Looking ahead

There is much to look forward to.... I'm looking forward to the election being over and not having to watch continual ads on t.v. anymore as well as get oodles of phone calls on a daily basis. I'm anxious about the outcome... our country is in such turmoil and it will take extreme measures to right the wrongs that have been happening for many years - I'm not sure either candidate is up to it.

I am looking forward to having all of our family 'home for Christmas'. Even Don's mother is coming.... the first time she has been away from home for Christmas - EVER! She turns 87 tomorrow! So I'm thinking of many ways to make this Christmas 'extra special'.

I'm even being brave enough to look forward to the end of April/first of May.... Millie graduates from Utah State University and we will make another Utah Trek. They are always good trips, but this one will come with changes.... where will she get a job and will we be helping her move?

I'm looking forward to being able to play Christmas music and feeling the relaxation that comes as the soothing melodies permeate our home.

I'm looking ahead to two glorious weeks off of work! I enjoy my job - I enjoy being at home with my family more.

Living in Missouri - away from all of our family is not what I would have 'chosen'. Although this has been a very hard thing for us as a family - it has also been something that has given us many blessings! We never would have experienced the joy of catching fireflies, or the awe of ice storms and floods! We wouldn't have the many wonderful 'friends from the midwest' that will be friends forever! We wouldn't have gained such an appreciation for our pioneer ancestors if we had not made the same trek they did - only in hours rather than months! I'm sure I never would have started using the term 'y'all' if I had not lived in the midwest! And I certainly wouldn't appreciate an arid climate and mountains the way I do now! Living 'away from our comfort zone' as our family was growing up gave us the opportunity to grow together. We didn't have extended family - we had each other and - for good or bad - we were always walking through the trials and joys of life together. We gained a greater appreciation for family. Even now we are somewhat amazed at the closeness of 'the cousins' when they were only together for a couple of weeks each year as they were all growing up. So - although we didn't necessarily 'choose' to live in Missouri - I hope we can say that we have 'lived' here. That we have taken those things that were put in our path and made them stepping stones along the way instead of stumbling blocks; that we learned to grow where we were planted. We are transplants here - we have grown and matured - but our roots are still in Cache Valley. And so - we have two homes.... where we live and where our hearts are.