to remember.

Source: twitter.com via jessica on Pinterest

i pinned this the other day and haven't been able to stop thinking of it since. i decided it deserved its very own post here on the blog. i love this quote and hope to keep it in mind this year.

conference weekend.

spinach quiche bubbling in the oven. snow drizzling slowly down. a pup on each lap, socks on my feet. pajamas all day & we don't care.

time with the family. time to relax. time to bake and i'm reminded, i love it.

words pour down & lift me up. i want to be better, know more, compare less.
i want to be grateful.
i want to to be kind.
i want to not get so irritated with that person at work who smacks her gum all day long and asks me how to double click.

i should just show her, with a smile & not grumble about it.
click, click
it's not so hard

i want to be a better version of myself.
i'm going to try to be.
and that, folks, is why i love my church.

yes, i am a nerd.

creative writing was always my favorite class. always. while everyone else grumbled & complained about the writing assignment we'd been given, i could hardly wait to get started. which is why i am excited to join marta's write club and follow along with this little project.

i'm completing my first writing assignment today & thinking about who i was back in 2005. before i met g & changed the course of my life as i knew it.

you should do it, too.

this year i hope to...

-call more often (sorry to my friends for my recent absence in the world, i should be back soon)
-answer my phone more often
-pray more often
-study more often
-exercise more often
-slow down
-use spell check less (darn thing has ruined me!)
-send more thank you cards
-and thoughtful, random emails
-wear my retainer
-keep my nails tidy
-downsize my stuff
-focus less on the stuff
-take more walks with the pups
-cook more
-hold date night weekly
-not be afraid of my new ward
-embrace my age
-strengthen family relationships
-make more of my job
-focus on the good
-avoid gossip
-keep my negative thoughts silent more often (poor g has to hear them all)
-make more of an effort to be a good friend
-do the laundry
-crate train my dogs, once & for all
-babysit nieces more often
-try a new cake recipe
-celebrate more often
-write more often
-read more often
-teach g to sort & open his mail
-recognize g's efforts more often
-make better use of my down time
-get to level hard on drums in rock band
-take weekend getaways more often
-create more traditions
-start writing in my gratitude journal again
-wear more color
-see friends more often
-call my grandparents more often
-host a party
-cultivate my passions
-strengthen my testimony

how about you?

happy.

1. Happy because of a great weekend. Had so much fun visiting with Jennie on Friday & seeing more family on Saturday for Heidi's wedding shower and the Real Game later that night.

2. Happy because I have a cute & kind husband who takes such good care of our dogs and loves them just as much as I do. Don't tell him I told you this, but I never have to give our dogs baths or clip their nails, because G always does it for me & has done it since day 1 of dog ownership. It takes a sweet guy to bathe the dogs every single week and I am happy I never have to do it!

3. Happy because I have two adorable nieces, Morgan and Makayla that I love so so much! Happy that niece numero 3 is on her way.

4. Happy because of my sweet sunbeams and especially little Ruby who brought me a hand-picked bouquet of flowers to church today. It really is the little things like that that make life great!

5. Happy that it's spring!!! It is supposed to be 80 degrees tomorrow, can you believe it?!?! I think they should give everyone the day off work to celebrate the warmth!

Just so happy.

happy.

1. finally happy to be home

2. happy for lovely weather

3. happy that the plant jennie gave us for Christmas has bloomed & is reminding me of Spring

4. happy to have gone on a walk with the pups

5. happy to have a clean house

6. happy to have a best friend

7. happy today is little toby's first birthday

8. happy for a nice person who gave me an awesome phone

9. happy for photo shop

10. happy to have read this and been reminded of what matters

"You can boil your life down to a single suitcase, if you desperately have to. Ask yourself what you really need, and it won't be what you imagine. You will easily toss aside unfinished work and bills, and your daily calendar to make room for the pair of flannel pajamas you wear when it rains; and the stone your child gave you that is shaped like a heart; and the battered paperback you revisit every April, because it's what you were reading when you fell in love. It turns out what's important is not everything you've accumulated all these years, but those few things you carry with you."

-from the book "Vanishing Acts"

by Jodi Picoult

p. 74

Just a few thoughts...

Since the news of President Hinckley death, I, like most of you, have been filled with mixed emotions. I am very sad to see my Prophet go, but overjoyed to know that he is with his sweetheart again.

I have been reading the book "Letters" which features letters written throughout Sister Hinckley's life to her children, grandchildren and her husband. I finished the book last night and the last letter was one that was written to Sister Hinkley from President Hinckley before she passed away. The letter took on a different meaning, given the circumstances, and it really filled me with joy to read it. It was a heartfelt letter in which the Prophet spoke about all the memories they had made together and what a wonderful companion she had been to him. He talked about how much he loved her and how grateful he was for her example. He also spoke about the time that one, or both of them would pass away, and how it filled his soul with joy and peace to know that they would be together forever and how he would look forward to being with her for eternity. I will never forget in his confrence address in 2004 when he said spoke of her and said, "Before I married her, she had been the girl of my dreams, to use the words of a song then popular. She was my dear companion for more than two-thirds of a century, my equal before the Lord, really my superior. And now in my old age, she has again become the girl of my dreams." He truly adored his wife and showed his love for her in so many ways. If any of you own the book, I would reccomend re-reading the last letter as it confirms what we all know. I am so happy to know that they are reunited and will never again be seperated.

I admire President & Sister Hinckley for being such a perfect example of what marriage is all about. They adored, respected and uplifted each other and theirs is a marriage to emulate. Reading the letter really touched me, especially at this time, and I just thought I would share it with you.