I just got back from a wonderful vacation in beautiful, green, hot, humid, wonderful Ohio! I grew up in Dublin Ohio (elementary through first year of high school) and absolutely loved living there. For my birthday my parents gave me a ticket to Ohio-- what a treat :) It was so fun to re-unite with old friends, and make a few new ones. I forgot just how green Dublin is! I would love to live there again.
Also, on my trip I happened to run into Sheri Dew and Sister Nelson (Elder Nelson's wife) and hear them speak at a tri-stake Relief Society Activity. Talk about AWESOME. They spoke true words of wisdom and just really made me have a greater desire to serve a mission.
Also.... Patria, Sister Pusey, and I made a trip up to Kirtland OH. Kirtland is one of the most special places on earth. I always have such a wonderful time there. I can't pin-point a place where I "knew the church is true" or found a testimony of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ- but I know that Kirtland is a place where my testimony really blossomed and my knowledge of my Savior and his Gospel greatly increased.
I also took special note of all the sister missionaries I saw in Ohio... the clothes they were wearing and the way they spoke and carried themselves because I will soon join their ranks!
Other adventures in Ohio included Greaters ice cream, VBS pizza party, polar bears, ultimate ping pong, babysitting, petland, going to the pool, graduation parties, fountain drinks-- as low as .69!!!--Eddie Bauer, and just hanging out with some of my best friends.
The Pusey Family and me: Brother Pusey will argue that I am still legally a member of their family ;)
Bro. Pusey, me and Hannah
Seriously love this girl, Patria-- you are awesome! We have WAY too much fun together... :)
Love these girls!
Chipotle with the girls, one place I always find myself while in Ohio... :)
I could spend the rest of my life eating Greaters Ice Cream.... seriously the best ice cream on earth.
Visiting Sarah at the Columbus Zoo... number one zoo in the country!
POLAR BEARS!!!! One of them jumped into the water, it was AWESOME!!
Seriously HUGE animals... But they were totally cute! They acted very similar to dogs. This is my new dream pet.
KIRTLAND
Outside the Johnson Farm
Outside the Kirtland Temple
ULTIMATE PING PONG
a.k.a. my new favorite game
The table broke-- we are just that intense!
Sisterly love!
These girls are serious about ping pong!
THE VANVLIETS
I love these people! They are another one of my "second families"
Me and Elisabeth-- LOVE this girl :)
we are just plain silly girls
BOUNCE HOUSE!!/ GRAD PARTY
We are silly, and kind of crazy.
With the youngest Thomas at Petland-- one of the greatest adventures I had while in Ohio :)
At Lisa's graduation party-- she will be Tia's roommate at BYU-I next year!!!!