Hometowns

Pulpit Rock in Stavanger

"Norway may soon be my country, but Provo will always be my Hometown!"
-with a wink to Gertude Stein for the quote-

As life goes on here in Provo, the chance of moving back to Norway seems more sure and closer than I would like to admit most days. Kenneth has been diligently searching for a job here in our beloved Utah County, but keeps coming up short. We've discussed our options and what to do if and when we really can't find a job that can sustain a family here in dear Provo.

As things stand now, we'll stick it out until Christmas, but if nothing comes up, then he may be on his way back home to look for a job that actually pays a good honest wage.



Stavanger Harbor at Night

I am still crossing my fingers that we'll find our dream job here, and I'll be able to stay right where I am. More importantly, I'll be able to raise my children to be T-Birds @ Timpview, go to BYU games, 4th of July Parades, Stadium of Fire, hike the Y, hike in Provo Canyon and be raised in one of my favorite places on earth. My attachment to Provo began as far as as I can remember. I wasn't raised in Provo, but it has always felt like home. From a young girl sitting on her daddy's lap listening with rapture to all of his BYU stories to a 18 yr old freshman loving the
feeling of finally coming home.


Provo Temple

Last Saturday I finally made it up to the temple for a session. As I walked out of the temple, the view caught my eye, and I had to stop and drink it all in. It was about 3pm, so the sun wasn't quite directly over head, but the view of Provo, BYU, and Utah Lake stretched before me like a painter's canvas. The leaves in the valley are finally changing color now, and they were all waving to me with a little sigh in their voices like they knew what my thoughts were.

"How can I leave this place?"

"Why would I ever leave this place?"

"What if we never come back?"

The last question, of course, seems the scariest to me, and yet as these thoughts rumbled through my mind I thought back to a talk given by Sister Sheri Dew, where she talked about the beloved pioneers in Nauvoo and their journey down Parley Street.


Pioneers leaving Nauvoo

How they would look back before crossing the Mississippi at their beloved Nauvoo, their beautiful homes, temple and memories. They were entering the complete unknown, knowing that they would never return. They hitched up their wagons and entered the vast unfamiliar and unexplored west with determination, and faith in their Heavenly Father, and in their Prophet dear.

So with a slight sigh and a little wave back to the beautiful leaves I silently accepted the fact that my life may take a turn I did not design. I did, however, feel that as long as we keep Faith in Every Footstep, we'll be all right. Life always has a funny way of working out for the best, even if it isn't what we had planned on or wanted at the time. So I pray now for acceptance of the future. Whatever it may hold.

"Norway may soon be my country, but Provo will ALWAYS be my Hometown!"