We’re getting ready to leave the ward that we’ve been in for a decade. To be honest with you, we never thought we’d stay this long and we never thought it would feel this short. When I moved in to the ward we’d been married just two years. Since that time I graduated from college, so did my husband, we had two kids, and we both embarked on chosen careers (well, kind of chosen, I’m still not the ambassador to Spain or America’s Next Top Model.)
I’ve seen my beehives grow into women who’ve graduated from college, married, had babies, started their own lives, or moved far away from home. I’ve seen others struggle with drug addiction, divorce, unexpected life changes, and family crises. I wondered if anything I ever shared, or taught them, helped them make a right choice, or to bravely deal with consequences.
Neighbors have come and gone, particularly in this ward that has a section of married student housing. I’ve met brothers and sisters from all over the world: Brazil, Uganda, Guatemala, and Louisiana. I know we’re moving to a ward that is more stationary, but probably less diverse. I think I’ll miss the accents and halted English when we shared together in Relief Society.
Just three years ago I was morning sick around the clock and making a giant birthday cake to celebrate one of the sister’s 100th birthdays. This year she turns 103. I’ve seen dozens of babies blessed and even a surprise set of twins. I will not miss the two creaky armchairs in the nursing alcove that smelled of the adjacent bathroom–two armchairs for three wards’ worth of nursing babies. I never did bring that WD-40 I always thought I’d remember to tuck into my church bag.
I feel like we’re about to embark on our next ward adventure. What friends will we meet? How will my kids fit in? What callings will come our way?
I’m going to miss the friends we’ve made, that have watched us grow; our funny, slightly nosy, ever-fluctuating, sometimes quirky, always rod-holding, but comfortable old ward.
Do you still miss your old ward? Were you glad to leave? How are you fitting into your newer ward?
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