Measuring a year

WARNING:  long, emotional post ahead!

Today marks the one year mark since we arrived here in Kentucky.  It is so hard to believe it's already been a year! This year has flown by, but a lot has happened in the last year as well.  I'm not sure I've ever been so scared in all my life as I was the day I drove into Louisville.  I was nervous, anxious, and terrified about what might lie ahead of us here.  

And now here we are a year later, and so much has happened.  We had our beautiful baby Kaeson here--and he is now nearly 10 months old!  We spent our first Thanksgiving as well as Easter without family.  Parker celebrated his 3rd birthday. I was given the most challenging church calling I ever been given!  We made lasting friendships; some of whom we are lucky enough to spend more time with, others who we miss dearly!  Lance survived his first year of dental school!!!

One of our first weeks at church in our ward here, the Relief Society lesson was on goal setting.  The teacher asked us to right down a few short term goals, long term goals, and steps and a timetable to reaching those goals.  At the time I just kept thinking about how hard the next four years here were going to be.  The only thing I wrote on that sheet of paper was "To learn to be happy here."  At the time it seemed like such a steep mountain to climb, and I fought back tears at the prospect enjoying life here!  Now I can look back at that day and laugh at how silly that goal seems today!

I feel so blessed to call Kentucky home right now. As I sit here righting this, I am getting a little teary eyed thinking of this past year and realizing how much I love it here!  As silly as it sounds, I truly feel like I have grown so much in the last year, and I know I have so much more to learn from our time here.  I have said it before, but I sincerely feel that the Lord sent Lance to school in Louisville for my benefit! We are surrounded by people here that teach me so much, and I pray that while I'm here I learn and grow all that I know I should.

We miss our family every day, and look forward to being closer to them someday, while at the same time hope that our time here doesn't go too quickly.  Thanks to all you who have made this such a great place to live!