A New Kind of Adventure

I'm used to going on adventures. And, by adventures I mean...going on trips, making goals and checking them off, and doing hard things. It's just what I do and what I did for the last 15 years of my life.

When I was 15 I went to China

At 19 I worked in NYC with my brother-in-law Mark.

At 21 I lived in London and traversed through Europe

At 21 and 4 months I entered the MTC and served an LDS mission for 1.5 years

At 24 I moved to DC and started working in the inner-city at 25

While in DC I ran half-marathons, went on more international trips, and spent many weekends on the eastern seaboard.

Then I moved back to Utah and took a cross-country road trip by myself

It probably sounds like I may be bragging in this post, but I'm not, just trying to prove a point. The fact of the matter is that these experiences have been what I have called adventures over the last 15 years. Travel, friends, goals, hard things. And they are, still, adventures.

But now my life has become a different kind of adventure. Not saying that those bucket list items can't be done anymore, because they can. But I find myself embracing a slower pace of life that includes:

1. Living with my mom

2. Going to a family ward

3. Teaching middle school…yes, middle school. It's definitely an adventure!

4. Watching Gilmore Girls on Netflix streaming

5. Seeing family weekly and other friends sporadically

6. Dating my boyfriend. :)

7. Exercising, or trying to.

It doesn't seem that exciting, especially when you compare it to some of my adventures that I listed previously, but I am reminding myself that my current life situation is good, like really good (I'm dating someone for goodness sake!) and it's OK to have a change of pace. It's just been hard for me to redefine what an adventure is.

I just have to remember that every stage of life brings a unique adventure. And all adventures are good, regardless of form, function, place, thing, or circumstance! Bring it. I can do hard things!

Doing the family ward thing.

It's been 12 years since I was truly in a family ward (an LDS congregation). Not counting my LDS mission, I have been in a singles ward for that amount of time. There are times that I really miss the singles ward life. For example, I miss having friends who are in the same stage of life, the community, being involved in the ward, and being inspired by countless people who are high quality individuals. It was a great 12ish years in a singles ward.

Since being back in Utah, I decided to forgo the singles ward and began going to the family ward in my area. It's been a good experience, albeit with some hard moments and lonely Sundays. Everyone in the ward is married with kids or at least have children, with a sprinkling of widows (like my mom). It's been good to remember that in every stage of life comes hardships and marriage does not mean that life will be blissful with no challenges.

My calling (service opportunity) in the ward is working with the young women as the sports director. I get to coach the girls and also be part of Sunday lessons and activities. A couple of weeks ago we put on an activity that was a cruise ship theme. I was the MC for the evening and we had a fun dance party among many other activities that night. Here I am, below, with the other leaders that I get to work with. It's been a fun outlet and way to get involved with the ward.

The singles ward thing was good but the family ward thing is also great in its own way. I'm grateful for all my opportunities that stretch me as a person and gets me out of my comfort zone.