1 + 1 = 3



As you guys know... we are pregnant! We are so dang excited! My good friend Kyra Rankin took some pregnancy announcement pictures of us and they worked out so well! I'm so grateful for Kyra and her skill :) We posted one of these on Facebook but here are some of the others!

 

Kyra's blog is http://aevaliart.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

Our Love Story

I wanted to document the important days in Jaren's and my love story (I saw this idea on Pinterest ;).
These days changed my life forever. I'm so glad they happened.

• November 2004- He saw and noticed her
• April 2005- They met
• April 21, 2005- First date
• March 27, 2006- He kissed her on the cheek and left on his mission
• May 5, 2008- First kiss
• July 2008-  They said “I love you”
• December 25, 2008- He popped the question and she said “YES!”
• April 11, 2009- They were sealed for time and all eternity

"Every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favorite."

 

2005

2006

2008

"I love you"

 

Engaged
 

Married

The Lord is a good gift giver

It has been a while since I have blogged. I hope to get better at it again because I love to document what is going on as well as my feeling about different topics. I have always been a journal writer and a picture taker which has been a blessing in our lives. Speaking of blessings, there have been a lot of those lately. My mom always says that "the Lord is a good gift giver." I truly believe that! Different "gifts" have been sent our way this summer. In fact, I feel like no matter what is going on, one can always look for gifts that the Lord has given them. Each time a blessing has come recently, it has been neat to discuss that it is a gift from the Lord with Jaren. He helps me to remember. I hope to continue to look through lenses of faith so that I may notice when the Lord gives me something.

This summer has been busy with work and school but it has also been a total blast! We get in water (rivers, creeks etc.) literally every week. We have also been following the "Dealio" (text messages that include a daily Rexburg deal) around as we get "buy one get one free" ice cream and entrees from our favorite restaurants. Our lives are FAR from perfect but as we strive to realize all that the Lord gives us, it is pretty hard not to smile :)

Here are some pictures from this summer!

Tubing the river

Little sister Adeline came with us!

Hiking on a fun date my bother Ryan planned

Sunday picnic with friends

Outdoor movie at BYUI with the Arritts

Canoeing the river

Ice cream with friends

At "Hidden Lake" with my family

We buried our legs in a big pit haha

Doing sit-ups :)

Sisters :)

Luau with Jaren's family

Campfire at a cabin

Camping with my family

The whole camping clan :)

I took Jaren down memory lane as I showed him the creek behind my
family's house where I spent my summers playing.

Darius Rucker concert. Loved it!

Floating the river with friends

The wives :)

Campfire

At a minor league baseball game

 

Light at the end of the tunnel

There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Last night my classmates and I met with a few of our professors in Idaho Falls. It was a meeting for the "second and third year students" (I can't believe that's me). The subject of the meeting was a "capstone" class that we will be taking our last semester. Our last semester, is NEXT semester. This means that I will be done with this masters program in December. It has been the hardest thing I have ever done and man am I ready to be done.

Even though I am ready to be done, I don't want to spend my life "waiting" for the next stage of life to come. I feel like it is so easy to do that. I want to enjoy each stage of life instead of saying "When I finish this semester then life will be better..." "When I graduate, then I'll be happy..." "When we have a family..." "When my husband graduates from medical school... " "When...". The list could go on and on. Each stage of life is precious. I catch myself saying the "when-then" statements at times, but I'm trying to have a more positive mindset. Life is WAY to short.

It's days like this past Saturday, that remind me of the simple things that make life awesome. Jaren and I decided that we needed a break from all we need to do. A real break, not just our classic 2 hour break per day. Our day consisted of an Air Show, pizza at the park, drawing with sidewalk chalk, eating snow-cones, renting and watching a movie, and sleeping outside under the stars. Simple pleasures with my best friend. Life is good.

Air Show

Pizza at the park

Sidewalk Chalk

No, a 5 year old didn't draw this... I did

Jaren is the artist of the family. He is good!

Snow-cones

Sleeping under the stars :)

Jaren wrote this on our "I love you because" board that day. Such a true statement :)

A Tribute to My Mom

Selfless service. Contagious smile. Good example. Unfailing faith in Jesus Christ. These are phrases that describe my mom. I've been thinking a lot about her lately. She is my best friend. We talk on the phone every day (usually more than once) and we love going to Costa Vida to share a big order of deep dish nachos during the week. Why do I love her so much? She is the type of woman that, even when she has about a million things to do, she will spend the day doing service for a friend. She views motherhood as literally the best, most rewarding job in the world. She celebrates when her kids get out of school for the summer and cries when school starts again. She praises my dad and thinks he is the funniest and cutest guy in the world. She makes holidays amazing at our house (even ones like St. Patricks day). She is an amazing homemaker. She loves her kids and lets us know it. She loves learning and knowledge. She takes advantage of every possible moment to bear her testimony to her children. She loves her Savior; nothing shakes this faith.

If I can become half the woman my mom is, I'm set for life. I hope to take her example of motherhood and faith and use them in my own family. She might not realize that she has created a legacy. I love you mom!

Running to the temple :)



24 years of real love

Snow storm forced us to stay at a creepy hotel... AHHH! :)

Valentines dance 2011

Making candy with an emergency stove during a power outage (2003 or so)

2009