This post has been spent a long time in the editing process, but hopefully now it is ready.
As this semester was drawing to a near, I began to think about how I was going to summarize Spring 2013. What could I say that would be uplifting but still capture all the pain, discomfort, and loneliness I felt for the past four months?
The Sping 2013 semester was difficult. Difficult in every way. I spent countless days wishing I had not signed up for 18 credits and countless days wishing I could just go home; countless days at home wishing I did not have to go back. I spent countless hours wishing I had someone to talk to and relate to, and countless hours upset over how certain things were panning out.
However, thats not really what the semester was about, and thats not what I want to remember it twenty years from now. I want to remember Spring 2013 as the semester I got stronger.
I grew stronger emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I really worked on growing my testimony by reading scriptures and conference talks, praying, spending lots of free time at the institute building, and looking for little lessons in everyday things. I loved seeing myself progress in little ways. At the end of this semester, I know I have gotten stronger spiritually.
I also decided to improve physically this semester by taking up running. I spent a lot of hours pounding the tread mill at 7,000 feet elevation. Definitely not the easiest task, especially at the beginning. However, I grew stronger. I conquered each mile and hill with great pride.
To finish off the semester, I chose to do a little 5k fun run to show myself how I had grown through the last four months. Even though it was just 3 miles, I had a blast and felt accomplished.
I participated in the 1st annual Bubble Run in Phoenix! At the end of each kilometer there was a huge bubble bog to run through. The bogs were all different colors and stood about four feet tall. It was a lot of fun and I am so grateful I chose to do it. It was a great way to end the semester.
The line before the beginning. About four thousand people participated, all ready to be bubbled.
At the start line!
All sweaty and tired (and bubbled) in the Phoenix heat.
