Blessings come by the handfuls

Remember my last post? The one about how depressed I was Jake and I couldn't find jobs and it seemed as though we were never going to catch a break. Well, this blog post title sums it up perfect. Blessings do come, and when they do, they come by the handfuls. I won't waste any time getting to the good part. After a month of applying at every place we could think of, countless interviews, we thought for sure we were destined to be unemployed and poor forever. One day last week, I got a call from the cute little owner of Swig. {yes, Swig, my FAVORITE place ever!!} She wanted me to come in for an interview. Sure, this wasn't a high paying dream job, but it was something. And a better something than working at somewhere I hated. ^^Remember I love Swig? Ten minutes into the interview she told me she wanted to hire me and that I would start the next day. That was the first blessing. The second came the very next day WHILE I was at my first day of work at Swig. Jake was waiting for me to get off work and so he drove across the street over to Dixie Gun & Fish to waste some time. While driving there, he said he felt prompted to go into the Fireplace company right next door. He'd never been there before but decided to follow the prompting anyways. He walked in and struck up a conversation with the owner. After talking for about an hour, the owner told Jake he could tell he was a good man and a hard worker and offered him a job installing fireplaces and being the handyman around the store. Although it wasn't a 40 hour a week job, it was a start. And a good one. The NEXT day, Jake and I were getting ready to leave for Salt Lake with his family, and I got a phone call from Dixie Regional Medical Center informing me that I have been chosen for the position I interviewed for last week. Marina has two jobs: check! Jake also is able to go work for his brother's pipe inspection business for the oil rigs. He makes extremely good money and is able to go up as often as we need-making more in three days than he would in two or three weeks or work. His brother offered to let him go up as much as possible!
Next blessing: Jake's grandparents have lived in their house in Leeds for like, pretty much forever. Two weeks ago they moved down to Bloomington to be closer and to get the help they need. The house in Leeds is owned by Jake's aunt Liz and they were talking about how they are going to clean it out and get rid of everything but didn't know what to do with it. We didn't think too much of this talk besides how sad it was that his grandparents had to leave their home of 50+ years. A few days later, being so caught up in finding a new apartment of our own, Jake's mom told us that aunt Liz offered us to live in that house. For free. FOR FREE! At first we were a little apprehensive because it's Leeds, but the simple fact that we are going to live in a three bedroom home without paying rent and we will save SOOOOO MUCH money that the extra gas money won't even matter. Not only that, but we can use the money we would've paid for a deposit and first and last months rent on a place would allow us to buy couches, a TV, and a few other nice things we wouldn't normally be able to afford and start setting up our home! We will hopefully be moving in towards the end of this month after some painting, cleaning, and redoing that good old fashioned popcorn ceiling stuff. Is it just me, or are we being blessed way beyond what we deserve!?
I have a feeling this post is going to be a long one. I have so much to be grateful for and I just feel it coming out of my fingers and there's nothing I can do about it.
I also want to tell a little bit about this last weekend. We went to Salt Lake with Jake's family to go to the zoo and have a little family get away. This was perfect because Jake and I needed to go to Manti that Saturday for my good friend Paige's sealing. We woke up Saturday morning a little later than we should have and were stressing out about getting there on time. After driving way too fast through the way too middle of nowhere towns on the way to Manti, we made it in PLENTY of time. I was lucky enough to catch Paige in the entrance of the temple while she was waiting for Tommy to get there, and seriously everyone-she looked so beautiful! There is something about a girl on her wedding day that just makes her glow. I know I had the same thing on my big day and I couldn't be more happy for her being married to the love of her life in the House of the Lord. It was such a beautiful day! Her sealing was amazing and the Spirit was so there I almost teared up. After the sealing, I annoyingly chased her down to get a picture and then we left so we didn't intrude. I'm just so grateful she invited us to the sealing! After that, we went and got lunch at a small diner there in Manti and headed back to the temple to do an endowment session. All I have to say is the live sessions are INCREDIBLE!! I loved it so much. After the session, we wanted to do some sealings. We sealed about 40 families together and it was one of the greatest feelings ever. I have never been so sure of something as I am that the Temple is the most amazing place on Earth, you can feel the Spirit in every inch of the building and the work that goes on inside is incredible. Guys, life and the gospel is so good. Jake and I are so blessed it's unreal. I am constantly reminded of the love the Savior has for me and has all my interests in mind, he blesses us all! It might not be the second you expect it, or even the answer you were expecting, but something will always come and it will always be the best for you. Sometimes our plans don't match up with His, but that's because His are always better.
One last tidbit on this blog post before I end it, I just want to brag real quick about my sweet husband Jake. Every single day I am beyond amazed at how endlessly sweet, caring, compassionate and forgiving he is. He takes such good care of me and never fails to do everything in his power to provide for me. He is more than what I could have ever wished for a husband. I'm not just saying this stuff, it really is so true that sometimes I don't even believe it. My husband is amazing.
I'm done ranting about how awesome my life is for now. K, that sounded really bad. I'm just feeling super blessed and super grateful lately and I know whenever times are hard I can come back and read this to know how good life really is. I also hope there will be someone who stumbles across this post who is feeling down, and in my hoping this post doesn't come across as snobby or braggy, maybe this can shed some light and let someone know that blessings DO come. They will make all the waiting worth it.
XOXO

Keep Calm & Count Your Blessings

I saw this picture while I was wasting time on Pinterest and decided I should blog about it. This picture means something to me for two reasons:
1.) I've gained like a whole mess of weight since getting married. Everybody told me it would happen, and I guess a small part of me wanted to test that.
2.) I kind of have nothing better to do than eat cookies. All day long.
Jake and I are going through SOME kind of trial. A month ago, he got sick. Long story short; he had neck pains that turned into whole body pains that turned into a very very serious infection that turned into a very scary abscess that nestled itself right at the base of his skull, cutting off his artery and several nerves located there. After weeks of being in pain, we finally took him to the hospital where they started him on heavy IV antibiotics and ran a bunch of tests. Antibiotics couldn't get to the abscess-and it was starting to move down his chest (which could have eventually killed him-yes I'm serious) and one surgery and six days later, he was allowed to go home where I had to give him antibiotics through the PICC line IV in his arm for a week, and now he's finishing up his pill antibiotics. During this time, we had finals, and also moved from Cedar City to St. George. Sometimes I don't know how I survived it-but then I tell myself there are so many people who go through SO much worse.


Lately, it's been hard not to be discouraged. Jake and I are both still looking for jobs and nothing has come through. Luckily, he has been able to pick up some side work for a few people which gets us by. I've applied for countless jobs, even had an interview at SkyWest for a position I thought FOR SURE I would get, and heard nothing back. I've emailed resume after resume, talked to manager after manager, and nothing has happened. I know what you're thinking, how does that even happen? I know people who are practically illiterate with multiple jobs, and I can't even get ONE MEASLY JOB. 


We've been fasting and praying for a while now and I've come to the conclusion that Heavenly Father must be holding out for something good. Jake keeps reminding me that we are living our lives the way we are supposed to but we have to be patient for the Lord's plan. Sometimes I get carried away and forget that His plan really is so much better than my own. I'd for sure say that Jake is the rock in our relationship, he keeps me strong and I am so grateful everyday that I have such an incredible husband who loves me unconditionally and always encourages me to keep going. I know we will be blessed and I'm definitely learning to be patient. In the mean time, we are receiving many small blessings:
-Tax refund that saved our butts
-Jake's brakes that went out-miracle the mechanic managed to save his rotors and it only ended up costing us $34 instead of $250.
-Jake's valet job in Las Vegas at Caesar's Palace that lets him go down any time he wants and work.
We really are so blessed. Sometimes I feel like I don't acknowledge that enough because I'm not receiving the big things right now but I do know that I have the biggest blessing of all through being married and sealed to my best friend (mushy gushy say that in every post, I know) but it's so true and I'm forever grateful for him getting me through the days. There is no shame in humble beginnings-and I know that. I just hope some things come through for us in the next few weeks. In the mean time, we are enjoying all the time we get to spend together and our first summer as a married couple! Jake is currently in Las Vegas working at his valet job for the next three days-this is the first time we've ever spent a night apart and yes I am dying and wondering how I'm going to sleep alone. We're pathetic and totally in love. :) Until next time, XOXO!

Spring of 2011- boy met girl. boy kissed girl. girl fell for boy. boy fell for girl (yes, in that order.) Best, most exhausting summer of my life. At least up until that point, anyways. Fall of 2011-boy and girl both 'conveniently' started school at SUU. boy EXTREMELY falls in love with girl. girl gloats in her success. Winter 2011-boy asks girl to marry him. girl says yes. Spring 2012-BOY MARRIES GIRL! and that's where we are, ladies and gentleman.
SIDE NOTE: We both went to the same elementary school and high school. Cutest thing ever? I think so. 

Jake and I were married March 10, 2012 in the St. George, Utah LDS Temple. Best day of our lives. Since then, we have been an all you can eat buffet of live, laugh, and love. Marriage is the best, and anyone who says otherwise is either lying or sorely misinformed. It's the most fun I've had in my entire life, who can argue with waking up to your {incredibly handsome} best friend every single morning for the rest of your life? We are two very happy, overly lovey-dovey people who are doing their best and making it in this tough world! I'm going to try my VERY best to keep this updated so our friends and family can keep up with this married couple that is even worse at answering our phones. #sorrynotsorry <<<yes I did.
For those who aren't caught up on our lives right now: Jake and I just finished our first year at SUU and moved back home to sunny St. George! And we even love St. George so much that we won't be returning to Cedar City. Ever. We love being home so much and are so excited for our first summer as a married couple! We are job hunting like crazy, I have a job interview with SkyWest on Tuesday and I'm SO EXCITED because I've applied there like 5 times! Jake is doing some side work for a few companies to keep us afloat until he finds a better job. We aren't super poor YET which is a huge blessing.
We are just so extremely blessed and I know that is because we live the gospel. Lately is seems as though the opposition is EVERYWHERE and you can't even SAY you believe in God without someone attacking you with some stupid argument, and it's sooo frustrating. Since when did believing in something become a bad thing? I firmly believe The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. Sue me. But don't really. I am tempted to go off in some tangent where I rant about how judgmental people can get, but this is my blog so I don't have to defend myself. I believe what I believe and in turn I am so blessed and happy I couldn't imagine living any other way. Believing in things is what makes life worth it.
To end this short post, I'll say thank you for stopping by and checking on us! Also check out my soon-to-be blog I'm making with one of my very best friends Courtney Anderson. It's gonna be a really great compilation of all things marriage and funny and all the adventures we have in life....and probably some great things we see on the internet. LOVE YOU ALL