Feliz Aniversario!

Roses are red,
Violets are blue
Mom and Dad....this letter is especially for you!

All is well in the mission, there's no need to worry
So today I want to talk about a very special date, November 30

On Saturday you'll celebrate 23 years of love, trials, and laughter
So for my letter home this week, I just want to say how grateful I am to be
your daughter

I've been without you guys 8 months now and it hasn't been so easy
But I'm able to be away because we'll be together for eternity

How my parents met? It's quite funny, you know
My dad receieved the call to serve and off he went to Colorado

He went to preach the gospel and bring others unto Christ
And in return the Lord blessed him, in finding a beautiful wife

To be married in the temple meant inside there would be little ceremony
But thankfully they married in Manti, thinking about their future family

First came their love, and then their marriage
Then came baby Jessicah in the baby carriage

Dad studied all day and worked hard mopping floors all night
And then slept through Disney movies with me, but hey, that's all right :)

My cute momma waited tables at the famous restaurant JBs
Then spent the rest of her time playing dress up, baby dolls, and of
course, barbies

Counting the stairs in french with Daddy was our favorite thing to do
We laid in bed counting magical spiders on the ceiling, too

Holding hands and singing to our very own beat
Mom and I would skip sidewalks all the way to 7/11 for treats

My mom and dad were perfect, in my 3 year old sight
They taught me how to say my prayers and to always choose the right

I don't remember much, but I do know I was happy
Especially when three more joined our little family

Homemade Halloween costumes, Barney repeats and birthday parties at chuck e
cheese
They taught me how to work hard, play harder, and to always follow my dreams

So then I grew up and was a bratty teenager instead of a sweet little kid
But their love never ended for me even when my childhood did

Dance competitions and football games, they supported me through it all
Car accidents, math homework, they would always pick me up when I would fall

They took me to seminary bright and early at 5:50am
And although our family nights were crazy, we always tried to have them

Life wasn't perfect, but it was pretty great
Mom took a million pictures of me and my first date

Vacations to Wyoming and spring break trips to Disneyland
And when I graduated high school, they were there for me, my number one fans

I spent my first semester away from them in the freezing cold snow
Studying and making new friends up at BYU Idaho

And not a day passed by without a text from my sweet mom
She always made me feel alright when everything felt wrong

Words can't express how grateful I am for my amazing Dad
Who helped me pay for school and was willing to sacrifice all that he had

But they did it without thinking and sometimes without a "thank you"
So mama and fabs, you'll never know how grateful I am for all that you do

They taught me to remember who I am and let me make my own mistakes
And not just through their words, but their examples which are so great

I'll never forget how they supported me when I made the decision to serve a
mission
Dad helped me with all the appointments and paper work until I had
everything I was missing

We had to go to LA and wait in painfully long lines
But you better believe we made it to the post office at exactly 4:59!

And when I thought modest mission clothes were absolutely impossible to find
My mom stayed up all night shopping for me online

After a hard day with the missionaries and I didn't know if I could handle
Costa Rica
Mommy told me things would be better in the field because everything is
PURA VIDA

They love me so much, enough that I could never doubt it
Hugging my mom at the finish line of our half marathon was absolutely
priceless

After my first session at the temple, I'll never forget the sight
How I felt to walk through the veil and see my mom and dad waiting for me
all in white

So the day finally came, April 3rd, hard to believe
I had to say goodbye to them for a while at the curb of the provo MTC

But packages every week, my mother always knew
Brownies and goodies can always solve the homesick blues

Of all the elders in my district, I saw a little jealousy in their eyes
When we got mail delivered and I had dear elders from them every single
night

I don't think they quite understand just how much I love their letters
They mean the entire world to me and I will cherish them forever

And not a Monday passes when I don't hear from them
My Dad even google earths me to find out where I live

And when I have a hard day here and I feel like I just cannot go on
I literally feel comforted through their prayers and get special hugs from
"mom"

The Lord always blesses me with his tender mercies and blessings
This week I had tortilla soup, just like moms, the kind we always have
around Thanksgiving

I don't know just quite how to explain it, but believe me when I say
Being a missionary has made my love and appreciation for my parents grow
stronger every day

Maybe it's because I've seen families who aren't so fortunate
To have such great parents like mine who are so wonderful and compassionate

During the holidays I miss them the most but am so happy to say
I know I'm meant to be here and I will see them again someday!

The happiest of anniversary to the best parents in all the world
I love and miss you guys so very much, more than you'll ever know!

Your "princess", your "Jecca brat", and all in between
Talk to you next Monday, from your computer screen:)

Love,

Your favorite missionary;)

Mormon Helping Hands..... We had to clean up a Cemetary... Kind of a little freaky