Dear Provo

Dear Provo,

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to tell you at this monumentous occasion, and I decided it was too easy to trail off on tangents. Living in Utah was never one of my goals. And several times, it caught me off guard. I had never thought of myself as a Utah girl, but having lived there for six and a half years, with a Utah license and license plate, I guess I must fit that category. But it's really not a bad thing. You're a great place, and you've provided many wonderful experiences and opportunities. Instead you'll get a top ten list of things I love about you and will miss about you.

10. You know they say that you don't realize what you had until it's gone, and I think that's totally the case with you. Let's be totally honest-- Everyone knows I hate the cold and the snow, and those are two of your greatest characteristics. You do them both so well. I finally am willing to admit I have admired your mountains and trees, definitely in the spring and fall, but also in the winter. Even the bubble world of Provo is simply beautiful. And this has been such a great time to finally reflect on that a little more than normal. I have many pictures of you during all seasons, and I am positive that New York will never compare, although it does have its own beauty.

9. I will definitely miss the conveniences of living in Utah. It's so easy to travel around to different areas and events. It was fun being able to have weekends in Park City, Snowbird, and Logan. There's so much personality in every city, and we have many great pictures and memories.

8. BYU. I swear you leak this out too much, and I'll come back and haunt you one day. Like what my mom plans to do at the cute little house in California she loves. BYU really is an incredible school, and it provided so many experiences that I couldn't have gotten anywhere else. And I have so many unique memories involving masterclasses with the cello studio, crazy classes, and orchestra concerts. Marcus and I both worked extremely hard for our degrees, and it's nice knowing that other people respect those diplomas and the opportunities we've had there. And of course I met Marcus freshman year in the dorms at BYU. I guess at some point I should recognize that fact :)

7. The MPS. Marcus had one of the All Time Best College Jobs. Seriously. He loved his boss, and he was trusted with a lot of responsibilities that made working a lot of fun for him. He met so many talented people that have worked on amazing projects such as the temple videos, the new New Testament clips, and 17 Miracles. And he was always able to get a lot of homework done when he'd sit down and focus :)

6. Working for the Provo School District has led me to great jobs and amazing friends. I never would've thought that my lunch job would have gotten me a connection to teach orchestra or meet people I still email. The ladies in the office really took care of me and were basically family.

5. Of course Bed Bath & Beyond has to make the list. It really has been a great job for me right now. I worked with a great group of people, and they really have been some of my best friends. Plus the managers are all one of a kind. They were never afraid to speak their minds and help you out in any way possible. It's such a great company, and if you ever need a job, look into it!

4. It took us awhile to find what we really liked, but there is some great food mixed around this state. It will be different than NY obviously, but you can't compete with Cafe Rio, Texas Roadhouse, Maria Bonita, and Cafe Paesan. Yum! I'd say I'll get thinner finally without those places, but I doubt that's really true :)

3. Playing with the Utah Valley Symphony has been a great time. Really. I've been able to force myself to practice the cello every once in awhile and be part of some fun concerts.

2. We've made great friends in Utah. People like the Staklands, the Shields, and the Sleeps. Obviously we like people with last names starting with the letter S. :) We've had so many fun times with them all and will miss them all greatly.

1. Obviously, number one is the family members located around the state. During my senior year, Brian was out here, and during Marcus' senior year, Trevor was at BYU. It was great spending some time with those two crazy guys. Plus having the Hardys close has been wonderful, and one of the few things I regret is not getting up to see them more often. Luckily I know they are anxious to come visit us. There are also obviously quite a few Pages, Morins, Nielsens, and more scattered about. It has been too easy to get caught up with work and school and miss out of chances to spend time together. Moving away makes me cherish the memories I have more.

You've been good to us Provo. We appreciate you ;)

Love,
Erica (& Marcus)