I love this crazy, [magic], sometimes almost [tragic], awful beautiful life

I woke up, and after great debate, went to soccer practice at 9. We weren't going to have practice, but if we did one girl would be able to play in our game Tuesday that wouldn't have been able to without it. So practice was mandatory for her, and optional for the rest of the team. Five of us ended up going. Practice was just an hour and we practice taking shots and corner kicks.

I went home and slept for a little while. Then woke up, put gas in my car, and drove back to the high school. I sat in the parking lot next to Hannah and Amber waiting for Mary's van to pull up and pick us up. She invited the team to her aunt's lake house for the afternoon. We all piled into the van. Me, Mary, Amber, Hannah, Haley, Andi, Alex, Destiney, and Mary's two sisters.

Those of us who weren't wearing our swim suits yet changed in the shed one at a time when we got there. Then we got in the lake. As I walked into the green, murky water and stepped first on the rocky bottom then on the mushy, muddy layer I questioned why I was there, remembering my discomfort with lakes. When I got out to where the other girls were I sat on my noodle and hoped not to ever touch the bottom again. But soon we swam in for lunch and when it got to shallow to swim I had to walk and let my feet touch the bottom.

For lunch we had hot dogs from the grill, any kind of chips imaginable, watermelon, and soda. Her aunt Sandy, who reminded me of John Travolta's character in the movie Hairspray, kept pleading us to "eat the rest of the dogs." But one was enough for me. Luckily her threat to not let us on the boat until they were all eaten did not hold up.

Five girls put on life jackets for tubing. Two on the one you sit on and three on the tube you lay down on. The rest of us got in the speed boat with Mary's Uncle Joe. Mary's aunt, mom, and sister went on the pontoon boat. I really liked being on the boat, feeling the wind and sun hit my face hard while laughing at the girls tubing.

It was such a beautiful day, but we were one of the only boats out. We weren't complaining because it meant more lake for us. But there was one boat. With two guys on it that were wake boarding. The blonde one on the boat waved in our direction so I waved back. Then he started holding up different fingers. I'm not sure if he was giving me his number or asking my age or what. But before I could figure it out we were going different directions and it was too late. We took a few laps around the lake before switching places with the girls who were tubing. Mary, Amber, and I went on the three person laying down tube, but we ended up all getting thrown off. Mary first, then Amber and I followed because our weight was too far forward and we flipped the tube over. This would be the first of many times I fell off.

We all took turns riding the boat and going on the different tubes. Amber and I preferred the laying down one much better. The whole time we sat on the sitting tube we talked about how we didn't like it and didn't understand why the other girls did. It was just bumpy and water sprayed in our faces and we held on for dear life. So we switched in the middle of our turn. When we did, Amber jumped for the laying down tube, and right as she did it scooted away. Leaving her dangling as a bridge between the two tubes. It made us all laugh and laugh as we helped her reach.

One time I was on the side of the tube that was next to the sitting tube and got smashed by the other one, so I had to let go and fly off. Another time we went around the corner where another boat was. Again, I was on the edge, and got thrown off. I was so close to the boat that the girls on our boat thought I did hit it. The boat happened to be Mrs. Johnson's boat and the girls kept saying "ha imagine headlines in the paper. PE teacher kills student." Luckily, I did not hit their boat and did not get hurt.

Whenever we hit big waves and bounced on the water, or when we slammed into the other tube from our boat, or when Uncle Joe sped up, or sometimes for no reason I screamed. It was a shrill, high pitched scream that could be heard from far away. Mary was so surprised saying, "Maddogs! I would never have expected that to come from you!" When I screamed I really felt like I could feel the dangling thing in the back of my throat. Just like a cartoon character when they scream.

After many, many laps around the lake we gave the tubes to the pontoon boat and got out the water skis. Mary, Destiny, Hannah, and I all got a chance at them. I had never ever done it before, and impressed everyone including myself by getting up the very first time. I wasn't up for too long, but I did it! I got a second chance and did really well. I felt the burn in my thighs, but I did everything they told me to do. Bent my knees, kept my feet together, and kept my arms straight. I worked hard at keeping my balance until my lap was over and they told me to let go. It was so much fun, and I was so glad Mary convinced me to try it!

We tubed one last time, then went back to the dock. We helped clean up the food and the the floats and wrapped up in our towels and got back in the van. While we were cleaning up, their neighbors returned home from the Warrior Run. We all crowded around to see Garrett Bonk and listen to his mom tell us about the crazy course that he and his sister ran through.

When I got back to my moms, I packed up and headed to my dad's. Soon after, Hannah came over. We were both hungry and decided to go to Steak n Shake for dinner. By the time we were half way done with our shakes, we were shivering and full of goosebumps, but we couldn't let our shakes go to waster and ended up finishing them. The sky was quickly darkening and a storm was setting in. I really didn't want to, but I honored my dad's request and stopped by Little Ceazars to pick up dinner for him and Maria. From the time we went inside to the time we came out with our box, the rain started falling hard. We listened to Backstreet boys as I tried my best to see the road. I was so thankful by the time we walked into his house.

Hannah and I both french tipped our toenails and painted our fingernails bright pink. While we did so, we sat on my bed and had a deep, honest, heart to heart conversation. We talked a lot about boys and friends of ours. We talked about ex-boyfriends, and boys that we wish to end up with, and boys that actually care, and boys that were never any good but that we fell for anyways. Hannah and I talked about how we had been friends so long and how happy we are to be able to open up and have each other to talk to about anything and everything. So true.

We also worked on making a play list for our soccer warm up cd, discussing what to put on our tshirts, and how we think this season will go. Neither of us can believe it is our senior year. We have been through so much with the team and have so many great memories from the past three years. It's crazy that this is our last year, but we are both excited to get the chance to lead the team together.

We got out of bed to eat banana bars and milk, but soon got right back in bed (after putting pajamas on and brushing our teeth). Both of us had full, fun days, me at the lake and Hannah babysitting. We were tired and ready for bed, and it wasn't even midnight. But it felt good to go to lay down and get some sleep. Although, every time I closed my eyes I felt like I was back on the lake. Flying across the water and hanging onto the handles with clenched fists.

[I didn't take my camera on the boat because another girl had a waterproof one. I will upload many more pictures whenever I can get them from her.]