But what it holds for her

The Utah, Idaho, Pennsylvania Years. Ages 18-21.

First the pictures. Then the painful narrative. 

Reading trashy novels and making weird fashion choices. 

My first apartment and roommates. The one with the curly hair was evil!

Tunnel singing with my sister and her friends. Singing church hymns on Sunday night in the tunnels around campus. So much fun. 

First set of Idaho college roommates on one of our many Salt Lake City trips. 

I wish I still had that Beatles shirt. 

One of the best people I have ever met. My roommate Stephanie. She is from Alaska and she taught me the meaning of true charity. 

I left home the day after high school graduation. Literally.

Partly because I wanted to get the heck out of Jersey but partly because my parents were about to move to PA. To a place that didn't necessarily have room for me. 

(though they would have made room if I asked to stay)

I didn't return to Jersey for over 10 years. I had planned to never go back. 

I flew across the country for the second time in my life (my 4th flight overall) and moved in with my sister Danielle in Provo, Utah. She was just finishing her 3rd year of college at BYU and was about to leave for her mission. That summer I brought her mission call down to her at her job at Shirley's bakery. Oh, Shirley's.  She was sent to Montreal, Canada. French speaking!! 

So, I lived with her and found a job at the Food for Less. Best grocery store out west. It's really cheap and everyone has to bag their own groceries. Which, for a former bagger, was pretty epic. 

I reapplied to BYU-Idaho and was accepted for the winter semester. 

Danielle left on her mission and I moved apartments and lived on my own for the first time ever. (well, with 5 roommates- I had 42 college roommates total. Hard to explain unless you go to Mormon school)

I was listening to a lot of U2 and was super patriotic and it was a crazy time in my life. 

I went to Idaho in January. My first semester of college. I had 3 crazy new roommates. Some weekends we took my roommates Janette's car up to Salt Lake City and stayed in my sister Erin's downtown apartment. I think it drove her nuts :) 

Everyone out west is used to driving long distances. Because nothing is close out west. Before I moved out west, the furthest I had ever driven myself was one town over. 

My first year out west I drove between Rexburg Idaho and SLC several times. I went from Provo to Vegas. It was the same year the Dixie Chicks became famous (and there is ALOT of country music out west) and I really identified with that song "Wide Open Spaces".

That summer, after a fairly horrific first semester (I had no discipline and missed so much class), I moved to my parent's house in PA. Well, it was trailer. I don't say this for the shock value or to make any kind of statement. It was all the space my parents (empty nesters at 41 and 47) needed. 

I worked the night shift at Redners Warehouse market. The only job I've ever quit dramatically. 

That story deserves it's own post though. 

I almost didn't go back to school. I couldn't afford it. And it was a hard time in my life. 

Eventually my parents got my sister Erin to agree to let me live with her in SLC for a while. (I will always appreciate how nice my sisters were to let me stay with them. I was INSANE in those days)

I took the train across the country and stayed with Erin for a few months. I donated plasma for money and eventually got a job where Erin worked - a store called JuiceWorks- in the mall. I can still make a great smoothie!

I was listening to a lot of 80's music. That movie Wedding Singer was popular and I would play the soundtrack over and over at the Juice Works.

I went back to school in mid October. (on the block- half semester). I came home for Christmas. It was 1999. Erin and some of her friends and I went to Times Square for New Years Eve Y2K. That was one of the craziest nights of my life :) 

I got back to school and, on January 11, 2000 I broke my leg at 3:30 am while I was walking to work (as an early morning janitor). I broke both left leg bones and had to get surgery and have metal placed in my leg. That leg still hurts whenever the weather changes. 

My mom flew out and helped me get situated so I could stay at school. I took 4 religion classes that semester so I would only have to go to one building. I had to use a wheelchair because there is so much ice in Rexburg and you CANNOT get around on crutches. By this time I had 5 new roommates and was living in the dorms. 

I stayed in Idaho until the end of summer, trying to get my associates degree before leaving. 

I went home in the fall and got my CNA license. I started working in a nursing home and started work on my mission papers. 

I was finally 21 and wanted to serve an LDS mission, like my brother and sister before me. We remain the only 3 grandchildren on either side of the family to serve missions. 

The last Saturday before Christmas in the year 2000, my mission call came in. 

I was called to serve in the Illinois, Chicago mission. Spanish speaking. 

Lori Ann

p.s.- I recognize that this is a little tedious to read. Thanks for hanging in there.

p.p.s.- I spent 10 hours in the office today. I still feel disoriented.