new blog

So I have been ignoring this blog for quite some time and I am still ignoring it at least for now.  I would like to update but not today.  I do have a new blog if your interested

thanks365days.blogspot.com

cindy

Crowns & stuff

Okay, this has been bothering me since thursday. I had to go to the dentist and get a crown. Not my favorite way to spend an afternoon. I basically had anxiety all day thinking about it. . .note to self . . .probably should make my dental appointments for the mornings so I don't have anxiety all day. When I got to the dentist office they asked me how I was. . .and I said "okay, I have been having anxiety all day" and they they told me not to worry it was going to be easy. I hate it when they say that. . .even if it is easy I still have anxiety when I go to the dentist. Anyway, when I got back to the room of death the dentist said "when I got to work today and looked and saw that your name was on the schedule and so I have been having anxiety all day" ha, ha he is so funny. Actually, that did make me laugh. Anyway, the whole crown thing wasn't so bad. He had to drill away my old filling and then build the tooth back up and there was lots of horrible noises and a shot involved with a really long needle and it was horrible. But the worst part is that they left all this extra cement on my temporary crown. And it is bugging me to death!!! would it have been that hard for them to take an extra minute or two to clean off the extra cement around my tooth. It seriously is driving me crazy. You know how when you have something different in your mouth and so you keep feeling it with your tongue and then your tongue gets all raw and sore from doing that. Ya, that is basically what is happening to me. And I have to deal with it until I go back for my permanent crown in two weeks. Ya, I know I could call and go back in and have them clean off the cement but I really don't want to take anymore time off of work to go back and have them do something they should have done in first place.

Also, Friday at work Stephen ruptured his achilles tendon and he will have to have surgery to repair it. Apparently, the Jensen's have some genetic mutation with the achilles tendon because his dad, brother and sister have all had the same thing happen to them.

David starts high school and seminary on Monday. He finished his eagle project which is very exciting. I am so proud of him. The Strauss Festival board of directors loves him, espically Jackie Lewis. He made some beautiful display cases for historical pieces from past festivals.

Katie is in LA. She has been there for the past few days. Her adventures include Disneyland, the beach, Sing-Off taping and Backbeats concert. So, jealous. She is with the Backbeats right now watching them rehearse. Next, week I will be taking her pack to Provo. I am sad about that but excited for her to get back to school and Noteworthy.

And well that is all for now.

Primary

Today I taught the 9 year olds in Primary. I have substituted for the last 2 weeks. My class consisted of 3 boys. I forgot what it was like to be in Primary. I love watching and listening to the kids. Today one of the boys I taught Mom came up to me in the hallway and said this to me "I asked my son who his primary teacher was since his regular teacher was gone and he said "I can't remember her name but she is really nice and pretty" (I love this kid). " So, she has been trying to think who he meant and then today during Sacrament meeting, said kid, looks up and says "mom that's her leading the music". I love kids. Also, during our lesson today we learned about the parable of the sheep and the goats. And in one of the scriptures we were reading in Matthew 25:36 starts out "naked, and ye clothed me...." one of the boys said he didn't think he could read that verse because of the first word....ha, ha, ha

We also talked a lot about Star Wars and Six Flags vs. Disneyland. One of the boys said he has $8 and was that enough to get into Disneyland....um no not quite.

Last week we talked about the parable of the Talents. So, we talked about our own talents and I asked the boys if they had any talents. One of them said "I can make really good dinosaur noises" and then proceeded to show us how good he is at making dinosaur noises. Hmmm, I bet his mom and dad don't really think of this as a talent but who knows maybe he will grow up to do voice overs. Also, another boy said his talent was doing back flips. Future gymnast maybe? I asked them today if they had shared there talents this past week and if they did what did they do? Back flip boy said "I did a flip". Okay, good but not really what I had in mind. And dinosaur noise boy wasn't there today:( I just love kids.

Beautiful Sabbath

Today was just a great sabbath day. I was kinda not really looking forward to church today. Last week was a hard week for me. I was very emotional, so much so, that two sisters sent me messages after church to check on me and make sure I was okay. Which was so very nice and made me feel better just knowing that people care. But I came home from church feeling drained and not really any better for having gone. So, today I was hoping for a better church experience and it was. I love how our Heavenly Father answers our prayers through others and that is just what happened today. It was very unexpected but helped me to feel so much better. So, thank you to President Taylor who was an answer to my prayer today....thank you Pres. Taylor for being in tune and for following the spirit. I am sure you have no idea how much you helped me today.

We also had a nice family day, family dinner. Thankful for today and for all my blessings. And thankful for two sweet sisters who took the time to send a message to say they care....I need to take a page from their book and follow their example.

And then there was a boy

I have lots of things I could be posting about but I don't know I just don't feel like it right now. Ciara had Senior Ball


Ciara graduatedCourtney came home for 5 days and it was great. We are ready for summer to be here...if only mother nature would cooperate.

Words of Wisdom from my daughter

I just love being able to learn from my kids. I was looking a Katie's blog today and came across this post . . . and it was just something that I really needed and so I am re-posting it here. If you don't already look at her blog you should because she has lots of great words of wisdom on there.

http://katielynn27.blogspot.com/

1. Whenever you think life is great a trial is on it's way. Don't we all know that's how it goes? And yet we are always still so shocked when the trial comes! It seems as though just as soon as everything is fine and dandy BAM! Something hits and you feel like you have to start all over again.

2. This week i have heard this story a few times. It has become my favorite story in all of the scriptures, from Matthew 14. At the end of this chapter Peter and the other disciples are in a boat. They see a figure coming across the water and they become afraid. Christ tells them "be off good cheer; it is I;be not afraid". After hearing this Peter says that if it is in fact the savior to let him walk on the water to Christ. Peter gets out of the boat and walks on the water. However, he starts to get distracted by the storm that is raging and takes his eyes of the Savior. It is at this point where he begins to sink into the water and has to as for the Saviors help. The Savior, of course, comes and helps him but asks him why he ever doubted. I always think how could he doubt the Lord when he is walking on water?!! But as i think about it more i realize that we all do the same thing. We have all seen amazing miracles, we've all felt that God is there and yet we still let our fear of storms keep our eyes from looking towards God. How stupid are we to let the storms around us get in the way of our faith?

3. and that brings me to my next discovery of the week. Fear always competes with Faith. My New Testament teacher today was talking and made me realize that we are the same person. She said that she worries a lot and is afraid of a lot of things and that she always feels awful because people say that you cannot be afraid and have faith at the same time. Even in the scriptures it says perfect love hath no fear. How is it that i can show people the love of Christ if i am so scared? This is EXACTLY how i have been feeling lately. But then she said something that made me feel so much better. She said that it is not that we are not allowed to be scared at all, but that "we have to let our faith be STRONGER than our fear". Well duh, we all knew that right? but still it made me feel so much better to hear that today.

4. Service will make you feel better, even if it's just for a little while. So i wasn't having the best day today if you didn't get that. For FHE we were going to go to this school for mentally handicapped people to just play some games and chat with them. I wasn't going to go because i have a late class, but last minute i decided i needed to go so i asked my roommate to come get me. It was actually really fun and I really enjoyed myself. Plus there was ice cream after and that always helps a rough day right? i concluded that the best way to make your day a little better is this: Service, Ice Cream, and a roommate group hug. I felt a little better after that. :)

5. Dr. Suess knows a lot of things.

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

You’re on your own.

And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go.

I just really liked this poem today...because even when we feel like we're on our own and when there isn't really anyone physically there who understands...we have a brain, we have feet, we have knowledge, so we need to act and do something!

6. Once again my mission prep teacher knows everything. And let me tell you he has made going on a mission SO appealing. Two things he said today really hit me.

"Just before or after every

significant spiritual experience

you will always have an equal

and opposite temptation by the devil."

And

"The greater the threat you are

to Satan the greater the opposition

you will face from Satan."

Hello...these quotes are a little depressing i must say, but at the same time make me realize that i really have some great things to do in life if Satan is working so hard to make me not do them. But here's the thing...we all suffer in this life and we all knew we would suffer, yet we still decided to come here. So obviously it'll all be worth it? Yeah i hope so too...

7. Faith is probably one of the most important things to have. At least for me...Let's face it. I worry a lot and i have a fear of the unknown. If i don't know where things are going...i go into panic mode. I believe that my lack of trust in people has somehow brought me to sometimes have a lack of faith. So goal number 1 of life at the moment...don't WORRY so much! Let life happen and control what you can control, but don't worry about the things you can't control (way easier said than done) but I'm trying...

8. and most importantly. God is always there. He knows you. He loves you. And he always has a plan.

Life is Beautiful, even when it's not. And there's always some silver lining somewhere. :)

Thank you Katie. I love you!

Ten Things I am Grateful For Today

1. I only have to work 3 days this week

2. I am going to Utah for the weekend

3. I get to see my bff

4. I am going to a Noteworthy concert on Friday

5. I am going to a session of General Conference in the conference center

6. I will get to spend lots of one on one time with my favorite Katie Bug

7. David's Eagle Project is almost finished

8. Ciara found a dress for Senior Ball

9. Texting friends and nice compliments

10. Love

11. Trails, faith and unconditional love

12. Letters from missionaries that fill help strengthen my testimony

Okay that was more than 10 but it is okay cuz I can say whatever I want here.

Happy Day!

Sunshine

I am just tired of the rain and am feeling like Sunshine. So, these are some things that make me feel sunny inside even when it is rainy on the outside. These are in no particular order by the way. And one more thing on my mind today. Life is like a rollercoaster. Fun, sometimes scary, sometimes you want to get off but in the end you are glad you went for the ride.

Cleveland Ohio

Katie received her mission call and she will be serving in Cleveland Ohio. She reports to the MTC missionary training center on May 25th (the day after her 21st birthday). She is so exicitied. She will also be serving as a tour guide at some of the church historic sites. . .the Kirtland Visitors Center see picture


She will get to give tours and learn lots about church history. Which there is lots of back in Ohio. And she will also get to spend time sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the people of Ohio.

It was so wonderful when she opened her call. We were able to have some family over and a couple of friends. Katie had been waiting for a couple of weeks for her call to come in the mail so the anticipation was great. It finally actually came about noon and then she had to wait until 5:30 when everyone gathered. We also had several people on the phone and Courtney was there on skype. Once everyone was finally all there and ready she opened it with a little trepidation because well because this is where you will be spending 18 months of your life. Then she read it and it was emotional for her and me and she said she just knew when she read it that this was where she was supposed to go. Ya, it isn't somewhere totally cool like Paris, or Italy or Spain and if you are not a member of the church you probably really don't get why anyone would be excited to go to Cleveland, Ohio but it is just as exciting for us.



So, now we are trying to learn all we can about Ohio and church history and we are trying to find clothes that are appropriate for Sister missionaries. Now there is a challenge. We have 3 months to get her ready and 3 months for me to try and prepare myself for missing her. But I am just so proud of Katie and her decision to serve a mission. It will be a great adventure. The Church is true.

Still Waiting

Well, we are still waiting. At least another week. Now we are hoping for Thursday, the 17th. Stay tuned.

On another note, today is a beautiful day here in Sacramento, California. Sunshine makes me happy! Also, makes waiting easier:)