Change
Sometimes I don't do too well with change. I'm a creature of habit, like most, so rearranging life's components can be a wee traumatic. However, there are times that I completely welcome change and all the promise it can hold. Today, I'm embracing change.
For three years, I've lived in Virginia Beach, having moved here from Chandler, Arizona. From the desert to the sea, it was most certainly a big change. It was a very worthy endeavor though. I came to be near my sweetheart, the man I would marry. I also have enjoyed the added benefit of being much nearer to my three brothers and my parents. It was a very good thing for me to move to Virginia Beach.
For the past three years, I have enjoyed the ocean, even though I've not visited it as often as I'd like. I've heard, felt, and been amazed by the near deafening thunder of hundreds of fighter jets flying into and out of nearby Oceana. I've marveled every single time I've driven past the Navy's aircraft carriers and other ships as I approach the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. I've so very much enjoyed all the beautiful colors that spring, summer, and fall lend to people's gardens, yards, and roadsides. I've never seen so many beautiful blooms in my entire life! I've watched dolphins in the ocean. I've seen so many beautiful birds! My goodness, the birds! I've eaten She Crab Soup--yes, it's exactly what it sounds like! I've enjoyed the warmth of our wood-burning stove during the cold of winter. I've lived through a couple hurricanes that thankfully weren't too bad at all here in VB. I've enjoyed being close to friends in North Carolina, and being able to visit the temple in Raleigh. I've enjoyed living the gospel, and serving in the Lord's church here in Virginia Beach. I've taken a new last name, and learned how to be a wife. I've made beautiful, important, and eternal covenants in the Lord's Washington DC temple. I was sealed to my dear husband there, and have made many trips back to do work for others. I've been able to spend time with my brothers, nephews & nieces, my parents, my mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, and brother-in-law. I've visited graves of two people I am so grateful to know that they'll live again one day. I've served alongside some of the most dear women and men I'm sure to ever meet. I've made tremendous friendships, relationships to certainly last forever. I've learned the value of service. I've learned a lot about forgiveness too. My testimony of Jesus Christ has grown here in Virginia Beach unlike any other growth or strengthening I've experienced before. Virginia Beach has most certainly been good for me and good to me.
I've had a few reasons/excuses for whining a bit along the way. My job sucked way more life out of me than I wanted to tolerate, and not a moment too soon, I took that job and shoved it. The mosquitos have sucked some serious/literal life out of me too. I've had a hard time playing outside with my dog in the summer because of them. Bugs LOVE me for some reason. For as beautiful as the natural geography of this area is, man sure has made a lot of it ugly. This is the land of neverending strip malls and ugly, rotted wood fences. Sometimes I'd really have to work to see past the man-made uglies. I've missed my longtime friends from other places. I've whined from time to time about the various struggles that my ward has had, and how there just seemed to be so many more demands out here "in the mission field" than out west. Sometimes efforts just seemed to go down the tubes rather than anywhere else. I've learned though, that it's often best to just shut up, smile, and press on.
So, my time in Virginia Beach is coming to a close. My dearly beloved has found a new job in Arizona. He has been there for about three weeks, while I've been here in his native Virginia Beach getting our home ready to make its way out west. Dan applied for scores of jobs both here and there, but only one job presented itself to him, and it's the one that's taking me "home." Though I didn't expect to feel it, I did actually become sad at the thought of moving back to Arizona. Suddenly, Virginia Beach felt a lot like home.
I'm going to miss serving with the Cape Henry Ward Primary. It has been an absolute honor and privilidge to serve as the Primary president for the past two and a half years. I've served with AMAZING women and men, but was able to serve some of Heavenly Father's choicest spirits. Also, I'm really going to miss the jet noise. "I HEART JET NOISE!" I'm going to miss how absolutely verdent this place is. I'm going to miss hearing certain singing voices in sacrament meeting. I fear that my move out west will put me in a position where I'm not as needed in the ward as I am here. The thought makes me wish I could take back any little whine I ever cried (aloud or silently) for what was required of me in my current ward. I do truly feel bad for the Cape Henry Ward. Since this is such a transient area because of the military, change is a constant. Within about one month's time, seven whole families will be moving out the ward, leaving massive holes in presidencies and other callings. Again, so much more is expected of the faithful here than I've ever seen in other wards in the States.
So, I said I am embracing change, and I am. Though I have some sadness for all the love I'm leaving behind here, I see brightness in the future. Even if my only calling in AZ is Visiting Teacher, I'm going to LOVE being a visiting teacher. Even though I wasn't there physically to help choose our new home, I'm going to LOVE getting to decorate our home and make it a peaceful, happy place for our family and others to gather. Even though I have to pack up our home in Virginia Beach without the help of my dear husband whom I miss like mad, I'm looking forward to my fun mom coming to help me next week. And even though the greenest of greens, and the brightest of pinks, blues, reds, and yellows will not be possible in the desert landscape, I'm going to embrace once again all that the desert has to offer, and love it for its unique beauty and peacefulness. And no matter what, I'm going to be thankful to my Heavenly Father for blessing my husband with a job that he loves (so far), and for taking care of this family. We are blessed!!!
Time to get packing--but not before I finish my sacrament meeting talk that I need to prepare for this coming Sunday. Eeeek!
For three years, I've lived in Virginia Beach, having moved here from Chandler, Arizona. From the desert to the sea, it was most certainly a big change. It was a very worthy endeavor though. I came to be near my sweetheart, the man I would marry. I also have enjoyed the added benefit of being much nearer to my three brothers and my parents. It was a very good thing for me to move to Virginia Beach.
For the past three years, I have enjoyed the ocean, even though I've not visited it as often as I'd like. I've heard, felt, and been amazed by the near deafening thunder of hundreds of fighter jets flying into and out of nearby Oceana. I've marveled every single time I've driven past the Navy's aircraft carriers and other ships as I approach the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. I've so very much enjoyed all the beautiful colors that spring, summer, and fall lend to people's gardens, yards, and roadsides. I've never seen so many beautiful blooms in my entire life! I've watched dolphins in the ocean. I've seen so many beautiful birds! My goodness, the birds! I've eaten She Crab Soup--yes, it's exactly what it sounds like! I've enjoyed the warmth of our wood-burning stove during the cold of winter. I've lived through a couple hurricanes that thankfully weren't too bad at all here in VB. I've enjoyed being close to friends in North Carolina, and being able to visit the temple in Raleigh. I've enjoyed living the gospel, and serving in the Lord's church here in Virginia Beach. I've taken a new last name, and learned how to be a wife. I've made beautiful, important, and eternal covenants in the Lord's Washington DC temple. I was sealed to my dear husband there, and have made many trips back to do work for others. I've been able to spend time with my brothers, nephews & nieces, my parents, my mother-in-law, sisters-in-law, and brother-in-law. I've visited graves of two people I am so grateful to know that they'll live again one day. I've served alongside some of the most dear women and men I'm sure to ever meet. I've made tremendous friendships, relationships to certainly last forever. I've learned the value of service. I've learned a lot about forgiveness too. My testimony of Jesus Christ has grown here in Virginia Beach unlike any other growth or strengthening I've experienced before. Virginia Beach has most certainly been good for me and good to me.
I've had a few reasons/excuses for whining a bit along the way. My job sucked way more life out of me than I wanted to tolerate, and not a moment too soon, I took that job and shoved it. The mosquitos have sucked some serious/literal life out of me too. I've had a hard time playing outside with my dog in the summer because of them. Bugs LOVE me for some reason. For as beautiful as the natural geography of this area is, man sure has made a lot of it ugly. This is the land of neverending strip malls and ugly, rotted wood fences. Sometimes I'd really have to work to see past the man-made uglies. I've missed my longtime friends from other places. I've whined from time to time about the various struggles that my ward has had, and how there just seemed to be so many more demands out here "in the mission field" than out west. Sometimes efforts just seemed to go down the tubes rather than anywhere else. I've learned though, that it's often best to just shut up, smile, and press on.
So, my time in Virginia Beach is coming to a close. My dearly beloved has found a new job in Arizona. He has been there for about three weeks, while I've been here in his native Virginia Beach getting our home ready to make its way out west. Dan applied for scores of jobs both here and there, but only one job presented itself to him, and it's the one that's taking me "home." Though I didn't expect to feel it, I did actually become sad at the thought of moving back to Arizona. Suddenly, Virginia Beach felt a lot like home.
I'm going to miss serving with the Cape Henry Ward Primary. It has been an absolute honor and privilidge to serve as the Primary president for the past two and a half years. I've served with AMAZING women and men, but was able to serve some of Heavenly Father's choicest spirits. Also, I'm really going to miss the jet noise. "I HEART JET NOISE!" I'm going to miss how absolutely verdent this place is. I'm going to miss hearing certain singing voices in sacrament meeting. I fear that my move out west will put me in a position where I'm not as needed in the ward as I am here. The thought makes me wish I could take back any little whine I ever cried (aloud or silently) for what was required of me in my current ward. I do truly feel bad for the Cape Henry Ward. Since this is such a transient area because of the military, change is a constant. Within about one month's time, seven whole families will be moving out the ward, leaving massive holes in presidencies and other callings. Again, so much more is expected of the faithful here than I've ever seen in other wards in the States.
So, I said I am embracing change, and I am. Though I have some sadness for all the love I'm leaving behind here, I see brightness in the future. Even if my only calling in AZ is Visiting Teacher, I'm going to LOVE being a visiting teacher. Even though I wasn't there physically to help choose our new home, I'm going to LOVE getting to decorate our home and make it a peaceful, happy place for our family and others to gather. Even though I have to pack up our home in Virginia Beach without the help of my dear husband whom I miss like mad, I'm looking forward to my fun mom coming to help me next week. And even though the greenest of greens, and the brightest of pinks, blues, reds, and yellows will not be possible in the desert landscape, I'm going to embrace once again all that the desert has to offer, and love it for its unique beauty and peacefulness. And no matter what, I'm going to be thankful to my Heavenly Father for blessing my husband with a job that he loves (so far), and for taking care of this family. We are blessed!!!
Time to get packing--but not before I finish my sacrament meeting talk that I need to prepare for this coming Sunday. Eeeek!
Comments
Post a Comment