He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord.  Joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving and the voice of melody.  {2 Nephi 8:3}

Will I not make solitary places to bud and to blossom, and to bring forth in abundance? {D&C 117:7}

These scriptures remind me both of what the Lord does for me and what my husband does for me.  I love the imagery of a barren place, like the desert, blossoming with green, with life, with flowers.  I love the imagery of a wildnerness, overgrown with weeds, with no order, no one to take care of it.  

My husband has made flowers bloom, beauty bloom, inside of me where there was none.  He has weeded out, lovingly, parts of me that were overgrown, unruly, and that took away from the beauty inside of me.

The Lord has done the same in my life.  He has planted me in an environment where I can grow and flourish and thrive.  I have been visited by storms and famines alike, but He has given me shelter from the hot burning sun, from the hail and the floods.  He has rained on me when I was thirsty.  He has cared for me and where once I was Nothing, I am now Something.  I am now Someone.

As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee. {Isaiah 62:5}

Jess, we both have been so blessed to know loving husbands and a loving Lord.  I hope that we can continue to grow as women, as wives, and eventually as mothers, always relying on and standing by and learning from our husbands and Christ.  Let us continue to "blossom as the rose" {Isaiah 35:1} that we have the potential to become.

My Funny Friend and Me

In the quiet time of evening
When the stars assume their patterns
And the day has made his journey
And we wondered just what happened
To the life we knew before the world changed
When not a thing I held was true
But you were kind to me and you reminded me
That the world is not my playground
There are other things that matter
And what is simple needs protecting 
My illusions all would shatter
But you stayed in my corner
The only world I know was upside down
And now the world and me, I know you carry me

You see the patterns in the big sky
Those constellations look like you and I
Just like the patterns in the big sky
We could be lost we could refuse to try
But we made it through in the dark night
Would those lucky [girls] turn out to be
But that unusual blend of my funny friend and me

I'm not as clever as I thought I was
I'm not the [girl] I used to be because
You showed me something different, you showed me something pure
I always seemed so certain but I was really never sure
But you stayed and you called my name
When others would have walked out on a lousy game
And you could've made it through
But your funny friend and me

You see the patterns in the big sky
Those constellations look like you and I
That tiny planet and a bigger guy
I don't know whether I should laugh or cry
Just like the patterns in the big sky
We'll be together till the end is nigh
Don't know the answer or the reason why
We'll stick together till the day we die
If I had to do this all a second time
I won't complain or make a fuss
When the angels sing that that unlikely blend
Are those two funny friends
That's us

Sunday will Come...

Rudes-
Hey. I saw this on lds.org this morning and it reminded of that great optimism we shared in our late night facebook chat. That despite all that's wrong and doesn't make sense on a Friday night, Sunday morning will come with light and hope and promised blessings. :)
My favorite Line:
Each of us will have our own Fridays. Those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered upon us in pieces. We will all experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again. We will all have our Fridays. But I testify in the name of the one who conquered death: Sunday will come.

Her Morning Elegance

Just thought I should post something, I haven't in a while.  Have you seen this?  It's really cool, and good song too.  Love you Jess!

Priscilla Ahn - Dream

Pandora selected this song for me a few months ago and since then it's become one of my favorites. All of Priscilla Ahn's music is beautiful, but I think this one best captures what it's like to be a little girl, dreaming about your future. My favorite lyric:

"Long walks in the dark through woods grown behind the park, I asked God who I'm suppose to be. The stars smiled down at me, God answered in silent reverie. I said a prayer and fell asleep."

Hope you like it!
-Jess

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3SlsP130xY (this is a cool interpretation of the song)

springtime

Hey Jess,

I took this picture a few weeks ago, when all the trees were in bloom.  I wish spring would last longer!  Hope all is going well with you.  Can't wait to hear all about med school and moving!

Love,

Rudi

Twins!

I'm so glad we captured our "identical" rings. I love this photo.