Sunday Walks and Long Talks

Mark and I love to go on walks around beautiful Logan. I always say that we are going to go for a “run” but then it ends up being a walk J This week I have been able to contemplate a lot about our life and what we have to look forward to. We are living in a basement apartment that is literally on the block across the street from the temple. When we come out our door we can see it, when we look out our window we can see it. We are so blessed to be able to live so closely to such a beautiful temple. I am thankful that I married a man who makes it a priority to attend the temple regularly.

temple

This past week we were very busy in school. It was the third week of school so that means that it was about the time for the first tests, papers etc. Mark and I are able to be up at school the same time with similar class schedules which is really nice. I am really enjoying my classes because they are interesting to me and I feel like it is exactly what I want to learn about. I am taking a dress and humanities class… which sounds easy right? Our first assignment was literally making an outfit out of recycled material from scratch… yeah… not my forte. The professor told us that we could partner up so I partnered with a girl that was sitting next to me. I have learned my lesson… I would SO much rather work on my own then in groups. We just have a different vision of what work ethic is and how much time we want to put into getting a good grade. Needless to say… it is due in the morning… and she still hasn’t gotten back to me with her part of the assignment. I am crossing my fingers that it will turn out good. I will post a picture of the finished product, if that ever happens, ugh!  

The weather has been beautiful here lately so I have decided that we need to take advantage of that. Our house overlooks the valley part of Logan. If we just head out the door and down a little hill there are plenty of places to go walking and lots of really fun parks. I like to be outside to do my homework so I have really enjoyed going to the Merlin Park here in Logan and sitting at the picnic table doing homework. Sometimes we don’t really enjoy homework, but we do it anyways:

I am such a snacker… I love everything that has to do with snacks. But not anymore… I have set a new goal! From now on my snacks will consist of fruit, dried fruit, nuts and granola bars. This is going to be the first week of trying out my new goal… we will see if I hold strong to it! I will keep you updated! :)

Last Saturday we were able to meet up with my good friend Susan Lindley (soon to be Piquet) and her fiancé Kolt and have dinner. It was so much fun to be able to sit and laugh and talk with her. We are so excited for them and I cannot wait to see her on her wedding day. I remember growing up with her in middle school; staying in touch after she moved away and then being blessed enough to go to Western Wyoming with her. We used to have countless talks on our drives back and forth from Wyoming to Idaho about Mark and Kolt on their missions… and now look we will both be married to them! It is crazy how time flies and how much we have grown since then. We are super excited to attend their sealing and to be able to be part of their special day, love you guys!!

We are also very excited to share this news… if you didn’t already know this… My big brother is getting MARRIED! :)  I am so thrilled to have his fiancé Shay be a part of our family. She is such a sweetheart and I couldn’t have wished for a sweeter person to be my sister-in-law. We are looking forward to their wedding on October 27^th! It is so crazy to think that Jordon and I are really grown up now. I remember being little with him and having Aunt Kathy dress us up. Or being in junior high and thinking it was so cool that my older brother was shorter than me ;). Or in high school loving that I had someone to protect me and care for me. When Jordon left to go on his mission I truly realized how much he meant to me and how grateful I was for him. He is one of my best friends. And how could I not love him… he introduced me to Mark!

I feel very blessed to be part of two wonderful families and to have wonderful friends. There is so much in life to be happy about. I think the biggest part about being happy is choosing to be happy. It all depends on how we see the world around us. I hope that I will always be able to have a positive outlook on life and be able to acknowledge the blessings that come into our life. I know that we have a loving heavenly father who wants the best for us and who strives to help us realize our full potential. I know that he knows me that he understands my needs and that he answers my prayers. I am so thankful for the gospel in my life and for the blessing that I have to be a member of this church.  I am thankful for a husband who holds the priesthood and who loves the Lord. I know that if we put our faith in the Lord and trust him he will help us have the little extra ray of sunshine we need to get through the day.  Mark and I feel the blessings of the gospel in our lives. 

sitting on the "blog" bench, our view.

I hope that everyone has a happy week, miss you all and we will see you soon! Until next time…

Love,

Jocey 

He is home... and we are hitched!

We are married :) I love my life!

So much has happened in our lives the past few months and there is so little time to explain how truly happy we are! I have become a horrible journal writer since Mark has been home... so this is my new goal to update our blog once a week with photos and stories from our newlywed life. I am so very grateful to be married to such an amazing man. Mark is such a wonderful husband, I love being able to spend time with him. Well here is our story:

I met Mark  the end of my sophomore year of high school. My older brother Jordon played sports against him and I always thought he was so cute. One day I noticed that Jordon had posted about track on Mark's Myspace page... so I decided to add him. We began messaging back and forth and had talked about going on a date or meeting up sometime. It is so funny how when you are that age you can talk about things like that but when they really come true you don't know what to do haha. I remember watching Mark a few weeks later at district track but I didn't dare talk to him. I think we secretly both knew that we wanted to talk but we both never go the courage. Mark shot me a text that night apologizing for not talking to me and told me that if I went the next day he would talk to me. I begged my parents and Jordon to let me miss school and go back to Shelley to talk to him the next day. Again... I never got the courage to talk to him. Jordon was not going to let that fly, so he went over and got him so we could all talk. I remember Mark and Jordon talked... I barley made a peep.

 Over the next couple months we would text on and off until one day he asked if it would be okay if he came to Rexburg to go on a date with me. I said yes, but my stomach was so nervous! I waited with my mom on July 18,2008 in the formal room of our house looking for their car outside the window. Mark called me to get directions and I had never talked to him on the phone so I was so nervous to answer. He had brought his two best friends Nathan Stokes and Nathan Nooner. I had nothing planned for us to do that night so we just went to Monkey Rock with Jordon and his friends. That night Mark and I stayed up talking for hours in my kitchen. Mark still denies this... but when Nooner came downstairs Mark let go of my hand... must have been embarrassed. The next day we went mini golfing and bowling, which was really fun. Mark ended up going home and I was not sure when I would see him again. Luckily I was able to see him the next week... and now we were official :)

(Us in high school)

To make a long story a little bit shorter, Mark and I dated through the rest of my high school years. Just short of 2 years when he left to serve his mission. One thing about Mark that I always admired was that I knew that no matter what he was going to serve a mission. Mark got his call to Chihuahua Mexico on March 11, 2010 and left on his mission June 30,2010. While Mark was one his mission I was blessed with the 

opportunity to play volleyball at Western Wyoming. We honestly lived two separate lives... but at the same time we stayed so connected. Mark never missed a week of writing me while he was serving. We both grew in ways that I never thought possible during our time apart. I was able to experience new things that made me a stronger and better person while he was able to serve the lord with great obedience. There were great times while he was gone and hard times as well. I missed my best friend so much but I knew that he was doing the right thing. Two years actually goes by a lot faster than you think. Mark came home from his mission on July 3,2012. I was able to go to the airport and be with his family to welcome him home. Mark has such a wonderful family and I am so blessed to be a part of his family. We were engaged within a week of him being home... after 4 years of knowing each other. The Saturday after Mark got home he was able to speak at his nephews baptism. 

While I was listening to Mark there was no doubt in my mind that I should marry him. I knew that I needed and wanted that strong spirited man to be my husband and the father of my kids. I was playing volleyball at Utah State and had to be there in a month so it left us with limited dates to get married. We decided July 27, 2012 would be our special day.... yes we know it was fast but we loved it! After a few really solid days of planning (thanks mom!) our wedding was on its way. We shared a beautiful wedding day with gorgeous weather, friends and family. Mark and I moved to Logan the next week into our cute tiny apartment. We love living in Logan and we love being together. I began volleyball practice and liked it but i found that I was not as focused as I wanted to be. Of course not... I had my best friend at home. I realized that my priorities changed... Volleyball was great for me while Mark was gone but now that I have the chance to be with him and to be a wife my priorities are different. I was blessed to get to know some wonderful girls on the Utah State volleyball team. After deciding not to continue with volleyball I have felt the blessings that have come into my life. I am able to attend the temple more regularly and have more time to be a wife and to spend with Mark. I was reading President Thomas S, Monsons talk entitled "The Race of Life." I really love this talk and think that there is so much to take in from it. You should read it: 

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/the-race-of-life?lang=eng&query=things+matter+most

I have learned that it is so important to slow down and be thankful for all you have. I am so blessed. I have  wonderful family, friends and husband. I am able to live in a great town, get an education and live in a cute apartment. I know that there is so much to look forward to. Were ready to welcome it with open arms.

Until then, we are the Hobbs and this is our story ♥

♥/ Jocey