That was then...

   I was recently looking through pictures from High School...boy am I grateful that that chapter of my life is DONE! :) I've talked to so many people here that have all these stories from high school and how much they loved it. I can honestly say...I miss homecoming and I miss playing volleyball. I miss (most) of my awesome small-town school teachers and the easy work load of high school. That's about it. There are a very select few friends that I miss and that I will always be friends with. For a large part however, I hated high school. It was an experience that I had to endure, but I am so grateful that it is over. I am loving college! Especially here at BYU! Even the work is 100 times harder, I love it! I feel like the people I'm meeting and the friends I'm making...will be life-long friendships and memories that I will never forget!
   One of my roommates, who's from Utah, went home this past weekend and when she came back Sunday afternoon, she was telling us about going back to her home ward. She was explaining to us about these friends from high school who she thought were going to be such good friends and that they would always stay in touch. However, she just felt so left out and just out of place. I can so relate. I'm so looking forward to going home for Christmas to see my family and those select few friends. I know I will see others from high school, but it's gonna be so weird. I just feel like I've grown so much and I'm so grateful (I honestly cannot express my gratitude in words) to be at this amazing university! As much as I miss home, I love it here! I love that all the classes are centered around the gospel of Jesus Christ. It makes it feel like it actually means something...that it actually IS important to be learning this stuff...because it relates to the gospel and to our lives from an eternal perspective. I know for a fact that I am where I'm supposed to be at this point in my life. I love my little town of Gresham, Wisconsin, but it is very different being in Utah, the state of Mormonism. I have never even heard about things like "Clear Play" or "Clean Flix" before coming to Utah. I grew up editing my own movies/books, etc. by knowing I was stronger and better than to stoop to that level of watching/reading such things. Growing up without those things has made me grow immune to "bad things" in media. Yes, of course I'm still aware of it, but I don't notice it as much as my roommates who have grown up in Utah. It truly is all about the different ways we were raised, which is so interesting to learn about while living with roommates. I love my roomies and the strength and the testimony that they have and the wonderful Spirit that they bring to our apartment! I know I am a Daughter of God and I know that I will get to be with my family forever and I am so grateful for my Savior, who loves me much more than I can comprehend. I'm so grateful for the trials in my life that have made me the woman I am today. And I am grateful for the wonderful people in my life that have helped me along this exciting journey.