I spent my junior year of High School in Rennes, France on a study abroad for 9 months. There I got to live with an LDS host family, ski the alps, visit the Louvre, have my first kiss, but most importantly: learn French. I will always remember how I felt singing the hymns the first Sunday at the local branch; I knew that even though I was really far from my family, I still had a home in the church.
I went to BYU and switched majors several times. I was admitted to their Photography BFA program, but discovered it was not interesting to me. Then, I switched to Middle East Studies and Arabic. I went to Jordan for a study abroad. There I learned how to walk discreetly, turn down a marriage proposal, eat a diet of mostly rice and bread, haggle, but most importantly: learn Arabic.
When I returned, I took a semester break, then went back to Jordan to live with an awesome Muslim family that I had met the first time. They have five daughters around my age. I did my own "study abroad" of sorts, and there were pros and cons: more and less freedom. It was an adventure, that's for sure. I was able to travel a little through the Middle East before I came home. I went to Lebanon, Egypt, and Israel/Palestine. When I got home, I switched majors to French Teaching. Why? I had figured out that I wanted to teach High School or Middle School Arabic. "Arabic Teaching" didn't exist at BYU, but I could get certified to teach Arabic after I got a teaching license in something else. I also minored in TESOL K-12.
I should mention that I met Danny my freshman year at BYU, we dated for four months, then he left on his mission. I wrote him every week, and also dated a lot. But he is my true love. When he came home, we dated for another seven months before we got engaged. His family is from Colorado. We were married in the Boston Massachusetts Temple in May 2008. He had an internship in Boston, and we lived there for the summer after we got married in a teeny tiny studio apartment. It was heaven.
Before I graduated, I was hired to teach Arabic at a charter Middle School in Lehi, UT. I taught there for a little over 2 years. My second year teaching, I taught two classes from material that I developed, while at the same time taking 21 credits from byu including several online classes, student teaching in French...and being pregnant! That was a busy time!
During my third year teaching, there were a lot of political problems at the school. Danny and I realized that he could graduate in December and get a job, which was a semester earlier than we had thought. We prayed about it a lot, and I decided to quit my job early to stay home full time with Jane. It was a hard decision because I teaching Middle School Arabic was my dream career.
We were very blessed because Danny got two job offers soon after applying. We chose the job in the Houston med center because it felt right. I am grateful we did, because I love living here in Katy! I especially love the friendships we've made so far, and I really hope to continue to make friends with everyone in our ward and neighborhood.
I have been a stay home mom for almost two years, and it has been more rewarding and challenging than I could have ever expected. We have two children, Jane (18 months) and Dan (5 months). I feel very blessed. I was just called to serve in the Primary over Activity Days for girls. I am very excited, and happy that it will give me a chance to meet more of you!
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