The Vast West Awaits

It doesn't look as much of a tongue twister as it is until you try to say it ten times fast.

Tongue twisters aside, it's the truth, too. After eight and a half years of living on the East Coast, I'm packing my bags and returning to Colorado. It was a very hard decision, but after the year I've had, kind of inevitable. External logic aside, though, I fortunately also have felt good about it. I waffled for a bit, wondering about what I was feeling and sometimes feeling better about staying out here, but once I made a few steps to make the move and telling more people, it started feeling better.

So, next Friday, my wonderful, loving daddy-o will fly to DCA and then together we'll drive across the USA. We'll stop for a couple nights at my cousin Jenny's in Ohio, which will be fun. I haven't seen Jenny for a very long time, so I'm looking forward to catching up with her and meeting her kids. After that, we'll probably find hotels--or hopefully just one, but depending on how fast we go, it might be two.  Really hopefully not more than that.

One blessing, among many, that has come with this, was finding a moving company that will load my boxes and furniture for me, and drive my stuff out to CO, for a very reasonable price--after gas is calculated in, it's less even than U-Hauling, where I'd have to pack and drive. Of course, there still will be gas, since we'll drive my car instead of towing, but, my car gets better gas mileage than U-Haul trucks, so it's still better.

Another blessing came last night when my roommate Carrie hosted a farewell party for me so I got to see many of my dear friends from the area. Most were from the Belle Haven ward, where I've been for the last three 1/2 years, but also some singles from different wards, and I think the only exception to that is my friend Justin and his wife Diana and new baby boy, whom I got to hold. Very cute kid.

It's actually significant to mention Justin for another reason. Although it's been a few years--since I don't think he was dating Diana quite yet, but he actually gave me a blessing in which I was told I would feel good about wherever I moved. Based on my graduating from Hollins and struggle with employment, I had thought I'd move earlier, but I've waited for the right feeling, and now I have it.

I'm glad I've stayed these couple of years, though, as I've been blessed with the friendships of a number of people since that time. And I've gained some experiences in other areas in my life, as well. But it will be interesting, now, to see what the Lord has in store for me back in Colorado!

Miracles on Maple Hill

The fictophile is back in business! I found a book I liked again! Were you worried about me? You should have been. I was worried about me. I think I've mentioned this one--it was one I pondered about buying. Well, the truth is that it is not LDS fiction, unfortunately, so the story still goes that we need a good one of those. But it was good! So nice to know there are LDS people out there who can write well! And she didn't just write well, she wrote beautifully. Her use of language was exquisite and pacing was tremendous. It's not surprising it won the Newbery, regardless the year.

I was glad, though, to have taken the Family Story class at Hollins a couple summers ago because it helped me to appreciate it on a different level where I might not have as much otherwise. It seems during that time frame, and maybe earlier, the family story was a little more predominant, though not always called as such. Basically, the family story is what it says it is--a story about a family. But there are a few more things to know about it. For example, not all, but those of that era are more episodic than plot-driven, and my professor's experience from teaching this style to undergraduates is that it needs to be understood to be appreciated, particularly among the younger generations who are used to quicker-paced plot-driven stories. Episodic stories do have a cohesive plot-line, but it's not as strong as the plot-driven. Usually every chapter has a stronger smaller plot, conflict-resolution scenario.

Additionally, although in Miracles the narrator did focus on one character more than the others, often in family stories, there isn't necessarily one individual character with more attention, rather the main character is the family. Although I don't think Enright is the professor's favorite all-time author, I do believe she's his favorite family-story author. Perhaps this is why I have the impression that her work in the Melendy quartet seems to embody best this genre, but it almost might be that this is simply why she's his favorite--because it does so. Some other authors we read were Edward Eager, Kenneth Grahame, and E. Nesbit. I'm sure there are many others as well. We also read some more contemporary stories that didn't follow the style as closely, but we looked at how the similarities weaved through.

In any case, in Miracles, though Marley gets the focus, the story is still about her family, particularly about her father's growth and about her adjustment to an admired older brother who is outgrowing the desire to explore with a kid sister. But it's also about the broader human family, understanding a more holistic meaning of loving your neighbor and taking care of each other during hard times and during beautiful times as well.

In sum, a must read! Whether you'll like it or not, I think it will be as good for you as the aromatic maple syrup it makes you hunger for throughout the text.