Utah-versary

This weekend marks a special weekend in my life. 

This time last year I was sitting in my brand new Utah ward, after crying throughout the long drive and semi moved, while my dad was at my house making my new Ikea closet. 

And tomorrow marks my one year mark at my job. 

How has the time flown by so fast?

A  lot of the time I still feel like I just got here. 

I feel like my life in California was just a moment ago. 

And I especially feel that nothing in California has changed without me, life just stopped once I left. 

Wishful thinking, huh? 

It still blows my mind how this Utah adventure got started. 

And although I cried on the floor in the hallway the week before I left

I surprise myself most days with how much I love the Salt Lake livin'

It is so different than California, I don't nearly have the group of friends that I was so blessed with in Northridge. But I think that group of friends was something so special and so lucky to have that it might not be duplicated for a long time, or ever. 

This year in SLC I have loved getting to know a new area and feeling like I actually know people here. 

I love the SLC perks, like attending the General Relief Society Meeting in person last night, seeing Elder Holland at the grocery store, attending a Fireside with Elder Ballard in person. I love that the Salt Lake Temple is just miles away and that it is my temple. I love working in West Valley and feeling like I am not in Utah for those 8 hours. I love living close to the Capitol and Downtown. 

I love all of the great girlfriends I have made here.

I love my job. I love all of the responsibility and every single day I am getting better and better and learning so much more.  

Some things are definitely still hard (Dodgers, warm weather...) but its helpful to remember to always stay positive in those situations. 

So here is to my one year mark of being a "Utahan"

And who knows how many more of these years to come...

my own anniversary.

Next week Im coming up on a big milestone in my life.
This time last year I was living in Provo, about to be unemployed at the end of the month, my Lanai Crew had broken up, my two best friends had moved away, and my at the time boyfriend was moving to California.
I found myself more and more annoyed with Provo post-grad life. And seemed to cry more and more about my life plan. My mom suggested moving back home but that seemed totally out of the picture.
However, the more I thought about it, the more I talked to the boy about it, the more I prayed about it, the more I wanted it.
So I sold my contract, packed up my things and made the journey home.
I didnt think I would stay long.
I didnt think I could last long.
But next week marks me,
living the LA life
for one year!!
Its crazy how fast that time has flown by.

I have to admit the one thing I dreaded THE most about moving home was attending the Northridge III Singles Ward.
I literally cried about how much I did not want to attend the ward. Its a tiny ward and I may or may not have been a little prideful about wards coming from BYU and Lanai.
When me and the previous mentioned boy didnt work out, I realized that I was gonna have to suck up my pride and make friends here if I was going to be happy.
And I am so glad that I did.
I love my NR3 Crew.


I feel like I have always been so lucky in making the most amazing friends wherever I go, and my luck did not run out here.

I have been able to grow closer to friends I already had, rekindle old friendships and start more friendships than I thought possible.

Beach Trips.
Karaoke.

Dance Parties.
Movie Nights.
Volleyball Games.

Batting Cages.

Dance Parties.
Girls Nights.

Game Nights.
WHAT IF. 
Hanging out at the Boys house.
and did I mention Dancing?
we love impromptu dance parties. 

One friendship that I have made has been the most important. 

It all started with our bond over the Dodgers. 

And our stealing and sharing someone else's garlic fries.

When I told Rudy Herrera that night that he was gonna be my new best friend, I was partly being sarcastic.

I didnt even know the kid yet. 

But thats exactly what happened. 

Becoming friends, and best friends at that, was one of the greatest things that happened to me moving back to the valley.

He is THE person to know in the ward. 

Once I was in with Rudy, I was in with the greatest group of friends I could ever ask for.
I love our long chats in my car, bugging him when he doesnt text me back fast enough, calling him 98234 times in a row when he doesnt answer my phone calls, "she hates her laugh, but I think its so sexy", literally running to Dodger games, "why do I put up with you?" getting out of the car to push the cross buttons, honking my car horn way too often.

Sometimes I dont even understand how we are best friends,

most of the time we drive each other absolutely crazy. 

and fight like we are some sort of old married couple.

on the brink of divorce.
where we have to make a pact to be nice to each other. 

and I think our friends enjoy watching us bicker. 

I hear too often "dont touch me" when I start poking his face.

I give him laser eyes as he flicks me. 

He blames me for spilling hot chocolate and ruining his shirt.

I cant stand it when he wipes his sweat all over my arm or on my car.

But in the end he is my BFF.  Sometimes its crazy to think that we have only been friends for a year cause it seems like so much longer.

He is leaving us here in GH and moving to Burbank. Which will SUCK. But at least it is closer than Rancho Cucamonga. 

He is one of the closest friends I have ever had and I am ever so grateful for the amazing friendship we have.
Even if we fight all the time and sometimes struggle being nice to each other.

Its interesting that what I dreading the most about  moving home has turned out to be the greatest blessing in my life and brought me the most happiness.
Other than my family of course. 

I left Utah a year ago with no plan.

And well, a year later, I still might not have the greatest life plan, BUT I am happy. And I know that Im suppose to be in California,
living this LA life.