One Year.

365 days. One Christmas, Thanksgiving, Valentines, and Fourth of July. 52 weeks. 8,760 hours 525,600 minutes 31,536,000 seconds. I've had a birthday, turned a year older and wiser and completed my sophomore year of high school. Its been one year. since I became a resident of Orem city. Yes, a whole years gone by. and boy has it been a ride.

To reinstate the recent pivotally made point, it's been exactly one year since I left the comfort and familiarity of my hometown, Lehi. This place was not only where I happened to rest my head each and every evening as the sun went down, but it also contained everything I knew and loved. Within the compounds of a couple miles my life was in my mind and to my knowledge, complete. Happy or not I lived my life knowing where I belonged and what I was to call home. My neighbors were my neighbors; both annoying and completely normal to me. My nameless street was my street. My childhood best friend and arch enemy lived within 2 minutes of my dwelling quarters and i was perfectly comfortable hating nearly all the kids I attended public school with. I loved my friends and the people who had always been at my fingertips. I lived with the fact that, when I was in desperate need of somebody to.. well.. need they'd be there. Life wasn't perfect but, it was comfortable. We were fine, and I was for the most part content.

And then we moved.

Although no body can fully understand how moving exactly 14.83 miles can be so hard, I assure you that it was. Saying goodbye and leaving everything i knew was singly the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I perfectly remember how Aubree's eyes were as wet as mine as I whispered into the darkness to her, worry thickly coating my voice before we were even finished packing. I was so scared. I'd never had to leave anything i'd loved before, and I didn't know how to say goodbye. I didn't want to say goodbye.

When we saw the Orem house for the first time, it took everything I had in me not to completely breakdown. It was old and tiny and smelled funny. The mauve carpet repulsed me and the wallpaper was beyond hideous.  The neighbors weren't neighbors, they were awkward and complete strangers to me. As was the entire city. I felt lost, and I cried a lot. This place would never be my home. I told myself i would always hate it here, and I unfortunately did for a long time. I felt awkward and uncomfortable, like I was in a strangers home pretending to live their life. It took nearly two months before finally I grabbed hold of reality and realized I wasn't dreaming.  I was not going to wake up back to where I had been when summer stared, because this was my life now, like it or not. Only a 24 minute drive on average, less than an episode of the angry beavers or the wild thornberries but I felt a million miles away from home.

The process was gradual and for a while I was very lonely and upset. however, it brings a smile to my face to say that things slowly changed and I realized I didn't need to be so unhappy. You see, everywhere you go you will find happiness. Sure, you'll have your share of trials and hard times but there will be an abundance of good days too. I've learned that no matter where you are you will find people who love you, and over time you will come to love them back. Yes, I without a doubt miss the people back in Lehi and i think about them often, but I have also met some amazing people here who have changed my life, and bettered me as a person in the short time that I've known them. I can't imagine my life without them. This was meant to be. God does not make mistakes.

However difficult moving and leaving that part of myself  back in Lehi has been, I appreciate everything I've gained from the experience. It has in no way been a walk in the park or a bouquet of daisies but it has been worth it. Even though having no friends and crying myself to sleep nights in a row is not at the top of my list I have made leaps and bounds as an individual, and I'm grateful for the person I have become and am continuing to grow into because i was forced to stretch myself in ways i never would have if i hadn't had to leave.

I've grown quite fond of this city they called Orem, throughout the 12 short months that I've dwelt here.  I've learned to appreciate it for what it is and what it gives to me. I love being able to ride my bike to the library and grocery store. I love that I get to walk to school everyday and talk to my elderly neighbors. I love that I have a backyard with real grass and flowers. I love that its old, quaint and quite here. I love the trees and in the fall time when the leaves turn my heart feels happy. Its beautiful here so close to the mountains, and the springtime is quite lovely. I actually really love where i live. not just sometimes, but all the time. I love this place I'm in.

I swore I'd always hate Orem. But I've found that its impossible to hate something that has been so good to me and taught me so much. I've learned to love this place. And I never thought I would. This past year has been the hardest one yet. but boy has it been worth it. 

Its comfortable here, and I am doing fine. 

yours truly, nolle.