My Soul is Found on the Road to Arizona

I just took a quick trip to my hometowns of Taylor/Snowflake, Arizona for a friend's funeral. I drove down myself, in my Mustang, and it took all of about 40 minutes for me to realize that the drive down brings out my memories of soul forming events and people.

If you want to get to know me- the whole me- the good, the bad, the past, the present, the secret, the obvious- all you have to do is take a 10 hour road trip (yes parents- it should only take 10 hours!) to a small town in the White Mountains of Arizona- and let me talk.

If you ride with me, I probably won't start talking until Nephi- and in Nephi I'll tell you about that certain boy that was around as I was figuring out my views on men and love. He was my first heart ache.

A little passed Nephi, I point out a sign for Scipio. I'll tell you about the woman I knew in college from that town, and how she was an incredible lady. But, what formed my soul more than her was the job that led me to her- a job where I met and worked with angels on earth, and was given the amazing opportunity to help them on their journey.

As the road gets empty, I might tell you about the many road trips I've taken in my life- my trips with Whitney where I learned to love the road- my trips with CJ where we laughed way too much- my first trip with Andy when I realized that we really could rely on each other- my trip with just my dad- and my trip with just my mom. I learned so much more about these people as I journeyed with them- and in turn, those relationships shaped me into the woman you know.

I might tell you about my other travels- in airplanes. You'll hear about the STOP program, and the moment I realized I wanted to be a speech & debate teacher. You'll hear about my favorite airports and my love for the business of them. You'll hear about the day I realized I no longer wanted to travel for a living, but only for vacation, and how I cried at the realization as I walked through a random hotel.

When we get to Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon area, I'll tell you about Girl Scouts and how it changed my life. I'll tell you about Dody and Joyce, and how their simple decision set me on a path of holding multiple offices in multiple clubs.

In Holbrook I'll tell you about my family- and the family parties that we had during my younger years. I'll tell you about my cousins, aunts, and uncles. I'll tell you about poker and my grandparents back bedroom where we spent hours playing make believe.

Pulling in to Snowflake, you'll hear about my junior high years- as I spent them on the streets of Snowflake- rollerblading and walking the sidewalks. I'll tell you about my friends that I met there, and their families that still live there. I'll tell you about Misti, Roger, Greg, Jeremy, Justin, Jared...

I'll take you on a detour and we'll pass the Carousel PreSchool, and I'll tell you about Pat- the woman who in one conversation changed the course of my life. We'll also drive by the district office, where I spent hours in the GT program. I'll tell you about Mr. Evans, and how his belief in us got us to Disneyworld without him a year later.

By  that point, I'll have to tell you about Disneyland and Disneyworld with my family. You will come to understand my love for Disney parks, once you understand those trips.

By then, we will be at my house- the house I grew up in- and I'll tell you about tree forts, bike rides, and night games. I'll tell you about trees that are no longer there, but that flew me to the moon and Mars. I'll tell you about finding horny toads and lizards, rock climbing, and sledding. We'll drive by my first best friend's house, and I'll tell you about our adventures with the law. I'll tell you about the neighbors, Britt, Jess and others.

We'll drive by the fire department, and you will learn about my love of fireworks, and my deep respect for fire fighters.

As we drive by the junior high, intermediate and elementary schools, you'll learn of my hero worship for my teachers. I'll tell you that I was born to be a teacher- and nothing else was ever seriously considered. You'll hear of my love of story writing, reading, and math facts.

At some point, I'll tell you that this town is where I started to love running, which led to my membership of the cross- country team- which led to a picture of my crying on the front page of a newspaper in Utah. That team is the basis for my Utah friendships- friendships that are a deep part of me.

And, that will start me telling you about the other teams that changed my life and brought me life long friends. I'll talk about FCCLA, Key Club, and Mock Trial. And I'll tell you about JJ, and how his death is something I don't think I will ever fully recover from.

I'll show you the corner where I dodged what would have been my first kiss, and maybe I'll tell you about my first kiss. I'll tell you about the boy I sat next to on the hill, wishing he'd hold my hand and knowing that he couldn't. I'll tell you about my first three loves- and how they all took very different paths. I'll tell you about how I loved holding hands and about the first time I held Andy's.

I'll have to tell you about the moment I was humbled meeting one of those first love's mom years later, and having her ask me if I knew the "Richmond girl" who had meant so much to her son before he died- only to find out that girl was me. And that will lead me to tell you about the other humbling moment, when a teacher first told me what it meant to be a good person- not just a good student. I'll tell you about my obsession with that term.

We'll keep driving until we get to Shumway, and I'll tell you about my grandparents, mud forts, and the first time I felt that I had encountered evil. I'll show you the place where I dreamed of getting married, and tell you about my actual wedding 11 hours away.

I'll tell you about my heart ache, and how it changed me. I'll tell you about buying my Mustang, and finding my soul on a different trip to Arizona- and how I pulled over to dance in the pouring rain, and I'll pull us over, and make us twirl in the road- just as a show that Arizona trips in the Mustang are not complete without a show of childhood carefreeness.  :)

By then, it will be time to turn around... and you'll know far more about me than you even wanted to know.