I am thankful for...

FALL!

I love having 4 seasons and living in Utah for most of my life I have had the opportunity to enjoy all four seasons...but Las Vegas is a bit different.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining about the weather (I think the high today was 83 degrees...perfect) but I miss a good ole Utah fall.

This picture is one from last year that my family sent to me and I love it! I miss the leaves changing color, cool crisp mornings, being able to have a garden and the fresh veggies that come with it, the noise of the Pumkinaze across the street...I could go on and on!

I guess absence really does make the heart grow fonder!

Thankful Thursday

So I've seen this done on other blogs and I'm stealing the idea...
Once a week (hopefully) I'm going to post about something that I am thankful for.

For my first week of Thankful Thursday I am going to post about how thankful I am for visiting teaching. When we were first married my visiting teaching partner was a sweet older lady in our ward and I learned so much from her and got to be good friends with her. I enjoyed going to visit the sisters we were assigned to. She really taught me the importance of VT and I found a lot of joy in it. I am also grateful for the sisters that come to visit me (thanks Ciara (o: ) and the friendships that I have made with them. I know that visiting teaching is an inspired program and blesses our lives. Thanks for all of you wonderful visiting teachers out there!

He's home

I know I know...it's been a while. But we are still alive and well and we got Andrew home safe and sound! It was so fun to spend some time with the family and to see my sweet brother again.

So Andrew came home on October 3rd which was Gen Conference weekend, so he spoke the following weekend and I was able to be apart of both weekends! I flew home on the 3rd and set it up so that my flight came in around the same time as Andrews...our gates were right next to each other so I hung around and waited for his flight to come in. I got to see him right off the plane!

There he is! I know it's blurry but that's him!

The family all together (minus dad...he still had the video camera & Jeffy...he couldn't miss school) :o(

Church in our Jammies! We watched Conference together and Andrew told us Russia stories all day! It was wonderful!

My sweet nesting doll from Natasha, a member in Russia. Thanks to Facebook I've gotten to know a lot of members in Russia.

Last picture of Elder Andrew Beecher...

The next weekend Jeff and I were able to drive to Utah and listen to Andrew speak. It was fun to see family and friends and listen to Andrew's awesome talk...he did so good and has grown up so much!

In 2 weeks...

...this cute Elder comes home!!!

He's been serving in Vladivostok Russia and has been the best missionary! He has been able to see so many places and has traveled a lot! His mission covers most of Eastern Russia and every 3 months he has to renew his Visa in a different country. The closest place to do that is Korea, but for a while they weren't able to send them there. So he has traved across all of Russia to renew his visa and they've been able to stop along the way and visit some fun places. He's been to Estonia, Prague, Moscow, and Korea several times. We tease him that he's probably done more traveling than anything else! He has loved serving the Russian people and I'm sure he's excited to come home but he is going to miss the people and serving our Heavenly Father.

I love this quote from Joseph Smith and I think of the wonderful missionaries all over the world serving:

“Our missionaries are going forth to different nations, and in Germany, Palestine, New Holland, Australia, the East Indies, and other places, the Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

Thanks Andy for being a wonderful example to me and for serving a mission. I love you so much and I am so proud of you and the work you have done. I can't wait to see you in 14 days!

New Calling...

So excited!

Today I was called and set apart as the Mia Maid advisor in our ward. I love the young womens program so much and I am so excited to be serving in this organization again. I really think that this is for more my benefit than anything. I learn so much from those girls and have made amazing friendships while serving in previous callings!

Anyone with any fun ideas or good web sites, please share!

"Happy Happy Birthday to you From Me"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF!

Jeff turned 26 today and even though he didn't have the most exciting birthday I hope that he still had a good day and he remembers how much he is loved! Your the Best Jeff and I'm so proud and grateful for you. Happy Birthday Love!!!

Time flies when you're having fun...

On August 4th Jeff and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary! I can't believe how fast time flies. These have honestly been the best 4 years of my life! Jeff is my very best friend and I am so grateful to call him mine! Just want him to know how much I LOVE him and am thankful for all that he does for me. Love you babe!


The beautiful flowers he bought me...he made sure there were orange (my fav color) Gerbera Daisies (my fav flower)...so thoughtful :o)

We ate a yummy dinner at Cheese Cake Factory and we got to try their new Red Velvet Cheese Cake...words cannot describe this heavenly creation, it is a new favorite! He was so cute and bought a #4 candle to blow out :o)

And us after 4 years of marriage. It's fun to look back at how we met and ended up together. If someone told me in High School that I was going to marry Jeff Johnson I would have never believed them...he was just my good buddy and now look at us! I wouldn't change a thing and thank my Heavenly Father each and everyday for such a wonderful husband!