Life has Seemed to Have Changed A LOT Since I Last Wrote

Wow.....it really has been a while since I wrote on here..... I guess I better do some updating from my last communication.

My Little Minnie Mouse is almost 2!! She is a very independent, strong-willed, intelligent, beautiful little girl and is adored by almost everyone. She is the boss in Nursery and is also the tallest out of everyone but the leaders there. She still has a hard time using words to express herself and has no interest in being potty-trained. She loves Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Paw Patrol, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Sofia the First, and the list is growing everyday. She loves books, outings in the car, and her Boo-boo. For those who don't know, Boo-boo is my baby brother. She likes being with girls more than boys, which is okay for now, except for her Boo-boo.

Hubby is only working one job now. He works many hours to provide for our little family. I am still trying to encourage him to get either more training or go back to school, but nothing is happening yet. He enjoys working with the Young Men at church, most of the time, and playing games like Destiny and Minecraft. He loves being Daddy to our girl, even if she refuses to admit it.

As for me...well... there has been adjusting to being a mom to a strong-willed girl. I had a job with Amazon but that ended a month ago. I barely do anything now with theater or music. I still sing with the chorus, but that might end if I don't get an income to support it. I don't read many books that I want to read, music I like, or TV shows/movies, but I love my life. At church, I am now Primary co-chorister. I like being able to teach the kids music and helping them understand the Gospel in a different way. I have been trying to start up my own music instruction. I still have plenty of work to do before I really can get anything started, but I will keep trying. That is all for now!

So... I haven't been on in a while...

Plenty of things have happened since I last wrote on this thing! Like I am pregnant with our first daughter! She is suppose to come in March but we may never know when the Lord is involved! She doesn't have much now but that will change with at least 2 baby showers on the way and plenty of friends and family who already love her! I cannot wait to meet my little Minnie Mouse, my not-so-little Peanut, as one of her great grandmothers has called her. The doctor is saying she is growing healthy and strong with every visit we take. I am just so darn excited to meet her and learn how to teach her about being a daughter of God and how many people already care for her here on earth!

We are also not in VA anymore. We are slowly becoming residents of Kentucky! I never seriously thought about living in KY as a kid, but now it seems like we can hardly live anywhere else! We are renting a small, brick home in a good, fairly quiet neighborhood. Just have to wait to get all the utilities turned on, the weather to warm up, and furniture moved in and it will be close to perfect! I am glad to be living in a place where we can really start a strong foundation for our family. The ward we are living in is full of friendly people. Hubby is called as the Teacher Quorum Adviser and I am the Ward Nursery Leader. Did you think the Lord was trying to prepare us? I think so too!

Hubby is working 2 jobs. I am learning about pregnancy and adjusting to Peanut's movements. I also arrange music in my own free time for church use mostly and still trying to figure out how to be a wife.  I have joined the local Sweet Adeline's chorus in the area with my mom. We are both singing bass and are having a fun time with it! We have a few friends here and are blessed to have many of my family close by to help out too! 

My brain seems to have stop working. I think that is all the real big updates. My brothers came home from their missions with honor and are now at school in Idaho. Monkey Man has been diligently working on leaving for his mission. Snicker-doodle is struggling to survive her last year of high school before she has a summer of fun and getting ready for college. Little man is doing okay, just praying for his dog Lola to come home again soon. My parents are trying to prepare themselves to be grandparents and just living one day at a time with whatever comes their way and the help of the Lord when they need it. Umm...... I think that is really it for now.

Love all y'all and praying everyone is safe in this crazy weather! So much snow, cold and ice! Anyway, lots of love!    

Movies, Musicals, and Learning about Life

Life has been fairly quiet this May. It rains at least once a week. The days are lazy and long and nights get dark and cold. Time is given to reading books, lazily keeping up with chores, watching movies, and rehearsing for the musical every night except Sundays. This week with the show, I got to learn to imitate ballet and fighting. I still learn everyday about acting and singing for the stage, but the dancing is what excites me most! 

I got to see the new Star Trek movie. It was AWESOME!!! The theater I went to had the volume up really loud, so during fight scenes, explosions, or anything that was just loud, I would bury my ear in Lorenzo's arm. But the storyline, acting, FX, everything was perfect.

One of the books I have read was the first book of the Hunger Games. It was a good book, one that I could read over again in the future. It read like a young girl telling a story, as it should be, not like Tolkien, Hugo, or the more scholarly authors. It was captivating, like many have told me. And yes there are differences from the book and the movie, but what book doesn't? 

Umm... I guess that is it for now. Love you all and see you all soon!  

Beginning Life After College

I have walked the graduation stage, Mitt Romney there to congratulate me on all my hard work. Work on the May Musical, Babes in Arms, is in full swing! I am slowly shedding pounds tapping my feet away, learning more about being in a musical than I can being anywhere else now. Learning how to tell the story with others, singing on stage, dancing, and being able to really connect with people in the cast, not as management, but as a cast member and a friend.

Weather has not been good to me here in VA. It keeps changing from rain to sun and my knee, on top of everything else, has been going CRAZY!!!!!! But I have been doing well otherwise. Cannot wait for my brothers to come home this year, sister entering her senior year, mother's day on Sunday, eventually moving out somewhere not near school.

I have nothing else to say for now except that I got a haircut! It is A LOT shorter since graduation

. Love you all and hope to see you all soon!!

The End is coming in the Spring

I graduate in 3 months and 7 days from my undergraduate programs. I am blessed to have a husband that loves me and is willing to work for us to be able to live together. A family of loving parents and wonderful siblings that care for me whether I am going through trials or in peace. Friends that love and support me no matter what. Extended family that loves me know matter how often I see them. And finally my Sunday School class. They are some of the most awesome 12 and 13 year-old's I know!

Today in Sunday School we were talking about how we could help others understand our Heavenly Father. An older gentleman walked in asking if he could sit in on our class and I agreed to let him stay. We start the lesson with asking the students if they were able to remember what we talked about last week with learning about the Holy Ghost. They were shy about it at first but they opened up a little. After a while, we started talking about Heavenly Father, who he was and how we understand him. The guest then injects and starts having the kids go through different sonarios of how people question about God and how they can share their testimonies. They really got interested and really started sharing their testimonies! Even one who doesn't participate much even did more than normal! And closed it off real spiritual. He then came up to me after the prayer. He then tells me that he is on the General Sunday School Board! I had a humbling experience today! He said that we need to plan the experience not just the lesson. It was great!!

That was my Sunday? How about you?

Miracles Do Happen

I have been blessed to have seen a miracle in progress this week. Some of you might know that I am the Assistant Director for the musical this fall at school, Little Women. The director, a dear professor and friend, suddenly fell over in pain. He was in the middle of passing a kidney stone. I had only seen my dad go through this on a few occasions in high school. He never reacted the way my professor did that Thursday night. I saw this man curl up in pain once I got him to his car, screaming terror from the pain. I was scared out of my mind. He then turned to me and yelled "Get out of here. I don't want you to hear this." I closed his car door and ran. I walked back into rehearsal and the youngest member of our cast asked to have a prayer in his behalf. I was so touched at that moment of faith. We must have prayed at rehearsal 3 times for him to at least find some comfort while in his pain. Found out he also got a blessing from two of the men in our cast and then was driven to the ER for further care. 

After rehearsal, the cast decided to have a fast for the professor so he will be able to overcome the kidney stone, find comfort, help his family, and give inspiration to him, the stage manager and me to figure out how to go about rehearsals until he has a full recovery from this kidney stone. So, most of us fasted on Friday until about the hour before rehearsal. As much as it was a bonding time for us as a cast, it brought time for us to see what our sacrifice was for. When the time for rehearsal came around, in walks our dear professor with his wife and adult daughter. What joy was brought in that room! Everyone applauded and hugged and smiled. He was only with us for an hour, but it was a blessing and a miracle all the same! We are still praying for a full recovery, but he is doing much better with the help of good pain medication. 

So, life at SVU goes on and the Lord shows us that He does listen and care for us all.

Senior Year!!!

I realize that I am horrible about keeping up with this blog! I can only hope that I can get better eventually.

Anyway, this past September began my senior year at SVU. Can you believe it? I have been at this great and expensive school for 4 years now? I hardly can! I am on track to graduate April 27, 2013 with Bachelor degrees in Music and Theatre. The work load though is amazing. I am constantly doing something everyday. My class list this semester is:

• Music Theory III- learning how music is made closer to what we hear from modern composers
• Acting III (Musical Theatre)- learning how to act while singing and some possible dancing
• Music History I- learning music's history from Ancient Greece up to Bach in the Baroque period
• Scenic Painting- learning how to paint for the stage (this class is a lot harder than it sounds!)
• Orchestra- playing percussion for whatever pieces Professor Taylor decides to have us play
• Wind Ensemble- similar but I am first flute 
• Aural Skills III- training my ears to hear music events and sounds
• Piano lessons- yup, picked that up again
• Performance Attendance- yes this is a real class
• Production Workshop- learn how to work behind the scenes of the theatre so all performances run as smoothly as possible
• Senior Project- consisting of acting as Assistant Director for Little Women, the musical we are performing this semester, compose a percussion score for that show and perform it. I also had to perform percussion for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. That show did REALLY well! We even took it on the road for one performance.
• Sunday School Teacher- with my husband, we teach the amazing 12- 13 year olds in our ward. Some of the best youth I know!
• Relief Society Chorister- leading the music in the RS meetings on Sunday

I think that is it... if not I will let you know! This semester has been busy, tiring, exciting, and fun. There would be very little I would change about it. I better go, I think the dishes are calling my name (ugh). Love you all and I hope that I can see people at Thanksgiving!

New Year, New Classes, New other things

So, Life has started to become interesting again. Let me start with Christmas break.

I got to go home for a couple of days to see my big, little brother who was visiting from BYU. It was nice to see him and catch up with him on how our lives are going. I also got to see my best friend in the world and hear about her life in college. It sounds so exciting and I am glad she is making new friends but still has time for me.

After that, I went to my husband's family Christmas party. It was fun meeting more cousins that are now mine and getting to know the other members of my new family. Christmas day, we woke up and had pancakes with grandma! They were so good! We then drove back home so he could go to work. I know! He had to work on Christmas! Sad, huh?

The rest of the break I had to survive through cabin fever. Most of my friends went home for the holidays, including my close relatives here. I got real bored. Then the new kids of school came in and the school took whoever wanted to go on an ice skating trip! I was so excited! I rode with two cousins and had a blast! I even broke my frames of my glasses from falling! They were an easy fix though.

Classes this semester are fun, a lot of work, and so interesting to learn about. More complex theories of music, how to conduct instrumental music, how to act for film, and so much more! I am still the Relief Society chorister and a visiting teacher. I hope to post more when there is more. Love you all. Y'all come back now, y'ah here?

Pride & Prejudice and other life stories

Following the example of my younger brother and updating my blog too. This week was pretty good. We opened the show Pride & Prejudice this past Friday. The audience was great! We sold out the first night and almost the second! The cast was so pleased with themselves with the job they did both nights.

As far as church goes, I am officially the Relief Society chorister. I don't think I will ever get out of conducting now. XD Fun for me!

School wise, I am doing fine. Classes are challenging but fun to learn about!

Lorenzo is a 2 job man with a job at Wendy's and at the local gas station owned by a member of the bishopric!

Well, I love you all and I got to go! See you at Thanksgiving!

Jennifer Smith and the Year of Big Changes, book 3

Hello everyone! Sorry for the long break, but some big things happened to my family and me this summer. First off, Daniel is now serving happily in the Boise, ID mission for 7 weeks and is loving every minute of it! Yay for him!! I love my big brother; I miss him but I am glad he is happy! Brandon is waiting for his call to come in any day now!! Yay for him too!! Stephen is at BYU in Provo, UT. To hear about his adventure, read his blog! As far as I can tell he loves it out there with his friend Tanner and the girls from his FHE group. Rebecca is playing Melophone in the marching band, French Horn in concert band, and trying to survive sophomore year of high school. Nathan is now in 6th grade and in the middle school with a new teacher and a class right by the band room... I sometimes wonder how that goes...

As for me, I got married this summer! I am now the lovely bride to my love Lorenzo Jacob Harris Smith. We live in Virginia, in the same town where I go to school, attend church, he works security for Target, and we are happy and surrounded by great friends and family. School is going great and I am learning a lot. Umm... We will let you know if anything changes! Love you all!

Extra! Extra! Read All about Me!

Hey Everyone! I hope all is going well. Anyone who read my last blog knows about my great- grandmother and that situation. Well, what I had heard last is that after spending a week in ICU and watch, she is safely home with my grandmother. Nothing recent about her health though.

Last weekend was amazing! I went to Blacksburg, VA with boyfriend Lorenzo Smith, his cousins Samantha and Angel, and his friend David. We stayed with cousins Chris and Serena. We played apples to apples regular and reverse versions, watched the movie Charades with Audrey Hepburn, and we watched Tin Man, a sci-fi spin on The Wizard of Oz, which was actually really good. Sunday we all went to church together, leaving after sacrament meeting, having an adventure in Roanoke, and watching the Karate Kid with Jackie Chan and little Smith at Jeremy and Marrissa's house. Amazing.

The next few days kinda stunk and not fun, except that I did well in my interview for RA. Thursday, I auditioned for The Wizard of Oz we are performing in September! I find out the results of both this week! Friday, I played in my wind ensemble concert and watched the movie Tangled with my friend Johanna Shiraki. I then got to stay the night with her watching the Pixar Short films late into the night.

This weekend was the annual General conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- Day Saints. It was AMAZING!! It gave me plenty to think about for the next 6 months... a lot...

I will try to keep you posted on what is new, but no promises. Love you all!

my life as of now...

So, I have enjoyed a good Spring Break at home with my family and friends. Since coming back, classes have been going well, I am the assistant director of the May musical Man of La Mancha, and enjoyed being with friends at Stake Conference. I am still with my wonderful boyfriend Lorenzo Smith and we are learning more about each other everyday.

On the other hand, I am learning to deal with handling the decline of health of my dear great- grandmother, Juanita Robinson. I think I can come to deal that if she passed away, but I don't think I can handle if she were not comfortable while passing. I also think that my grandparents need some comfort as well. We just need some prayers in our family right now.

Umm... I really can't think of anything else to say so... until next time.... :)

New and Exciting

So this weekend, I went out on my first date I have had since last semester. It was with a wonderful guy named Lorenzo Smith. He treated me like a princess the entire time we were together. On Friday, we watched the new movie I Am Number Four. It was slow, lots of high schoolers were talking, Justin Bieber blasting from another theater, but good. They could have done so much more. We then went to his cousins'/my friends' house to hang out. When he dropped me off, he gave me my first kiss! Oh my... I didn't know what to think! I was happy but I was surprised that it was happening to me! We had decided to become an official couple before then but it was still a lot!

Saturday, I had rehearsal for the oratorio the Music department is performing soon, The Redeemer, in the morning, homework for lunch, and watching Scott Pilgram vs. the World with Lorenzo eating homemade spaghetti. That was also slow for me but funny. Many recognizable faces were in there, like the new Superman from Superman Returns, Syler/Spock, and many more.

Sunday, we went to church together. After church we went to his cousins' house again and watched the movie The Time Traveler's Wife. It was good and not slow! Probably one of my few favorite chick flicks.

Today, he went home to his far-away school and we miss each other much. That is my life right now. Have a good one!

Life is... Interesting... to Say the Least

So SVU has been kinda interesting this semester. I auditioned for the play 12 Angry Jurors, and I didn't make it. Not heart broken, there will be other chances. A few of my close friends are graduating this spring, so I will see less of them in the future. Classes are going pretty well. Plenty of work to keep me out of trouble. Still doing band stuff and I'm still the greeter for Relief Society.

I do not have a boyfriend and I don't think I want one for a while. Even though, having a guy with you when it's cold is a good thing.

A friend from school is leaving for his mission in Ogden, Utah on Wednesday, so it will be weird not to see him at church anymore.

And... it's cold. No snow, just cold. Not something I like about winter.

So that is all I have for now, I guess. I love you all and I hope to hear from you soon!

There's a light at the end of the tunnel

So, it's been a while. I'm sorry. I'm finished with classes and started finals. I finished aural skills this morning, with 5 more to go. Saturday, I watched a Star Wars marathon with many of my friends, with a pause for a Secret Santa gift exchange.

Yesterday, I performed my first flute solo in sacrament meeting for the ward Christmas program! I played The Nativity Song from the Children's Songbook because it is one of my favorites! The congregation loved it, but I knew better. I also sang in the ward choir. Yes, I'm coming out more with my talents, I'm so proud of myself! There was a Relief Society activity that talked about the true spirit of Christmas that was really cool. I then was visit taught by Spencer and Justin. Afterwards, we all went to hang out at Kat and Josh Walker's house, watching Dr. Who and just having fun with each other!

Well, I can't wait to be home for the holidays! I love you all and I pray that all is well!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Harry Potter 7 Part 1 Premire

So last night I went to my first movie premire! It was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1! What a first premire! This one will probably be my favorite because it seems to follow the book the most.
The audiance was mostly full of James Madson University students who didn't know how to be quiet! Either they were talking or being loud shushing the others that it was obnoxious. Otherwise we all had fun!

I even dressed up! I went as Hermione Granger, the smart one with good senses. I went with Rachel and Casey Adams, Ginny Weasley and Harry Potter, Justin Bowes, Kathy Gilmer, Ashley Wilcox, a random Hufflepuff student, Mariel and Erik Kunz, Molly Weasley and Hagrid, Nathan Taylor, Remus Lupin, and Arielle Tanner, Luna Lovegood.

I dedicated my night and costume to Mrs. Susan Miller. She was a teacher I had for the Harry Potter club in middle school, becoming my dear friend. She passed away my senoir year of high school from cancer, I think it was lung cancer but I'm not sure. So, this is her Little Hermione all grown up and remembering her.

Oh November!!

This month has been like Diamondback at King's Island, crazy and everywhere.

Academically, classes are going well and you can tell the end of the semester is getting closer. Final papers, harder exams, stressed out freshman, and all that fun stuff. Classes have been going pretty well for me, not that I don't have my challenges, but they haven't been miserable.

Spiritually, things have been good. I am now the Relief Society Greeter for my ward! Yay callings! And everyday I gain a stronger testimony of the church and the Gospel.

Socially, it has been crap. I won't go into detail here because if I want you to know, I will share with you personally. But I'm getting stronger one day at a time, putting a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

But it was made better with also conversations with people who are involved and dear friends and family. Which surprised me with a visit this past friday!! It was amazing!! I definately needed them at this time!

And if any one know who this is, Charles Manuel came and talked at our school Friday. He remineced most of the time about growing up in BV. He just kept talking and talking... it took forever! Not that I don't apprecitate that he took the time to visit, he just liked to talk.

The Wind Ensemble concert on Friday went well. The music was an overall success. We played Jupiter from Holst: The Planets, and Sweringen and Susa, and other great musical bits.

I pray that you all have a good week!

Happy Halloween!! I hope everyone had a good holiday!

If you haven't seen it on Facebook or haven't heard it from anyone else, I am single again. Justin and I broke it off mutually and we are still close friends. I'm over him, mostly, but I'm getting over it a day at a time.

School has been schooly and life is life-y. Partyed this weekend with friends for Halloween and had a ball!

I also gave myself bangs!! I haven't had these since elementry school! Crazy! I like them but I still have to get use to them.

So that's all folks!

Life Goes On

Yes it has been a while since I have posted anything, I'm sorry. Life has been happening and it's been a joy ride.

As those who are members know, we had General conference 2 weeks ago. My favorite was, of course, Elder David A. Bednar. He gave a great talk on the Holy Ghost. Then the hymn "Now Let Us Rejoice" really touched me like never before. It was awesome!! I also was found worthy to hold a temporary temple recommend by my bishop so I could do work the coming Tuesday.

Monday was a typical Monday, not wanting to get out of bed and so on. Tuesday, after pulling an all-nighter, went to meet others to go to the temple at 5 in the morning. I slept like a baby the entire ride up. I woke up just in time to hear my name get called to remind me of going to do baptisms and quickly change. I had the best time! I also later helped with putting up the Christmas lights on the trees around the grounds with Justin. Afterwards, we left and decided to visit his family for a while. We got home late that night because I had misplaced my purse, but was found by a friend and given back later.

Thursday, after all my classes and my homework was finished, Justin and I went to Harrisonburg to meet with his high school friend Brittany. She is a theater major and is really random and fun! We ate at a Greek restaurant! It was SO good!

Friday was the beginning of a great weekend. Mom and Brandon came to visit for Parent's Weekend. Justin got to visit with Brandon, roommates their freshman year, and we all ate at Applebee's. Later, Justin and I performed in the Homecoming concert. It was amazing! Many people enjoyed my cymbal and bass drum "solos" in Dance of the Comedians and The Firebird Suit. We then had ice cream at Alexander's, owned by our own Nate Pence.

Saturday, Welchs went shopping at Walmart and bought plenty of food! We then went to the football game, which we won! Justin and I played in the Pep Band and had fun cheering on the team. We then got ready for Stake conference and the Homecoming dance. Yes, we attended both. I got a whole lot out of the session. 2 investigators spoke!! That is amazing itself! The dance was fun and there was much smiling and laughing as there was dancing.

Sunday was the general session of Stake Conference. It was a great session as well. Mom and Brandon left that afternoon and life has been pretty normal since.

That's what is up with me and SVU. I can't wait to hear from you all! I love and miss you!

Counting My Blessings

I know I'm not going through anything rough now but I feel like I've been blessed more since last Saturday.

Before I started dating, it seemed like I had a testimony of things in the church, but also kinda going through the motions, just doing something to do it. Afterwards, I've changed my attitude about reading scriptures, praying, journal entries, and everything church related. I even bore my testimony about that one youth conference that the 4 oldest Ohio Welch youth went to a few years ago. After I was done, a priesthood holder stood up and said that I gave him the confidence to share his with the congregation! I wonder if the missionaries feel as excited as I did when they go teach people.

Thursday, I was in a group that presented information on A Midsummer Night's Dream for an Intro to Theater History class. The professor was excited that we got people in class to participate the way audiances did in his time! He was happy and talkitive on the positive of the presentation, I believe that we got a really good grade!

Friday, Justin and I double dated with our friends Tim Knouker (pronounced no-ker) and a girl named Jo. We ate at Lee-hi's, watched Toy Story 3, and his high school James Bond movie. It was good for a high school production.

Saturday, we had breakfast together, did homework, had a photoshoot with his dad, and played in the Pep Band. It was his first time ever to play Quads and he did an excellent job! He also helped in getting things to and from the stadium, even was helpful to our baritone sax player who had an allergy attack and had to go home. It was fun!

Katrina James, a friend from last year, and I watched the Relief Society broadcast at my mod because we got finished with band things 5 minutes before the broadcast started and we knew we couldn't make it to the stake center on time. President Monson was our favorite! He talked on not judging others in a comical and serious way that really makes you pay attention.

That's all I really got to say. I hope to hear from you all soon!