Grandma

This is my Grandma Jensen.
She loves to paint.
She has an amazing voice.
Her face lights up when she laughs.
I love her...

What we've been up to!

Wow, we have been having a blast here on vacation with our families. The Man's and my parents both live in the same town, so we have twice as much to do!  We've been:

Swimming at the beach
Riding in the boat
Fishing
Playing with cousins
Going to the theater
Grilling out
Camping
Running around like wild animals (well, that one might just be the kids....not really me..) :)

It has been a blast! And I have also had a chance at practicing my photography skills by taking a few family pics for both my sisters family and my husbands, since we were all together at last! Here are just a few of my favs!

Of course, during this whole process I have discovered that even though I love taking pictures, I'm not so great at posing large groups of people..not even small groups! So I have to work on that. I do have more pictures of the rest of the family, but I am still editing those. Maybe I will post them another day. :)

I can't believe summer has gone by so fast! Only a little more than a month and we will all be back in school... :(  But with great memories to reflect on! How is your summer going?

Did you know...

That we have been living in a two bedroom apartment since the beginning of February?

Whats the big deal you ask?

Well.....there are five of us.

Two adults and three kids.... in two rooms.

Maybe back in olden times it was normal for entire families to live in houses that only consisted of one room. Of course, back in olden times it was normal to drink milk straight out of a cow. Things have seriously improved since then...

And so it is that families now need a little more space. Including my family....especially my family!

So thank goodness that we are finally moving (up the sidewalk) into a place with 3 whole bedrooms!


YAY!!!


In two days.
I just got back from vacation.
I haven't packed one single thing.
I have a funeral to attend on that same day.
Isn't moving up suppose to ease my stress?!


Pa-leeeeese wish me luck..... :)

P.S.
So whose going to come and help little old me?

Mourning and Regret

I got a phone call late last night from my mom.

My grandpa passed away at home, in his sleep.

"I've been trying to get a hold of you all day, we wanted you to come to the hospital to say your goodbyes...."

I apologize for not receiving the calls. I had been off doing some frivolous thing, unaware of the life altering events unfolding not even a mile away from me.

I hang up. I feel numb. I feel sad.

But mostly I feel regret.

How many times had I not stopped by to say hello when I was in town? It would have taken 10 minutes to brighten the day of a man and a woman I so greatly admire. What else was so much more important?

How many letters to them had gone unfinished? Pictures not sent? How many times had I envisioned this scenario, knowing I should be doing more to nurture a relationship that meant a so much to me?

I'll do it later. I'm busy now. They will understand. I have time.....

I start to cry.

No more time.....


My Grandfather was an amazing man. Always happy, cracking jokes. Even when he got really sick and was confined to bed, he would still manage to make me laugh. He loved his family with fierceness and wanted us all to be obedient and strong in the gospel.

I remember when I was a teenager and was visiting with him, he asked me to bear my testimony. At fist it was awkward, I stumbled through the basics...naming all the things I was thankful for. As I continued on, the spirit became so strong and I really felt a knowledge of Gods love for me and who I was. I also felt of my grandpas love for me and his desire to see me live a happy life.

I know he still loves me, even though as the years have gone on I haven't spent as much time with him as I would have liked. I also know he knows that I love him.  I have tried my best to take his life as an example and live mine the way he would have wanted. Although he is gone, I know that I will see him again one day and that knowledge is what takes a sad time in my life and turns it into a joyful one.

May we all remember our love ones and cherish the time we have with them on this earth. We never know when that time will be gone from us....

God be with you 'till we meet again.