Jared's 20th Birthday

Jared's birthday was July 2nd, but I realized I never wrote a post about the package I sent! So here it is :) I sent it from here in Italy, with only items that I brought over from America. When I asked him what he wanted for his birthday, all he could say was "American snack food" haha so this is what he got :) Some of his favorites. 

Beef jerkey

Cheez-Its (his fave)

Combos

Oreos

Popcorn

Some Italian candy

Balloons

A birthday card with 5 euros inside telling him to go buy some birthday gelato :)

a Memory card with a birthday message from me.

And of course, a long letter.

Also, I made a shirt that says, "This is My P-day Shirt" that I thought was pretty funny. It also has a little message on the inside of the shirt. I used fabric paint and painted a heart right where his heart would be when he wears it. On the inside of the heart I painted "Your Desiree" because he has my heart :)

And last but not least, this tie that I made before I left :) 

I know he's gonna love it if the Italian mail system ever decides to let the package show up at the mission home. Keepin' my fingers crossed. 

ALSO

I celebrated his birthday even though we couldn't physically be together :)

Only one more birthday away from each other until we'll be together for all of our many birthdays to come :) 

I'll Be Back :)

I just wanted to let ya'll know that I'll be back on this blog in 3 1/2 short months (aka Jan. 16th) :)

I was debating between starting a whole new MG blog for Jared's mission. But I decided on just keeping this one :) I'll slowly just start switching things over from the first missionary, to the second. 

Since I've been out of practice of being an MG since March, I've been planning all these amazing packages and ideas that I can't wait to share with you :) 

I just wanted to let you guys know that...

Merriest Christmas Ever!!

I will never forget this Christmas. It was the first year I actually "came home" for Christmas. It was the first year without my sweetheart. It was the first Christmas since I've lived in Utah where there wasn't any snow on the ground. It was the first Christmas I got to skype with him :) It was the first year where I wasn't too excited about opening any of my presents because I had already opened my package from him. And nothing beats his presents :) Basically... This Christmas was amazing. Here's a little view of it:

We got so much time to talk. I really am one lucky girl :) 

"Ok I'm gonna take a picture"

"Should I do this?"

"Yes. It looks great :)"

I opened this package in front of him over skype :) so he got to see my reaction. And let me tell you. I was freaking out. I got the one thing I've been wanting for SO long!! His name tag!!! I also got:

One of his ties soaked in his cologne <3

A memory card with 30 videos <3

An amazing light up glass keychain with our picture etched inside <3

A little scarf <3

A card with Hungarian money inside <3

And of course, an amazing letter <3 <3 :) :) 

I am in love with it :) and him :) he's seriously the best.

A few weeks ago Preston asked me to email him some pictures. So I said, 

"Of course! Here are a couple of my favorites. Am I allowed to know why you randomly need these pictures?"

"I just love you so much :) is that a good enough reason? :) Because you are the love of my life!! :)"

"Ok..."

But now I know why he needed pictures. For this :) :) ^^^ I freaking love it!!! Without fail, he gets me thee best gifts every year.

I wore the cologne soaked tie all day. Who wouldn't? You can't really see it but I'm also wearing his name tag <3

My sister gave this to me for Christmas. She knows me all too well :) 

Last but not least, the same sister gave this JB poster. I'm seriously so excited about it :D

Like I already said, I will never forget this Christmas :) Only one more to go before he gets home! And only 136 days till Mothers Day..... :) 

Here's a little thought on talking to him at Christmas. It was the best thing in the world. We weren't awkward, we just laughed and talked like he never even left :) And I mean waiting hasn't been getting harder as time goes on or anything. But it recharged my waiting battery 110% :) But for those of you who didn't get to talk to your boys, you are also lucky, in a way. I wouldn't say that I had a "post phone call crash" but as soon as hung up, a little piece inside of me felt as though I was back at the beginning. Cuz for those couple hours that I got to talk to him, it felt like he was home. And hanging up felt like saying "see you later" again. Of course I was still happy :) but it just made me miss him a lot more than normal. I'm fine now though :) In fact, I'm more than fine. I am so freaking pumped for this next year! I am so excited for the packages that I have planned :) I'm not worried that waiting will get hard during these next 14 months. Because I know it won't :) I'm living my life, writing him every week, praying for him every day, focusing on myself, and just having fun :) He's still on my mind 24/7, but that's just because he's always with me. Always in my heart. Which is why I feel like I can be happy, and enjoy everything that this next year will bring :) I just can't wait!!

Anniversary Package to Him :)

I sent this envelope package to Preston today for our anniversary next week (July 8th @ 1:13am) :D

I know he's gonna love it :) It's nothing that special, but it's still special :) It consists of:

• 20 pictures (mainly from the st. george MG roadtrip and just summertime)
• A candy necklace. Candy necklaces have always been our thing :) 
• 8 page letter
• A "What I Love About You" book that I got from Walgreens. Can I just say, best thing ever! I highly suggest it. It asks questions and has fill in the blank pages. Questions like, "Our favorite memory together is" and "If it wasn't for you, I never would have:" and "If they made a reality show about us, It'd be called:" it was just really fun and I know he'll love it :) 
• A DVD! He asked for it :) It's 16 minutes long of all our memories on video along with a slide show at the end to "Our Song" which is I Swear by All-4-One. 
• And his favorite beef jerky. It couldn't be all lovey dovey stuff, right? :) 

So then of course, I got this from Preston the other day.

And he said I can't open it till our anniversary. How could he do that to me? I am going crazy. And I know it looks like a normal envelope with just a letter.. but it's not. It has stuff inside it :) a few little items... and.. I CANT WAIT! (I just noticed that the envelope matches my bedspread lol) 

Countdown till anniversary: 9 days

Letter Fast is OVER!

For you girls in the MG group, you know I've been venting lately about my recent lack of receiving letters. Today marked 3 1/2 weeks without a letter and what do I wake up to?
My mom was waving a letter in front of my face! Pretty sure I was still half asleep but all I could say was, "Nooo wayyy!!!!!!!"

I can't even tell you how amazing it was :) And look at everything that was included! It was worth the wait :) This is what was included:

1. The letter :) 

2. The 13 Articles of Faith in Hungarian :) 

3. A bunch of missionary cards :) 

3. A coupon for a big mac in Hungary :) 

4. Yes, those are cookies :) They're called, "Jó Reggelt's" and they are so good :) 

5. Two Hungarian coins :) 

It's safe to say that I'm beyond happy, and the first day of June has started out wonderful :) 

Easter Package

Today I worked on Preston's Easter package :) I had basically a $10 budget. Plus, he'll be leaving for Hungary 3 days after he gets it, so I didn't want to send him off with a lot of extra stuff. (I made this video right after I got back from the gym so please excuse my lame appearance)