It will certainly be a bit different than Utah-which is great at mountains and Mormons. But we are excited for a change of (very flat-compared to Utah) scenery and for this new chapter in our lives where we will both obtain a legal education. I can't help but get a little sappy as we get ready to relocate on this great adventure.
When I first moved to Salt Lake, it was just me and Ernie. We found the greatest apartment right downtown. I got a job immediately. And with my recent bachelors degree in child development, I was ready to make some serious waves, improve every single aspect of society, and save all the children on the planet. I was also scheduled to take the LSAT because law school was my next step. I attended law school socials at a couple universities, met with professors, and attended some classes. I was going to ace the LSAT, work for six months, and go to law school. And I was not going to get a boyfriend because boys were nothing but incredibly disappointing.
Well, folks. God is funny. And not always in a hilarious type of way.
Instead, amidst the chaos of transitioning to a new city and a very new life, I didn't have a chance to study for the LSAT so I withdrew from my intended test date and rescheduled it. I quit my job because the hours were horrible, the pay was horrible, and heaven forbid-I was going to find a better job that actually valued my degree. I eventually found a better job where I met some lifelong friends, but I had to quit that job because of some medical issues that were exacerbated by the job. I don't think I improved society at all, definitely didn't save anybody, and instead wound up feeling super sorry for myself. And then-BAM-I completely broke my own deal and got myself a boyfriend.
Worth it.
During a chaotic time in my life that I had never planned on, Salt Lake City quickly became my home. It was where every single conviction I'd ever had was challenged. My faith became tested constantly. My paradigm more than shifted-it collapsed. And during a very delicate time of healing and rebuilding, I grew. I grew, and grew, and grew! And growing pains totally hurt, but I guess that's part of the deal, right?
Salt Lake City was where I mourned my biggest losses, became acquainted with my greatest fears, and where I found my biggest loves. Not to mention-have you seen the mountains here??!
So maybe I didn't check anything off my original agenda, but I did learn how to throw out the agenda entirely, and go with it. I also learned to love hiking.
They say home is where the heart is. In that case, I have a lot of homes. Kentucky, Idaho, Utah. Soon to be Kansas. Because what makes home home is not really where, but who. Who you get to know, who you grow to love, and maybe even who you decide you are going to be. And fun fact: I actually have roots in Lawrence. My great-grandparents lived there and went to KU. My dad's first cousin, Amy Hurst, is the person responsible for creating the Baby Jay. And my Grandma Sue spent a lot of time in Lawrence as a kid. So, going back to my roots will be really neat and exciting. (Although my ancestors are probably not too thrilled about the Kentucky thing.)
While my heart is already hurting just from thinking about moving away from some of my most favorite people that God has blessed me with here in SLC, I know they'll always make Utah a home away from the next home.
Home is more than beautiful mountains, more than an awesome downtown apartment you found on Craigslist. For some of us, home is having wiener dogs and a boy named Spencer.
And I think Dorothy definitely said it best-there's no place like it.
So, Rock Chalk JAYHAWK. I guess it's Kansas, or bust.
