Past, Present, and Future

To say this past week was eventful would be an understatement. It all started with the weekend. Derek had to work three consecutive days which meant long hours of boredom for me at home by myself. Digby is good company but when I start talking to him like he is another human I know I've hit my "lonely low". So I decided to take a trip down to Edmond which is about an hour and half south of Tulsa. Since I served my mission in the greatest state ever...I'll give you one guess...did you guess Oklahoma? Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!! I love the fact that I can hop in the car and be back in my mission in just an hour. It's been more than amazing to be able to go back and visit so many wonderful people who made my mission so wonderful. In Edmond resides one of the most fantastically loving, down to earth and generous families I have ever met. They were quite literally my mission family, my home away from home, and my immediate friends.

Meet the Eckmans

They opened their home, their cabinets and their hearts whenever we needed it. So many gospel discussions and warm spiritual moments happened within the walls of their home during my short time in the Edmond area.

Since moving to Tulsa, I have to admit, I've often felt alone. I have no family or friends in the near by area. I didn't have a clue how to get anywhere and was always getting lost and frustrated as I tried to navigate my way to the grocery store. As I walked into the Eckman's front door this weekend I immediately felt like I had just walked into my own families home. I was greeted with such love and excitement. I felt silly for feeling alone all this time! They were the exact dose of family and love that I needed. We had a nice long visit and I felt the Spirit whisper to my heart "You are never alone and you are never forgotten." I'm reminded daily of what a wonderful thing my mission was and how it has changed my life forever. I'm grateful for the blessing of the Eckman family in my life. I do have some family close by after all. Dexter, the dog, and I even shared a lollipop on my mission...I'm pretty sure that secured me a spot in the family forever.

So that was my trip down memory lane. Moving onto the present. My hubby turned 24 on Tuesday. He is practically half way to 50 and therefore old and almost dead. Well that's what he thinks anyway. Birthdays seem to lose their novelty after a certain age. What used to be excitement for parties, presents, pinatas and goodie bags has now been replaced with fear of extra pounds, sore muscles, sleep deprivation and the looming presence of the Grimm Reaper. And we are only 24....
I got him some portable pop up soccer goals so we can now play soccer wherever and whenever we want. I thought it to be the perfect gift for such a soccer enthusiast. We set them up in the yard and played against each other. We are out of shape. Like really bad. After just a few minutes we were ready for a half time. Digby joined in the festivities trying to bite the soccer bad. He soon gave up and plopped himself in my goal. I thought he would help me out and at least try to keep Derek from scoring but he ended up being the worst goalie ever. He just ran away chasing butterflies every time I needed him. Some help he was. We played 4 games and Derek won 3 of the 4. I blame Digby for my defeat. We now keep a running score card on the fridge. Little does Derek know, I am training Digby in private to become my secret weapon. Needless to say, I'm feeling an epic comeback in the near future.
Derek hates cake so we had pumpkin pie instead. You might be saying to yourself, "Pumpkin pie in March? That's weird." And to that I say, We do what we want....don't judge us :) So there is the Present, as in my present life and birthday presents. See what I did there? Puny right? Ah, I did it again.

So this past week as I took a look back on my past and enjoyed my present, I got to thinking about the future. Derek will graduate in May with his bachelors degree which means new opportunities for our family. Derek and I often feel overwhelmed with the many options and paths we can choose for our lives. It seems so daunting at times...making decisions that will decide and pave the way for our future and our kids futures. I don't like the pressure of being an adult and having to make these choices. What if we choose the wrong one? What if things don't work out the way we hope? Why can't there be a manual out there that tells you what to do with your life? I had all these questions on my mind as I went to church on Sunday. We have been praying, and fasting and praying and studying the scriptures to try to narrow down our options. Derek had to work Sunday so I found myself sitting alone in a pew, lost in thought as the meeting started. Our opening song was How Firm a Foundation. As we sang, the words began to take on new meaning for me. The third verse says, "Fear not I am with thee, O be not dismayed. I am thy God and will still give thee aid. I'll STRENGTHEN thee, HELP thee and cause thee to stand." Basically, Heavenly Father was using a mega-phone to get His message across to me. I'm here, I will help you, I told you I would. Even though I might not see where our life is headed at all times, I can trust my Father in Heaven to lead us the right way because He does know.

We have thought about joining the Air Force ever since we met. (When I say we are joining, I really mean Derek). Through lots of prayer and fasting we have decided to move forward and enlist. We are excited and nervous for the opportunities, challenges and adventures this new decision will hold for us. It truly feels like the right thing for us to do at this point in our lives and with the go ahead from our Main Man Upstairs we will move forward with faith.



"Past is experience, Present is experiment and Future is expectation. So use your experience in your experiments to achieve your expectations." -Nishan Panwar