Dear Boys #18

Hey, Hey, Good Lookin',

I'm more impressed every time we chat. 
You seem to be it - real potatoes and all.

Love, Jess

Dear Shawn,

I will fit everything in one suitcase. I will prove you wrong.

Love, Gus

Dear Elise's Pieces,

I am so glad we share a love of shepherd's pie. 

No one else understands it like you do.

Love, Jess

Dear Dr. Seuss,

Waving the white flag of truce. Ask her out again...please.

Love, Jess

Dear Middle Man, 
We need to chat.

Love, Jess

And now, a few Wednesday Wonderfuls to finish it off! 
I have been really social lately, guys. You should be proud of me.

Tuesday I went to a Bees game in Salt Lake. Summer is now official. 
(I have this secret addiction to baseball...)

Friday some friends and I went to the Pleasant Grove Strawberry Days Rodeo. 
I love rodeos. I love horses. I love cowboys. 

Saturday we had a ward activity at Deer Creek Reservoir. 
Disgusting and so much fun all at the same time.

Saturday night some friends and I had a bonfire up the canyon. 
Third one this year and by no means the last!

True Beauty

I am sure many of you have seen Jessica Rey's video "The Evolution of the Swim Suit." (If not, you can watch it here.)  And then I read this blog post by To Every One That Believeth. (She talks about how it shouldn't matter what women wear as long as they feel comfortable and women should not be relied on to keep men's thoughts in the right place.)

I have thought about these two things all weekend. One I really agree with and one I really don't.

As I talk about modesty, I am going to veer off the specific topic of swimsuit modesty and talk about modesty in general.

I grew up being taught that dressing modestly is very important. The Church of Jesus Christ teaches that   "Immodest clothing is any clothing's that is tight, sheer, or revealing in any other manner. Young women should avoid short shorts and short skirts, shirts that do not cover the stomach, and clothing that does not cover the shoulders or is low-cut in the front or the back. Young men should also maintain modesty in their appearance. Young men and young women should be neat and clean and avoid being extreme or inappropriately casual in clothing, hairstyle, and behavior. They should choose appropriately modest apparel when participating in sports." (From the For Strength of Youth pamphlet under Dress and Appearance)

While Jessica Rey's video and presentation's ultimate purpose is to promote her swim line and products, I think she hits the nail right on the head.

While there is a small portion of modesty that is to help men keep their minds in the right place, that is only a very small part of it, at least to me.

Modesty isn't about how other people see me or what they see of me. 

Modesty is about how I see myself.

Modesty is knowing that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who created my body and is now entrusting me to take care of it.

Modesty is showing respect for myself and those around me by the way I dress.

Modesty is covering my body so the world can see my beauty from the inside out. 

Modesty doesn't mean I have to wear a high color, long sleeves, and a dress down to my ankles. I fully believe that anyone can show their own style, expression, and personality while still dressing modestly.

I want people to see THAT kind of beauty when they look at me. I want them to feel comfortable looking at me, really looking at me, and seeing who I am. Not what I am.

Dear Boys #17

New dating term: "priancé" an unofficial fiancé 



Hey, Hey! Good lookin', 

You caught me COMPLETELY by surprise with that one.

I did NOT see that coming.

Please don't hold it against me.

Love, The girl who is really regretting a choice she made last summer

Dear Life,

There is a baseball metaphor for just about everything in life.

I feel like this one applies lately.

This is me throwing out the runner at second.

Love, Jess

Dear Julia Child, 
Thanks for handling my complete panic attack so well.
For a moment, I thought you were going to snort your drink out your nose 
because you were laughing so hard.
Love, Jess
PS- I will try to be a better buffer zone. 
It was a sneak attack that I didn't see in time.

Dear Cookie Monster,

Sometimes I don't understand. 

I think we are in a good, neutral place,

and then you go and do something weird...

Love, Just Friends

Happy Father's Day!

Today in Sacrament meeting one of the talks was centered on all the things his dad had taught him- both physically and spiritually. It made me think of all the things my dad has taught me.
         

*how to hit a baseball (in the school yard with the big blue plastic bat and the big white plastic balls)
*how to shoot a gun (and not be ashamed to shoot it well)
*how to appreciate the outdoors
*how to work hard (so you can play hard)
*how to appreciate Celine Dion (and other good music)
*how to serve in the church and serve outside the church
*how to move freshly died Easter Eggs without dying your fingers (and then how to throw said eggs down the mountain)
*how to spot a satellite moving through the sky


My list could go on forever, (spoiler alert: cliche moment up ahead), but as I get older the one thing that sticks out to me the most is how to love, what to look for in a husband, and what I want my future family to be like. 

I am pretty sure I have the best dad in the world.

Dear Boys (and Girls) #16

Dear Julia Child, 

Thanks for sticking to the "Bro Code (Girl Version)."

You didn't have to but I appreciate it.

Love, Jess

Dear Shawn, 

You. Me. Play. Soon.

Love, Gus

Dear JRB,

You are so stinkin' cute! 

I don't know why you were having such a problem keeping your 

pants up around your waist on the playground yesterday, 

but at least it didn't slow you down any.

Love, Miss Jensen

Dear Bestest Best Friend, 

I haven't seen you in a while.

We should do something sometime.

Love, Jess (yes, that is my real name!)

PS- You really should have a baby so I can dress him/her in 

cute little Aggie clothes...just sayin'...

Dear Mr. Dancer Man, 

You are one good looking man.

However, I don't know if I want to pursue this.

I don't know how well we would go together.

Love, Jess

PS- "I just love to look at him!"

(Name that movie!)

Dear Dr. Seuss,

You wore me out trying to get a first date.

I'm kind of done caring now.

(But, obviously not as much as I pretend to be...)

Love, Jess

Dear Elder, 

You must be doing something right.

Satan wouldn't be trying so hard if you weren't.

Love, Big Sis

Keep Doing the Good Things

Today in Sunday School, the teacher said something that really struck me.

"It's not just about not doing the bad things...you have to keep doing the good things, too."

There were several ways I thought about this:

A) Not doing the bad things is good. It is good to not swear. It is good to not drink or smoke. It is good to not speak badly about others. It is good to not...the list could go on and on. But is that enough? Is it enough to just not do bad things?

B) Doing the good things is good. It is good to read your scriptures. It is good to go to church. It is good to do your visiting/home teaching. It is good to go to the temple. It is good to say your prayers.  But is that enough? Is it enough to just do the good things?

C) This is there the previous two thoughts mush together. It is good to not do bad things and it is good to do good things. But it is a small, four-letter word in there that is the most important. "It's not just about not doing the bad things...you have to KEEP doing the good things, too." 

You can't just do them once, or twice, or once a week. You have to continually do them until they become a part of you. You do them because that is how you make it to the end. Can you do it alone? Nope. Sorry. Not one of us is going to be able to do it on our own. This is the where the enabling power of the Atonement comes into play.

Doctrine and Covenants 50:35 "And by giving heed and doing these things which ye have received, and which ye shall hereafter receive—and the kingdom is given you of the Father, and power to overcome all things which are not ordained of him"

Dear Boys #15

Found this little gem tonight. I am going to start using it all the time.

redate: (verb) to date the same person after your mission that you dated before your mission. 

Sentence: They dated before his mission and redated when he got home. Now they are engaged.

(Kind of like reheating a burrito...you've already heated it once and now you are heating it up again.)

Dear Dr. Seuss, 

I'm feeling good about where we are at.

Love, Jess

Dear Middle Man, 

I think I am going to start calling you my knight in shining armor. 

You are always there to stand up for me.

Love, Jess

Dear Cowboy,

Let me stop you before this goes any further...

NO!

Love, Jess

Dear Stud-Muffin, 

I need more of you in my life.

You bring out the "late-nights-in-Logan" side of me that tends to stay hidden while in Provo.

Love, Jess

And a Wednesday Wonderful to finish it all off:

Some friends and I went to the Chris Cagle concert in Eagle Mountain Saturday. Oh my gosh! So much fun. Definitely a good way to kick off summer!

House of the Lord

Dear Children,

I think I have been counting down the days longer than you have. I will be the first to admit, this has been a VERY rough year for me as a teacher. Some of you pushed me to my limits and beyond. Some days I wanted to strangle you all. I am pretty sure I have cried more this year than I have the previous 2 combined. Some days I will admit to being beyond caring. 

And somedays I think I may have cared too much.

However, this year was also the hardest set of goodbyes I have ever had. I have watched you all grow up in the past 9 months. You came to me a little more than 3rd graders and are leaving me as 5th graders. We have learned together, laughed together, cried together, sang together, danced together, explored together, played together, gone crazy together.

I could make a list a mile long of the things you (hopefully) learned this year, but instead, here is a list of the things I have learned from YOU this year:

I've learned that there are some children that the school system has already failed merely for the fact that nothing has been done until now.

I've learned that parents can make or break your day. And they can make or break the child.

I've learned that even if you want to tell the child to never come back, you are still glad to see them every day.

I've learned that the core is the least important thing I teach you. I want to teach you first and foremost how to be a good, decent human being, a contributing member of society, and most importantly, help you find out who you are.

I've learned more about being gluten free than I have ever known before and now pay special attention to every birthday treat that enters my room.

I've learned that you have to pick your battles. Some things are just not worth it.

I've learned that a 9-year-old can have an unending supply of patience that defies all odds.

I've learned that it's ok to lock the doors, turn off the lights, and hide in the dark during lunch just so no one bothers you.

I've learned that I don't have to be like the other teachers at school and sit on the side lines. It's more fun to play dodgeball or kickball with you.

I've learned that a hug can speak much more loudly than words can.

I've learned that sometimes you have to throw the rule book out the window and just have fun.

I've learned that recess is just as much for the teacher as it is for the students.

I've learned how to listen. Not just to the words you say, but to the looks you give, the words that aren't said, and to the things you do.

I've learned that you are capable of so much more than we give you credit for.

I hope each one of you knows that you will ALWAYS hold a piece of my heart.  Know that you will always considered one of mine.

Love, Miss Jensen