Leaving Provo

I had started to think this day would never come.

I moved here in the fall of 2006 to start my freshman year at BYU. At first, I was crazy homesick for my friends and family. Every year this place grew on me until my degrees were complete and I realized I couldn't imagine living anywhere else.

This is the place where I did my second round of growing-up. My emerging adulthood took place here--my first attempts at leaving the nest and flying solo. This is where I shifted from an anxious little college freshman to a confident professional woman.

I have so many memories here, and I know this place will ALWAYS hold a special piece of my heart.

But... it's time to go. The last couple years when it came time to sign contracts, I began to feel that... that it was time to give up my BYU glory days and move on. I didn't want to leave, and so I stayed.

Now, though, I'm finally at a place where I'm ready for a change of scenery and new adventures.

For the first time in years, I've been homesick for Colorado. I miss my family. My parents are still there, my youngest two siblings have left on missions, and Shauna has graduated--she could end up anywhere.

My two closest friends from high school have made their way back to the Springs, and I've decided they had the right idea.

So... I'm packing my bags and going back home at the end of this month. I'm super torn about it, not going to lie. I feel like it's the right thing to do, but the closer it gets to my move-out date, the more nostalgic I get for all the good times I've had here in P-Town and the list gets longer and longer of things I'm going to miss.

I know there are good things ahead, though. I'm excited to see what happens next.