Dearest Emily, It’s quiet here now. Too quiet. There’s a silence in the halls where there used to be slipper shuffles. The fridge still opens, but nothing falls out onto the floor anymore, and I know it sounds dumb, but I miss that, and the “whoops…” afterwards. And your room feels like it’s holding its…
This year with Emily has been absolutely amazing. I couldn’t have asked for a better match. Unfortunately, this exchange year has come to an end. Olga is on her way back to Germany as we speak, and Emily will be right behind her. Emily, you will be missed, but you will always be my sister…
Today it rained! That was a first for June, and it was refreshing to see. Olga, Emily, and Mom are all in Seattle today, and my dad is working, leaving me home alone with a guitar, piano, and brainful of ideas. One of my favorite hobbies is songwriting, and I’m working on a few songs. Other…
Well, it’s Saturday, which means yesterday marked a full week of summer for me and my friends. We’ve been on so many adventures. With Olga here for only two weeks before Emily leaves, we are cramming the fun as much as we possibly can. Yesterday we went to Multnomah Falls and some farms in Hood…
Hey guys! Summer has been slow and fast at the same time! Yesterday, some of Emily’s friends surprised her with a picnic in the park. It was so sweet and thoughtful, and I’m so grateful for them for thinking about her just two weeks before she leaves. She will be missed. Perfectly enough, one of…
Last night, Emily’s mom Olga flew into town for Emily’s last two weeks. She is so sweet and nice, and although she doesn’t speak English (Emily is our translator), she has been so fun to have around. Today as a family, we went to Fort Vancouver and learned about the history of the town. Everybody…
Today was a really sad day for me and my friends. Gunnar packed his bags and moved to Washington, D.C. with his family. While I only knew him for a short time, he quickly became a great friend to the trio. Gunnar, you will be so missed, and we love you so much. Our hearts…
Last night was my eighth-grade celebration, and it was awesome. My friends and I dressed up and I walked into the sanctuary with Mikka. Right behind us were Luca, Gunnar, and Brennan. We had planned to all sit together with Kinley and Meela in front of us, but it didn’t work out. My grandma went…
This year, I have written up a list of thirty goals for the summer. I invite you to join me as I try to accomplish all thirty items through the course of the summer. I have a lot of friends who are also making summer bucket lists, including Claire and Kinley. Here’s my list: watch…
This is it. The end of an era. But this is the dawn of something new. New opportunities on the horizon, new experiences just waiting for me. God is calling me down a path that I wouldn’t have ever imagined I would be on. This year, I made so many new friends who build me…
Friday was really fun. I had a party in choir and Mikka and I both got Bible academic achievement awards, and Kinley got a science award. I also got recognized for my leadership in choir, and I’m really happy with the way everything went. After school, the trio, as well as track friends Luke, Luca,…
I am currently sitting in math class with no work to do. This period, we have been exchanging stories and summer bucket list ideas while Mrs. Himes talks about Stardew Valley. Our final is next Tuesday, and we’re done learning new topics for the year. This is it, the end of middle school. We have…