Last Goodbyes

It's my last evening in  Somerset. I'm sitting outside, watching the sunset. Whitney is riding the bike in the neighborhood, David is washing his truck, and Michele is watching something on her laptop. Later Whitney will come in and we'll play some games such as chess or Scene It! So I guess it's like a normal evening. The only exception is that I know that I might never have a "normal" evening like this one with these people again. My stuff is already packed, and the last set of goodbyes had been done. At this point I have to mention some other people (instead of my host family) that are just awesome and I'm really glad I met them.
I'm gonna start with the best freshman-girls. There's Sarah Flinchum. She's probably the most polite person I met here. Almost too polite! But just almost. I remember the first time I saw her. It was our merit trip to the Ice Scating hall. I was sitting alone in a row. She was sitting across from underneath a hatch through which water kept dropping on her. But shy as she is she didn't ask me if she could sit next to me. So after watching her misery for about two minutes I was like: "Hey, you can certainly come and sit over here!" So she did. We talked a looot since the bus broke down a bunch of times. After that day she was like my best buddy. And I still love her.
Then there's Taryn Haddix. We became friends in drama. And she's just awesome. She wants to become a broadway star and has dancing classes almost every day. Indeed, she;s pretty good and I'll miss her a lot.
Then there's my favorite freshman boy Spencer Harsh. He was like my first friend when I came here. Homecoming was a great evening. I remember when I put the carrots on my plate thinking they were fries. Yap, that was a good time!
Also there are my favorite sophmores. Abi Hutchinson, Caroline Parker and Logan Adams. I just can't split them up because they just belong together! I remember the first time I saw them. Logan came to my locker and he was like: "Hey. Du bist fett und hast keine Freunde." (You are fat and have no friends). I had to pause because I didn't know what to say since the way he said this sounded super sweet. It just doesn't sound mean with an american accent. In the evening at church he asked me if I've ever been to Antarctica. From this point I just knew he was crazy, in a good kinda way though. Caroline and Logan are going to my church too so I got to see them a lot. And all four of us were in the drama play "How to Succeed In Business Withough Really Trying". We did a bunch of choreographies together, and I just loved doing that. I remember this one time, when Abi, Caroline and me were trying to teach the boys a choreography that only includes them and they just wouldn't listen. Caroline and I just sat down to wait because we didn't want to sound mean or something. Whenever this happened, Abi would be like: "Ok guys, this is not how this can work!". She'd hold a short speech  about effectivenss and Caroline would look at me and be like: "Yap, we just leave these things to her". And I just love Abi for this. The best moment with her was probably when I gave her all the stuff I would've usually been throwing away. It was BIG box. Carrying it from my room downstairs and get it into her car like strong men was the best thing ever.  And Caroline. Well, it's Caroline. You just have to love Caroline. She's just super funny, and super cute and a super good volleyball player! Since we both are setters we kinda made a good team! I'll miss these folks.
And then there are, of course, Bethany and Emily Cox. They are just lovely and super nice people. I loved having drama with them, and Bethany's 16th birthday party was super good and I'm so glad I got to meet them. They are awesome singers, by the way.
Then there's David Sams. He was a senior and graduated this year. Even though we never talked that much I just like him a lot! I remember when I was telling Logan I love musicals. And he was like: "Oh really? You should tell David Sams! He's a big musical fan!". And I answered: "Who's David Sams?". Haha, I'll never forget him!
And then there was Jarred Johnson. He's just worth mentioning because he's so talented in everything. He's a good dancer, singer, writer! In the academic team he knew everything! Goodness, he's just awesome. The first time I talked to him was in drama class. In a little room behind the stage there's a piano. Logan, Jarred, me and some others were back there. Jarred started playing a song on the piano. He's super good. Then Logan was like: "Lara, didn't you say you can play too? Play something!". I played the only good song I knew by heart. When Logan went out, Jarred was like: "So you're a super good dancer, a super good writer, a super good volleyball player and you play the piano? Anything else I should know about?". This is really ironic since he's the superbrain, haha :D I probably never met anybody who can do so many things as him. The last day I saw him he told me his plan is to study Literature and Theatre and go to New York City. Pretty funny that I'm thinking about doing the same!
Then I have to mention the best Somerset Christian School teacher Mr. Robert Akers. I was in three of his classes: Bible, US History and Drama. My three best and favorite ones! He's an awesome preacher and story-teller and I just loved as a teacher and I'll miss his jokes sooo much! He's just awesome. He's bold and out of whatever reason everybody's joking about it. One time he was like: "Give me your three bold jokes". One was: "You're so bold, you look like the top of deodorant." Or: "You're not bold, you're just taller than your hair." Or: "You're so bold, it looks like your neck is blowing a bubble". He's just awesome for taking this with humor hahaha :D
So last but not least saying goodbye to all the church people. That was one of the hardest things I've ever done. At the end of the service Pastor Bill Haynes wanted me and my host family to come the front. They prayed for me and afterwards a bunch of them lined up to say goodbye to me personally. It was super sad. I had to say goodbye to Mickey Hicks and Rhetta Haynes who are like my choir buddies. They are sitting next to me during choir. I will miss them so much! When Mickey hugged me I almost started crying. But I could provide me from doing it. One day in choir the woman in front of us sneezed so I was like "Bless you!". Ten seconds later the woman next to her was like: "Oh yeah! Bless you!" It took Mickey like ten more seconds to finally also say "Bless you!". I just had to laugh a bit. Mickey looked and me and was like: "What?! She sneezed!". "Naaaa?! For real???" Hahaha, I just lately got to LOVE her! Both of them are the best. Another day in choir practice Whitney and I were talking to Ryan Cravens, the only younger member of the choir (before we came). He was like: "I'm so glad you joined! I was the only one with natural hair in the choir so far!" Hahaha :D So everybody said goodbye... Caroline, and the choir people and all the others. I really wanted to cry but not in front of everybody. When I looked to my right I saw Whitney. She was crying... That moment was super hard for me because I almost started to cry too. She later told me that this one old choir lady came up to her and was like: "So you're going to lose your sister now?".

Rhetta, me and Mickey (from left) during choir.
I love them!

It has just been super sad! I will miss wednesday nights, bible school, sunday service, choir and all these great people who really care!
Before I left Rhetta gave me a scapbook to put all my photos I made here in there. They are just awesome and I will miss them so much...
So yeah. I guess that's it. Tomorrow I just need to say goodbye to my host family. That will be the hardest part of all. Especially saying goodbye to Whitney. I'll miss my sister being around...
But well, I still got 22 hours and 28 minutes left. So I gotta use them now!
C ya tomorrow!