6 years!

Even though I've moved on with my life ;) there are still some years when I recognize this day as the day that I returned home from my mission!!

After I ran through the "finish line" my family made outside the house

It has been six years now, but I often have a memory or thought that brings me back to my days in Connecticut. <insert cliche phrase here> ____ .... it really was one the best and most challenging experiences of my life! In addition to that, (more cliche, but true) I loved the New England area. There is so much diversity, I felt as though I served in tons of countries! I loved teaching and making new friends from Ghana, Korea, India, Estonia, Brazil (and many more that I can't remember now) while also geting to know and love them and their cultures.
Say what you will, New Englanders may be gruff on the outside compared to us Westerners, but once you are "in" with them, they are deeply loyal and dedicated...and in some ways, even more considerate drivers!

It was so beautiful there, I couldn't stop myself from taking pictures of the gorgeous scenery I'd always see going down those streets:

Spring Blossoms

and yes...I even did this...

meadow of daisies on the side of the road

Oh, there are plenty more where those came from! What can I say...I love New England! It was a privilege serving a mission there, I cannot even begin to describe how much it has changed me. There were many life lessons learned that I still apply to my life even today:

• Do it anyway, regardless of possible negative outcomes
• Charity is expecting the best of eachother
• Lose yourself in the moment, some opportunites come only once
• Some days, the only thing you feel you accomplish is simply showing that you are out there working and ready for when the right situation does arise.

I'm glad I served in the Connecticut Hartford Mission and look forward to a visit someday!