I'm Back!

So I went on a hiatus from blogging...as you can tell! I tried out a new website that I still love but it wasn't meeting my needs and I found so many cool new things to do on blogger so here I go again.

I'll skip the nitty gritty of everything and get onto more general things. I have "walked" for graduation but I officially graduate with my degree in the next couple of weeks. I've been doing my student teaching in Kearns, Utah while living with some mission friends in Lehi. I feel this was the perfect place for me to live! I became closer to a family I didn't get to see much on my mission but wished I could have, I was half way between Salt Lake and Provo and I have friends in both, AND I was able to see a lot of old investigators or recent converts while here. It's been an amazing ride.

It's interesting since I have been in practicums before where I'm in the school setting, something I've come to learn is that there are no two like experiences. No matter if you've done something before it's always going to be different. I learned you need a learning curve with anything you begin. I don't think I accounted for that and I got hit in the face with a big slap of humility. It was good for me to realize my weaknesses and move on and upward. I especially have enjoyed my time in these classrooms. I've fallen in love with my students and I am sad to leave them and not know how they're progressing and the funny/cute comments they make. They truly made my day and I know they are the reason I did this major.

I've had many adventures while I've been here but I'll sum them up with some pictures:

I learned how to shoe a horse and was taught the ropes on the basics of each part of shoeing. It was so nice of Loren to let me come with him and boys. It was before the first day of school and I didn't have a care in the world! (except maybe that the horse would poop on me...) It is hard work and I admire Loren for what he does all day.

I saw my companion Amber Mosley! It was a God send for her to be here the time I was here and that we got to hang out as friends not just companions. Although we called each other by our last names for a while. She is one of my best friends and we hung out for the last time last night. She asked, "When will I see you again?" I couldn't answer. I don't know. BUT it will happen. There are so many people I love and so many great memories to be had I will make an effort to visit people. Traveling is going to be a hobby of mine. :)

I went to Rexburg on two occasions to visit my sister one time and to visit the crazy nuts you see to the left. Kristin and Valerie are two my best friends! It's amazing how two people come into your life in two very different ways and yet we are all such good friends. :) I did miss being so close to them and knowing what was going on every day BUT it's made our friendship stronger and we have definitely grown closer in the absence.

I was able to go out with the sister missionaries while I was here. It was hard to schedule a time we could get together but we finally did it and I LOVE them. They are in a bilingual area and it furthers my future goal of learning spanish. :) It will come one day but I'm just not in a place to start studying it. Either way they are way fun girls and I wish them the best. They work hard but they definitely have fun too! :)

There were many more stories I can tell and if I think of them I'll be sure to update this. :) There are a lot of Shumway stories I could have told too but there aren't a lot of pictures to go with them, I'm not sure why but we didn't take many. I will during Thanksgiving and make a separate post all about them because they deserve it. Their generosity has been so Christ-like and I will forever be thankful for them. Until next time...hopefully I'll be better about updating this, we'll see.

Happiness Runs,

Arica Page