Well we finally arrived in Boston yesterday afternoon!!
I'm happy to say we got here without ever:
a. Running out of gas (Although there were a few close calls)
b. Getting lost
c. Breaking down
d. Having the trailor get unhitched from the truck
So overall, the road trip was successful! I actually enjoyed the driving part because I got to sleep, read, etc..... AJ on the other hand had to be super attentive the whole time. He handled it like a champ though!
I'm really excited to be here, although, I must admit I got really homesick yesterday for the first time since we left home. It's strange to be in an entirely new city where you don't know ANYBODY!! Not to mention, this place is a lot different from what I'm used to. There are people EVERYWHERE! Needless to say, driving here is a bit stressful. AJ and I agreed that we are not going to drive our car around here unless we absolutely have to just because it is so insane! It's a good thing that the public transportation here is so awesome.
Although I miss my friends and family a lot right now, I recognize that this will be a good experience for me. It's good to be the minority for once in my life. :)
I think I will grow a lot over the next three years.... but I know I'll have to work at it. I'm going to have to push myself to make friends and get involved in different things.
AJ has been at orientation all day today and he was excited/nervous about that. It's definitely a scary feeling to be starting all over again in a place where you don't have any friends yet.
Along our road trip, we stopped in Nauvoo for a day and a half and we had a lot of fun! I had already been to Nauvoo when I was 12 or so, but there's a lot you forget in ten years. I definitely have a new appreciation for the pioneers now!! They had to leave their homes (many people had just finished building their homes there in Nauvoo), many of their possessions, and the town they had become familiar with. I look at my situation and consider myself pretty lucky. Although I also moved away from everything I was comfortable with and many people I loved, I did not have to trek across the country in a covered wagon and endure many physical hardships like the pioneers did. I did not have to leave many of my things behind and start all over. I am able to still talk to everyone I love on a daily basis through phone calls, text, skype, facebook, etc!!
Overall, I'm pretty lucky.
Here are a few pics we took in Nauvoo!
AJ outside of Carthage Jail
Carthage Jail
This is the bullet hole that shot Hyrum Smith in the face and killed him.
Standing inside the room where both Hyrum and Joseph Smith died...
Nauvoo Temple
AJ and I got to do an endowment session here... it was awesome!
I promise the temple ISN'T leaning in real life....
the lady who took our picture tilted the camera slightly.
