dripping with passion

so the other day i drove up to salt lake to move the rest of my stuff out of my childhood home, and on the 15th my parents handed over the keys to renters. right now some strangers are waking up in 1098 augusta way (affectionately known as j.b. mopeltel) and they have absolutely no idea, and never could, what they are dealing with. every inch, every corner, every crack of that house is soaking with memories and the air is different inside that place than anywhere else in the world. it is mixed with millions of sacred moments; expressions of testimony and love, sighs of relief and frustration, gasps for breath from emotional times, wiffs of special scents from christmas or family recipes or fires in the living room, and dribbled with wafting sounds of laughter and tears. thirty-five years, nine kids: indeed, millions of memories. i wonder if the renters feel a buzz in the air? can they sometimes catch a glimpse of the joy and growth and love seeping out of the corners? today i want to o

i am chuffed to report that i now remember what it feels like to be happy! i know that sounds really dramatic, but seriously, those first few weeks home from the mission were pretty hellish. i feel like i finally have my feet under me and that i'm passionate about life again, and on top of that, i have the incredible mission experience as a part of the fabric of my soul now. i am trying to live what i learned and be the person i became those 18 months of refiner's fire. so to help validate that i like my life, i would like to share a list of all the reasons why. hopefully, dear cyberspace reader, they'll bring a smile to your face and help you to think about the reasons you like your life, too! 1. i always have an excuse for being awkward. this is awesome, and i need to milk it for what it's worth while i can. in any situation if i feel like i was being less than delightfully confident and congenial, i can just explain that i just got home from the mission. withou