Hello April FF

1.  Saturday I went to the temple and enjoyed seeing little bits of Spring along my way.  It is sad that we don't have all the seasons in AZ, but Aunt Leslie warned me so I'm well prepared.  It just means I have to go home each season.

2.  Saturday night was a relaxing one for us.  We watched Ramona and Beazus which I love and the kids did too.  Mr. J and I much enjoyed the evening once the kids went to bed.  That man makes me love every moment I am with him.
3.  This past Saturday was the Women's General Conference.  All women ages 8 and up were invited, first time since 1992.  It was most enjoyable.  I loved the entire conference, but especially Elder Eyrings talk.  I'm grateful to be part of the largest women's organization in the world.  What a blessing it is to be a Relief Society sister and to be surrounded by such amazing women in my life.
4.  Sunday I got to go with Mr. J to Primary.  I love primary and watching him teach the gospel to these young kids.  I did sneak into RS where we learned about ways to apply General Conference in our lives.  I love GC which is this weekend!  We had fun Skyping my family.  It was so cute when Aidree asked Little Girl A if she could see her room and we showed it to her.  Even cuter was when Little Girl A told Aidree that she had school off on Saturday and wanted her to come play and then Aidree said they could have a slumber party.  So cute!  Too bad they don't live closer.
5.  I worked days this week; I think I like working afternoons better.  It was nice to have my evenings to spend with Mr. J though.  He came over Monday night and we had a nice cuddle session on the swing outside! 
6.  Wednesday Jason, the kids and I went to my first professional baseball game; Diamondbacks vs. Giants.  It was cold and kind of boring, but something I can cross off my bucket list.

7.  I was suppose to go to a medical conference on Thursday, but I decided that I needed a me day and I didn't want to drive downtown.  It was nice to be lazy in the morning, then I went jogging instead of to the gym because it was nice and cool.  I spent a few hours with Mr. J and the kids when they got out of school.  We had my favorite Fish Tacos with Kiwi Salsa.  The kids loved them too.  Unfortunately I had to rush off to the airport and Mr. J had to clean up my mess.  He is such a good man though.   I loved Mr. J's prayer over the food.  He blessed me, that everything would go well with my visit to Dr. Dan and with my family and that I would be safe and come back to them.  Oh, man he is sweet!

8.  It is so good to be home.  We have had a good day!  Started off this morning seeing Dr. Dan.  He was so excited that I was doing well.  My nurse was my cousins wife as his normal nurse was out and she has recently started working there.  I still don't have my CA 125 results but I'm sure they will be normal.  We had fun at Kids Gap where I bought some Easter and Christmas presents!  I love shopping for other people!  We had lunch with my most amazing friends Kay and Kaycee and cousins at Flatbread Pizza.  It was such fun to all be together and to catch up.  I'm such a lucky girl to have such sweet women in my life.

9.  Tonight the kids came over and Tenielle and Tanner drove in.  We made homemade pizza and sat around laughing at youtube videos. My favorite has always been cars sliding and crashing in bountiful 400 north.  Look it up, you will be laughing so hard.  Everyone is home for the weekend except for Tony because his mission president from Argentina is in SLC this weekend and they were having a mission reunion.  Fun for him.  We will have a very enjoyable next 2 days watching conference and just being together.  I will never forget last October GC that I was sick after having chemo and the talk on endurance by President Monson.  Looking forward to so many awesome talks this weekend and spending time with my family!

Testimony

Yesterday as I drove to the temple, as I sat in the temple and this morning as I woke, I've repeated my testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ over and over again in my mind.  And so I share it with you...

I testify that am a daughter of a loving Heavenly Father who knows me individually.  He knows me, loves me and is aware of my every needs.  I was reminded of this every time I had a priesthood blessing  when I was suffering through cancer and chemo.  I testify that the priesthood is the power to act in Gods name.  I'm grateful for worthy priesthood holders in my life who were able to bless me in my time of need; my dad, brothers, friends, cousins and uncles.  Yesterday as I rounded the hall in the temple I saw myself in a full length mirror dressed in white.  I saw a daughter of God who has great potential; I saw a covenant keeper, a sister, a daughter, an aunt, and a friend.  I testify of His love for each of his children and that we are literal children of a Heavenly Father.

I testify that a 14 year old boy Joseph Smith questioned our Heavenly Father regarding which church was true.  As he read James 1:5  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God..., he put forth his faith to know for himself.  I testify that after praying to God, that he saw our Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ in a grove of tree's in Palmyra, NY on a Spring morning in 1820.  I testify the restored gospel was brought forth to the latter days through Joseph Smith.  I testify that he was a true prophet.  I testify that we have a living day prophet, President Thomas S. Monson.  I testify that he talks with our Heavenly Father through prayer and receives instructions for us in these latter days.

I've come to know the Atonement in a way that I never imagined over the past 10 months.  I testify that the Atonement is more than just for sin.  I testify that in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus Christ also atoned for our heartaches, our sorrows, our disappointments, and our physical and emotional illnesses.

I testify that our Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers in His own timing and His own ways as he sees fit for us.  I don't know how He hears all prayers, but I testify that He does hear them.  I love the scripture, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not into thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths."

I testify that the Book Of Mormon is true.  That it is Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  I testify that by reading from its pages daily we will become closer to our Heavenly Father, that through these pages we will find answers to our prayers.

I testify of the blessings of paying an honest and full tithe.  I have seen these blessings come into my life over and over again as I have faithfully obeyed this commandment.

I testify that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the one and only true church on this earth.  I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Spring Break FF

1.  Each week I ask myself, "Does it get any better than this?"  I always know that answer will be, "Yes!"  Saturday was by far one of my favorite days of this week!  Mr. J and I had the entire day to ourselves until the kids arrived, but not until 8pm!  I of course had to start my day out with a 4 mile run though.  Mr. J and I headed to Gilbert to have lunch with my friends Janelle and Matt and their darling two year old twins.  They took us to a yummy place called Joe's Farm Grill.  I had been craving BBQ so I had some.  It was yummy, but of course not as yummy as in the South.  Mr. J loves hotdogs, I'll never understand this, so he got two fancy ones that he enjoyed.  By then it was nap time for the twins, but not before I snapped this picture of poor Tate who has casts on his legs to shape them into where they need to be.

2.  Mr. J and I enjoyed a walk around the the Gilbert Temple.  It is so beautiful.  I can't wait to have some time to do a session there.  I introduced Mr. J to my favorite shaved ice.  We shared an almond joy with ice cream in the middle.  It was so amazingly delicious!  We then did a little grocery shopping and then headed home to meet up with the kids.  We all watched Marly and Me and Little girl A and I did some fingernail and toenail painting before it was time to wrap up the evening.

3.  Sunday we had such great meetings on Marriage in Sunday School and endurance in RS.  We fixed dinner and made cookies, before the kids had to leave us again.  Always tugs at my heart stings a little when they hug me and then leave.  We visited a family in our ward that needed some cookies, skyped my family and talked to his and then Mr. J talked me into watching Catching Fire.  I'm not really a Hunger Games fan because I don't like the killing, but it did keep my attention and of course so does he!  That evening when I got home I got this text, "Each weekend keeps getting better and better.  I keep waiting for you to not want to be around me or my kids anymore but you embrace us instead.  Its really incredible how loved you have us feel.  You are such an amazing, strong, pretty woman.  I'm still trying to figure out how you are sitting next to me.  I'm so lucky to have you in my life."
4.  The kids have been on Spring Break this week.  I love that Mr. J's career being that he owns his own business allows him to take day's off to spend with his kid's, like my dad was able to with us.  Wednesday we made breakfast and then took the kid's (he was also tending another families 3 kid's while their parents were in England this week) hiking.  It was rather windy, which made it so we weren't so hot.  I made them spinach shakes after we all got cleaned up, which not all the kids were impressed with and then it was time for me to go to work.

Wednesday night Mr. J had a campout in the back yard with the kid's. We made 'smores and then as soon as they laid their little heads on their pillows they were out,  as much as they all wanted me to campout with them, I didn't but went home and slept in my bed.
5.  Thursday I skipped my workout for the first time since Feb. 3, but I made up for it this morning...I skipped it to sleep in a little and then spend time with Mr. J and the kid's.  That afternoon I got a text from Mr. J that read, "Just wanted you to know how awesome I think you are.  I'm so grateful that you sacrificed your day at the gym to hang with me and these wild kid's.  You are an amazing woman and I'm so lucky to be the one you spend your time with. Can't wait to hold you close to me tonight."
6.  This week I got my 2013 blog book in the mail.  It is huge and oh so awesome.  I'm grateful for the person I evolved into during 2013, but so glad that year is behind me and 2014 is in full gear!
7.  My friend Beth who came to work along side me last year while in Phoenix had her last day today.  I'm sad I won't see her every day.  She sent me a get well package when I was sick which meant so much to me.  We have become great friends.  Good thing she is staying in Phoenix, just getting a new job.

8.  This week I combed my hair for the first time in 8 months.  It felt so good.  I just kept combing and combing, remembering how good it use to feel!  Of course I still just use my fingers to style my hair, but that night it felt oh so good!  The things you take for granted.
9.  Tonight I laughed a lot with Mr. J.  I'm telling you he is so, so funny.  My mom always told me to marry someone who makes me laugh...

Just A Little Post

Just a little post to tell you I had a fabulous weekend, of course I think it was the best weekend yet!  Details to come when I have a few more minutes than I have right now...Things are progressing quite well and I'm enjoying every minute I get to spend with Mr. J!  My cousin Deborah sent me a text yesterday inquiring if things were still hot and heavy...oh yea baby, oh yea!  Every week day I work I look forward to my evenings that I get to spend with Mr. J and I look forward to another weekend that I get to spend even more time with him.  So glad it is already Tuesday which means tomorrow is our hiking day and lunch.  This week it will be with the kids because they are on Spring Break, which should be lots of fun!  Only 4 more days until the weekend again!