Quick Post...

Sooooo I just had to share this because it totally made my day.

My friend, John, got home from his mission yesterday.

We went to junior high and high school together.

And I'm pretty sure that we had seminary together every year in high school.

But we really didn't hang out much until the summer after my freshman year of college.

He grew up/is good friends with one of my best friends Bradon.

So naturally we all spent the summer playing before they both left on their missions. 

I love him, he is so great. 

I got an email from him last week so I knew when he was coming home and when his homecoming is.

So like I said, he came home yesterday but I haven't talked to him yet. 

But my mom just called me and said that I got a letter from him, so I just had her open it for me.

This is what it said:

Dear Whitney,

2 John 1:12

John

So instead of making you wait and have the anticipation of waiting to hear what it said, I will post it for you.

This is what it said:

"Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full."

Haha do I love him? Yes. Am I so excited to see his face? Yes.

He's the best. 

Totally made my day!

Yay for friends coming home from missions!

P.s. I finished the last episode of the last season of 24 today. I'm slightly depressed, don't worry I'll be okay.

Tender Mercies of the Lord

Hayley, Me, Nichole

Saturday night I got to spend time with two of my favorite people. 

In high school, for those of you who don't know, I was a cheerleader. 

Eat, breath, cheer, repeat.

That was my life. 

My junior year I had the opportunity to be one of the captains with Nichole Lee Todd (Now Nichole Robertson). 

She changed my life. She became one of my best friends. She loved me unconditionally. She made up for a lot of empty holes in my life. 

My junior year of high school was a real low point in my life and I look back and see what a tender mercy Nichole was.

A real testimony that our Heavenly Father is aware of us.

Hayley Ann Folsom (Now Hayley Peay) also changed my life. 

That year of school we became a little trio.

We did a lot together.

I can't really express how I feel about these two people in my life.

They seriously saved me.

I doubt they know what an answer to my prayers they were.

I look back now and see that in all honesty I wouldn't have made it without them.

After graduating from high school we all went our separate ways.

And they now are both married.

But we do our best to see each other as often as possible and catch up.

And there is never a dull moment, we laugh as hard as ever.

Thank Heaven for the these two girls that have blessed my life.

These two pictures below included another favorite person in my life. 

Bradon Burningham. 

These were taken nearly 3 years ago, but I felt like they were appropriate to include considering that Brade just returned home from his mission on Thursday.

Welcome home Elder Burningham!

Bradon has also been a tender mercy in my life.

I'm so glad he's home!

 

  

I've always felt strongly, growing up and even now, that my prayers have been answered through people. 

I have a strong testimony that the Lord sends people into your life when you need them.

He knows who you need, when you need them. 

And the three people in this post have all played their parts, multiple times, of being the answer to my prayers. 

The Lords knows us each, He knows what we need.

And I'll never be able to express how grateful I am that He saw fit to send these three into my life.  

Unthemed...

So I've been wanting to post something just because I like to talk...but I felt like whatever I posted had to be themed. But I don't really have a theme, except for things on my mind, what I've been up to. I'd like to say that my life is so crazy busy and full of things to do, places to be but alas that is not the case. I only work 4 days a week and so I've had to try to find things to keep me busy. 

My newest obsession: The show 24 

I guess I shouldn't say newest, considering that I am half way through the last season. And I say obsession because if you know me you know that I have this small problem. Its called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I don't just like things, I become obsessed with things. I'd like to say I'm working on this problem, but that would be a false statement. I've come to embrace my obsessiveness and the fact that that is just who I am. I do my best to stay away from things that could become bad if I were to become obsessed with them...things such as drugs, alcohol, pornography, you know all that bad stuff. I wont go on about all the things that I'm a little obsessive about because you might be bored. We'll just stick with 24 right now. And can I just say that I am pretty depressed that I am almost done with the show. I love it. [You know...the whole obsessive thing we just talked about]

So a couple things on my mind, things I've been up to...

Growing up my family, extended and all, has always been pretty close. On my dads side of the family he only has 2 siblings and so I only grew up with 7 cousins. Two from my dads sister and 5 from my dad's brother. I loved them. And then even my dads cousins and their children have played a huge role in my life. On my mom's side I have 3 uncles. One isn't married, the other just got married two years ago, and my other uncle has been married 10 years- and has twin girls that are 7 1/2 years old. So growing up, on my mom's side of the family, I didn't really have cousins, I had uncles. Two of which are people I consider not only my uncles but good friends. About 7 1/2 years ago my uncle and aunt had twin girls. Can't help but admit that they are some of my favorite little kids in the whole world. Since I never had cousins on my mom's side I have a little bit of a soft spot for them. In high school I spent a lot of time babysitting and still do that as often as I can. This past Monday I got to spent a couple of hours with two of my favorite people...

        Lily and Isabel              Lily and I

   Isabel, Me, Lily           Funny faces :)

I have to say that babysitting them isn't really much of a chore for me. Being with them is some of my favorite moments. I love embracing the 7 year old inside of me.  

This past monday I made them one of those fortune things.  

This:

Do you remember these that you would make in like elementary? Maybe even junior high? My cousins thought it was the coolest thing they've ever had before. Probably kicked me up a couple notches in their cool book too. [Assuming that my 7 year old cousins have a cool book]. Can't say enough how much I love these two girls. 

Remember how I said I don't have a lot of cousins on my mom's side? My uncle, Kim, that just got married two years ago, well he has always had great danes. So I guess I could consider the great danes my cousins. Whatever, anways...This picture below is of Kenya. One of the funniest dogs ever. He has got the best personality. I work for my uncle twice a week and occasionally he brings this goof ball to the office. The other day I turned around from my desk just to make sure Kenya wasn't getting into trouble and this is how he was lying on the couch.

He cracks me up.

Another favorite person in my life:

Megan Rae.

My little 13 year old sister. Her and her friend Gabby decided to get creative and made some, interesting, masks. Pretty, aren't they?

    

I've been in bountiful for the past couple of days. Had to get my hair cut, go to a wedding reception, and I've got a homecoming to go to on Sunday. So I've got to spend some time with her. This morning we tried to go to the bountiful temple to do baptisms. Its been about 2 years since I've got to do baptisms at the temple. And I was so stoked to go. I love this temple.

Unfortunately for us, the temple is closed until August 2nd. Darn it all. So we stopped at the grocery store on our way home. And bought ourselves fake toenails. Why you ask? No idea. But they look nice yeah?

And just one more of my favorite things in my life...my house. Born and raised. I had a lot of my firsts in this house, well I guess pretty much all of my firsts up to this point in life. And my parents have just bought a new house so its just a number of days before we are out of this house forever. Regardless of the fact that I live away from home now and probably always will, it still makes me sad to know that there are only a couple of days left in this house. This will always be home to me. 

Okay so good news, I've come up with a theme for this post. Some of my favorites in my life. A little long, I know I'm sorry. 

But hey this is my life. :]

Kids say the darnest things

This little angel is Jade.

I babysit her and her sister Baylee 

And their brother Braylon twice a week. 

Jade here is 6, Baylee (second picture) is 8 and Braylon is 12. 

[He also stays in his room all day and plays video games so I spend the majority of my time with these two girls].

They are stinkin cute and crazy as can be.

Great birth control? Yes.

I could list tons of things that these girls have said to me that crack me up and thank heavens I've got thick skin other wise their honesty would probably send me to tears on occasion. 

This is todays conversation with little Jade.

Also, she can't say her r's and says them like w's and says her th's as d's.

Conversation:

Jade: Babysiddew do you have a boyfwend yet?

Me: Haha, no not yet.

Jade: You weally need to get one

Me: Haha I know, thanks Jade. 

Ever since I started watching them, about a month ago, she has been on my back about getting a boyfriend. 

I'm 21-I should have a boyfriend, or so says miss 6 year old Jade.

The first day I met them I knew this was going to be an interesting couple months.

This is one of my first experiences with these angels.

Jade: How old awe you?

Me: I'm 21

Jade: 21? Woooo

Jade: Did yow mom dwop you off?

Me: Nope I drove myself

Jade: (Again) Wooo

Jade: Do you have a boyfwend? 

Me: Nope, I don't

Jade: You need to get one

Me: Yes, I know thank you. 

Jade: I have a boyfwend!

Me: You do? You're only 6.

Jade: Yes, its Justin Beibew

Me: Justin Beiber? Isn't he a little old for you?

Jade: No I'm 6 and he's 17. Thats only like 10 yeaws

I don't know if its as funny to anyone else, but I get so much joy out of my conversations with them.

I just want to share one more and then I'll stop boring you to tears.

If you know me, you know that I have retarded toes. Who knows why. Here's what they look like:

So about a week ago Jade sees them for the first time. And she is a little monkey and thinks I'm a playground and she climbs all over me. So she is sitting on my lap and see's them and hops down to look closer at my dysfunctional toes.

Jade: OH my gosh. Those awe the weiwdest toes I've evew seen. Why awe they like that?

Me: I don't know. They just stopped growing.

Jade: Awe my toes going to be like that when I gwow up?

Me: No probably not

Jade: You need to go to a doctow.

Me: Haha thanks Jade, I'll see what I can do.

They are hilarious. I have come to seriously love these girls. I definitely don't want children anytime soon, but for now these rugrats keep me busy.

Z a c h

Have I mentioned how much I love this boy?

Cause I do. Also, I have multiple pictures of us in this position with very similar face expressions. We love this pose, obviously. My brother is the best. 

P.s. Yes I posted twice today, don't judge me.

Family Quality Time

Enter Jensen Family:

 

These nut cases are who I spent the weekend with. My dad and I have a great love and appreciation for soccer. And so we went to see Real Salt Lake play in Salt Lake Saturday night.

Growing up I've always been a daddy's girl. My mom said that when my brother Zach was born, who is exactly 1 year, 11 months, and 2 weeks younger than me, I automatically loved my dad. He was my favorite. Since then I've always loved and had a great relationship with him. When I was 6 I started playing soccer and when I was 7 my dad start coaching my team and coached up until I was 15 years old when I quit. (Thus our great love for soccer.) Because of that I spent countless hours with my daddy-o. Not to say that they were all pleasant. Being the coaches daughter is hard. But I think those hundreds of practices and games and time together created a strong bond between my dad and I. He is one of the funniest guys I know. He has the driest sense of humor, and he loves me without question. I can go to him about anything, school, money, and even boys. When I was 16 and I had my first kiss, I told my dad first. He is one of my favorite people.  

I love my dad. He's the best. 

Missionaries

This picture was taken just over two years ago when this boy, my cute cousin Matt, was days away from leaving on his mission. And today was his homecoming. Since graduating from high school I feel like I've sent a lot of my best friends off on missions. Matt was definitely at the top of that list. We are one month and 2 days apart. We have gone to elementary school, junior high, and high school together. We grew up together. We haven't always been close, but we are cousins. We look out for each other. In junior high he was super protective and continued to be so in high school. Words can't express my joy at having home with our family again. This morning he spoke about his mission and bore his testimony of the gospel. I have always looked up to him and admired him. He is one of the best guys I know, but as I sat there and listened to him bear his testimony about how important his mission was to him I was just in complete awe. I think that is by far one of the most powerful homecoming talks I've ever heard. I have always struggled with having a good attitude about missions. Not that I don't think they are good things, and even though I do know that they are necessary the selfish side of me hates seeing the people I love leave. But after hearing Matt speak I just realized how necessary and important they really are. It was powerful. My cousin is incredible. 

Which leads me to thoughts about this boy:

One of my favorite people. Zachary Bryan Jensen, my younger but definitely not little brother. He has been gone just over 6 months and I miss him like crazy. Sometimes I think about him and my heart just constricts within my chest knowing that it will be 18 more months until I get to see him. But I do have to admit that after listening to Matty today it brought a lot of peace into my heart about the whole situation. If Zach comes back with the testimony and the power that Matt came back with then I want Zach to faithfully serve the people in New Zealand and come back when the time is right. 

Here are a couple of my best friends serving missions and for more than half of them coming home soon!

                                                                               

My testimony of missionary work was strengthened today. How grateful I am for the tender mercies in my life and the friends of mine that have chosen to faithfully serve the Lord.