Quote of the week...

"Negative people will rain on your parade because they have no parade of their own." -Charles Marcus (motivational speaker)

Stress is not good!

I have been extremely stressed lately and it is seriously NOT good! We have a lot on our plate right now and I am really struggling to keep balance with everything. I CANNOT wait to be done with school. I absolutely love that I have the opportunity to be back in school and especially that I can be doing something I love, BUT I miss my family soooooo much!! Cosmetology school is all based on a hour system and you need 2000 hours to graduate (in Utah), that is A TON of hours to be away from my family! I have 1,250 hours... and 750 to go. Right now 750 hours seems like a crazy amount, but I just have to keep reminding myself that I have made it this far and I HAVE to keep going. I know that Heavenly Father supports me in my decision to go back to school, I know my husband supports me, and I know that once I am done I will be so grateful that I did this for myself and my family!!

I find myself day dreaming lately about how wonderful it will be once I graduate and get to go back to regular life. I can hardly wait to go back to being home full-time with my children. Through going back to school I have really come to realize what a blessing it is to stay home with my children and what a privilege it is to be a mother.

Last night Court and I made Sunday dinner together, read scriptures with kids, and played a "Word of Wisdom" game for FHE (we have to do it on Sunday's with my schedule). The kids were being difficult and a little naughty and I was becoming very frustrated. It dawned on me however that I need to be grateful for my time with my family even if the kids are being bad. Kids are kids and they are going to be naughty from time to time.

I am so grateful for my husband and my children. They are my whole world and mean everything to me. I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who entrusted me with my precious family and who believes in me. I know that if I put my trust in him that I can make it through the next several months until I finish school!


This quote goes along nicely with how I am feeling...

Give thanks for what you are now, and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow. ~Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros

Until We Meet Again...

(My Aunt from my other side of my family took this picture and put this page together one week before my grandmothers passing)

This past weekend my darling grandmother passed away. It came as quiet the shock since she was my youngest and healthiest grandparent. My grandfather is 12 years older then her, currently the ripe old age of 95 1/2, so naturally we expected he would be the first to go.

My grandma was an amazing lady, with the biggest heart of anyone I have ever met. She absolutely loved everyone! She was a people lover, she loved to travel and meet people all over the world. She worked in the University of Utah's Foriegn Exchange program for many many years and got to work with students of every nationality. She loved what she did and they loved her.

For the first ten years of my life I was her only granddaughter. This came with many perks. Grandma loved to spoil me with beautiful dresses and lots of attention. Over the years Grandma and I formed a very special bond. I always loved that she seemed so young and hip! I loved to go into her closet and try on all of her cute shoes. Grandma was an amazing listener, you could talk to her for hours. As I grew into an adult grandma and I's bond grew stronger and she became one of my most precious friends. She would call me regularly and tell me, "Brittany dear, I love you and I just needed to hear your voice." Oh how I am going to miss those phone calls. Grandma hugged and kissed everyone! Before you even had a chance to know what was going on Grandma would grab your face and kiss you smack on the lips!

I look up to my grandmother in so many ways. I loved that she had SPUNK, she was one of the sassiest, funniest ladies you could have ever met! I am grateful for her joyful spirit, her passion for life, her love of her family, her testimony of the gospel, her willingness to serve others and the Legacy of a righteous daughter of our Heavenly Father that she leaves here with us. She will be missed so very much!


(This photo was taken without my knowledge as my brother and I were hugging our grandmother goodbye infront of my home one week prior to her death, little did we know this would be the last time we were able to hug our grandma in this life. What a beautiful gift to have this photo, as I look at it, it's almost as if her soul knew that would be our last embrace for a very long time)

I am ever so grateful for my knowledge of the Gospel, the Plan of Salvation, and to know that this life is not the end. I know that I will be with my grandmother again and this knowledge brings me so much peace at this extremely difficult time.

To learn more about life after death and how families can be united Eternanlly, both on Earth and in Heaven, please visit www.mormon.org

*Grandma attending Brigham Young University, late 1940's, this is my FAVORITE picture of her*