Random Act of Kindness

Just yesterday, Ashley and I drove up to Sandy to help celebrate my mom's birthday. She turned forty-eight just a few days ago, so....as a random fun thing, Ashley and I made dinner for her and my family. We made these amazing turkey burgers that Ashley has a recipe for. They worked out really great, as all of Ashley's cooking does. (except pancakes, hahaha!!) They tasted so good and it was really fun just to be around family having fun. Afterward, we watched the Christmad devotional and had dessert. I am so grateful for family. Not only my amazing new family. being married to Ashley, but also the fact that both our families are so close to visit, and we are so grateful for all their support and love.

Be happy!!

I don't know what has spurred me to talk about this on a blog today, but oh well. Recently, things have been a bit tough for Ashley and me financially, and so we are looking for additional jobs. The nursing market is difficult, so it is a lengthy search, but soon, hopefully, we will find Ashley a great nursing job. The reason I wanted to blog this, was to remind any readers, and to occasionally remind myself, to BE HAPPY!!!! Things have been tough for us, but that doesn't mean we cant be happy! We have to choose the attitude that we are going to have, with every circumstance in life. So, in accordance with that, I choose to be happy! If nothing else, it makes the sun shine brighter, the crickets chirp louder, and it takes everything that is around us, and part of us, and makes it better. Thank you Ashley, for always making me happy!! Everyone, take a load off yourself, and BE HAPPY! :)

Dreams??...

This past weekend, Ashley and I went to see Inception. It was the coolest movie ever. We waited forever to see it at the dollar theater, because we are THAT rich. Anyway, we loved the movie and were thinking so hard, trying to understand everything that happened. What is still killing me right now is whether or not they made it completely out of all the layers of dreams at the end. You see the man run to his kids, like he wanted to, but when he spins his top, it doesn't stop!!! AH!!!!! Well, we loved watching it, and I'm sure we will watch again!! I will always think differently about my dreams, to make sure no one is hacking into them. Ha ha ha!!

Carvin fun!!!

Halloween is near!!! So Ashley and I went to my grandparents' house, and we carved pumpkins with my side of the family!! It was so fun to see all the different designs that people had made, and to just be together as a family. Here are the designs that Ashley and I did. I searched the internet for about an hour to get my idea. So Ashley did the headless horseman, and I did the Joker from Batman. I hope you enjoy!! Happy Halloween!!!! :)

Anyone want a Coke?

As per request, my Business Communications 320 course have presented me with an awkward yet random and funny situation which I wanted to blog about today. I was assigned the task of buying someone a "Coke" and blogging about their response. Well, it is amazing to see how happy people are, when something random kind thing is done for them. I went into the Maverik gas station, and went to buy a snickers bar. I filled up my 72 oz. cup with Coca-cola and then went to the register to pay for the goods. I bought the candy bar and the drink and then I gave the soda to the guy right behind me. I said, "Here you go, I bought this for you." It turned out that he was a trucker just on his routes through the area. I don't know what he was trucking across the valley, but he was shocked and asked "What's that for?" I just said, "I don't know; just because I guess." And that was it. So now I have officially bought a stranger a Coke. This was fun!!! I'm going to do it again soon!! :)

Ha ha ha ha!!!

Ashley is so hilarious!!! I love to be around her. When describing their new bride, or groom, many newlyweds talk about all this cheesy stuff, like their cute smile, hair, or dimples. Now trust me, if you take the time to read anything on this blog, you will see that we both write plenty of blogs filled with that sort of material, but I just want everyone to know, that Ashley Maree Atkinson is so freaking funny!!! We just have the best times laughing together. She naturally jokes, puns, and funny phrases coming out her ears!!! Really, I have never been happier in my life, than when I am around her. But even more, I just laugh and laugh and laugh at all the good times that we share!! :) :)

Just thinking...

I have just been thinking, these past few days, that...wow, I am married!!! Ashley Maree Atkinson is MY wife! Wow. I have dreamed for, and wanted that for so very long. And now, she is my wife. Things are so amazing. I guess a good question is, where do we go from here? Well Ashley and I had some goals that we set the other night, that should give us some good direction, in the next six months to a year, and on for about five years or so. Ashley, I just want you to know, past all the busy comings and goings of life, that I have never been happier in my entire life than I am right now, with you, the girl of my dreams. I love you princess.

Im so so so happy!!!

Hey there everyone. Im sorry It has been so long since I have posted anything. Ashley and I have been so busy the past month or so, and we have had some amazing changes. We are now finally married, moved into our new apartment here in Provo, and I am going to school as she is now full-time in her nursing job. There are about a million things I could blog about right now, but I really want to just mention briefly something simple yet amazing to me. Now, as an old married man, one of my favorite things about being married is the fact that I wake up every morning with Ashley right next to me. It feels so amazing and so incredible, (beyond what any words could describe) to wake up and see a true sleeping beauty right next to me. I love Ashley with everything that I have, and I feel such a strong enduring happy feeling when I see her lying next to me. It's simple, yet something I have looked forward to for years. Ashley, thank you for being my wife. I love you.

So excited!!!!

I just wanted to take a quick minute to tell Ashley, how excited I am to be sealed to her in the temple, so so soon!!! Ashley, I really cant believe that we are this close. We are less than seven weeks away from being married. I have waited all my life to come across the girl that I would marry. And it is so simple yet so amazing to have realized that that most amazing girl, is my very best friend. What in immense blessing, to soon be sealed to my very best friend. She does so much for me, all the time. She is always there to listen to me. Anytime I have anything on my mind, she is there to support me. I always feel her love and support even when things are so busy for both of us, and our time together is so limited in the day. Ashley, I want you to know, that I love you with ALL my heart. ALL of it. I literally cry at the thought of being with you for eternity. Thank you for everything sweetheart. Im so excited to fulfill my promise to make you laugh every single day. You are my sweetheart, and soon to be my eternal companion. Thank you for everything. I love you with all my heart.

The PROPOSAL!

Move over Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds... this is how the proposal is done! :) I figured it would be easiest to tell the proposal story on a blog so everyone could read it and save me from repeating the story 1.865 billion times! Not that I don't like telling it... but here it is!

I came home from work in the afternoon a week ago to find a huge (really, it was gigantic.) red rose with a card addressed to me on my kitchen table. Not suspicious. :) The card was an invitation to come "dance under the stars' at a dance held in my honor at 7:50pm, and I was instructed to wear church attire. Again, not suspicious. :) So I piddle around all day (well, for like 4 hours) trying my hardest not to think about what was coming up and not spend an excessive amount of time getting ready. So after much much waiting, 7:50 rolls around and this incredibly hot boy dressed in an English suit looking like a million bucks. For the past two years every boy (good looking or not) that has come to my doorstep has been a date for my younger sister Amber. Lucky enough for me it was my turn! So we get in the car and drive...

After a befuddling tour of random residential streets in Draper I ask him where we are going. He pulls into a random drive way. (As anyone who knows Jarem would guess, he has a delightfully depleted sense of direction) Sure enough... we were lost. It wasn't too bad, I admit. :) So we finally get to our destination... the whisper dome in Draper. It is a beautiful park with a large gazebo/dome structure that has crazy acoustics when you're inside (hence the 'whisper' dome) but thats beside the point! It was a beautiful, perfect summer night. The sun was just barely setting, there was a full moon coming up over the mountains and it was warm and amazing! We walked up the ramp (covered in rose petals) into the center of the whisper dome, which was also covered in rose petals. THere were tea light candles at the base of every pillar around the dome, and his ipod was 'magically' plugged into an outlet in the corner. He asked if I would like to dance. Maybe it was my slack-jaw and drooling that told him 'yes' or maybe I spoke it... I can't really remember! So we danced to our song, the first slow song we danced to at a high school dance almost 4 years ago. At the end of the song we just stood there for a minute, holding hands and enjoying the perfect scenery. Then I heard it.
"Ashley, Maree, Smith" (right hand slips inside the suit coat pocket and reaches for "something"... Ashley gapes with an open mouth and a stare similar to a deer about to be hit by an oncoming car... Ashley attempts to cover her mouth from gasping/sobbing/blubbering... Jarem slowly gets down on one knee...) "Will you marry me?"
How long it took me to say anything, I'm not exactly sure. As many of you know I'm an impulsive and moderately sarcastic person and I could not help but think to myself (yes, in all caps) "OF COURSE I WILL YOU FOOL!" But calling someone a fool when they want to be with you forever usually isn't the kindest thing to say, so I just settled for a head nod of "yes" followed by blubbering into his nice suit. I think I did mutter "of course" while blubbering, but you'll have to ask Jarem to validate that.
After we had his frighteningly cunning paparatzi family jump out of the bushes and take a zillion pictures (I swear, they must have a flip book of what went on there were so many!) we went to a fine dining place, Tuberon (??), and got dessert. Mmmmm, so so good! I got a home made cinnamon ice cream with berries on it and Jarem got a creme brule. Then we went back to my house and sat on the porch swing and talked to my parents until late. It was simple, but perfect. (Anyone who can get through my dad to ask me on a date, let alone to ask for my hand in marriage, has accomplished quite the feat... so Jarem has earned the purple heart of the year for that! )
The past 4 years have been such a blessing to me, even though half were spent without Jarem right beside me. As we met each other 5 years ago and became friends, that friendship deepened and grew into something far sweeter than I could have EVER prayed for or imagined. In 7 weeks I have the privelage of being sealed to my best friend. Even though I have experienced so much of my life with him already... I still cry on my knees with gratitude at the opportunity to share the rest of my life with him. He is my hero. I look up to him, love him, honor him, and respect everything he is and will be (even when I impulsively consider calling him a fool when he asks me to marry him... :)). I love who I am when I am around him, I love how he makes me want to improve, I love the hope he brings to me and the comfort and support he so unselfishly offers. What a blessing to have a person like that in your life... and then be sealed to them in 7 weeks. I don't hesitate to say that Jarem was worth every minute of sacrifice his mission was. Jarem, I love you. Thank you for EVERY thing. 7 more weeks...

Unbelieveable!!

Wow. I can hardly believe that you are merely 5 days away from being home!!! What a wild (and wicked!) ride this mission has been. In just a few more days, I will be able to see and hold my sweetheart again. After so many many days away (720!), so many events we missed out on, and so many difficult trials we faced alone, the mission is finally coming to a close. It has, hands down, been the most difficult trial for me in my life. But, on the other hand, it has been the most enormous opportunity to grow and learn from. I wouldn't take back the decision to do this mission... but I would never, ever, repeat it either. :)

Jarem, thank you so very much for everything. The only thing that this mission has changed is how much I love you. You are my best friend! I love you with all of my heart, and I am so so excited (understatement of the century!) to work so hard for the rest of my life to take care of you. It will require real work, and it won't be all sunshine and daisies... I know that. But I literally could not imagine ANY one else who I would rather go on this journey with than you. You are the one who I can give all of my loyalty, all of my devotion, and all of my love to for forever. I can not wait to be able to not only tell you this in a few days, but to show you so so soon. Thank you for everything! I love you. I love you. I love you. One day closer! :)
Love, Ashley

I love you!

Jarem, you're the bomb!!! Thank you so so much for the amazing birthday!! The videos were such a surprise!!!! Ahh! Seeing you for the first time again in, what, 22 months... it took my breath away!!! Ah, thank you so much!! You send me these wonderful letters, cards and tell me how "wonderful" I am. You are such a sweetheart!! Thank you so very very much for making everyday so special, but especially my birthday. I absolutely loved the extra letters and the sweet reminders of how much I love you. March 25 is NOT the best day of the year ( I have to disagree with you on that...) but I really appreciate all of your efforts. Thank you so so much!!! Jarem, I love you so so so much!!! Thank you for an amazing birthday. Hugs and kisses!!! Love, Me

You're my best friend!

Hey I just wanted to write a little note to my sweetheart on his happy birthday!!! Jarem, you think my birthday is the best day of the year?! Pppch, not a chance. This was the day 21 years ago that my sweetheart was born! The day my best friend and companion came to earth! Sure, I kicked you out of heaven 13 days before I showed up, but you cant blame me for making a good entrance! :)
Jarem, you consistantly and frequently amaze me. From your patient listening, to your rock solid advice, to your weird/cactus-like sense of humor... I can never adjust to how amazing my life is because you're in it. I could blabber all day about your good looks, your positive qualities, and reasons I love you. But it's simply summed up with the 3 simple words ' I love you." One great quote I found on my mom's calendar is found on today's date, ironically.

"Often the most loving thing we can do when a friend is in pain is to share the pain-- to be there even when we have nothing to offer except our presence; even when being there is painful to ourselves." -M. Scott Peck

Jarem you have been that friend to me. You have loved me and helped me reach seemingly unattainable goals. You have given me encouragement, comfort, love and a hand to hold in my very darkest hours. There is nothing that could make me happier than to have you sealed to me for forever. I love you so very much. I hope you had such a great day!!! We'll have cake and icecream when you get home! :) I love you. I love you. Happy birthday to the love of my life!

Random Stats!!!

Bad news everyone!! I have found the timeanddate.com. I have discovered some interesting (and quite useless may I add) statistics! The boredom has something to do with my teacher rambling on about how RN's should never delegate an initial assessment to LPN's and blah blah... blah....blah.... (I'm a terrible student).

• Jarem has been alive 7624 days! I have been alive 7611!
• The age difference between Jarem and I is 13 days. Which is 312 hours. Or if we're talking minutes its more like 18,720. Another gigantically entertaining idea is that my parents are 4,412 days apart in age. That is, 12 years and 29 days.
• It has been 1,322 days since Jarem and I began "dating" (officially I suppose) and 4 years 8 months and 5 days since we first met.
• By the time Jarem gets home (only 122 days left) we will have been dating 1,444 days. Yes I'm including his mission! Hah, I don't care!
• And because I can't resist the ridiculously terrible temptation to figure this out... he has exactly 175,680 minutes left! The fact that its 1:30 in the afternoon right now cancels out the fact that he won't be coming back right at midnight on the 27th, so we can justify things that way.

Well, I'm glad my umpteen thousand dollars in tuition money is going to use... haha! Happy time and date every one!

2010... a sight for sore eyes!

Wow, 2010! I can't believe its here!! Even though its a few months until Jarem is actually home, the fact that it is the year he will be home is a victory in and of itself!! Talking to Jarem on Christmas was so so so good!! I tend to forget just how much I love him, how much I miss his companionship, and wish he was here... and the instant I hear his voice it all comes back so quickly!!!
2010 has a lot of obstacles to overcome. I have a few weeks left of nursing school (forever, I hope) and Jarem is still working his buns off over in freezing cold England! The hurdles are huge, but the journey continues and we are learning and growing every day. Jarem, I love you so very much and can't wait for 146 days to pass (who is counting though) until I see you again!