Belonging....what is that?

I first want to start by saying I have really liked all of the wards we have lived in, but there is just something different about this ward. I finally feel like I am starting to belong somewhere. I have not felt this way in any ward I have been in and I figured out why. It's because this ward we are in now is like "Our," ward. We don't know anybody, there is no family that lives in this ward and we have to build friendships on our own. In every ward we have been in we have had family in it. The first year we got married we lived with my sister and lived in her ward. The second year of marriage we lived in some apartments in Taylorsville and we were in Brandon's sister and husband's ward. The next few years of our marriage, we lived in the same ward Brandon grew up in and the same ward my sister lived in. I always felt like I had to be a certain way in each of the wards where we had family. I felt that because each of my family members are amazing and everybody thinks that, that I had to try to be amazing too so that I wouldn't let anybody down. I just couldn't be myself. Don't get me wrong, I have met some pretty amazing people in each of the wards we have lived in. I don't want anybody to think that I don't think you are not important because you are. It's just that because I don't have family members to lean on I get to do it on my own and be myself and feel like I finally belong somewhere. Every person in the ward, EVERY person, has been so kind to me and so selfless. They are very welcoming and make you feel so good about yourself. I have struggled my whole life not loving myself, even up to this day I feel that way. I have struggled with my confidence and self esteem and it's almost like every woman in this ward knows that I have struggled with that because they have been nothing but friendly to me and really make me feel so important and have included me in on everything that is going on and it makes me feel special and needed. I am telling you, I really am going to cry a lot when we have to move. I have also been the type of person that gets comfortable with my routine and usually doesn't go to Relief Society activities or playgroup or things like that because I can't find the motivation to go, ever. But I am not like that in this ward. I am trying to get out of my comfort zone and forget about how I am feeling and go out there and socialize with other women to see how they are doing. Who cares that I am newish in the ward, I need to be selfless like them and go out of my way to do kind things for them as well. Not only do I want to help, but I just feel good about myself when I do things for others. Speaking of, I have been trying to teach Audrey to do nice things for other people. I have tried to have her do something kind for one person each week.... tried. It's hard sometimes when you get really busy, but with the Christmas season coming up, I am really trying to teach her to think about others. I know she is still really young and doesn't understand, but I am hoping if I start her early she will feel good about herself because she is helping others. I want nothing more than for Audrey and Gracey to be so happy their whole lives, and to have a good self esteem and full confidence in themselves. So, anyways, we both decided to make rice crispy treats and she wanted to give some to her friends. You don't even know how excited she was that she was making these for her friends and that she got to go to their door and knock and give them the treats. She was talking about it all night. I just love Audrey so much. She seriously can be the sweetest little girl ever. That sweet girl just melts my heart so much.