Long time :)

TA-DA

I'm back.  You missed me right? :) haha... Basically the past three weeks have been insane.  And I decided halfway through it that I was missing the Christmas season for really silly things.  So I slowed myself down, which basically meant that I put a lot of things on the back burner for a while, this blog ended up in the "slow down pile" 

 I'm really excited though because today was a really fun day at work.. That was great because tomorrow is my very last day working for Deseret Book and it was great to feel like I can leave feeling like it was a good place to work.  I love ending things on happy notes. 

I am so excited to stay at home with Britain again. 

I am so excited to be a homemaker and a wife and a mother before anything else. Because nothing else is that important to me.  I think I will be much happier knowing that my priorities are where I want them to be.  I need this, Britain needs this and Brandon needs this.  I love that the Lord is helping us get to the place we need to be.

Britain was adorable on Christmas. I left my camera at my parents house or else I would post pictures of her.  Maybe I'll do a post for Christmas pictures. It was the Best! 

Ok... While I've been writing this my child has started eating her jumbo sized crayons... So this is the end so I can save the rest of them! BYE!

Love you Jewls

I am officially a Jones.
I want to help others in their time of need, through... wait for it......

food.

Now, don't get me wrong... I love food.

But I have never felt like feeding other people

especially when they are sad...

or even when I am sad.

Basically I feel like Granny Jewls did everything she could just to make other people comfortable, and that is a form of service.. I want to make people comfortable too so I'm doing it in the best way that I can think of...

deviled eggs...

I want to honor her life.

because she influenced the person that my mother is,

and I owe her an awful lot for that.

She has a beautiful spirit and I am so glad she

can be with my uncle Joe now. 

I miss you both more than I can express.  Rob and Joe, I think

about you all the time. I hope that you both got the opportunity to 

run to Granny Jewls and hug her and welcome her to heaven.

I'm feeling really weird right now..

Sad but peaceful.

Anxious to help.

Basically I've got to start cooking if

anything will get done.  

Extremes

Today was a beautiful day, and a devastating day.  I don't really know where to start...

Today one of my co-workers left work early and delivered a perfect baby.  What an amazing moment in time, new life.  I wanted to cry with excitement.

Last night my moms step mother had a catastrophic aneurysm as soon as she got to my mothers house after a ten hour drive from her California trip.  Her name is Julie.  I love her.  My mommy loves her even more than I do.  She has a lot of people who love her.  She is the kind of person who changes people simply by being their friend.  She is the least judgmental person I have ever met, she is 100% loving and encouraging. 

The doctors have given her a very grim survival rate. 

My mommy held the phone to her ear, and I had the chance to say goodbye.  

I cried because it hurt.  

It hurts that life ends.  

It hurts that I have to see my mom and my family suffer.

While at work today someone told me about the Connecticut shooting.  I felt sick to my stomach.  My mind was whirling. Innocent children? How can those parents ever heal? I did cry.  I cried for the families, for the trauma that the innocent children went through.  I cried for the devastation of so many young lives being taken from the Earth in such a violent way.  My heart breaks for those families who did not get to envelope their children after the event.  I sobbed for the mothers who lost their babies in so cruel a way.

I cried. and my pain was small.

I hope those families know that they will see their babies again someday. 

I hope they can feel the healing power of the Atonement.

Beautiful Day!

Okay, to be completely honest, I have no idea what kind of a day it is because I have not even opened my blinds today.  I wrote my final paper for my Book of Mormon class yesterday.  I turned it in online today, I don't feel like it is the best paper I've ever done, but I do feel like I worked hard to come up with a topic, and to research talks and scriptures that would strengthen my paper.  It was a good experience and it helped to build up my confidence in my ability to learn just a little bit more.
I love my daughter.  I love my husband.  I hope that I am strong enough to beat my anxiety someday.  I hope that I have learned a lot this year... I certainly feel like I have learned and grown a ton.  I am excited for the next chapter of our life to start up so that we can move forward and put the past behind us.  I love my Heavenly Father and I am so grateful for all of the wonderful mercies that have been shown to me recently and throughout the year.
I'm starting to think about New Year Resolutions again... I think that it will be great to have a plan and take steps to better myself, because we all need a lot of work to be nice and polished by the time we get to return home to our Heavenly Father.  I am no exception... I can think of thirty things that I should work on, but again, patience will get me there.  :) I love you all

Sometimes

Sometimes I forget how lucky I am, how loved I am and how flawless life really is. It's amazing.

I have the most beautiful child.
The most tenderhearted husband.
The most breathtaking wedding ring.
I have a three foot Christmas tree decorated in hope and memories.
I have friends who are always mine to keep.
My parents love me more than words describe.
My siblings excite me and make me excited for their futures.
I have a warm home and bed.
I have peace.
I am where I belong, with exactly the right people.

I love the concept that life is flawless. You don't have to agree with it, it just helps me understand my creator.  It's what describes my understanding. Nothing will happen that God won't know about, nothing can happen that he does not anticipate. Even when trials are huge, or blessing are great, or both, I can know within my heart that my life is flawless, because I am meant to be, my family is meant to be, my history is meant to be. I am loved. I love deeply in return. I am learning patience. I am developing strength. I am striving for perfection, and falling short, and that is beautiful, because my Savior picks me up and carries me the remaining distance every time.
I thank my Heavenly Father for my two most treasured possessions, my husband and my daughter.
Sometimes it's amazing to sit and feel my miracles standing by to help me through.
Sometimes I want nothing more than to memorize this moment.

Just a blurb

This week went by so fast! Brandon worked a 14 hour day Monday, spent Tuesday getting signed up for UVU classes and Wednesday worked another 9 hours, Thursday he worked 4 hours, volunteered at BYU's fantasy magazine for 2 hours and I spent 4 hours attending class.  Today we both worked til 3 and now Brandon is waiting tables at Old Towne Grill. What a long/fast week! Britain was babysat a LOT this week.  Thanks to my grandparents and both sets of parents we are somehow making this insanity work.  I am so glad that this is not a long term set up.  I would probably just implode because it is such a demanding schedule.  I'm definitely looking forward to some changes happening in the near future.  Everyone needs a little change every once in a while, right?
Really fast, I wanted to share that thanks to Angela, from my pathway class I learned about an acceleration path in my program.  Essentially, in pathway we take 5 credits a semester for 3 semesters.  That is a full year and it is called Academic Start. The classes we take are not up for discussion, it is all spelled out.  But since I got an A in my first class they might let me sign up for an extra class for winter semester. I filled out the application today and requested a random online course that would help me meet my science requirements.  I am super excited to find out if I qualify for the extra class.  My fingers are crossed!
P.S.
I am totally prepared to ask for a 3 credit course for my birthday :) Weird? Maybe, but still so cool!