After a long LONG search, Derek and I accepted an internship at Pacific Northwest National Laboratories in Richland, Washington. For the past eight or so months, Derek has been dutifully searching for a Summer internship to complement his major in Management Information Systems. As a matter of fact, he was looking for so long that it seems pretty sad to try to boil it down into one paragraph! We looked at several companies, and Derek had a fair share of interviews, phone calls, and ended up with a few options still on the table at the end of April. While we had brief love affairs imagining our lives at these different companies, PNNL really felt right from the beginning. Those feelings were cemented when they made us a fantastic offer and we accepted later that week.
Since being here in the Tri-Cities, we have been reminded time and time again that this is EXACTLY where we need to be. Derek is learning so much about programming and working with "big data", and I am having so much fun watching him learn and be so excited about what he has been doing! He is making friends with those he works with, networking with nationally respected developers, gaining certifications for programming, and getting hands-on experience problem-solving and developing original content for a huge company. He has just come alive and is really soaking it all in! At a recent meeting they had with their mentor, Derek learned that about 280 people applied for the position from over 90 different universities, and only 10 were selected. Derek is one of those 10! I am so so proud of him and his hard work, and I am glad he is finally getting the opportunities I feel his hard work deserves.
I feel like a little bragging is in order here, because I know Derek won't do it! Prior to Derek's mission he had really struggled in school. His mom was in desperate need of a kidney and pancreas transplant in order to save her life, his brother was having troubles emotionally, and his dad was away from the home. During this period of extreme emotional and financial stress, Derek completed his two year mission, came back home and got back to work immediately. Since then, Derek has now brought up his GPA significantly and will graduate Cum Laude (way to go!) in December, will have IT and development experience working in several great companies, and will be fantastically suited to join the labor force with the support of his family (who is now reunited and healthy!). It is one thing to be good academically from day one, but it is quite another to make such a journey to academic success. He has worked SO hard!!!
In other news, our two year anniversary is coming up and I just can't believe it! July 19th will mark two years of marriage for us, and I have got to say, year two was even better than the first! Though we have always been close, I feel like we have really just become absolute best friends this past year. We have started to learn more about ourselves to help us work better together, and we just have fun every day! It really is just so much fun being together, laughing together, and preparing for our future together. I am so lucky to have such a kind and warm-hearted companion to go through eternity with. He is just the bomb! I feel like we have been together forever, and just can't imagine my life without him. I love that he takes me on all of his adventures and he lets me drag him along all of my spontaneous projects.
Life in the Tri-Cities has been so fun together! All of our dating and married lives we have lived in Pullman. While it has been great for some reasons, Pullman is seriously lacking in the "fun" department. We have grown so used to making our own fun (like walking through walmart or making a dessert together) that it's now really exciting to have so many shops, malls, parks, and more ALL AROUND US! Last night as we were driving to the grocery store, I accidentally had Derek take a wrong turn and we ended up passing the September 11th Memorial (a remnant of the twin towers) so I was pointing it out to him and he said "You Pulsipher girls always bloom where your planted...As soon as you get somewhere your all trying to find out the history and going on drives to see where roads connect and stuff." I guess I thought it was a normal thing to do (epecially when I don't have much else to do), but I know my mom and sister do the same thing too!
In addition, I have also been lucky enough to get a job as a teacher at Sylvan Learning Center, which has been great, AND I have had a lot of free time to take adventures to various places around the tri-cities. My favorite daily adventure I have had before work is to go to the temple grounds and read my scriptures. Before we left for the Summer, our Stake President in Pullman challenged our ward to read the Book Of Mormon in three months. Derek and I are both set on completing the challenge, and I have already had such a wonderful experience reading the Book of Mormon outside in the sunshine next to all the flowers at the temple. I feel really blessed to be able to take an hour out of my day for spiritual "me" time, which is something I have felt I haven't had the chance to do in a while.
I feel like the Book Of Mormon challenge couldn't have come at a better time, as recently there have been a lot of sad tragedies in the news that have touched my life. First there was the death of 16 year old Maylee Anderson, who passed away after succumbing to injuries sustained from a car accident on Memorial Day. While I never knew her, several facebook friends were familiar with the family and I began following her story earlier in the week. Then late that night I heard of the passing of sweet Natalie Barnard, who was serving as a missionary in Atlanta, Georgia when she was in a terrible car accident. Her family moved to Snoqualmie when I was in high school and I attended seminary with her older sister, and was familiar (and had many younger friends who were very close) with Natalie and her beaming personality. The following day, Elder L. Tom Perry passed away from cancer, which had very recently been diagnosed and progressed like "wildfire". I know for each one of these stories there is someone far closer than I was who are affected by them, but it has really struck a chord with my heart. I am grateful for the Book of Mormon that has really taught me the reality of those who come before us, as well as those who come after. I think it is very natural to be scared of the unknown that accompanies death, but I have recently been reminded of the simple words of a favorite hymn:
"O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise.
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home."
In order to make God's house our home, we need to acquaint ourselves with it. Allow ourselves to be comfortable in the temple and on its grounds. As I have attended the temple more regularly and made reading the scriptures and spending time there a habit, I have found that my soul can really relax and feel at peace there, and I love it! When we think of our lives in an eternal perspective, all of our little doubts simply do not matter. There are somethings we may never fully understand in this life, BUT what we do know is that (1) we have a Heavenly Father who loves us; (2) We were spirits who learned, loved, and socialized before we were born; (3) We jumped for joy at the opportunity to come to earth, gain bodies, and have mortal experiences; (4), When we leave mortality, we are welcomed by family and friends (some who we knew on earth and some we didn't) to a beautiful world or realm where we learn more about the gospel, teach and serve others; (5) We also know that we will be reunited with our loved ones, we will be resurrected, we will be judged by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, and the righteous will then inherit all that God has. I find that when I focus on the Plan of Salvation, all these other little things don't seem to matter much. I am grateful for the testimony of these things that I have been given as I study the Book of Mormon and other aspects of Gospel Doctrine.
Our time as a "stranger" or "guest" is in fact more descriptive of our earth life than our spiritual life. Our true home was never meant to be in this fallen world... We have a far greater destiny ahead!
