15 years? Holy Cow We Are Old!

Five days ago I woke up in my Korean apartment for the last time.  Eight years is a long time for me to be in one place.  All summed up, I have spent over a quarter of my life in Korea.  It has been difficult for me to face the inevitable change heading my way.  Maryland isn't new to us and we are excited to reconnect with good friends there but I worry about my kids leaving the only home they know.  I worry about them leaving great friends that have become family to go to a foreign land, a new house, new schools, new church, new everything.  Sometimes I feel scared about leaving what has become comfortable.  Other times I am excited for the next adventure.  All of this seems eerily familiar.

In 1997 (20 years ago!), my best friend and I went to EFY where my life changed forever when I met Amber Asay.  Things were simpler.  All I had to worry about was getting good grades, and making my weekly long distance phone call to Logandale.  I was lucky that my Dad allowed me to travel down to meet her a few times.  We listened to Ben Folds while dodging boulders on our way up Mormon Mesa to look at the stars.  When Amber came to Salt Lake for volleyball games, we got to hang out.  We hiked the 'S' and watched an entire valley's worth of fireworks.

A few years later and I was back from two years in Korea with hope that Amber would be there.  I could hardly contain myself the first time I saw her after my mission.  What seemed simple to my heart was quickly complicated by the reality that I still had years of college ahead of me, no idea what I wanted to do for a living, no car, no job, just love.  I worried about how it would all work out.  I asked Amber to marry me and she said yes.  She wasn't worried about any of that stuff.  She reassured me that together we could deal with any challenge.  So 15 years ago when I woke up in my own bedroom for the last time, while excited for my new life, I was still a little freaked out.

I never could have guessed that 15 years from that day, I would be where I am now.  Still freaked out and still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, but just as I was that day, I am confident that I can face any challenge because I have Amber at my side.

I am blessed to have Amber.  I love her always positive attitude, her snarky laugh and her smile.  I love how we can't go anywhere without her bumping into people she knows.  I love her because she is the mother of our four beautiful kids.  I love going on adventures with her.  I love how she can't help but make inappropriate jokes.  I love that she can school me in Dr. Mario and PACMAN.  I love the wonderful friends she attracts (if it were up to me we'd be loners).  Even though I don't know what is next, I am grateful that whatever it is, we will be together.