Thoughts

As I was looking at a picture last week of my grandpa Gilbert in class, the girl I sit next to said "He sure was a handsome man." I have to agree :)
The pallbearers consisted of a son from each family of my mom and her 8 siblings

My heart is full as I think about the past few weeks. My Grandpa Gilbert passed away on February 20th. I was able to go down to Provo, UT for the funeral and spend a few days with family over the weekend. He is the first grandparent myself and my 7 siblings have lost. It is tough. Trying to explain death to Bridger was very difficult. I cried a little when I first heard the news but since we have always lived far away from them, it wasn't surreal just yet.

The closer we got to Provo last Wednesday, the more my heart started to race. I knew the first time I saw my grandma I would cry and I did. Thursday morning during the viewing I cried again as I looked at my grandpa lying so still in his casket. I cried even harder when I took Bridger up to the casket and he said "Grandpa, Wake up!" It was than that it hit me and I realized we are so grateful to know this life on earth isn't the end.

To no surprise it was the biggest funeral I have ever attended. Just a guess there was probably close to 500 people in attendance. My 3 uncles each spoke and shared stories that made me laugh and cry even harder. My aunt Cheryl read my grandpa's life sketch, he was an amazing man. My grandparents raised 9 children, one of which is the greatest mom anyone could ever ask for. They have 47 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren. It's amazing to think that 2 people could start a life that would build up to over 100 people.

When we went to my grandparents house for the first time, Bridger asked if he could go upstairs into my grandpa's room to see him. I started to sob as I knew he didn't understand the concept. He told me "Mom, I want to go upstairs and see grandpa now that he's not asleep in that thing." I tried once again to explain things but 3 year olds have a mind of their own and are very curious.

Thursday night was another viewing at the mortuary in Roosevelt (about 2 hours from Provo) where he was buried. Some 200 more people attended that to pay their respect. Friday morning they closed the casket and my grandpa was buried.

My testimony was strengthened last week. What an accomplishment for a person to touch so many lives and at the age of 81 leave this life knowing "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith..."
2 Timothy 4:7

A few reasons....

(thanks to Jamie and Clark for the cute pictures above)

Why I love these 2 boys....

1. They make me laugh until my stomach hurts

2. They always have a to do list when I'm at school, but when I come home they are still in their pajamas, playing basketball or skateboarding in the basement and the "to do" list still remains...

3. They tell me how much they love me everyday

4. I can just sit and watch the 2 of them laugh and play

5. They bring me treats when I'm at work

6. They fight over who gets to kiss me the most (Bridger usually wins just because he likes to watch Jer's reaction and make him "jealous")

7. They do manly things like spend hours in the garage or watch monster trucks on youtube

8. Most of all, because I have 2 of the greatest "boys" in the world!

This little guy....

said the scripture John 3:16 in primary today. We had been practicing all week and I was so impressed with his effort to stand up and say it in front of about 30 kids. Although he needed a few prompts from me, he did a great job!

Don't worry this was not the outfit he wore to Primary...

I was on the computer the other day and he came in with this "gear" on. He wears the helmet occasionally just for fun and whenever he plays baseball in the house with Jeremy. The claw on his hand is what we bought in Rapid when we went a few weeks ago, he is definitely ALL BOY!

31 weeks and counting...

My sister Shayla asked to see my belly so here it is....I am feeling pretty good. 9 weeks to go until the big day and 13 weeks until I graduate from nursing school!

I have only gained 10 pounds which frustrates my Dr. I WILL gain another 10 pounds before April I'm sure. By the way, I kept having to direct Jeremy what to take a picture of because for some reason he wanted to take a picture right above the belly....Boys!

Finally, some pictures

A few weeks ago I was on the couch when I heard Jeremy say "Bridger, we don't use that much toilet paper!" I had to go see what he was talking about and this is what I found. As you can see Bridger was very confused why that was too much toilet paper. I couldn't quit laughing!
This was the very first time Bridger has ever sat on Santa's lap. He told him about 3 different things he wanted even though Santa thought he was done shopping for him... needless to say Santa pulled through and got him what he asked for the "Hungry Hungry Hippo" game!
I bought Bridger some stickers to put in a sticker book but he found other places for them to be placed :)

His safety goggles were put to good use at bath time, although he couldn't figure out how come they let water in. I explained that he needed swimming goggles that would suction better to his face.

A few more from this little guy

Bridger and I had a conversation today that I must share...

Bridger (crying and wiping tears away): "Mom, daddy said something very rude to me."

Me: "What did daddy say that was so rude?"

Bridger: "He said I'm tired and need to take a nap."

Earlier this afternoon, after his nap of course :) him and I were playing basketball. I missed about 5 shots in a row but Bridger said "Mom, you're amazing at this game but would you like me to move the basket closer to you?" What a confidence booster!

Yesterday, I asked how he got to be so cute and he said "Heavenly Father, don't you know that?"

I watched my friends little baby (she is about 3 months old) a few weeks ago and Bridger just loved her. He even played peek-a-boo with her. As you can see from the picture, she was really interested in the game :)

Each day he gets a little more anxious about the arrival of Arbar. He will often talk to my belly and say "Arbar, this is Bridger-what are you doing in there?" It's amazing because if Jeremy and Bridger are being loud my stomach starts to rumble from him moving so much. I guess that could mean two things- he is going to join in on the fun or be very scared of the 2 crazies...

Our little Bridger...

Lately Bridger has said things that I don't want to forget. Things that I will probably share with his future wife and kids someday. He keeps us on our toes and there is never a dull moment around the Jensen house. Here are few questions/sayings in the last week or two...

He named the baby in my belly "Arbar" months ago, and I guess it has stuck for the most part. He can't wait to be a big brother. He thinks after I have the baby that he will be able to babysit. When we threaten to leave him home, he says " ok I'm big so I will be fine home by myself and I can watch buddy also."

Bridger has decided not only is there a baby in my stomach, he has one in his as well. Just ask Grandpa Jensen what happens if you tell him he doesn't have a baby in his belly (it breaks his heart and almost makes him cry.) By the way, his baby is "Johnny." Last week he was in the bath and out of the blue he said "Mom, how are the babies going to get out of our bellies?" I responded "We'll go to the hospital and out they pop!" (If only it was that easy right?)

We were up in Billings 2 weeks ago for a soccer tournament. My niece Kennedy started to say something about the Pledge of Allegiance. Bridger must have been listening because right than and there he spouted off the entire thing! I was so shocked. I texted Jeremy and asked if he knew that Bridger has the Pledge of Allegiance memorized, he was as shocked as I was. How can a 3 year old memorize something and his parents not know for 5 months! They say it every morning in pre-school. I will remind Jeremy to record it this next week and we'll post it for everyone to see. Next, we will be working on the Articles of Faith.

Bridger and I were playing house this afternoon and he told me "I'm the dad and you are the mom and we have 14 kids. I do manly things like fix the cars and you're a girl." I will be sure and warn his future wife about this one. He has high expectations with 14....

Jeremy often tells Bridger what a good kid he is. He has very obedient days and days where we can't win the fight. Jeremy told him "You're such a good kid Bridge," and he replied "I am huh!"

He threatens he will find new parents if we aren't nice. He also says he is the boss because he is going to be a big brother so he can make the rules.

A few weeks ago I was watching my niece, Rebecca who is about 6 months old. She began to cough and Bridger said "Don't worry Becca, I will get you a cough drop that will make you stop." I reminded him we don't feed babies cough drops and he was very confused as to why we don't.

He loves to hear the stories about when he was in my belly and we called him "Tigger." I had to go to the hospital and have an ultrasound because when I was 13 weeks pregnant my dr. couldn't find his heartbeat with the doppler. When we had the ultrasound done it made perfect sense why she couldn't get a clear heartbeat; there was our little "Tigger" jumping from the top to the bottom of my uterus and even doing flips in between :) He just giggles when we tell him that story.

Corde watched him while Jeremy and I went grocery shopping. He was so helpful unloading the groceries when we got home so I told him we bought him lots of yummy things. He would go through the bags until he found something that looked like it was for him and he would say "Oh thank you mom!" Jeremy bought him licorice and he had a huge smile on his face when he said "Thank you dad, I love those!" We didn't even have to remind him to say thank you. That is a proud moment in a parents' life-well it was for me anyway.

On a final note, he gave himself a haircut a few weeks ago. He looks a little silly but he's a boy so I wasn't too worried. He was very excited and even brought the hair out of the bathroom to give to me. We love him for all the joy he brings to our life. I remind him on a daily basis he can't get any bigger because he has already grown up way too fast.

I will post pictures this weekend of the past month. I was out of school for 4 weeks and didn't blog the entire time! Now I am in my second week of my final semester of nursing school...It makes me smile just typing that :)