Austin and Julia: Looking back and looking ahead

I stole the title from another blogger I occasionally read. But as I was thinking about it, our life right now is about that time of looking back and also looking ahead...I guess you can have a lot of those moments, daily even?

This one is special though. We are looking back at our time in Rexburg, being single and married, and looking ahead to what is within our reach. New school, new jobs, new opportunities to serve, new callings, new people, new place...it's all so crazy yet exciting. We are in the waiting period of our life of where life will take us but I really want to focus a lot on what brought us here. Rexburg has been my 'home' for the last 6.5 years...wow that seems like forever!

I remember the night before I went to college. I was hanging out with friends in the backyard of the Child's house and I was scared, nervous for what would lie ahead in my college life. I packed my little bags and headed off the next morning with Anna Munger who was so kind to let me stay at her apartment and then help me get settled into the dorm room and get all the necessary things as a freshman.
I think I went on more dates my first semester of college than I did any other time...go figure! Some of those dates were people that I worked with at 4 in the morning, which is saying something.

To think that I could have crossed paths with Austin that first semester and we never knew! I still want to know someday why he looked so familiar to me the first time I saw him...

I had moments of lack of sleep, cramming in essays, getting up at the crack of dawn to finish homework, deep conversations with my roommates at Pizza Pie Cafe or the cemetery, lots of tears, lots of laughters, lots of struggles, and lots of triumphs. These years in Rexburg have given me lasting friendships with some of the dearest people I know.

One of the moments in 2010, I considered, changed the course of my life. I was sitting on my bed on my computer looking at service opportunities on campus. I noticed Adopt-a-grandparent which I remembered Meredith or Viv participating. Anyway, old people were fun so what the hey? I emailed about how I could get involved and Jeana (one who would be a dear friend) asked me if I wanted to be part of the committee. She was the manager at the time and I'm so grateful that she invited me (power of invites I tell you!) because I probably would have been casually doing the program but never getting heavily involved.

I was on the committee for a couple of semesters and then I applied to be manager, then coordinator, and then Jeana again asked me if I wanted to apply for the Area Director position. Not in a million years. I had no desire to.

But then of course, I had that kind experience when I can't sleep at night because I'm thinking about all these ideas for service activities and I won't be able to sleep until I write them down. That's when I knew that I should apply for the position. I would say that they were really desperate for someone to take the position (which I think they were) but hey, it got me here!

Then I was taking a religion class I didn't need to take and the 2nd day of class, I felt sick to my stomach. Like throw up sick and sweaty and knowing that I should not be here. I've clearly felt that at another part of my life with something that was a good thing but it was wrong timing. That's when I went to Institute and saw Austin and the rest is history. 2012 was simply the best year ever. You know when you listen to a song and it brings back memories of certain times of the years? I have so many of those with 2012 when I was dating Austin. And we didn't have smart phones back then so I decided to write out all of my favorite texts from my phone to my computer (over 13 pages long-single spaced!)

Then I graduated, we got married, Austin continued with school while I managed apartments. We've worked in the temple together a combined 4 years. We've served in various callings in the Church. Our lives haven't gone exactly how we planned. But that's okay. It's been so wonderful. Rexburg really has been good to us. We hope we've been good to Rexburg. We'll look back on the beginning of our marriage and think of the trailer, and our oversized 3 bedroom house for just the two of us, and late night chats on the bed, walks around Porter Park, campfires with friends, watching lots of BYU volleyball and football, and much, much more!

Now for some pics over the years...in no particular order

Old mural on Main street. This is sort of sentimental to me because I walked by this several times a week when I went to the library/family history center. Goodbye Rexburg! April, 18, 2015

Dec. 2012, Mr. Darcy and Miss Elizabeth sharing a little something called love

July, 2012. Our last time seeing each other before I went to Chicago for 2.5 weeks-don't worry we got engaged a month later ;)

Mar, 2012. Our first pic together! Taken by my roommate Rebekah. I remember we went to go see Cami do her dance routine for her social dance class after institute. This was the first night we REALLY held hands. And as soon as we walked into the Hart gym and saw her, we instinctively let go of our hands. Too embarrassed I guess!

Cheese of a picture but whatevs.

Summer of 09 I think. On a group date with these lovely ladies

Oct, 2012. Austin was involved with Student Ambassadors. He loved it as you can tell.

Summer of '10. Marj, Summer, and I hanging out in SLC. As she put it, "our elevator friend took this one."

Fall, 2012-roommate pics. Awesome people!

Summer of '09 or '10. Devouring skookies!

Always wanted to have this done to my face. Summer of '11.

Summer of '10, got to hang out with my "5th grandma". Love her to pieces.

Cami, Nate, Austin, and their friend doing a 5K race. As cool as ever.

I always think "I married into the best family!" every time I see this picture. They are the greatest. April, '12

Triplets in the office that day. Winter, '13.

I should have a dedicated post to these two. Best friends since the womb. Marj and Hils are the coolest people to be with if you couldn't already tell from the pic. At my bridal shower, Dec, '12.

I love him. Winter, '12.

I think this was taken his freshman year of college but he is so proud of that snow suit that he got at DI for a few bucks. Again, he's just the best.

August, '12. Chicago Summer Jam with all the counselors. Such a fun time!

Service project, cleaning and painting in the Family Crisis Center. I was Area Director at the time. Winter, '12.

I think this was Cami's caption for this photo that is so fitting: "Happy siblings in happy sweaters." I love that they are such great friends. No wonder people thought they were dating ;) Winter, '12.

Graduation day! Thanks to Mom and Dad, CJ, Danielle, and Emily for driving all the way for it! Dec, '12.

April, '12. Helping out with Get Connected. I was really in love with this kid by this time.

January, 15. Grandma Myreel's funeral which turned into a mini Lewis reunion.

Sister-in-laws? More like kindred spirits. Love this girl so much.

Oct, '12. First Conference together!

Summer, 12. An Oregonian who couldn't resist :)

This was the week that I was talking about. Best week of my life. This was in the I-center on our date. It also happened to be the first time we kissed. April, 11, 2012 :)