Thoughts as of late

So after Ethan was born I could no longer watch "A Baby Story" on TLC or any other show of that genre. It would just bring back the baby blues I struggled with or make me feel scared that I would fall into that dark world of emotion again. But now that I'm 8 months along I'm starting to face my fears and read and watch other people's birthing stories again. Ethan was born in Utah, where my doctor was LDS and most of the nurses on staff were LDS as well. Being LDS doesn't mean you're a cut above the rest but it did help me relax and I felt loved and cared for in the hospital. Now that we're hear in LA, I haven't heard very many positive things about the hospital and staff I plan on delivering with.... rude, non-supportive, and not very receptive to a patient's concerns. This is making me nervous. The question is: How do I get over the fact that the nurses are not going to comfort me and may even be cold and still have a positive hospital experience? I really feel like in order to keep myself from falling into that lonely pit of emotions I had when Ethan was born, it's got to start with a positive outlook from day one... and unfortunately that's at the hospital. Any suggestions on how to get a staff to warm up to me?

In other news, I am having family galore come and visit in the days proceeding Corryn's arrival! Well, it's just my mom and Aunt Ranee, but they are both making two trips down here. Out of the 50 days left until my due date, 17 of them will be graced with the presence of either my mom or Aunt Ranee. This means that there is a 34% chance that one of them will be here when I go into labor or deliver!

My time here in LA has strengthened my testimony in the "Zion" aspect of a ward and the need for a strong Relief Society bond. I cannot tell you how many rides we've received to places, how many free babysitting jobs we've given and received, how many invites we've had for dinner or a visit, and how much free stuff we've been given. It started with the bishop, who loaned a cooler to us our first day, then followed by the Goldstein's who gave us that beautiful hutch that is not my beloved craft nook, and most recently we've added the Stone's to our enormous list of blessings as they gave us a toddler crib, money to purchase a mattress, baby blankets, a double stroller, and a high chair. The toddler bed, double stroller and high chair were all things that we knew we were going to need to purchase sometime in the future but were dreading because there was no way we could afford them. I absolutely love the sisters I've made friends with in the ward and know that I'll cherish them for years to come, even after we leave this awful state. California, I love your mormons but could do without the rest of you. :)