love is on its way

so i stayed home from school today. maya broke her arm yesterday and we had to go to the hospital straight from school, didn't get home till almost eight and i still hadn't started my homework. that's okay, i needed a break. and what better way to take a break than to blog, right? eh. so my cousin taylor is getting married in like three months which is great! but that also means a trip to utah! i don't think i've ever been as excited to go back to utah as i am now. in english we just read the play 'our town' which has become one of my new favorite reads. one of the messages that the author is trying to get across is how important it is to be grateful for what you have now, before you die and relize how good you had it. it's caused me to think alot about how lucky i am now, how lucky i've always been. with the move i've developed a horrible tendancy to complain, and to feel bad for myself. i have a hard time dealing with how different things are out here. i don't have as many friends at school, my social life went from being so great to barely existing. i'm so sick of being the new kid, i just want this year of firsts to be over. but i took a moment the other day to make a lists of all the great things that have happened because we've moved, because i live here. i thought i'd share that list with you.
1. my testimony has grown so much stronger.
2. my family has spent more time together
3. i met some of the most amazing young women on the face of the planet who have never once judged me, made me feel like i don't belong, or like i'm not important. quite the opposite actually, i love these girls with all my heart and am so glad that i have them in my life. which brings me to number four.
4. we moved into the greatest ward on the face of the planet.
5.i know who i am and what i want in life.
6. i'm not afraid to be different, i know who i am. my name is sarah smith, i'm a sister, basketball player, friend, aspiring chef, closet guitar player, and i'm a mormon.
7. i quickly learned who my real friends were in utah.
8. i look forward to the little things in life.
9. my favorite days of the week are sunday's and wednesday's because i get to go to church.
10. i get the blessing of going to early morning seminary.
11. my relationship with my siblings has gotten better.
12. i've learned that i can't control everything that happens.
13. my friendships with people in utah have only gotten better.
14. i've met the greatest mormon guys on the face of the planet.
15. i'm writing again.
16. i'm not afraid to be myself.
17. i have such a better relationship with cousin Toria, we went from being complete enemies, to best friends in a matter of months.and i'm so glad she lives a mile away and has been able to help me through this journey.

there are so many more, but these are my favorites. so going back to what i said about april, and being excited to go back home. i can't wait! because as great as i have it here, and as much as i love these below zero temperatures, the day i get to land in salt lake city, hug my best friend, family, and party for ten straight days. along with meet new people whom i've become acquainted with because of the move *cough cough james lewis* which will all be fantastic. so things are different here, school is harder, language is worse, modesty isn't even a word. but would i change where i am right now, would i give it up to go back? N E V E R. i've grown so much because of this! i get so excited everytime i look back to a year ago and see how much i've grown. who i am now is just a much better, still majorly spazzy version of who i was then. and i have no doubt that i will continue to grow, and continue to be a better person. then in two and a half years when it's time for me to leave home, and go back to utah for school, i'll be ready.
forever and always,
Sarah Leslie