friends

I will admit that I don't have alot of friends but the friends I do have I have had for a very long time (with one exception). My friends in Washington I have know more then half my life. They have been there for me when I needed them the most and we have kept in contact even with me moving 850 miles away. These friendships are the kind that even if I don't talk to them for a couple of weeks we pick up right where we left off. I love my girls. And I can't wait to celebrate our 30 birthdays together. Nothing short of an emergency is going to keep me from visiting them. My really good friend here in utah I have only know 3 years (I think) But she has become one of my closest and truest friends I have ever had. I feel right at home at her house and she feels that way at mine. We haven't been hanging out as much recently because our kids can't seem to stay healthy but I know like my washington friends we will pick up right where we left off. Another of my good friends lives in North Carolina and it's been almost 5 years since I've seen her. But it's like I can go months without talking to her and she calls me out of the blue when I'm thinking about calling her and it's like we just alked yesterday. All these women mean so much to me! I'm so grateful for these amazing, strong, smart women in my life, I don't know what I would do without them!!

Rain

I'm grateful for the rain. Not only does that mean its not snowing but it's giving water to the plants. What I most love about the rain is that it reminds me of Seattle. In August in will be 5 years that we have lived in Utah. I like it here but I love it in Seattle. I miss the rain and the trees and especially the water. I never understood until we moved here what a joy it is to live near the water. I think it made my homesickness worse when we went to visit last May. Brett and I didn't want to leave, but now we know that one day we will move back (hoepfully sooner rather then later). The kids loved the water too. It would be hard to move back because we couldn't see the family all the time but it would give them an excuse to make a trip uo there. So I love the rain, and thats ok if you think I'm insane!!

My family!

I am so grateful for my family. First for my little brother. Levi is such a great brother. I can't even describe why he is such a great brother. He has always been there for me and helped me thru tough times and watched out for me. He loves my kids (loves to spoil them!). I miss him alot. He lives in Washington. I would love to move back just to be closer to him and so he can spend more time with my kids. Love ya Levi!!

Brett's family....I have the best mother-in-law in the world. I always hear horror stories from my friends about their mother-in-laws and I am grateful that I don't have to worry about that. She treats me like a daughter and is always there for me. She is the best! Love ya Val!!

The rest of Brett's family I love like my own. There are times I don't agree with what they do but regardless they are still family and they are a great blessing. I'm glad I married into such a great family!!

I love my family!

Jett Levi Hammerstrom

What can I say about Jetty bo Betty? He is the third child, we were happy with two, but things happen!! I'm very grateful for him. I went into preterm labor with him also but they were able to stop it and he waited another 9 weeks. He is by far my chubbiest baby and i just love to pinch his cheekies and legs and arms and squeeze him. He loves to bug his brother and sister and I can tell when he starts to get sleepy because he tries to bite my toes. It's really funny. I'm glad we had 3 kids because we are done!! Raising my three kids will be a challenge but I wouldn't change anything for the world!

Gage

My little red head boy, I love him so much. I think I treat him differently then his brother and sister because he is such a special little boy. He was born 6 weeks premature and before I was pregnant with him I miscarried. I didn't have any trouble with the preganacy until about 33 weeks, and he just didn't want to stay in. Luckily one of my best friends was at my house and she was able to drive me to the hospital. For how early he was he was pretty big and only had to stay in the hospital for 11 days. Now, he will be 2 1/2 on February 2nd and is just learning how to talk. It just clicked for him and has started talking well so that I can understand what he wants. He is so goofy and silly. He does a great job of tormenting his older sister and younger brother. He has such a sweet spirit about him. He does have one weird trait, he sleep walks. The other night Brett and I heard the T.V. turn on at 130am. Brett went upstairs and Gage was sitting in my chair with his eyes open, looking at nothing. Brett picked him up and he was asleep. He put Gage in bed and turned the T.V. off in Khloe's room. I would have been so creeped out!! I love my little guy so much!!

Khloe

One of the people in my life that means the most to me and the greatest blessing is my daughter Khloe. She is such a bright light in my life. I will admit that she can drive me nuts sometimes and she's not the angel everyone thinks she is. But her ability to forgive me so readily is one of her greatest abilites right now. I have yelled at her and the next minute she's asking if I will play with her. I asked her one time if I yelled at her too much, she said no. I was shocked at this answer because to me I'm always yelling at her to do something or to quit something. Khloe forgets things when she forgives. Now I know why Heavenly Father wants us to be like little children. If I could easily forgive people like Khloe does I would be alot happier person and the people around me would be a lot happier to. I love my daughter with all my heart and am so grateful that I can be a mother to such a wonderful little girl.

The gospel

Since it is Sunday I think it would be appropriate that my next blessing be the gospel. This may be a long post but in the end I promise it will be worth it.

Growing up my parents were what you would call inactive or jack mormons. My dad would read to us from the Book of Mormon but we didn't go to church or anything. The missionaries would come over alot and our home teachers too but we never went to church. Fast forward to high school. I had a friend named Lael and would always invite me to go to church or go to mutual but I never went. I told her I knew enough about the church that I didn't want to be a part of it. (boy was I wrong, I didn't know anything about the church!) Fast forward again, to about 5 years ago. Brett and I are married and Khloe is coming soon. We stay up one night talking about the church. He wants me to take the discussions. I do it just to learn more about the church. I had NO intention of getting baptized.

We had some great missionaries, obviously since I am now baptized. One event changed my whole life. One of the missionaries was reading the first vision and while he was reading it I got the burning in my chest. I looked over to the thermostat to make sure Brett wasn't cranking the heat up. He wasn't just sitting on the couch listening. This burning feeling consumed my whole body. And I fought it the whole time. When the Elder got done reading he looked at me and asked if I felt anything. I could not give in this easy, I didn't want to be mormon, all those rules to follow. I wasn't going to have that, so I told him no I didn't feel anything. He kinda said "oh" and went on to the next subject. It was not that easy for me. I thought about what had happened for days. They I thought about getting baptized, could I actually do it and live my life the way I was supposed to. I had been waiting for this my whole life. I had been searching for some higher meaning, I studied multiple religions and nothing was right. The more I thought about the LDS church, the more I knew this was what I was waiting for. So I made my decision to get baptized. When I told Brett we were on the way to my little brother's college graduation. He just about drove off the road. We had to get some things straightened out and Brett was the one who baptized me. I will forever be indebted to him for that. That was July of 2004

In December of 2006 I received my endowments from the bountiful temple and a week later Brett and I were sealed for all time and eternity. Khloe was also sealed to us. It was such a powerful time. Brett and I went to the temple together in January of 2007 to do a session. While we were in the Celestial room I was praying about my parents. And they just popped into my head. I could see them so clearly and they were waving and smiling at me. I was such a moving experience. I know they are happy with my decision to become a member of the church.

Right now I am struggling with my church attendance. Brett no longer knows if the church is true so he doesn't go to church anymore. I know one day he will come back but until that day I can only support him in what he wants to do. I try to go to church and teach the kids, but I fail miserably at it. I can't deny the Prophet Joseph Smith, that burning in my chest was just to powerful. And since I can't deny him, I can't deny the Book of Mormon. It's just hard to follow commandments. I know you are saying, "How hard is it to go to church, read your scriptures and pray everyday." If you haven't been doing it your whole life, it is hard. And I figured out why they have church stuff thru out the week and why you should go to church every Sunday, It's difficult to do things on your own with no support.

So in ending, I love the gospel. I know my life would be better and more harmonious if I would follow the commandments. I would be the greatest mom and the most wonderful wife. And for some odd reason, that's not enough motivation. I have been blessed because in the past I have followed the commandments. I know Heavenly Father will not punish me but he won't bless me if I don't follow the commandments. But it's a new year and I think I've started off right!

My marriage

One of my greatest blessings is my husband. He is the GREATEST husband, father and best friend in the world. He sacrifices so much to take care of the family. He makes me so happy, and the best thing about him is when I'm mad at him he tries to make me laugh and always wins! I will admit that sometimes I want to wring his neck but that's what makes our relationship so great. He has brought so many GREAT things to my life. (gospel, kids) I know I need to appreciate him more and to let some things not bother me so much. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH!!!

the reason for this

I have started two new blogs, one for my daily complaints and one for my greatest blessings. With both I hope to become a better person, by writing down my complaints so they won't bother me anymore and to realize how blessed I really am. Thanks for reading!