I thought I missed it...

Today has been one of the greatest days of my life.  After my total downer weekend I've been filled with such joy and love that I can barely keep it all contained!  I love my Heber friends, I love my ward and Bishop, I love my Provo friends... there is so much joy to be had, I can't believe I was too blind to see some of it over the weekend.

This morning I drove to Heber to help out my best friend, Ellen.  She's planning to compete in this year's Miss Wasatch pagaent and is hitting a roadblock with the talent portion of the competition.  Ellen is a very talented person, but so many of those talents that she possesses aren't those that she can showcase well.  She's chosen to sing a Broadway song in a comical way to showcase both her vocal skills as well as her talent for humor.  However, another talent she possesses is humility.  She was too shy to talk to our old high school choir director (who also coaches private voice lessons) for some help in her song selection.  I went to "help" her visit with him.  In reality I just wanted to visit as well.  I miss him and some of the other high school teachers!  Anyway, we were talking with him (just the usual bothering we've done for about 3 or 4 years now) and oh man, it was so much fun.  I remember why he was my favorite teacher.

A little later we went to the famous food place of Heber - Dairy Keen!  Good times were had there.  We caught up about our lives, and I realized just how much I missed my best friend.  I can't believe I've gone so long without really hanging out with her!  There is still so much catching up we've got to do.

After our ice cream and fries were finished we went to Five Penny Floral to visit the owner, and another of my best friends - Joshua Michel Knight.  I can't believe it's been so long since I've talked to him either!  We got some really great laughs in - oh my gosh I miss that guy!! 

As we finally left I thought about just how much I miss my old friends from Heber - how much I miss that small town that I thought I didn't like.  I really do love it.  I love the people (though right now there aren't that many around - but those who matter are still there!)  I pondered for a few minutes why I decided to stay in Provo during the summer.  Why didn't I come home to be with my amazing friends?

The answer came later this evening.  I do love and miss Heber, but I am where I am supposed to be. :)  I met with the Bishop today to get set apart for my new calling (Emergency Preparedness Co-chair - I am so excited about this!)  As I was there I sat around with friends, just waiting as the bishop would ask each of us to go into his office for callings, setting apart, whatever.  After I was finished I decided to stay there and just chat with friends.  I just had this feeling of peace - knowing that's where I needed to be.

I thought I wanted to go back to Heber.  I still miss my friends, but they're not far away.  I can visit anytime I want to, but I'm still here in Provo where I can still be in the YSA 154th ward with so many great people in my life.  I love my friends here.  I love everything about it.

I've thought a lot about moving back to California as well for various reasons, but all my doubts have been eliminated.  Provo is where I need to be, so Provo is where I shall stay.