking walls/people because I cannot play with them then.

Another good reminder was "stop worrying about things, but do what's good" spoken by Elder Bednar at the MTC last year. My VT companion who works at the MTC shared this. There are times when we don't know if a thought was from the Spirit or just what you think. Elder Bednar said stop worrying about it, but act. His points are 1. be a good boy, 2. be a good girl, 3. honor your covenant, and 4. keep the commandments. Then, we will notice if it was an inspiration from the Spirit or not when we look back in the future.

With that note, I would like to be a little more "good girl" for my lovely husband and a little baby to come.


(A pic was from my husband's birthday. He requested all-you-can-eat yakiniku restaurant.)

And, we cannot forget to have a birthday cake for him!!

Wedding Reception in Japan - 7. 17. 2010

12:00 AM - Roommates from Hawaii arrived at my house. Start practicing performance for the reception.

7:00 AM - Get up and go our favorite cafe, Komeda.







10:00 AM - David and friends leave for rehearsal at the chapel.





10:30 AM - I leave to perfect my beauty.



12:00 PM - David is very nervous while coming up with a speech in Japanese...



While I am busy with making the dress fit and greeting my friends.



2:00 PM - The reception starts without half of my relatives, due to traffic delay.



2:10 PM - Prayer by bishop Asai.



2:20 PM - Words from President Baird.



2:22 PM - Words and a traditional Japanese song from Bishop Ishikawa.



2:24 PM - Words from grandpa Takeshi.



2:26 PM - "Cheer call" from my brother Takuma.



2:27 PM - Cake cut.



2:45 PM - Introduction of David from Marie, Margaret, and Christian.



Introduction of me by my brother Ryoma.



2:52 PM - Puppet show about how David and I started dating.



2:57 PM - My cousin Jun sang "towa ni tomo ni" by Kobukuro.



3:07 PM - Slide show

3:17 PM - Sister Sasaki and Ai from Izumo sang songs.



3:22 PM - Piano ensemble by Ayuko and Kayo.



3:32 PM - Hula dance performance with roommates from Hawaii.



3:42 PM - A thank you letter to my parents.



3:47 PM - Greeting from family



3:49 PM - A speech from the groom.



3:51 PM - Closing



3:56 PM - Farewell



5:30-7:30 PM - Nice dinner with relatives. A full Japanese course dinner (about $60 per person).



8:00-11:30 PM - Friends from High school come to my house to congratulate us (girl's talk).



11:30 PM - My brothers, cousin, and dad started party.



12:00-3:00 AM Talked some more with a friend. And, finally went to bed.

I hope my children will only have American receptions.

What the Tuellers in Provo did on April 3.

Woke up with surprise and gratitude of not having work today.


We had a nice and slow morning with a pancake and General Conference. The talks are always great and inspiring!

Then, we headed to a birthday party for Aunt Anna and cousin Luke.



Unfortunately, I missed singing happy birthday for Luke and taking picture of him but we had great dinner. Thank you Aunt Marie for hosting it.


They were so cute and excited for being taken pictures. So this is their best pose.


Will wore a pillow and covered himself with another pillow.


A matching scars. Will got it by falling from a tree. Harrison got it in a closet.


We had strawberry shortcake for dessert.


It was great to see aunt Diane and uncle Lant.


Elder Subandriyo, an area seventy, joined the dinner as well.



Love the Spring decoration.


And a replica of Jesus' tomb from Jerusalem next to the Easter eggs.

Baby Shower

Barbara, Jennifer, Richelle, Janet & Joan from church organized a baby shower for me. It was a sweet and fun party. I enjoyed unwrapping presents and finding cute girly goods for the baby.






A summary of what the baby received.


Cydne even dressed up for me.

When I got home, David and his friends were making Julia's Beef Bourguignon! That even made my day special.

Four more weeks to go. All my body parts are aching as if an old haunted house, slowly cracking down. But looking at the gifts and cute clothes remind me of exciting moments to come. Till then, our plan is to peacefully calmly wait and avoid any pressures for her to pop out before my Family Medical Leave applies on the 22nd of April.

Grandma Myrl

Today, we gathered at grandma Tueller's for dinner. There, I met grandma Myrl for the first time. She was not only a sweet lady but also full of pep, which I assumed that was a secret of her happy long life. I love the picture of those two. What a beautiful sisters.

After the meal, we played the thimble game. Aunt Anna picked a category of "what David and Ayae should consider for the baby's name." People came up with various names like Grace, Isabelle (That's correct, Uncle Jim's daughters' names were popular), Kenna, etc. but what Aunt Anna (and mom who guessed and got splashed) were thinking was "Marie." Every generation in Tueller family has "Marie" somewhere. That was actually a good point. So definitely "Marie" is in a suggestion pool; however, more likely we will use it for the second girl since David wants a Japanese name.


Made it to 34 weeks! Six more weeks to go.