Seth and Heidi

I loved EFY. My first year at EFY was actually then called "Academy for Girls" which was basically EFY for 12 year olds minus the boys. I went with my friend Jamie and we probably fought at some point during the week because I'm pretty sure it was impossible for us to go more than two days without someone saying something that hurt the other one's feelings. We both brought various items from our rooms at home to make our new home for the week seem like ours. I remember my dad sent me a letter while I was there and I cried because I was homesick even though it was only a week long camp. Powerpoint must have been the new craze because the letter was about 12 pages with big font and pictures and each seemed like an individual powerpoint slide. I went to "Academy for Girls" for two years and then when I turned 14 I got to go to real EFY, with boys and everything. I of course developed crushes on at least 3 boys in one week's time and at the end of EFY swore I would never kiss a boy again until I was married. (Uh, in case you were wondering I didn't keep that promise) I have a point to this flashback. One year the theme was Joy in the Journey. I was thinking about this today because A) I was in Provo where EFY took place two of my four years and B) because I was feeling joyful a good part of the day. On my last day of work, my work friends gave me a little journal with the word ENJOY on the front and on each page there is a quote about joy. I was at a baby shower this morning for my friend Melanee who was bursting with joy as she opened her gifts and imagined dressing her new little baby boy. I of course understood her joy as I sat there holding my own little bundle. I also felt joy for my other friend, Jessie, who had her first little baby this past week. I thought how I was just barely there, but six and a half months have passed by and how I hope that I can remember to soak in how great it is to have a baby in our home. It seems like Seth and I are always talking about what we're looking forward to next. It was Taft, then it was Europe, next is residency interviews, then finding out where we'll be moving. I still like thinking about the future and getting excited for it, but I also want to find "joy in the journey" of each day right now. There's a lot to feel joyous about. Today was beautiful, the leaves are starting to change, I spent the day with friends and family, and I ate frozen yogurt. Seth isn't home right now but he'd probably say he found joy in riding his mountain bike from Squaw Peak to Hobble Creek Canyon and then going to the BYU game. Anyway, this is kind of cheesy but it's just what I was thinking about today. Now I'm going to find joy in a bowl of Cocoa Puffs.