Tuscon has been awesome. We have really enjoyed living here so far. Our neighborhood has a ton to do, the weather right now really can't be beat, our ward has been so friendly and we both have callings now - I am an Achievement Days Leader and Brett is a CTR 6 Teacher. Our house is also really nice and it's still hard to imagine we are grown up enough to have our own house, although I also feel like I am kind of old to be getting one for the first time. We have nothing to complain about (government aside). Life is terrific. There are two things I long for though, a temple close-by and a choir to sing in.
We are in the Mesa Arizona Temple district. It's a beautiful temple, but it's a 2-hour drive away. Now, I realize this is still extremely close compared to the distance many people are from temples. I know there are so many LDS church members who make great sacrifices to attend the temple. We are not even close to those people's situations and I admire them greatly for the sacrifices they make to attend the temple. I've been spoiled my entire life. I have been able to arrive at 7 temples by driving 2 hours or less. We lived a 10-minute walk away from the Provo temple the entire time we lived there, and growing up, I lived a 10-minute drive from the Salt Lake temple. Like I said, totally spoiled. I tried to not take it for granted and attend often, but in hindsight, I still wish I had gone more often.
It's a much bigger challenge getting to the temple now. We have no problem making the drive, it's the babysitting that presents the biggest challenge. We have to plan for 4 hours of driving, and at least 3 hours in the temple, although it may be a little shorter or longer than that depending on when you can get into a session. I have a hard time leaving Adie for 7 - 8 hours, especially being that we're new and Adie hasn't gotten used to anyone too much yet. In the next couple of years, there will be 3 new temples in Arizona and the Gilbert Temple might make our commute about 15 minutes shorter (which we'll take without complaint), but who knows if / when a Tucson temple will ever come into being.
We're trying to think of ways to still attend once a month, but it will be tricky. Most likely we'll have to go individually, rather than as a date, or perhaps take a babysitter with us to hang out on the temple grounds with Adie while we are in the temple, but we're open to any other suggestions anyone can think of. Please do me a favor, if you are reading this and a temple recommend-holding member of the LDS church, go to the temple often if you live close. Don't wait until it's more convenient. It probably won't be, and may become less convenient in your future. There is no time like the present to enjoy the blessings of the temple.
I also miss singing in a choir. I know, I talk about this all the time. I love singing in choirs, just love it! For the past few years I've been singing in our ward choirs, and I've definitely enjoyed that, but would have loved to also be part of a community or school choir, where you get to go out and perform a few times a year. Now, we happened to have landed in a ward that doesn't even have a ward choir! Ahhh, what's a choir-loving girl to do? I have looked into community choirs, but I haven't really seen anything much in Tucson. I am thinking about joining the U of A's Institute Choir. I almost joined the Orem Institute Choir while we were in Provo, but backed out because I was big and pregnant and thought I'd feel too out of place. I might feel just as out of place at the U of A, maybe even more so, being that I am 5 -10 years older than most people there probably, but I just want to sing! It does say in the Institute pamphlet though that the choir is for young single adults, so I am not sure I'd qualify anyway. I may go check it out just to make sure.
The other thing I was thinking of doing to quench my thirst for a choir is to start taking voice lessons. I would love to get some real training, so maybe this is a good time in my life to do that. You all know one of my absolute biggest dreams would be to sing in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. There is no way with my talent level, training and knowledge of music that I could get in now. I'll definitely need more training if I were to even have a shot, since it's so competitive. I may not have the opportunity anyway, because we may never live in Utah again, or I may never be good enough, but I wouldn't know unless I tried. The only things holding me back from this idea is that I still wouldn't be singing in a choir, which I much prefer to solo singing, and it's quite expensive.
On a somewhat related note, we watched America's Choir today. I hadn't watched the full program (just the performance) since it was first broadcast. (It's a tribute / history of the MoTab) It made me think about when my grandma was in the choir. She was in it for something like 25 years, during the 60s, 70s and 80s, the days when they always traveled worldwide. How amazing it would be to see the world while traveling with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I can't think of much more I could ever dream of. My grandma was so blessed to be a part of that. Anyway, in the mean time, pretty much any choir would be welcome.
Before - look at all that hair! It had been August since his last haircut (don't tell him it's been longer for me).
This picture does not do justice to the amount of hair on the floor. There was a substantial amount.
The finished product. Doesn't he look handsome!
Nothing like a big picture of lots of hearts to make your Valentine's Day complete. We hope you have a fun one!
We are in the Mesa Arizona Temple district. It's a beautiful temple, but it's a 2-hour drive away. Now, I realize this is still extremely close compared to the distance many people are from temples. I know there are so many LDS church members who make great sacrifices to attend the temple. We are not even close to those people's situations and I admire them greatly for the sacrifices they make to attend the temple. I've been spoiled my entire life. I have been able to arrive at 7 temples by driving 2 hours or less. We lived a 10-minute walk away from the Provo temple the entire time we lived there, and growing up, I lived a 10-minute drive from the Salt Lake temple. Like I said, totally spoiled. I tried to not take it for granted and attend often, but in hindsight, I still wish I had gone more often.
I also miss singing in a choir. I know, I talk about this all the time. I love singing in choirs, just love it! For the past few years I've been singing in our ward choirs, and I've definitely enjoyed that, but would have loved to also be part of a community or school choir, where you get to go out and perform a few times a year. Now, we happened to have landed in a ward that doesn't even have a ward choir! Ahhh, what's a choir-loving girl to do? I have looked into community choirs, but I haven't really seen anything much in Tucson. I am thinking about joining the U of A's Institute Choir. I almost joined the Orem Institute Choir while we were in Provo, but backed out because I was big and pregnant and thought I'd feel too out of place. I might feel just as out of place at the U of A, maybe even more so, being that I am 5 -10 years older than most people there probably, but I just want to sing! It does say in the Institute pamphlet though that the choir is for young single adults, so I am not sure I'd qualify anyway. I may go check it out just to make sure.