septembre

 

 

 

[Alexandria, VA] Another month has flown by & a lot of changed has happened. A few doors have closed but many new ones have opened. I said goodbye to nannying & hello to reality. I absolutely love my new job & the people I get to be around have inspired me to succeed. The graphs, charts, numbers, phone calls, coffee making, & filing is all worth it because of those I am surrounded by. Over labor day weekend we got the chance to travel down to Charlottesville & watch the BYU vs UVA game. I can honestly say I have never been so passionate about football until I married Adam Jacobs. Even the thunderstorm & rain delay didn't stop me from screaming my lungs out.We also got the chance to venture around the National Mall & soak in pieces of art at the National Gallery. I could almost hear Professor Swensen & Professor Jensen's voices behind me (seriously). It made me miss BYU a little bit & the experiences I had while I was there. But I am so grateful that that door has closed because then I wouldn't be here in DC with my Adam. I wouldn't be strolling through Old Town every day, or paddleboarding on the Potomac River, or tubing on Deep Creek Lake with the Gerard's. I wouldn't have the opportunity to expand my ideas and understanding of the different cultures and mindset of east coast people. God has really pushed me to believe in myself & to stand a little taller in all aspects of life. This is the place that has forced me to make decisions of who I want to be as a wife and mother. My past doesn't not define me; even though it is huge apart of who I am. I have taken those weaknesses and have made the decision to destroy them. I know that Satan has the power to influence you for worse due to the fact that he wants you to suffer as himself. Each day we are given the gift to choose how we are going to respond to the hardships we face. I choose to face them with a smile.

You did

not

come this

far

to walk

away

without the

v i c t o r y 

.

 

 

 

 

Life Lately

[Alexandria, VA]

Life has been a little hectic lately ; but let's be real, when is it not? There is always a birthday, plans that need planning, cleaning that needs to get done,  meals that need to be made, etc. Life never seems to slow down, especially for the Jacobs family. Over this past month, I have accepted a new job! Which means moving time. Which means searching for an apartment. Which is more difficult than we thought due to our circumstances. The Tarrance Group offered me a position as their Staff Assistant. I will be answering phones, working on graphs/powerpoints dealing with research data on upcoming political campaigns. I have a variety of mixed emotions because I do love watching Ava, having the flexibility to do whatever I want & be a "mom" but I am excited to take on this challenge of learning something new & being in an environment that I honestly never would've chosen. But the fact that this job just fell into my hands, we have to take it! (It offers health benefits as well which is a mega plus) I start this Tuesday so please say a little prayer for me! Lake Powell came & gone too fast. Adam went to Utah & I headed back to DC so we had the opportunity to be apart for a little while. To be honest, I needed those days to help me realize how grateful I am for Adam & how he is my everything. It was the first time we'd be apart since we've been married & it was tough! I am the biggest baby but thank goodness for nail salons, RedBox & Kinfolk magazine so I could craft/keep myself busy. I forgot how much I love to collage! Creating something out of something else is the best way to distress. I've been trying to do a lot of my favorite things this past week with Ava because today is actually the last day of my nannying career. She is such a ball of energy & I am going to miss watching elmo, despicable me, curious george & finding nemo. I'm going to miss the children's museum, the splash pad, & all the different parks we would visit. I'm going to miss Costco, Target & Trader Joe runs. Thanks miss Ava for helping me grow up out here. You've taught me patience, how to love, & how to control my temper. I am so grateful for your spirit & I hope that your next nanny loves you as much as I do! I'll always remember this summer as a summer of growth. 

Most obstacles

are 

i n s p i r a t i o n. 

lake powell

 Wahweap Marina

Here are a few shots of our trip this past week. I decided to take out the camera the last day & capture pieces of everyone (even though this isn't everyone). It was a treat to have our family & closes friends come to enjoy the sun & water with. There is something about house boating trips that creates this bond in which everyone feels this sense of unity. Like we are all working together to accomplish a certain goal. This goal includes making sure everyone is safe, not sunburnt, has at least two bruises from tubbing and that everyone is having as much fun as humanly possible. Of course there were headaches, broken ribs, sore muscles but that isn't what keeps you from trying. Failure is necessary in order to learn. Don't cross it out in your mind that you are inadequate to do something you've never done before. Believe it can be done and then go out and do it.

Train your mind 

to see the good in

e v e r y t h i n g 

.

butler's orchard

[Germantown, MD]

Yesterday, I decided to take Ava to a blackberry farm & sneak a few photos of her. Since her 2nd birthday is this friday, I thought it would be perfect to then frame some of the photos for her parents. It was quite the adventure out there but well worth the trip. Maryland is gorgeous during the summer! I am so lucky to live to close & to have fresh fruit to take home & enjoy! This is probably my favorite thing I've down out here in DC & I have yet to drag Adam along with me (he's in for a real treat). Hopefully my kids will be as obedient as Ava was during her photoshoot. Parents around me kept complimenting on how "my daughter" stayed so still! It was hilarious. Honestly I think Ava liked being a model because she was listening to me, standing still in an open field, always insisting to wear her hat & kept holding the bucket of blackberries rather than throwing them on the ground. I was so proud of her & am so excited to celebrate her 2nd birthday this weekend. I love you my Ava! & am so grateful to be your nanny.

While we try & teach children all about life,

children teach us what life is all about. 

weekend of nausea

[Deer Creek, MD]

My Adam is too good to me. This past weekend we went to the Lumineer's concert for date night & sang our hearts out with all the other 50,000 people there. I will be honest & say that I even cried a little (which isn't anything surprising, I cry almost every day) but they were incredible live. On our honeymoon, their one & only album played on repeat over & over again. So there was an extra emotional pull on my heart. On top of this, we got invited by Jack & Lauren Gerard to their beautiful cabin out on Deer Creek. Ever since I was two months old, my family has been a lake/water sport kind of family. We were fortunate enough to venture every year either to Lake Powell or Lake Mead & will be heading out there in a few weeks (literally cannot contain my excitement!!) So you can only imagine how happy I was to take an adventure out there. Sunshine wasn't on the forecast for that day but that didn't stop us from spending time in the water (Mike & Jenna Anderson were troopers at getting up on the wakeboard for their 2nd-ish time) Everyone was feeling the soreness of every muscle coming but yet again that didn't stop us from riding almost every single ride at the County Fair down the road. A group of cute girls also came out from New York to join us that day (Alyssa Lewis, Janelle Worsley & Alex Adamson). Of course we played the name game & had tons of mutual friends which always seems to happen in the Mormon world. I think after the Lumineers concert, wakeboarding, lack of sleep, too much ice cream & continuous upside down/loose your stomach rides, I was just about to pass out. I put my body through absolute misery all for my own entertainment & pleasure. Thank goodness for Sunday's because we needed a day for recovery after this weekend of nausea. & thank goodness for friends because without them, life wouldn't be as enjoyable. Of course there is Adam but having other relationships really build different connections with people who are going through the same thing you are. They are there to inspire you, motivate you, & be there for you. I cannot imagine my life without friends & it hurts me thinking that there are people out there who don't have any. The best way to make friends is to be one.

I believe in angels, 

the kind that heaven sends.

I am surrounded my angels,

but I call them by friends. 

p.s I know Adam's beard makes him look 10 years older & 30 pounds heavier. 

But he's still sexy.