One year wiser...

Hello my lovely children,

For the past 3 days your dad and I have been celebrating our 1 year anniversary. Why has it taken 3 days you ask? Well, our actual anniversary was on Sunday, what better day is there than the Sabbath to be so grateful for a husband?! However, that did not allow us to go out to eat or go to a movie or any of your usual anniversary/date stuff. So, we debated celebrating on Saturday night and just decided to watch several episodes of a tv show and eat cereal for dinner. Then on Sunday we got to attend church and your dad went to lots of meetings like BYC and a board of review and a fireside, and then we just spent some time hanging out. Then, yesterday, since we are house sitting at a house that is much closer to dad's work than the Pool House, dad came home for lunch. What a treat! And then, when he came home for the day, he brought me a dozen beautiful roses. I gave him some cologne (he was out and I needed an excuse! :) ) and then we went to dinner which was delicious, and then to a total chick flick! Your dad is the best, and though we celebrated in many superficial ways, the best part of our anniversary is that we are together. Your dad said "The only thing that could make this year better is to  have another one just like it. It's like Utah Peaches, when you have a delicious one, the only thing that could make it better is to have another one." I couldn't agree with your sweet dad more. More than anything kids, I want you to know that I love your dad. He is the best man I know and his love for you kids (though we haven't even met you yet) reaches the stars. He does everything for you and me. He goes to work, he strengthens his testimony, he gets educated, and it's all to show love for us. Your dad is my hero, my miracle, and my best friend and I feel honored to call him my husband. 

Love you so much,

Mom

It's been too long.

Hi kids!

I'm getting worse at writing to you AND about writing in my journal, so this entry is to kill a couple birds with one stone! First I'm going to list a few things that have happened since my last entry and then I'll add some feelings and what not.

-Dad and I got to go to New York for a Toy Fair

-Dad and I spent our first day apart when he went to Florida for work

-Grandpa Ed sold the boat,  but before he did, Dad and I had FHE on the lake

-Uncle Bryan and Aunt Karen got married

-Uncle Sherrod and Aunt Sarah found out they can move to The Valley soon

-Aunt Kylee AND Aunt Lindsey are prego

-I'm getting really good grades in my Music Therapy classes

-Dad is thriving in his program at school, of course

-Dad got a new job working at Boon, huge blessing

-Tomorrow is the anniversary of Dad's and my first date

So here are a few things I've learned

-It is easier to not make mistakes than to repent of them later

-It's hard to not get offended but feels better to let things go

-The Savior will take care of us.

-If you pray, God will hear, listen, and answer

-Fasting works

-Nothing can replace family, they are the best

-It's okay to cry

-Sisters Inlaw are special

-Being kind to a mom is vital

-Being married is a blessing that I get to receive every day, over and over!

So, life is wonderful. Dad and I are living in the pool house in the back of Grandpa and Grandma Smith's house. It is so tiny, but such a blessing. We have only 7 walls, and are grateful each day to have a roof over our heads. We're hoping to be able to move out soon, and hoping to be pregnant even sooner! We want to meet all of you precious people! I will love you. I will hold you any time you want. (I say that now, we'll see how long it lasts!) I think you will probably look like your dad, but maybe you'll get something of mine. Probably my nose. If you do, I'm sorry! :) Aunt Markee is pregnant! I am very excited for her. They are moving here soon. They'll be about 30 minutes away, it will be great to have them closer. Uncle Bryan is SO happy! It's because he found the right person to marry and they were married in the temple. Aunt Karen is the best! Dad and I got to play games at their apartment tonight. They're so great. I'm grateful for them. 

Easter was today. It was a hard day for me. Church was good, but I was a little bit home sick. I've been away from home for 2 years now, and married close to a year and I still get home sick! I'm so glad your dad takes such good care of me. It's been fun to learn how each other works, and what each other needs. He is good to me. I don't know if you kids will get Easter baskets. Easter is so much more than the bunny to me. It is about our Savior. And I want you to know that. Maybe we can do something different that still makes it a fun day for you but allows you to focus on Christ. He does so much for us, we need to do more for Him. 

Your dad works hard for you! He studies in school and goes to work every day so that he can provide for us. He's a great daddy already! I love you kids. I'm tired! We went to church, I played the organ, cried a lot because I was pretty emotional, Dad taught Sunday School, we came home and watched Clean Flix "Cinderella Man", I had a nap, we had Easter dinner with The Bowmans, The Dustin Smiths, and G-pa and G-ma Smith, delivered some cupcakes to ward members, played games with Uncle Brew and Aunt Karen, and now I am ready for bed!! I love you!!

-Mom

President Hinckley

At this same concert I spoke of in my "Music" post, I got a call from Grandma Martin saying that President Hinckley had passed away. He is what I would call my prophet. He's for the most part the only one I knew. And as I've had a few moments to reflect on his life I wish to impress upon your minds the importance of prophets and the church today. The church is not led, nor run my the president of the church, rather by our Savior, Jesus Christ. However, our prophet is in direct contact with The Savior and when our prophet speaks, we must listen. As my prophet has passed, I have mixed emotions. I am excited for him to see his sweet wife again. I am sad I don't get to see his face at conference anymore. And though I can read his words forever more, I will never again have the opportunity to hear live, "fresh" revelation from him, and I hope and pray that you will never take for granted a living prophet. Listen to your prophet. Love him. And heed to his counsel. 

Love,

Mom

Music

You don't have to play music, sing music, or even like music. But I want to share with you how music has touched my life, and I hope and pray that even if you don't like it, you will somehow find an appreciation for it. Music is my passion, and one of my largest desires is to share that with others. So often I have felt that if music is something I love so much, I should be better at it. I went to a little concert the other night with your Grandpa Wright, Grandma Smith, and your dad, and I was having a bit of a rough night. School was on my mind, and for some reason each song touched my heart. Even opera which would normally hurt my ears, was sounding like angels from heaven. As I sat there, and watched talented person after person, I became saddened with the lack of my own talents and the greatness of my desires. Then, today, I went to a voice lesson that is a part of my Music Therapy training. I have a brand new teacher I have never had before, and he said to me, "we take what God gave us, and we make the BEST of it". We don't need to compare, or wish we had more, or get down on ourselves and be sad. We need to be grateful for what God gave us, make the best of it, and share it, in music or anything else. What a fine piece of advice. 

Love,

Mom

The Temple

If there were one thing I could say to you every day for the rest of your life, it would be, "go to the temple". Your dad and I have missed but a few weeks since we've been married and I can not begin to tell you the sweet experiences we've had while being at the temple. We got to see a good friend go through for the very first time, a boy who your dad played a part in converting. We've been blessed with answers to our questions, and it's been an incredible, weekly opportunity to spend time with each other. Please go. You will never regret it.

Love,

Mom

Cousin Macklee

This weekend, your dad and I got to go to Eagar and visit Grandma and Grandpa Martin. Uncle Sherrod and Aunt Sarah were there, and of course Uncle Matt, Aunt Janis, Dorothy, Larry, Baxter and brand new baby Macklee were there. I got to hold Macklee and see her TINY hands, and fingers and features, and it made me think of you. What will you be like? Who's features will you have? What will your name be? It also made me grateful for the Plan of Creation and that our Heavenly Father will share you with me! I love you!

Love,

Mom

Catch Up

A few days ago, your dad and I were at school, (ASU) and decided we were hungry, so we went across the street to Subway and ordered sandwiches. We sat and ate them at a table next to a table where a man who looked lonely sat. He looked like he was maybe carrying with him in a few bags, all of the things he owned. He needed a hair cut, probably a shower, and who knows what else. Throughout the whole meal I was telling your dad, "we need to talk to him". Your dad didn't ignore me, but we both kind of kept eating and put it off. We, and the man, finished eating at the same time and left at the same time. We then followed him down the street, across the street, and then went separate directions. We walked a few feet and I said to your dad "We have GOT to go talk to him and just ask him if there's anything he needs". So you dad took me by the hand, and we began chasing this man!! We probably looked ridiculous, but we finally caught up to him and your dad said, "excuse me sir, my wife and I had a feeling that we needed to stop and talk to you. Is there anything you need?" The man politely smiled, said "no" and kept walking. I was shocked! Obviously if the spirit was telling me to talk to him then he was supposed to say, "Yes! I've been waiting all day for somebody to talk to me, I need $20 to go see a doctor" or SOMETHING! But no! Nothing! So, I expressed my confusion to your dad, and he taught me a great lesson that I would like to share with you. He said, "All you were asked to do was talk to him,". Sometimes in life, we may be asked to do things that we don't understand and then expect great things to come from obeying. It is enough to just be obedient without any immediate rewards. All we have to do, is what we're asked to do, and continue to listen and obey, even if we don't know why! 

Love, 

Mom

For Our Children

In last General Conference, President Eyring gave a talk about journals, the importance of them and who they're for. So this journal, starting today, is of special spiritual experiences Collin and or I have had, and it is for you, our future children. I will start by saying that I have written in a journal every day for 8 years, with maybe 10 exceptions. Those were usually days where my lazy, tired or sick side took over and I decided not to write. So if you ever have any questions about what I did on any given day or how I felt, there is a journal page somewhere, in some book or notebook with that information in it! This journal however, is a bit different. This journal is for us as a family to come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ by reminding us of the miracles we experience each day, because of our Savior and the Atonement and because of our loving Heavenly Father and because of the promptings of the Holy Ghost. Read this when you have questions, read this when you need to remember how blessed our family has been, and read this when you need to remember how much your parents, both Heavenly and Earthly love you.

Love,

Mom