Taking a Break

Sorry this is so long. With life-changes like these I always get nostalgic. So bear with me.

It's starting to feel real. Kinda. I remember moving my little sister up to college a few years ago and then moving ourselves (again) a few days later. I remember thinking aloud to my mom how nice it would be to move and stay in one place. My mom looked at me and said "Well, you know you'll have a nice, beautiful new home to move into one day." Then it didn't seem like it. But she was right; as she always is.

We celebrate our 5 year anniversary on Friday and I can't help but look back and see where we've been in 5 years. I look back and see us, and see friends that are in the same situation now that we were in 5 years ago, and I just want to tell them; that yes, school does end, jobs do come, small apartments aren't forever and your family will always be with you no matter where you go. And as small and far-away as some of those apartments were, I still look back on each one with good memories.

Rancho Cucamonga, CA. (Yes this is a REAL place.) First apartment we set up together after getting married and driving to California for summer security installations. It was the first time I've ever lived away from home other than college and more than an hour away. I was lonely alot, but Chase and I learned how to rely on each other because we were all we had out there. Also had our crazy went-to-the-wrong-airport-fiasco adventure while we were here. (That's a funny story...now.)

Phoenix, AZ. Sales plummeted in California so within a day we found out we'd be moving, packed and were on our way to The Oven. Arizona was the epitome of a barren wasteland to me. I didn't like the dirt, the heat, or the ornery people we lived by. But the lightning storms were amazing. We'd sit on our balcony overlooking the pool (the apartment complex was really nice) and watch the bolts streak clear across the sky during monsoon season.

Logan, UT. Basement Apartment. We moved back to start school completely and totally broke. Our testimonies of tithing were strengthened here. I loved this apartment. Yes it was small and that was annoying sometimes. But it had character. I loved the green wall in the living room and the apple wallpaper in the kitchen. This was where we learned how to do school being married. It was hard. But we made it. I became a master of the bus system and Chase stayed up all hours of the night doing homework.

Logan, UT. Devonshire Apartment. Everyone thought we were pregnant when we moved this time. But we weren't. We just had a strong urge to move then, even though it was hard for me to leave our little apartment and ward. Who would have ever thought though, all the things we experienced in this new ward and apartment? Chase was called to the Elder's Quorum presidency and then to the Bishopric. I know these callings are what helped us get through school. We have seen so many blessings from them. Including growing and learning in the gospel and making so many good friends. I graduated here and we brought Lauren home to this apartment.

Logan, UT. Brookwood Apartment. This one was completely unplanned. Rent was raised at Devonshire unexpectedly making it unaffordable for us. We had a week to find a new place to live and move. Chase said if he was meant to stay in the Bishopric longer then we would find a new place in the ward. A day later we had signed a contract for this place within the ward boundaries (which is no small feat.) This apartment is where we watched Lauren learn how to do just about everything. I felt like I made some big decisions with quitting work which was really hard for me. Chase graduated and continued working with his dream job.

We are so blessed and watched over. So with this new house; bring it on!