Well, it's been a while since I moved to Utah, and it's been an adventure living up here -- I often feel like a stranger in a strange land. Compounding the "strangeness" of situation is living on campus at BYU, a unique institution and in a category all it's own. The experiences I have had are rewarding, and I feel like I've made several large forward-strides towards where I see myself in 5 years.
The Fall semester has just ended, capped by the stresses of the Final exams, and all the stigmas attached to them. Now I'm taking a break here in Provo, with family members having flown in from California, and having driven from Texas.
It has been just over 24 hours, and already my laughing muscles are going to be sore. We have a knack for finding the humor in just about any situation, and making light of serious situations. It's one thing that I truly love about my family - we are never together without having had a good laugh either at ourselves or about a funny situation that has happened to one of us during the past few months.
The funny thing is, that I haven't given a lot of thought to what it is that I want for Christmas - my focus and feelings have been centered on family, and how much I've missed being able to laugh with them. I think that spending time is one of the most renewing things that I could possibly do - and it's all about the small moments... the almost indefinable feeling of belonging somewhere. I can't imagine what it must feel like to lack that feeling - either to be a refugee from war, or an orphan.
I'll count my blessings, and thank my lucky stars for the family that I have, and the tremendous opportunities that I've been given for having them them around!
