A little over 10 years ago I moved to Utah for school. It's hard to believe it's been that long. But it has. With breaks for a mission, the awesome Arkansas year, and summers I've lived here right around 7 years (longer than any other state except NC (especially if you add the years I lived here as a little child)). And of course, those were pretty much all my adult years. So, this isn't going to be a long post about my past decade, but just giving that background to explain why I wanted to come back here before settled in to "real life" and a non-academic schedule (read: no summer vacations). I got to Utah August 1 and have had a great time ever since.
I visited all my favorite towns in Utah: Bountiful (my home away from home in undergrad years and a wonderful refuge in any year), Heber (where Rachel moved when I started law school and was throughout), Duchesne (the most wonderful place to escape and feel like I've lived in another life, leaving me ready to face the "real world" again--even one day there makes me forget everything), and--of course--Provo (my home of so many years). I also threw in some new adventures: trips to Logan (temple and Clarkston's Martin Harris pageant), Monticello (in the south, including an awesome hike), etc.
I visited lots of friends and family--though not enough, still a good number. And I spent quite a lot of time with Rachel, Whitney, Laura and Lietta (who is now 9 months old and tons of fun!).
I went to the following temples: Logan, Bountiful, and Provo. I did sealings, regular sessions AND, for the first time in almost 8 years, baptisms!!! (George M., who just turned 12, invited me and Rachel to go with him and it was fabulous.) Also spent a morning on Temple Square, basking in the shadow of the Salt Lake Temple. And then, to top off the temple and the Utah experience, on Sunday I joined with practically the whole state of Utah in attending the dedication of the Oquirrh Mountain Utah temple--it was a beautiful, inspiring and very special experience. To me, it really was a very fitting capstone since I felt united with the people of an area that I have learned to love very much and it was a highlight in temple worship (temples being one of the main reason for my being in Utah).
On to slightly more mundane, but also delightful parts of the experience.
For weeks I've eaten all kinds of fresh produce and loved it. Corn, watermelon, canteloupe, raspberries, apples, squash (summer and zucinni), tomatos, potatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and probably more that I'm forgetting. I also helped pick/dig produce in Duchesne and Heber. Oh yep, forgot to mention peaches. Mmmmm.
Went to eat a few times. Mostly Asian places, oddly enough: Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese.
I've sung, prayed, laughed, cried, talked (a LOT), clapped, played and reminisced with the beloved people in my life.
And then, as it was all drawing to a close, last night I had one of the highlights of my trip. I spent the night with cousin Elisabeth, who will be a sophmore this year and is living with a house full of freshman (friends/cousin). Listening to them on their first night at college was a trip down memory lane to my first summer and then fall. To remember the amazing people who were about to change my life forever and to the beginning of something that has been so wonderful. To me it was a special experience to listen to them. And it was also so good to listen and feel how very, very far away that all was and how ready I am for a completely different phase in my life. But oh, how I love Provo and what it has been to me.
I love Utah. I love the friends, the more-than-friends friends, and the family (near and extended). I'm so glad I got to come back and take this final, closing tour.
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