One year

Last night I remembered the feeling from exactly a year before. I had just eaten the best mexican food that I'd had in over 18 months, had an amazing discussion with an amazing couple and was then laying in bed with butterflies in my stomach, sleeping alone in a room for my first time in those 18 months.

The next day I would finally see my family for the first time in a year and a half. I would soon get to take naps. Get to see friends. Get to date. Get to wear high heels. Get to relax and spend time with my family on Sunday evenings. Get to see my beautiful Rexburg again. Get to hold babies. Get to smell that lovely smell of my house. It's kind of sweet, but I'm not quite sure what it is. Get to listen to music and stay up past 10:30. It was as if I hadn't realized how much I missed family, friends and babies until that moment. I also had never felt so satisfied in my life.

July 2012 with my wonderful investigator Carl and his sister

One year ago this was happening.
I got home from my mission. Wow.
In some ways it has flown, but I think in many more it has seemed like a lifetime since I was a missionary. All day I have thought about how my mission changed me permanently, but also in what ways I have changed - for better and worse - since that day I came home.

I love my life. I love what my mission did for my life. I love the people I met from that time that have impacted me permanently. I recently saw several of the sisters that I served with and they represent so much of what was good from that amazing time. It's been a good 3.5 years, a good year and I think it will be an even better year to come.

Two of my companions and two other sisters that I just love