Oh Ohio.

Well Hello Friends.

The Ohio State University is where we are currently making plans to move to for the next four years. Considering I have never lived outside of Utah my entire life, minus those memorable Performing Arts Company tours back in the glory days, this should be quite an experience indeed. I have never been away from home for longer than a month or so. I am dad's little princess and a mama's girl, often running away to my home in South Jordan for sanctuary. Sounds like it's time for me to have an adventure such as this. Hopefully I can deal with the homesickness by immersing myself into a new life in Ohio.

Jon and I feel so at peace about this; and it is really neat to make life-altering decisions together now, rather than apart as we did for so many years. But we definitely feel guided by someone above, things are just falling into place and pointing us back east.

Meanwhile, my Mary Tschaggeny Angelos sends me weekly texts with the top reasons why the Dittos should move to Ohio. Here are just a few:

1) Rach, you will actually experience the four full seasons! (I think I will explain it in my own words: spring will decide to be spring instead of having an identity crisis, and fall in Columbus has a reputation of being breathtaking.)
2) We will see you much more often. (Mare's in-laws live in Columbus and they take that 6-hour drive from D.C. to Ohio multiple times a year.)
3) Columbus has an H&M for your shopping pleasure! (SMILEY)
4) Your workouts will be much more enjoyable. Because of the humidity, you'll sweat even more and therefore lose more weight! (However, I will never have straight hair again for the next four years.)
5) Reason #5: Ritas. By far the best frozen dessert place located east of the Mississippi River.
6) Reason #6: You and Jill (Gillespie) Mangum will have a lot of fun. I am super jealous. I would LOVE to raise my kids in Columbus! They have the cutest neighborhoods that I have ever seen there.

And finally, I saved Mare's best reason of all for last. You have to know Mary and how hilarious that girl is. But regardless, this makes anyone laugh.

7) D&C 38:32 Tell Jon he is breaking the commandments if he doesn't go there now.

Ha ha. Well Mare, here are a few more reasons we are moving to your in-laws choice of residency:

- If I find a full-time job by mid-September, Jonathan and I will have Ohio State residency, only having to pay in-state tuition rather than out-of-state tuition! Think of how much debt that full-time job will be saving us, regardless of the hourly pay.
- If I am fortunate enough to find that full-time job on campus, we'll have even more of a tuition cut. BLESSINGS!
- Columbus, Ohio seems to be in the heart of everything back east. Weekend road trips can take us to D.C., Nauvoo, Manhattan, Kirtland, Notre Dame, or Palmyra.
- Ohio State University takes good care of their students. There are awesome student discounts for broadway plays and other entertainment throughout the area.
- Buckeye sports. Yep, I said it. They may be a bit conceited (at least the hubby thinks so), but they are also very talented and I look forward to becoming a fan.
- Green. I love green scenery over brown.
- Living in the mission field.
- Immersing ourselves into a new culture.
- Becoming our own family unit. (It will hurt to say goodbye, but Jon and I will grow closer than ever before.)

And above all, because God is saying "Go." I guess that one is the trump card. Maybe Mary's reason was applicable afterall.
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