In 12 hours I fly out of DFW back to Cleveland. I've been here in Texas for about two months. Here's a brief summary of what I did, and what I've seen.
1. Took the Texas bar. I can't say whether I passed or not. I can say it was about twice as difficult as Ohio--something I wasn't expecting.
2. Visited my home ward. I haven't visited the ward since my mission homecoming (I think) because my family now attends a Spanish branch, and my home ward is actually now 2 wards. So many new faces, it's hard to feel at home there.
3. Salado, my hometown, has also grown a ton. It felt good, however, to see one of my neighbors with a full-size batting cage in their back yard. You have to appreciate Texas values.
4. My cousins are incredible. My cousin Chris and his wife Whitney invited me to stay in their spare bedroom while I studied for the bar. They were amazing hosts.
5. Texas is hot.
6. Got to spend some quality time with my partner Bryan, I got to meet some people that have offered to refer us work, and we picked up our first client.
7. Every hour is rush hour in Dallas. There so tons of people, but there are also tons of members of the Church there as well. I don't think they drive any better than the next car, though.
8. I got to visit about a dozen different wards while I was ward-shopping. It's amazing to see the differences between how wards greet a visitor. It varied from a lonely and silent spectator in Frisco, to getting mobbed by a ward in Richardson. Even the primary kids were telling why their ward was the best, and why I should m0ve into the area.
9. Finding somewhere to rent is difficult. In Dallas, I would find a house on the MLS, I'd visit it the next day, call to ask for a lease, and then learn that it got leased out that very afternoon. It was frustrating. I spent a ton of time in the process, and I came away empty handed.
10. My wife is amazing. I'm not sure how she did it, but Jenny survived with three kids alone. It was incredibly tough on her, and Jenny is the type of person to endure her pain in silence (unless she's talking to me, of course).
Fortunately, we had some very caring friends that noticed her suffering and served her. It has taught me a lot: Don't ever miss another month of home teaching, always follow up with someone whose spouse is out of town, and find ways to serve in silence. Our friends have reminded us of the true meaning of religion, and how it's practiced in its purest sense. Thanks.
Being away from my family was a terrible experience, but hopefully good will come out of it. Thanks for all the support and prayers.
jlm
