My Third Favorite National Holiday...

OPENING DAY OF BASEBALL!

(The Berry National Holiday is #1 obviously and Thanksgiving is #2)

A few facts for you on this glorious day of the year.

1. The Yankees pounced on the Tigers today (pun intended)!!!!

2. I have a crush on Curtis Granderson! See why here. He can be #3 in my heart.

3. The Yankees have NOT lost a home opening day game since 1982...1982!

4. Rivera became the oldest closer in the history today at the age of 41 years old when he threw his first pitch in the ninth and yes he still has the heat!

5. I LOVE THE YANKEES!

The Beauty of Homemade Crafts

JP thought a J would a lovely addition to the journal

HN and I with the adorable journal she made for her less than domestic VTee (me)!

Thoughts on the Mormon Message Video Contest

As some of you know a few people in my ward decided to enter a Mormon Message video contest put on by our church about the service rendered to me as I live with cerebral palsy. I've learned recently that for some it is surprising to learn that I have cerebral palsy. I do in fact have cerebral palsy. Don't feel bad for not realizing (I fool folks all the time, hehe), I have a mild case affecting my right side, I compensate very well, and up until the last couple of months haven't publicly shared what struggles I face and blessings I receive because of my cerebral palsy.

The experience of working on this video contest has been quite an amazing opportunity. I've been able to sense the impact that I have had on others at times but to hear it verbalized in such kind, loving, and sincere ways has been a very overwhelming and humbling experience. At times I almost felt like I was at my own funeral listening to others speak of me, hehe. The sampling of folks shown in the video is only a glimpse of the amazing people that so graciously serve me. I have been rather blessed to have such love given to me by so very many friends and servants of God. Thanks to each of you. Whether you appear in the video or not please know that I sincerely appreciate the sacrifices you each make in order to serve and love me.

It has been difficult for me to pour out such personal and tender thoughts to a camera, knowing that potentially it could go viral (at this point the viral spread has started), but I'm also recognizing that it is a good way to share my testimony of Jesus Christ. I'm learning also that I'm a little more tender than I let on, sometimes. :)

I hope as people watch our video that they feel of the love that can develop as we serve one another, in large and small ways, that they will have an increased desire to look around them to see who is in need of a helping hand or maybe just a loving smile that day, that they will recognize the importance of asking for and humbly accepting service, and see that as service is given it blesses both the receiver and the giver.

Our Hands His Hands, Our Hearts His Heart

A short film some friends at Church made about the service given to me as I live with cerebral palsy has been selected as a finalist in the International Video Contest for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! It was an awesome experience and I want to share that video with you. To see more of my thoughts on the making of please see my additional post.

1.) Go to http://classic.lds.org/visitorschoice

2.) Then click onto "Amateur - US & Canada (10 videos)"

3.) Click "Next" on the bottom right

4.) Then find our video, entitled "Our Hands His Hands, Our Hearts His Heart" somewhere in the mix. The video has a picture of a girl with curled brown hair.

5.) Click directly on top of the video (it should have a play button) to watch.

TO VOTE:

1.) Make sure the box to the left side of our video is checked, and everything else is unchecked.

2.) Scroll all the way to the bottom of the page, and click "Next" on the bottom righthand corner.

Voting goes until APRIL 4TH! PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS...INVITE THEM TO VIEW AND VOTE!

Thanks for all the support guys!

Love,

Jess

The Greatest Acts of Love

"In a recent message of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Music and the Spoken Word, a story was told about an elderly man and woman who had been married for many decades. Because the wife was slowly losing her sight, she could no longer take care of herself the way she had done for so many years. Without being asked, the husband began to paint her fingernails for her.

“He knew that she could see her fingernails when she held them close to her eyes, at just the right angle, and they made her smile. He liked to see her happy, so he kept painting her nails for more than five years before she passed away.” ¹⁴

That is an example of the pure love of Christ. Sometimes the greatest love is not found in the dramatic scenes that poets and writers immortalize. Often, the greatest manifestations of love are the simple acts of kindness and caring we extend to those we meet along the path of life.

True love lasts forever. It is eternally patient and forgiving. It believes, hopes, and endures all things. That is the love our Heavenly Father bears for us."

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin

Read full talk here.

Did you know that my brother painted my nails for me growing up, because he knew it was important to me? This is also the brother that carried my backpack full of books everyday to and from campus for a year because it hurt my shoulders. He also was the person that walked me to the campus office to finally get a handicap parking sticker. These are acts of charity.

I continue to receive such manifestations of pure love daily from those around me.

As an aside, we joke in my family that the list of husband duties for my spouse are a bit unique compared to most girls' checklists for a husband...mine include things like painting nails, willing to do all the vacuuming and all the tub and floor scrubbing, putting jewelry on me, master at all things zipper related, etc. (just a sampling of the necessary requirements).

"The Lord does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs. Therefore, it is vital that we serve each other."

President Spencer W. Kimball

Brown Eyes...Do You Think We're Family?

The little girl is so adorable...she can't make a straight face for the life of her!

Golfing with Curly and Mo

Curly (my caddie for the day aka Dadio) is not pictured. Golfing with Curly and Mo (Matty) is always "interesting". I'll spare you the details of what Mo did while I was in my back swing but let's just say that I take the game of golf and its etiquette more serious than than these two. ;)

Jess, Am, and Mo

Jess, Mo, and Am

Relaxing while Mo takes his sweet time in the tee box ;)

Rockstar golfer and Mo

Am made this amazing shot on a par 3. It hit the bunker on the left side, bounced, and landed 10 feet from the hole!

Arizona Photo Recap

Reasons why AZ was Awesome:

1. The family

2. Spring Training baseball

3. Golfing

4. Shopping

5. Sleeping in

6. No working for a whole week!

7. The weather!!!

Averina smiling...(the girl loves to frown for pics so this is pretty impressive)

Averina showing off one of her "guns"

Squasher and Brown Eyes

Dadio and Averina preparing to scare Matty

Dadio's attempt to scare Matty

No Weapons Allowed! Squasher and Matty clearly think they were packing this morning.

Time stamp this photo: 12:03 pm, 3/22/11. The first time in years Matty actually smiled for a picture...

What happens when Mom takes the photo when we are not paying attention...

Brown Eyes after two ice cream cones

A's and Cubs game...I am not so sure after this game whether the A's will be any better this season than the last several seasons. Mr. Ohio's predictions may be way off...

Averina chilling during one of the games...

Indians vs Angels (very long and hot game)

You know the Yankees to be true (yes I am bearing testimony of the Yankees here) when you're in Scottsdale, AZ and they have Yankees signs at eateries...the Yankees don't even play in AZ during spring training!

Grateful Gourd 2010 (and a 2009 sampling)

Yes it is 2011 and I'm just getting around to documenting the 2010 Grateful Gourd slips...yet since it is my blog I am taking editor's authority and giving myself the green light this time around. For those of you that are asking themselves: What is the Grateful Gourd? I'll explain quickly. Three years ago HM gave MPR and I a green ceramic gourd at the beginning of November and encourages us to record on little slips of paper each day those things we are grateful for. When splitting up assets with MPR, I was the lucky winner of the GG.

Turns out I didn't blog 2009's GG slips so we'll go in order.

2009 (a very small random sampling)

AH's lemonade cake

Bro Branson's golf analogy

SJ and Japanese night

Visiting with Bike and Diane

Disappointment/Rejection

BT's GPS

KT moving closer

The temple

Hot tubbing

2010 (a larger (yet still small) random sampling)

HN, her level-headed friendship, her willingness to rally the troops

The Water Filter's kind notes

The Carlstons

SS making my bed

The temple!!!

24 hr Walgreens

1.5 pies/person ratio at Thanksgiving!

LS's text message post temple trip

Kate Finlayson, my kindred spirit

LE making bread pudding

JBH bringing spider traps over

Fulfilling my 3 dates in 3 months goal!

CH's flattering compliments, they make me feel even prettier :)

Opportunity to teach Sunday school

My little girls (Sam Jam, Averina, MoCo, and Brown Eyes)

2011 will hopefully be documented in the same calendar year. Everyone should have a GG, in my authoritative opinion.

PS: Did I mention where I store past year's GG slips? The Dr Pepper vintage lunch-box, obviously!

Tuesday...

the better day of the week compared to Monday.

A few reasons why:

1. Lunch with PR and LN

2. A comfy office chair

3. Dinner celebrating BC with a pretty hilarious table of folks...even the pills (you two men know who you are) at the table

4. No-bakes and milk

5. Weekly H&J date...JBH was lucky enough to join this week...Fun night!

Jess Berry Quote of The Day

That it will never come again,

Is what makes life so sweet.

Emily Dickinson

Hearting The Weekend

1. Lots of sleep

2. Deluxe Roast Beef @ Ace of Sandwiches, followed by Andes mints (heart this place)!

3. Froyo + hot tubbing with TB, DB, and KM...very enlightening evening

4. Spending Saturday with the PA family, even if BYU lost it was still a well spent day...the hours spent on that couch are comical therapy sessions for me.

5. AR making dinner for MPR and I (delicious meal), followed by mint chip ice cream (my fav)!

One Week Until...

1. The Boring Berrys reunite

2. Spring Training

3. Golfing

4. Warm and dry weather! (every girl's dream when they are a 25 year old by age and an 80 year old physically and in personality)

5. Playing with Averina and Brown Eyes

6. Relaxing, Reading, and more Relaxing

7. Sun-tanning...who am I kidding...sunburning!

Jess Berry Quote Of The Day!

Taking an interest in what others are thinking and doing is often a much more powerful form of encouragement than praise.

Robert Martin

Celebrating BW!

I've had the privilege to visit teach BW for almost two years now. She is one amazing woman, friend, and one of the coolest engineering nerd I've encountered. On April 30th, she'll be marrying one of my most favorite friends (yes of course I have favorites), BS! Two beautiful people, crazy in love, and almost too mushy for me (only sometimes though). I have named myself the president of their fan club, we have quite the following for these two. Congratulations! Don't you just love BW's veil? ;)

BW and KW

JS, KH, and JB

Beautiful AND Clear Afternoon At The Oakland LDS Temple

The Oakland LDS Temple

A Good Little Patient

Reasons Why I've Been MIA:

1. Botox injections. I know you all thought I was just young and beautiful...my secret is out. I kid, the botox goes into my arm and back obviously. I'll wait until I'm 30 to start botoxing my forehead.

2. I haven't been feeling well so in my spare time I've been letting the doctors "practice" medicine. (i.e. stick me with needle after needle, scan my insides, make me drink the Devil's drink (TANG), and did I mention the sticking of needles? LOTS of needles)

3. Drinking LOTS of Gatorade. The only two flavors worth drinking (Lemon Lime and Cool Blue). Thanks to my Gatorade supplier.

4. Enjoying the fairytale of Peter Pan as CW and NB read me to sleep.

5. Having amazing friends serve me, babysit me, feed me, and listen to my opinions of Tang and Bananas.

(bright and early Valentine's Day morning before a lovely procedure that gave me eight hours of sedated sleep...Happy Valentine's Day to me or Happy Valentine's Day to No One...your call). :)