An early birthday present!!

OH. MY. GOSH.

My first thing from Jacob on his mission came! He sent me a birthday present :) He must have sent it before he left (what a thinker). I was so happy when this came in my mailbox and my heart just melted! I love him and this is the most perfect thing for this birthday this year!

My birthday isn't until Thursday but I couldn't help myself...so Happy early Birthday to ME!


He is wonderful!

Trunk-or-Treat

It's that time of year again...THE HOLIDAYS! Who doesn't love them? It's like once September passes all of the sudden it's January. This is the best time of year! It start off with Halloween, then MY BIRTHDAY, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New years, then BAM! reality.

I love everything about this time of year. Even though I love it, I would really love if it would pass...quickly! Why? Because once it's over that means only 1 more of each one until Jake comes back! Also, on my birthday (next week) I will be 19 and I will be 20 when he gets home!

Man, I miss my best friend!

Trunk-or-Treat!

My family always goes all out for our ward Trunk-or-Treat. Is is a really fun tradition! I love my family and how cute we are! This year we were Who's from Who-Ville. So we decorated my car like Christmas with presents, a tree, snow, a countdown, the whole get-up. It was kind of darling. I felt like a celebrity because everyone wanted pictures of us.

This is me handing out candy canes to the little ones :)
The parentals. My mom with the Grinch! He thought he was so funny by freaking out the little kids by telling them he was going to take their candy.

All the Who's. This was so much fun!!

ME! I now have to take tons of solo shots to send to my missionary!!! :)

Bring on the 2 years!

Ahhh!!! The count DOWN can offically begin :D


Here we go...This is a my count down. (you can see the one dot filled in already) with my sharpies to make is pretty. A letter box to hold those things and a picture of my hansome missionary.

On June 2, 2011 my best friend in the entire world was called to serve in the Mexico, Mexico City South Mission. He would be repporting on October 26, 2011. I was really excited about Mexico but also kind of mad that I had to wait 5 months for him to leave...the longer it took for him to leave, the longer it would be until I get hime back.

So finally after 5 months the time has come!

I have really kept it out of my mind, the more I thought about it the crazier I got. But I had to face the inevitable.

This past week has been a huge roller coaster. I have gone from being so happy to uncontrollable tears. Every single night for a long while now I have prayed for peace. I wanted the feeling of peace knowing that everything will be okay. That's exactly what I got :) Oh the power of prayer!

Jake's farewell was Sunday, October 16, 2011. I had been looking forward to and dreading this day. I knew it: I was going to be a complete wreck! But...I was the complete opposite! I maybe cried a little while he was speaking but other than that, complete peace. I spent the entire afternoon with Jake and his family. I felt at home! I felt so relaxed and happy! I have always kind of known that I am going to marry Jake one day, but today I really felt it. This is where I belong.

The whole next week was fabulous! I spent just about every waking moment with Jake. We never get sick of each other :) We are great!

I have dated Jake for over a year now and have enjoyed every single second of it! Jake has made me a better person. I would not be who I am today without him! I love him!

Jake was set apart on Monday, October 24, 2011. That whole day I was pretty much counting down the hours. I was there while he was getting set apart. It was so beautiful to be there for. The spirit was so strong. It was amazing to hear his testimony. I am so proud of him!

He really is going to be the best missionary!
The handshake after he was set apart...

Audrey, me, and mom (Jake's mom). Gotta love the red faces!

Jake and I before he was set apart! What a stud!

Missionary hair cut time! I'd like to say I can cut awesome missionary hair. But I just stood in for a quick picture. His mom did the real thing :)

Hours before he was set apart what do we do? Oh you know, just stop at mini grand prix.

The money he plans to use while in the MTC. He felt so coolt holding this much cash. Okay, how can you resist this face??

Dinner with the fam on his last Saturday.

I am so proud of Jacob!!! He is wonderful and amazing and perfect.

Jacob has the ablitity to be a friend to everyone. He is wonderful!

I am SO excited to start this journey of our next two years. I already can't wait to have him back though ;)

MEXICO IS SO LUCKY!!!

Septmeber...?

Someone once said "there is never a dull moment in the Smith house"

September was an eventful month to say the least...

On the 17th, Jake and I had been dating for 1 whole year! Now we know that celebrating dating anniversaries is almost not okay but since he will be gone for the next two years we decided it was okay. So he got me roses :) and a cute little ring for my thumb!
On the 16th Jake turned 19! My mom made Jake the most adorable cake! It was perfect for Jake because it was a monster and Jake has a little thing called the stress monster! (shh...don't tell him I mentioned it)

For Jake's birthday we (the Hansens) played Beatles rock band! SO FUN!

Jordan turned 17 on the 13th. My mom, dad, kami, and I stayed up SUPER late so that he would wake up to 72 balloons hanging from above his head. We go all out at my house!

Jake and I on his birthday.

So the first half of the month was almost better than any other because we celebrated 2 birthdays in the Family!

Then came September 21st...

I woke up at 4:30 to leave for work at 5. I was all ready to go and went to get my keys, I couldn't find them anywhere (really, again?). So I looked everywhere for them, looked for my dad, (maybe he drove my car the night before) couldn't find my dad! Then I ran and looked and my car wasn't there either! I was thinking "what the heck! he knows I have to work early, maybe he is getting gas for me though" Then I noticed he was on the couch! Strange...

I knew right away that Jordan my 17 year old unlicensed, uninsured brother STOLE my car! Great!

I ran into my moms room and yelled "he stole my car!!!" My mom and dad were both up right away.

**This is the car that I blogged about 2 months ago, my new car, the one I spent all my own money on, the one I paid off...**

We had no idea where Jordan had gone. My dad drove me to work and then at 6:30 a.m. called and said "Kacey, we found the car Jordan rolled it twice, you won't be able to drive it again, but he is going to be okay." Jordan was being life flighted to the head trauma center in California because of the crash.

I burst into tears I didn't know what would happened to Jordan...would he be retarded for the rest of his life? will he ever be the same? How will he pay my back?

I got done with work at 10 and around 12 the doctors finally called and said all his tests came back normal and he will be good to go that night.

We joke that only drunk people and Jordan survive accidents like that! Jordan walked away without a scratch!

For about a week I was a total wreck! Almost every word anyone spoke to me I cried about and hurt. I didn't know how to feel..mad, angry, glad he's okay, upset he's okay...Every single emotion..I felt it!

**Note Jordan WILL pay me back EVERY penny!

Through prayers and a lot of pondering I came to the conclusion...

Jordan is not here on this Earth for him. He will probably never be able to think or be the way the rest of us are. Jordan is here for the rest of us. He is here to teach us patience, understanding, love...Jordan is here for us.

When my family weas in Heaven Jordan was the one in my family to say "I will take on all these challenges" Jordan was the one to do that.

As mad as he makes me, he is here for a reason.

Without and eternal and Gospel centered perspective I would have never been able to come to this conclusion. I have a testimony of the Truthfulness of this church and I love it. As hard as things and times seem, IT IS WORTH IT!