As the school year ends...

I've been reflecting quite a bit, over the past two or three weeks, about this past school year (my sophomore year in high school), and what has changed in my life, in my school, in the community; how I feel about all what has happened and how I am different than I was when school started in August.
This past school year has been the most fun and most versatile, has held the most surprises and the most accomplishments, has brought the most satisfaction and, yet still, the most want. My sophomore year has brought about many changes in my life, both exterior and interior. I can honestly say, without a shadow of a doubt, that this year has been the best year of my life.

So many new people, new friends, new dreams, new goals, and new activities. I've made more new friends this year than any other two years combined, wonderful, kind, loving people who make my life complete! Getting to know these spectacular people has helped me to better understand myself and what I want. These friends have helped me to become more gracious, committed, and selfless, even if they don't know it.

To work with Evan, Sam, Meghan, Hugh and Andrea, putting together a performance of Windowsill for the Pops concert. To sing to cows across the road. To roll down the hill, as that's what hills were made for. To have to completely change our performance style and volume just hours before performance time. To watch Courtney in awe as she sang 'Danke Schoen'. To realize how wonderful life is, watching friends sing their hearts out, watching such incredible talent.

To dance and sing and joke and laugh at prom. To get a tuxedo that actually fit well. To dance with Hayley and Trevor. To see Riannon wear a dress for the first time. To have the most gorgeous date ever. To be a total grouchy pants at Ashley's house because I was tired. To learn that a certain person thinks I'm extremely annoying and can't stand me. To not care and think that was funny.

To play my first professional recital. To see so many lovely people there. To hug Dillon's grandmother, Aileen. To be so overjoyed that Walker's grandmother could make it. To see Elizabeth Dowd cry afterwards. To sign peoples programs by request. To raise twice our goal in donations.

To sit next to Matsha at the first home track meet. To make Molly and Cheyenne laugh with my ridiculous cheers. To get the worst sunburn of my life, and to have Mr. Coy inspect it under the stands. To go to Kaitlin's bonfire and have more people inspect it. To love red grapes too much. To walk around the infield and meet Majpup. To stand in the rain and cold for hours without a coat or umbrella at the last meet.

To have a 'Producer's' party without the movie's biggest fan. To love Trevs' expressions as he watched the movie. To watch Trevs set Andrea's porch on fire... actually, that never happened. To actually have fun playing Apples to Apples!

To stay at the school from 4:30-10:30 several days in a row for the Great Latsha and still have to juggle with homework and studying. To finally get to know people (whom I'd seen passing in the hallway for years) back stage. To realize that I simply must act in next year's production and the following! To paint mountains to go in a window. To break Meghan's heart by having to re-paint her clouds! To sing at Perkins with the cast and crew at 1:00 in the morning! To hold back tears during Green Room because I'm too proud to let people see me cry!

To go sledding with awesome people on a snow day. To slam a snowball into Meghan's eye. To have a snowball fight with Henry and Sam after endless hours of other snow activities. To play the piano for Walker's grandmother. To walk all the way down to the lagoon just so we could walk all the way up to 3rd street to sled down that big hill. To watch Amadeus with splendid dudes and dudettes. To wipe out every time I went down the big hill in the big toboggan, and look like a total fool. To help Walkman get out of the thorns at the bottom.

To have no clue why somebody said I look exactly like Paul. To wonder why Paul even came in the restaurant in the first place. To walk up third and fourth street after getting Chinese. To escort Walker to his house on that chilly night. To walk down 2nd street with two of my very bestest friends.

To be asked to go up to Phillips with the rest of the Oootm crew after practice. To realize I was just simply hanging out with people my age for the first time in my life. To invent the wink and the "Watch out!" as Meghan killed Courtney with an axe. To be asked to go to Denny's. To stay up until 3:00 in the morning writing a script we never used. To have the best friends in the world.

To realize how much I love life, how much I love Bloom, and how much I love my friends. They're all such wonderful people and have made this year an utter joy, and as this year ends, I leave it happier, with more confidence, higher hopes, and greater dreams, content in the knowledge that I have wonderful friends I can love and cherish.