As I sit here on by bed after my last 180 ever (Yes, I know there are 180 events strewn throughout the summer, but I'm trying to create dramatic effect here) I have a lot of thoughts. A lot of thoughts about how good this church has been to me. A lot of thoughts about how good the people have been to me.
The Incredibles is playing on my TV right now. I have my noise cancelling headphones on with my "Beautiful Songs" playlist blasting, because I LOVE FEELINGS!!! My bible, that I had just received tonight from the church, that held the letters written from my leaders and Duey are on my bedside table next to me. The letters already read through multiple times in just the few hours they have been in my possession.
I almost immediately started to think of the caption I could write for my new Instagram post, after I read through my letters. I knew that I personally had to acknowledge that fact that I, indeed, am done with 180. As if most people didn't already know that. But, as I was running possible captions through my head, I came up with a realization. The amount of time, emotional, and even physical investment that the people in this church have given me, deserved more than a Instagram post. It honestly probably deserves more than a blog post. Hopefully this could suffice for now.
So, this is basically a huge thank you letter.
I'd first like to thank my parents for providing the best foundation I could ever ask for. Thank you for showing me and teaching me how to be a godly woman and just a good person in general. Thank you letting me be able to figure certain things on my own, and letting me make my own (good and kind of bad ;D) decisions along the way. Thank you for being the way you guys are. Mom, if you are crying, it's okay (cue Aaron dramatically looking to see if you are crying).
Thank you Aaron. Thank you for being an amazing example for your little sister. Thank you for talking about how you loved the Rock so much when I was a kiddo. Thank you for making me want to go to youth group, because my "cool older brother did!" Thank you for showing me how important youth group is. Thank you for being a great pal. I'm just going to pre-thank you for being there for me when I go off the college as a nervous/excited freshman, because I assume you will.
Thank you to all of my middle school leaders I had. I thank you for your patience. In hindsight, I realize that my group was tough at times. Middle schoolers are tough in general, but I know we really pushed it a lot of the time :D. I couldn't thank you guys enough for the absolute blast we got to have, and how guys showed us how to follow Christ. You guys really helped me open my mind to what the church, religion, and being a Christian can mean. You guys changed the way I viewed church. Heck, you guys made me actually like church. I can't express how much you guys helped me in those three years. Thank you, Macoroni, for eating scalding hot Ramen noodles with me at 1 in the morning in that room in the Hidden Acres Inn, just because I wanted to talk to you about the stuff happening in my life. Thank you, Jen, for being the person I could talk and joke about anything with, and being a huge role model in my life. Also, thank you for not getting too mad at me when I pantsed you in the dining hall at Winter Blast. Thank you, Tina, for being the motherly leader that would hug me even though I wouldn't let anyone touch me. Thank you to all of the leaders I got to have throughout middle school. You guys have forever impacted me.
Now, the high school leaders. Regina, thank you for being there as we were making the transition from middle school to high school. I'm still so grateful for the few years I got to have you as a leader. Tina, thank you for your humor. Oh my goodness, God bless your humor. You are truly the funniest person I have ever met in my entire life. Your quotes will leave me laughing forever. Thank you for introducing Tripoly into my life. The best game in history will live on in my life thanks to you. I can't wait to start my underground "not gambling" Tripoly club off at UNI. Now, Angela. Words almost can't do justice. My second mother. Thank you for loving me even when I was acting like a fool. Thank you for loving me when I would ignore your texts. Thank you for loving me when I wouldn't make eye contact with you, because I knew you could see right through me. Thank you for seeing right through me. Thank you for loving me as if I was your actual daughter. Thank you for being so honest with me. Thank you for being so easy to joke around with. Thank you for opening your home for the March Madness extravaganzas. Thank you for trying to protect me from your dog when I would get nervous. Thank you for knowing me so well. Thank you for not strangling me when I filled our room at Fall Retreat with all of the items I "borrowed" from the camp. Thank you for constantly sharing God's word and knowledge to me. Thank you for being my middle school girls' future leader. I wouldn't want them to have any other leader. I can't wait for you to love those girls the way you have loved me.
This church has been my second home. Thank you Duey and Jeremy for being amazing youth pastor's for me. This church's impact on my life will live in me forever. I have been blessed to have such absolutely amazing people from this church in my life that have led me and helped shaped me into the person I am today. I couldn't talk about everyone that has affected me from this church, because...well...I didn't really want to write a whole book. Thank you Rock. Thank you 180. Thank you ICC. Thank you.
*stay tuned for my other emotional leader blog post most likely coming Wednesday after the last Rock
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