sunday walks.

Sunday was by far the most beautiful day of 2013. I thought it was so fitting that it fell on Easter. My little brother was in town, and we decided to take a walk through Provo. On our walk we talked about a lot of deep things {when did this little guy grow up and want to talk about religion and politics and agency?}. But mainly we talked about hopes.

I hope I have a life full of walks. I hope that someday I live in a little yellow house with a red front door. I hope that I have a garden full of sunflowers, daisies, and daffodils. I hope that someday I have a white picket fence and my own little Tom Sawyers who can whitewash it every summer. I hope I lead a quiet, simple life. 

Sometimes I get restless. I've been feeling that a little bit lately, the growing pains, the feeling that this place is just getting smaller and smaller. I know change is coming in the next few months, but I realized yesterday that I need to appreciate where I am at each moment. I've lived in this little college town for almost six years, I've driven by that yellow house hundreds of times, but I've never noticed it. I've had some of the very best and very worst experiences of my life in this little town, and until yesterday I had never taken the time to think about who I am now because of those experiences. And they sure have shaped me. 

I'm grateful for the professors who challenged me, who taught me how to think and to form an opinion. I'm grateful for the callings that have stretched me, that have caused me to get out of my comfort zone, that have taught me that building relationships is the most important thing we do here. I'm grateful for the relationships I've developed with others. I'm grateful for the friends who have felt less like friends and more like family. I'm grateful for the times I've spent truly alone. While some of those times were hard, they are invaluable to me. 

Basically, I'm just feeling really grateful, and I'm excited for what's in store. Happy Spring! :)