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Just thought you should know.

just take it in

First off, two words. Lee. Brice. His songs just make me happy. So without further ado I'd like to introduce my new favorite song: A Woman Like You by Mr. Brice. I fully endorse this video. Enjoy :)

Isn't it wonderful? Yeah it is. I love country music. I think I might become a country-tarian for a while. It's kind of like a vegetarian but its different. Mostly because I like how country music feels better than the other crap that I listen to. 

Anyways, onto a more serious note. I'm feeling inspirational right now, so buckle down and take notes :) 

You know those days when you just feel not too great about life? Not that you feel like you have a bad life, it just feels kind of... bleh. You know? Yeah that happened to me the other day. Well that's been happening to me a lot of my days lately, and I don't like it. Not one bit. 

So mostly I've been praying about it a lot lately because no matter what I do, it just doesn't go away. And Heavenly Father knows me best; so what better solution than ask him, right? So anyways, I've been asking about it in pretty much all of my prayers for the past month. And guess who just got an answer! This kid. But it's not like it came all at once. 

Background info: Sometimes I think that I know the solution to everything. I have a big tendency to turn to "fix-it auto drive" and do what I think will make it better when something's broken. I think I get it from my mom. Or my dad. Or my grandparents... on both sides. Yeah, I guess it runs in the family. We're fix-it-and-get-it-done kind of people. So when something's wrong in my life, I always feel like I have the solution. But here's the disclaimer: I don't. I just think I do. Clearly.

So that was my main problem. Every time I'd ask for help I'd say, "Please help me with this, I think I need to do [insert solution of the week here] more to make it better, please help me to do that." I think I've had like 1000 prayers like that in the past few months. It's not like my solutions were bad or anything. But here was my problem: I wasn't listening. I definitely do not know everything. But He does. So duh, Jess. For a girl who's got all the answers, I sure am oblivious sometimes. I think it's important for us to take the time to put our wants and needs aside and be willing to listen up. Because He's got some things to say to us. 

To quote one of my favorites: "When you pray, be sure that you listen also. You have things that you want to say to God, but He also has things He wants to say to you." -anon 

So let's move on here because I have more things to say about this. This is what I learned: my Heavenly Father loves me. He cares about me. He wants me to succeed. He wants me to do my very best. And He wants to help me with everything. But if he just forced us to do every single thing that would make our life a breeze, that wouldn't be helping us at all, would it? We wouldn't learn anything at all. So that's where these trial things come in. Trials aren't designed to make our lives miserable. They're designed to make us stronger, and happier, and closer to the Lord. 

"Past mistakes [&trials] don't define us, they refine us." 

No matter how hard the trial is, we can always make it through with the Lord's help.

The last thing that I learned from this, is when you're having a rough time with something, try helping someone else with whatever they're going through. It helps so so much, and it really brings the spirit of Christ into your life.

I'm so thankful for every little bit of my life. The good, the bad, and everything in between. Mostly, I'm thankful for the gospel. My life would be so much different if I didn't know the things that I know today.

I'm sorry if this post was a little bit all over the place, but I just had to say it :) spreading the knowledge one blog post at a time.

word.

Confessions of a College Student

So last night my friends got a rotisserie chicken for dinner.

Then they left it on my car as a joke. And it stayed out there all night long.

Today I got hungry so I ate it...

Well? It was practically refrigerated out there in the freezing cold... So I felt like it was safe. 

All I know is, I'm ashamed of it a little... But it's fine. 

^ those sentences were all in the form of a haiku. Trust me. Count the syllables. ABCAC. 

Tricked ya. It's not, they're just abnormally short sentences... sorry. 

Bye.

This Sweet Little Miracle

Let me tell you something cool here.

Yesterday was a big day. Why? Because:
A) I didn't do anything but chill at the hospital. Hollaback for no school!
B) I discovered the inner-photographer in myself (see below photos)
C) My sister birthed a beautiful baby girl!!
D) I'm an aunt now!
E) I witnessed the miracle of life. Crazy, right?

This is real. I watched the sweetest little baby come straight out of the womb. It was weird. But it was so cool! It really is a miracle how people can grow babies inside of them. And then they just pop out when they're ready! Okay, so they don't really just pop out, but still! A living thing grew inside of you.

So do you want to see this little miracle? She is literally the most precious little angel that ever came to earth.

Caleb and his sweet little daughter

Holland Grace Johnson

Me and this precious little baby!! Isn't she the cutest?

Seriously. She's the cutest ever. I love her so so much. I love babies. But mostly I love Holland.