Grumpy, Grouchy, and Exhausted....

Blame it on the day job. Or rather, the night shift...

Yesterday started as any other. I went in to work at 3:30 so that I could help with chair covers. 9 hours later I was headed home. The only good thing about the night is that the bride and groom had the wedding of their dreams. Money Honey!

Me- I'm still half asleep. And I have to head back to work at 4.

Not a big fan of the job today...

My Grown Up Christmas List

Every Christmas, my mother gets after me to make a list she can give to Santa. I don't really want a lot of material things. This year I would like to ask Santa for things that you can't get from a store. 

Dear Santa: All I Ask Is...

January 31, 2011 to be taken out of next year's calendar. That is the dark day where Carrie's second back surgery is scheduled. I am scared spit-less. (If I were a swearing woman, I would exchange the p for an h.) 

[Carrie is trying to calm my nerves about the situation. Still, I keep hearing her surgeon, Doctor Smith, promising that he would take care of my sister and my family as I was leaving the hospital for the airport and London. A week later, to the day, I came home because Carrie was in a coma.]

If I can't skip the day, I ask for Carrie's surgery to be successful with no complications.

A hospital stay no longer than a week

Success in my dad's business 

My grandmothers' pain to be controlled.

A full-time job for me

A man

And the only material wish---a car for me.

Hello. My name is Jenny Hortin and I'm a COLLEGE GRADUATE!

The day has come. I turned in my massive paper. I walked through the halls of OSH for the last time. I graduated. (as long as my paper gets a C or higher) Now what? ..........[cricket...cricket]

I don't really have any plans at the moment. I will continue working at JSMB so I do have something. But a BA in English makes me slightly overqualified to be a banquet server for the rest of my life.

Today is my first day without school and work. The tension between my shoulder blades is slowly relaxing but my alumni status still doesn't feel real. I guess I will let you know when it does.

P.S. Anybody who would be willing to have a guest next season for tickets in the MUSS, let me know. I may be done with school, but I'm never done with Utah Football. At least not completely.

on my mind...

At work, I served in the Ambassador Room. It is saved for VIPs! I was excited to see my name listed to work the room, but I didn't recognize a single person. I suppose that is why they chose me to serve. There weren't any major hot shots. I'm not that big of a deal down at the JSMB. I just work there. Still, there was one gentleman on my side of the table that was dang good looking. I could dig his sugar... Tall, dark, handsome, with a foreign accent. Aleisha told me there was a guy in the room that had caused her heart to speed up a little but my first impression was just the side of his face. Meh. No big deal. Then, I went to clear his entree and he turned to thank me. He said, (with a nice spanish accent, btw) "Thank you very much," and I said, "You're welcome," but inside, all brain circuits flashed and sparked and shorted out. Guh....

And that was my excitement for today. 

(I suppose the drunk that sat next to me on the Trax train was something of note. His breath stunk and he thought my copy of Shakespeare's sonnets was the Bible. I heaved a sigh of relief when he left.)

Merry Christmas!

Nothing is Impossible.

I am grateful to the Relief Society Presidency for their lesson this past Sunday. It struck my heart. Each member took a participant of the nativity and discussed the courage it took for them to follow God's command. I am always amazed at Mary. She is living life, trying to do what is right, and one day an angel comes to speak to her. An angel!

"Hail, thou that are highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women...Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor with God."

I wonder at her emotions. I wonder at her range of feelings within seconds. And yet, she answers, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." What an example of faith! She knew somewhat the situation she was diving into head first and still she accepted the calling.

I look at my life and realize that I need to take a page out of Mary's book. Exercise more faith, humility and patience. I see all these changes looming in front of me and I panic. Take a breath, Jen. You aren't being faced with the same magnitude of impossibilities. Things are how they are supposed to be. Everything will work out, one way or another.

I am so grateful for this time of year that reminds me the reason why I continue to try and do my best. I may not succeed often, but nothing is impossible with the Lord's help. I am thankful for His companionship and understanding.

Words to Live By This Christmas Season

He says it so much better than I ever could. I love this man of God.
(Please listen to all messages on http://www.lds.org/)

Happy Happy Birthday Mother Dear!!!

This month is such a special one! It's birthday time for you! I'd really like to celebrate this happy day with you! Zippidy-Aye and Hi-dey Ho! There's something I can do. I'll sing a song that we both know....Happy Birthday to You!

Ten Reasons I love my mother:
10- No matter the occasion, Mom can sing you a song. They make me smile.
9- Her laugh. When she laughs really hard, she doesn't make any noise, she just bounces up and down.
8- Her constantly positive attitude on life.
7- The way she loves my dad
6- Her perseverance. I don't know anyone that could handle everything that has been thrown in her path with so much love and grace.
5- The jokes that she thinks are hilarious...
4- The way she always understands.
3- Mom is a goof! Whatever the circumstance, she provides some way to put a smile on my face.
2- She will do anything for me or my sisters. Come around late at night and you will see.
1- Her testimony! She is a miracle and a tender mercy in my life.
I LOVE YOU Mom! I am so happy that I belong to you.