Monday, January 16, 2006

   Problems and Antioch
I have a lot to say, so this might take a while.
You know all that stuff I told you about the running argument between my sister and my mom? It all came to a head Thursday night. It started with my sister saying she was going to Colorado with her boyfriend. They had both previously promised that they would never go on overnight trips with eachother until they were married, so of course my mom said no way. Well, Krissy decided she was going anyways, so my mom said that if she didn't come home that night,she was permenantly kicked out of the house. That meant no more support, no more car or medical insurance (she had cancer a couple of years back), no more car, no nothing. And she can't move back in or come to the house when mom or dad aren't there. That night, she didn't come home. She thought my parents were bluffing. She was wrong. (We're sorting through her stuff as we speak.) My mom was crying on my shoulder that night. The next day, I went to school, and I cried there a little during AP World History. (Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Dumiel.)But I felt a little better after I cried. I don't really like to cry around other people.
Anyways, that night I had to go to a retreat called Antioch. Jeez... What can I say about Antioch? It was THE most AMAZING retreat I have ever been on. There aren't any words that could justly describe the events there. When we first got there, everyone was stand-offish and noone wanted to talk to a bunch of people they didn't know. Everyone was sort of like "Why did we even come here?" Then,we played a couple of ice-beaker games like 'Will You Be My Neighbor' and the Autograph Search. We even did that thing where everyone sits in a chair in a square and layed on eachothers' laps and we had to hold eachother up when they took the chairs out from underneath us. We were doing this with total strangers. Then we had the talks. Those were amazing. Don't go expecting that you won't cry, 'cause believe me, you will. Even I did. I didn't really think I had anything to cry about. I never cried. But it was Drew Cozey's talk (He's cozy. Inside joke ^_^) that did it for me. Hannah was there for me all the way. My talk group was amazing. I'm kind of sad that Tyler's a senior because he was the coolest and this was his last year. But Erich was in my talk group, and LeighAnn, and Heather and Torria. I never knew Erich was such a talkative person or had those kinds of problems, or LeighAnn for that matter. And then there was the sleep group at the Red family's home. Lauren and Cathryn and Mallory were in my group. It's amazing what you can talk about over pizza and brownies... (Another inside joke ^_^)I only got about three or four hours of sleep each night because we stayed up so late talking. And I got the monster of warm fuzzies from Ronnie (Simmons), which he got from Mrs. Sharpe. I'm gonna try to put mine on my bookbag if I can. And we're all gonna wear our nametags to school too. We got cool T-shirts designed and drawn by Alana Dy and a scapular and metals blessed by Pope Benedict and a CD, and tons of stuff. But most of all, we now have a new family. They feel like more of my family than my real family. It's amazing that you can make new friends in less than 24 hours just by sharing some of your deepest secrets with total strangers that you know won't laugh or tell someone else about them and then having them share some back. Even people I thought I knew were total strangers to me. People I thought I didn't like, I made friends with. I truly have a new family. I really wished I didn't have to go. When I saw mom and dad I bawled my eyes out because I know I haven't always treated them right, and they have sacrificed so much for me, including their health. I really felt terrible. At least I will see some of them at school. And the Sauls family. I hadn't seen them since I was a baby, and then I made friends with Rebecca, who is actually Kristina's friend. I can't tell too much about it 'cause it will ruin the experience for future candidates, but if you are offered to go, take it. It is a faith-changing experience. Don't stay home, saying "It's not for me". It will change your life and outlook and will make permanent friends. Dumiel, you have to go next year. I'm gonna try to be on team. You're really gonna get it from Erich tomorrow too. You can only be a candidate once, so it's either that or the God Squad which is more for people who have already graduated from highschool and can't be on team anymore. If anyone from Antioch reads this I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
See 'ya!!!!!
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