Random Thoughts from Jennifer Vos

I don't like Fred. He drives me nuts.

Tomorrow is Spencer's baptism. Last night I was quiet and Chris could tell I was thinking about something. He asked me what was going on and I told him I was worried about the baptism. I was freaking out because I don't have an embroidered white towel for him to dry off with and I don't have a sign in book for people to wish him well and I didn't get all his relatives to write their testimonies down for him and then scrap them in a keepsake book... I could tell Chris thought I was crazy for a second and then he reminded me that it's the ordinance that's important. My mind went to this talk. Chris is right. It's the ordinance and not all the other junk. Why do I put such an emphasis on the junk sometimes?

Anna is due in 2 weeks. Due to have a sweet, delicious baby brother. I am super excited. We decided that society needs to create special pre-labor retreats for mothers to be. You can go your last two weeks of pregnancy and be pampered. Manicures and pedicures. Room service. Movies and TV on demand. Full library. You can have visitors upon your request. Sounds heavenly. I am in full support of a portion of my tax dollars going to fund these retreat locations. It's definitely better than paying for this. Who's with me?

My friend Jodi had a baby on July 4. He's a firecracker! He weighed 5lbs at birth and is the tiniest human I can remember holding. His mouth is delightful and he is too adorable. I just want to gobble him up. Jodi had some complications after his birth and is doing better now. I was watching her boys last Friday when her husband showed up at the back door with tears in his eyes and said that Jodi needed to see me right away. I raced around to the front of the house, thinking it was the baby. But it was her that had something wrong. I was relieved! Sorry, Jodi! I love you too but was just so happy Nolan was ok. Jodi is doing better. All is well! Hooray!

Our stake dissolved one of our wards due to the fact that attendance is so low. The economy here is so bad and people are moving out looking for better prospects elsewhere. Our ward is getting new families and I am really excited about it. I can't wait to meet everyone!

Go eat this. Now.

Chris went camping with the Boy Scouts from church last weekend. One of the leaders put the keys to another leader's truck in his pocket. Then he swam in Lake Michigan. And was pushed off his raft a zillion times and covered a lot of territory on the beach full of people. Everyone got back to the truck and the keys were gone. You knew I was going to say that, right? So they looked everywhere. No keys. So they said a prayer. Chris and five boys stood on the beach and walked out into the water in a straight line. Did I mention its Lake Michigan? I looked it up. Lake Michigan has 1.2993182339658045 quadrillion gallons of water. They walked a little ways out and then one of the boys steps on something. The keys. Unbelievable. Don't tell me prayer doesn't work. I won't believe you.

When you control the mail, you control information.

I used to love to write letters and get letters. I had an expanding file folder with letters and cards that I wanted to send. I spent lots of money at Hallmark picking out cards that said the exactly right thing I wanted. I bought stamps by the roll. I wrote to my aunts. I wrote to my best friend and her brother in Michigan. I wrote to kids I met at smart camp. I wrote to my grandma. After I went to BYU, I wrote to Anna and my dad. After I got married, I wrote to the lady who was so nice to me at the temple when I got sealed to Chris. After I moved to Toledo, I wrote to my friends in East Lansing. I wrote to everyone.

And I loved to get mail. The mailman used to be my favorite person in the whole world. I loved him and the wonderful letters he brought to me from people all over the place. Was it a love letter or a cute card from my Aunt Mary or just a nice note from my friend Nancy? I would wait all day for the mail. First thing I did when I got home from anywhere was check the mail.

I'm ashamed to say that the internet and email and Facebook ruined me for letters. I haven't written a letter in months. I think the last letter I sent was to my grandma before she died and I had to borrow a stamp from my MIL in order to send it. I have no idea when I bought a stamp last. Why take the time to write a letter out by hand when I can just type a few lines out?

Lately I've noticed that I need to send more letters. My sister is a good letter writer, tho she too uses email alot, she still takes the time to keep in touch with people that are important to her. I need to be more like that. So many of my friends have moved away. I miss them so much and I need to take the time to say hi and find out how they are doing. Today in the mail we got a letter from Chris' cousin, Jay, who is fighting in Iraq. He took the time from fighting a war to send us a letter. I feel really ashamed that I have let this go.

So get ready. Get ready for mail from Jennifer Vos. Cuz it's coming to your computer and your mailbox and your phone inbox. It's headed to you wherever you are...