Day Twenty-Seven February 7, 2008 Thursday

Today I woke up feeling much better. Erin and I slept in again as we didn’t have class until one, and got to campus around 11:30. We went to talk to Ken the program director for SIT to see what he said about Erin and the cat situation. When he finally met with us he told us that Erin was moving into the city today and I would be on my own in Otatara. At first I was a bit trepidatious at this idea, Otatara is a long ways away from the city and I will be living on my own, which is technically against BYU rules. I went upstairs our school to the computer lab to think and finish my homework reading assignment. As I was reading it dawned on me: I have lived in the city my whole life, and probably will for a good majority of the rest of it. I will never have the opportunity to live on a farm in New Zealand with a family I already know I love aver again in my entire life. There is no way that I could think of moving. The thought is just ridiculous. Will I get lonely? Probably. But the alternative is something I know I will regret. Now at least I don’t have to share my family! After school Erin said she was going out to the house to get her stuff. I really didn’t want to be there when she packed everything up, so I hung around town a bit looking at all the different shops. I finally decided to head home around at around five and began the first of many solo bike rides home. When I got home I had a bit of a welcoming party at the gate, Taylor was there and Jen with her two girls. As soon as I walked into the gate Taylor gave me a big hug and asked if I was ok. I had prepared myself to ask her if she was ok! I came into my room and put my stuff down and Vicki came in and gave me a big hug and asked me if I was ok as well. Well you all know me, I’m always fine until someone asks me if I am ok, just ask my dad! I tried really hard to hold the tears in though and only a couple squeezed out. Vicki told me that she and Mark would not be offended at all if I decided to move, and that it was easy for Erin to just leave, but it would be a lot harder for me to be here on my own, and that whatever I decided would be just fine. Have I mentioned that I really do love this family? We all had a bit of tea together and I watched the Biggest Loser with everyone and then went to bed to do a little reading. This room feels really empty, I’m glad that Vicki asked if she could move the girls into the big room and put me in the small room, it will be a lot better.