philadelphia reflections

Before we leave, I want to share a few thoughts about our stay in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

One of the most surprising things to me about Pennsylvania is that it is so green! I am used to California (pretty brown) and Utah (also pretty brown) which are beautiful in their own ways, but it is so, so beautiful here and I have really enjoyed it.

These are a few pictures of the drive to work - a drive I make 4 times each day. It's a good thing I love it!

Seeing animals along the way is very typical. That deer is always hanging out in the same spot! Geese are everywhere; my favorite is when they're crossing the road and I get to watch. Occasionally we see a rabbit. And there are a lot of dead opossums, raccoons, and squirrels alongside the road. I guess I take more after my mother than I thought - I love these moments!

One of the most annoying things about the location of our Extended Stay is that you cannot turn left into the parking lot and, unfortunately, we're usually coming from the direction that requires us to turn left! So, every time we come home, we drive an extra 1/4 mile to this gorgeous park to turn around and then turn left to head back to the hotel. I have seen this view so many times!

Another thing I see all of the time is moth webs. Can you believe a moth made that? They are everywhere - like, at least every 20 feet along the road! At first I thought they were spider webs and I was, obviously, so grossed out. But, a moth makes them. I was going to look it up so I could tell you more about them, but I started to get the ebbie-geebies, so just take it as a cool fact - some species of moths make ginormous webs in trees.

Those are our most common sights whenever we are driving. The other things that stand out to me the most about driving are the roads and the drivers. The roads here are so crazy - they are narrow and windy and sometimes they even flip my stomach like a roller coaster! The best way to describe them is what Paul Brown said - these roads were not meant for cars; they were made years and years ago and then just paved when people started driving. So true! It was scary and seemed really dangerous at first, but one might say we're pros now. The drivers in Pennsylvania are fast and fearless! Not dangerous, and very aware of everyone else (which I appreciate), but they know where they are going and they make sure to get there!

One of the things I have loved the most about living here is our ward. Everyone is so kind and friendly and loving. They have really made an effort to extend their friendship and make Ben & me feel welcome. I am especially grateful for Carolyn, who Ben and I made cookies for one week and who then took me out to lunch and made sure to say hello each Sunday; for Mitzi, the primary president, who is such a righteous woman - she could see how lonely my days have been and took me out to lunch one day and then took me visiting teaching with her, just so I could get out for a bit; for Lowell and Elise for inviting us over for a yummy dinner and fun evening; and for Sister Thomason, Sister Castleton, Sister Maxwell, and Sister Holbrook for their friendliness and righteous living that make them some of the most beautiful women I have met. I love this ward!

Ben & I are also very, very grateful to the Brown family. They have done so much for us and we will miss their happy family very much!

One of our favorite things has been teaching the CTR 4 primary class each Sunday. These children are so sweet and we have had so much fun teaching them.

From left to right: Hunter, Isaac, Abi, and Kate.

A couple of funny moments:

- On our first Sunday, when Ben was introducing me as his wife and saying that we were married, Hunter buried his face in his hands and was so embarrassed. Haha!

- Abi said the opening prayer one Sunday and prayed for her sister to have help being potty-trained, for her "to go number two, to poop!" Haha!

- In singing time once, we were talking about the disciples pulling nets and nets and nets of fish into their boat and Abi yelled, "for sushi!!" How does a 4-year-old even know what sushi is?

There have been so many hysterical moments, but there is no way I can describe them all!

Ben & I are so blessed to have shared a calling all summer. We have just loved it.

One other really fun thing is the new grocery store that opened last month. Seriously, no jokes at all, it is the best grocery store that exists. We went for the first time because we needed just one thing, but I'm pretty sure we spent at least 20 minutes wandering the bakery and tasting all of the yummy samples: blueberry-cranberry bread, cheesecake, brie, . . . We stop by every now and again for treats like pain au chocolate, m&m cookies, or cupcakes, and I have been eying these adorable character cupcakes for a long time. I decided that because it was our last week here, I just had to get one. So cute, right?! It's Cookie Monster! (He's only a little smashed because I dropped him in the car.) Too bad Wegman's doesn't exist in Provo!

Ben & I begin our journey (35 hour drive) back to Provo tomorrow. We are looking forward to a fun weekend in Carmel with Ben's parents and seeing my parents the next weekend when they drive to Provo to bring us our wedding presents.

School starts in about a week and a half and I think we are starting to be excited for a new school year! It will be so fun to be in Provo and be married!