* I wrote this a few days ago but didn't get to finish it and post it until now.

Today I was thinking about how grateful I am for change. I am not a person that usually likes or easily embraces change. A year and a half ago I was living in Hawaii. I had been living there for 7 years and loved my life there. My last year I worked as a part-time teaching in my friend, Hailey's, 5th grade classroom. In the summer I worked as a surf photographer at a resort with my best friend. We got paid to hang out, paddle board, watch people surf, and surf in between lessons. It was amazing and I loved it, but I kept feeling like there was somewhere else I needed to go. I felt happy but felt like something was missing in my life.

I went through a hard break up with a boyfriend and it caused me to really think about where I was in my life. I loved Hawaii and the time that I had spent there, but I felt like it was time for me to be somewhere new. I felt like I was stuck in the same rut and wasn't really growing. (Maybe because I spent almost everyday surfing for at least 3-4 hours, sometimes more like 6 ? :) ) I kept having a continued feeling that I needed to move somewhere new. With a lot of praying and soul searching and encouragement from my family and friends, I decided to move.

My Last Week in Hawaii



I thought and prayed about where to go for several months. I had a good feeling about moving to California, and things just kind of ended up falling into place for me to move to Pacific Beach. I had never been to PB and didn't know anyone there. I had never seen the house I was moving into or met my roommates. I didn't even have a job lined up. It was really hard for me my last week in Hawaii, I kept thinking, "this is the last time I'll get to go surfing, this is my last time at keikis (my favorite beach)"... etc. etc. One thing that made things easier for me, my best friend Katie was moving away from Hawaii too. I bought my ticket to leave the same day she was leaving, somehow it just made it easier that we were both leaving together. The day came that it was time to leave and I cried quietly most of the flight. I flew into Arizona and stayed with my family for about a week. My family drove up with me, my mom and dad in one car and Brittany, Ally, and I in my car. We got to my new house and unpacked all of my stuff and then spent a few days going to the beach and exploring the area. The day my family left, I remember just feeling so sad and alone as they pulled out of the driveway. I had lived much further away the past 7 years but I had always had family and good friends in Hawaii and felt so at home there. My first few weeks in California were really hard for me. It was a time that I really leaned on my Heavenly Father and grew closer to Him through prayer and faith. I felt His comfort and hand in my life so much throughout this time.

My first weekend in California I met my future hubby. I didn't know it at the time, but he asked me on a date and we started dating (not to seriously at first though). I will tell our love story on a later post! After about a month, I started an amazing nanny job. The family I worked for was so sweet and so kind and their kids were the cutest! I loved going to work and became such good friends with them. I also made some good friends from my ward and found some awesome girls to surf and hang out with! I found some fun places to eat and surf (both very important things to me (: ) I felt so blessed with all of these things and I know that my Heavenly Father was really watching over me and helping me throughout this time. There were still days that I missed Hawaii so much, but I knew that I was in the place that I was supposed to be. Almost exactly a year from the date I moved to San Diego, I got married to Nate in the San Diego LDS Temple. It was the happiest day of my life and I was so happy to be there with Nate and with so many family members and sweet friends.

San Diego

Visits from my family

My first date with Nate





When I look back on everything I went through from the time I moved to Hawaii until now, I feel so grateful for everything that happened. I am grateful that I went through a break up in Hawaii which ultimately was the pushing factor that made me consider moving. I'm thankful for my Heavenly Father for all He did and continues to do for me. For helping me to feel I needed to move. For helping me to know where to move and making everything work out for me to move and settle there. For helping me to meet Nate and helping us throughout our relationship. For helping Nate and I to break up (for a short time) to see how much we really missed and liked each other. For helping us to realize we loved each other. For the opportunity we had to be married and sealed for time and all eternity in the temple. For all of the love I was shown in San Diego, having such sweet friends and so many fun experiences. I am so thankful for my family for all of the love and support they always show me. I am so thankful for Nate and all he does for me; he is so sweet, thoughtful, smart, hard working, and so much fun to be around. I couldn't imagine life without him now! I will always look back on this time in my life and be thankful. I am thankful for change, without it I would not be where I am today. I am so thankful for all of the pain, sadness, trials, and trying times I went through that made me stronger, strengthened my faith, and brought me to where I am today. I am so completely happy being married to Nate and starting our life together. I am so thankful for the wonderful life that we have and love that we share.