Dog days of summer

 Your BYU application is submitted.  Doesn't that feel like a weight off your shoulders?  Aubrie was able to get the scholarship application submitted as well.  Now we pray ;). 

Were you able to contact the senior couple to get Broncos email address to reach out to him? 

We are moving from the Pratts house to grandma and grandpa jensens house (likely) in a few days.  It has been such a huge blessing to live here at the Pratts the last 3 weeks.  It's helped things move faster with our house and also having AC ;) But we have been close here in the neighborhood to run over to the house for things we need or to spend a few hours working on things so easily.  That will be more challenging once we move to Jensens.  But we still need to be out of our house, and it will be good to spend some one-on-one time with them. 

Electric took up this whole week and at the end of the week they put windows in too.  So the house is partially closed up now. 

Hallie left to go to AZ to babysit the Sullivans for 12 days. Tell us how its been Hallie!  It feels so different with just 3 kids here.  Aubrie we would love to hear an update from Ecuador too!

WE spent Wednesday night in the canyon with G&G Haynie celebrating my moms birthday.  It was not so hot and even though we got rained out eventually during i loves yous--it is always feels good to be in the mountains. We gave mom trekking poles for her birthday and a family picture from the reunion.

We had Lucas' birthday party last night at DBAT.  It is always fun there after hours to have the place to ourselves.  Its nice to have a built in place for parties that is super fun.  Blake and dad made it a fun party with lots of games (dodge ball etc) and no one wanted to leave the hitting cages at the end of the night.  

Dad, Blake and Clara went to Mangums cabin with the youth and did games and boating Saturday. Dad said he and Blake flew 10 feet in the air on one tubing round.  Lucas and I went down to G&G Haynies to go to a international folkfestival with them which was a lot of fun.  Amazing dancing and some were so unique. They ended the dance show with fire dancing from Samoa.  IT mostly captured Lucas attention (it was outdoors so that helps). WE spent the night and just hung out and played games and ate breakfast the next morning.  I love LOVE being around them.  

We love you all muchisimo!

Mama

We are all melting away

 Our family has been in transition too long.  I am craving routine and normalcy.  But it will still be awhile. Maybe part of me wonders if things will be the normal ever again that I am craving.  I have been missing the more simple years with all the kids at home playing outside in the forest and doing bathime and stories everynight. 

I sure love watching you kids all growing and having life experiences so I guess I'll just enjoy where we are at.  

We watched a commencement speech yesterday for Come Follow Me that I recommended we watch after listening to it myself a couple times.  Eric Church gave the graduation speech at NC Chapel Hill a few weeks ago and it is excellent.  (famous country singer) The framework of his speech is all of the strings on a guitar and what pillars they each are in our life and how they need to be in tune and even be evaluated to see what is out of tune and needing change

1-low E string (the foundational string that is the thickest, deepest and holds all the other notes in a chord--this is FAITH and its note that the world is always trying to make us forget

2-A string--it starts us into the song or chord when you play.  FAMILY.  He said--this string is not. aholiday string, its an everday string.  (This was to graduating college kids--he said "you are ambitious and have a lot that will happen over the next 10 years, yor family will tell you that its okay they understand as you get busy and don't have time for them. Dont listen to them althought they genuinely mean it.  Dont seek your family when its convenient, do it when it takes something from you to be with them.  Show up for them." 

3- D string. It is the heart of the full chord and its the most important to creating beautiful music.  This is your SPOUSE.  The most important decision you will make.  who you choose will either allow you to create incredible harmonies and being equally yoked will allow so much capacity, choosing the wrong partner can delve into increased life chaos.  (SO TRUE)

4-G string (AMBITION)--dont wait at the cusp of potential for a written invitation.  tackle life and all its opportunies and WHEN you fail, cause you will fail tune the string and keep trying.  

5-B string--COMMUNITY.  bloom where you are planted (not matter how long you will be in that place). Coach the team, volunteer, (be a strengthand contributor in your ward no matter what it looks like) know your neighbors by name (not usernames) and be helpful. Be careful to spend so much time virtually with pretend relationships and be deliberate and involved with those physically around you locally. 

6-High E string--INDIVIDUALITY.  The world doesn't need more cover songs.  They need originals.   Fight the impulse to always want/need to be like others.  Be your best you. 

It was excellent.  So worth listening to a few times. 

I went on a long walk early this morning, listened to a little bit of a favorite podcast and then just turned it off to think.  there are some things that need tuning in my life.  (normal and has happened before).  Still figuring out what that looks like.  It is easy for me to take action and change things quickly.  Its not as easy for me to really dig in mentally to the whys behind some things I feel or think alot that aren't helpful to me. 

We love you all very much!  Dad and I know how frustrating we can be as parents and also how much fun and good our family is.  I wouldnt want to do it with anyone else.  You are all my favorite people no matter what.  I cannot wait to all be together for a few weeks. 

Today Aubrie leaves for Ecuador at 11 am (Utah time) and Hallie is doing a kids camp in Pratt's backyard all week. 9-4 every day. We all miss you Elder! Our house addition has consumed us a lot these last 2 weeks. But it's moving along and we are loving how it's turning out. We are staying at Pratts house while they are gone for about a month and are extremely grateful for that. DBAT Ogden is almost official (signing of the lease) and dad and Dave seem super pumped about how DBAT is going generally at both locations. Lots of family time lately at the reunions and Jensen's before that that have been in town. Jensen is here at FSY in Provo this week and we will get to hang out with him this coming weekend. Dad Emmaleigh Brown and I also planned an extended reunion just on Saturday. Russ and his wife Stacy and their two kids are staying with us for a few days to be here for that reunion We bought a hot tub (used but in good condition!) it feels like such a huge move because we have all wanted one for so long. Elliot's family has been watching Sandi for the last several weeks from everything they say they're all in love with her and she has been getting along so well with their dog. It's such a blessing that they were willing to take her and that it's been going well because I'm not sure what we would've done otherwise. There's no way she would've stayed in our house by herself very well. Yesterday I drove down in the morning and went to Aubrie's ward because she was speaking in church and also doing a musical number with Kalisi and her other roommate Caroline. I'll send the voice memo of them singing it was really really good. Aubries talk was excellent as well. Afterwards I got to meet a lot of people in her ward and then hang out with her roommates and some other people in her apartment. It was just fun for me personally to get a glimpse into Aubrie's life and observe everything and talk to everyone. I could do that once a month Paige has been here this past weekend because two of the boys that Hallie and Paige became close to from FSY last year were speaking together in their ward before leaving on a mission this week. They said the talks were really good and both boys are just so impressive. Beck had his farewell this past Sunday which we didn't make it to and I'm so sad about that. He leaves for Mexico in a couple of days. Jack Brixton and Bo all sing a song while Jack played the guitar and Henny bore his testimony in Spanish and then Beck spoke. It was all really good as you can imagine.

 Hello Elder Jensen-

We got a text message from Tristan Nielson that was a picture of you and your comp with a younger couple (and he went to CHS).  Kind of fun to get those random pictures from people with you having small world moments. 

We are ramping up for lots of Haynies to come into town by end of this week and starting our reunion next Sunday.  I am looking forward to it so much.  I wish our house could hold people but it is what it is.  Doxeys were here for most of this last week and Lucas had so much fun with Norah, Kali, Jacob, Charlie and Danny.  He loves playing with cousins.  

Things are moving along with the house.  It feels more real and exciting.   Joan Fisher passed away--so sad-- and her funeral was Saturday.  SHe is such an inspiration to really LIVE life. 

The elders in our ward are really awesome.  I am glad they are here. They taught our neighbors the other day and I just hope they keep being open to them coming and meeting with them.  

Dad and Blake went on a river rafting trip to Moab with the stake young men for about 4 days.  Sounds like it was pretty awesome all around. 

I was sitting on the bench today with just me, Lucas and Clara.  It felt so different and I don't know if I like it. 

Clara is home from Brighton camp and thought it was so epic, rapelling, amazing sunrise hike that she had to wake up at 2:00 am for, met tons of new girls, had a really good testimony meeting etc. 

Dad and I have had a hard week of feeling like so many things are not where we want them to be with each of the kids, and with how are family life is going.  We need to recalibrate.  We set some goals tonight.  

We heard from the Tanners and we are good to come pick you up on the first in the morning.  We are going to book our tickets this week.  Dad kind of thought through an itinerary where to go each day and you maybe you can fill in the gaps/work that out with dad. It seemed like a good circle of your areas and we have from Thursday afternoon -Monday afternoon.  I am so grateful to get to come and meet these people we have been hearing about for so long. 

Cant wait to talk to you tomorrow!

Love-Mama

 Elder Jensen-

I feel like it's been several weeks since I emailed. I went to my uncle Neal's funeral in Sanford Colorado this past weekend and didn't get an email sent off. It was such a bittersweet weekend. There was a little bit of drama from Nick and Neal's kids but it was basically a family reunion which was so enjoyable to be with so many cousins. And Sanford is just feels like home and wear so many of my roots are at. We need to keep going there every summer! The actual funeral was really really well done in the life sketch and eulogy and things that were shared just made me miss Neal so much it was hard not to cry the whole time. Anna Henny Clara and I drove down with grandma and grandpa and getting to spend 18 hours in the car with them was such a treat too. I had a really amazing conversation with grandpa all everyone else was asleep that I will never forget. I had asked him for some advice and I would love to share that conversation with you at some point.

For the month of July it seems like our family has been ships passing in the night. Hallie and I were gone to Europe Dad had so many business trips Blake went to FSY for a week and then Young men's camp in Moab with Dad for four days. Clara and I were at the funeral in Sanford. And then lots and lots of baseball. Blake was kind of subbing for a team and Lucas just wrapped up all stars tonight. They lost by one run in overtime it was kind of a heartbreaker of a game but well played.

I'll tell you what has not been fun is 360 dirt all around our house that gets tracked in. And hasn't been very fun to have a dog. I'm still not sure what to do with her when we go to the reunion and when we have to move out of our house for a couple weeks. 

I'm still a little bit shocked that Hallie is going to Aubrie's mission. That seems just unreal. Her getting her mission call seemed to kind of wake her up a little bit. Aubrie made the comment this past weekend when she came to hang out with her and Lucas and Blake that she was just so much more into the family :-) her whole senior year she kind of felt like she was on autopilot.

Doing that bike tour in Europe with her was such an epic trip! Beck and Paige and Hallie all got along so well and the scenery was breathtaking. And just pushing ourselves physically felt really good. Also the food was super yummy. We will absolutely be doing that with you! We need to get you a passport ASAP :-)

I have been so tired the last few weeks. I can't seem to get enough sleep. It makes me not have as much stamina or discipline. I just want every day to wake up exercise read scriptures eat a good breakfast and then work and play hard the rest of the day. That's my ideal day. It doesn't seem to happen enough. I have joined two different scripture study groups that meet once a month and have enjoyed the last couple months getting to study with other women so much. One of the ones that I joined in particular I have loved the discussion.

I told Wasatch that I wasn't going to work there next year. I just don't make enough money for the time commitment. So now I'm trying to figure out a flexible way to make money next year :-) maybe I'll tutor in math. I can charge a fair amount and I feel comfortable doing it.

A lot a few pictures here. I'm not very good at taking them but I can add a few.

I really loved reading your email this last week.. Particularly about some inspiration that you had surrounding the priesthood. I would really love to hear more about that. I have this Mom sense that maybe this area has been a bit of a motivational struggle for you some of the days and that can be tough to wake up with enthusiasm and ready to work hard when sometimes it feels like it's stalling out. Maybe I'm wrong with that's just the sense I get. Just know that you have the spirit with you and keep working hard.

I am so proud of you! You and all the other kids are the light of my life. I love love getting to be your mom.  Stay safe and keep working hard and keep up your studying patterns. I love you!

Mama

Clara abs Abby are at Brighton camp this week. I can't believe Clara is that old.

 She just kept saying random things. Like she wanted to know where her teeth were and she kept sticking her finger down her throat gagging herself trying to find them. And then she kept telling me my chin is so fat I don't know what to do. It's so squishy can you feel it. My chin is so big. And we stopped by Food co-op on our way home and she thinks Matthew Mcconkie is so cute. And so as we pulled into the parking lot she said tell Matthew to come over to the show. (Like her wisdom teeth) And I was like what's the show Hallie. And she says me

In my patriarchal blessing it tells me to carefully choose who will be the father of my children. I don't know if I gave it all the thought in the world as I was dating dad, because I didn't have a clue what being a parent would be like truly. But I did highly value the way dad was raised. I knew he had alot of integrity and he was so much fun. And all of those things have helped him with his high capability as a dad. He's just loves you kids so much. You mean everything to him. And he has spent a lot of energy coaching, having hard conversations, working with you at the piano, doing chores, walking around holding you in a backpack while he mows or we explore a new place, he's protected you from so many things and provided stability and financial means for you all to have so many amazing experiences and opportunities. You are the luckiest and I hope you know it. Happy Fathers Day!