We were in Hawaii driving the Road to Hana.  When we passed this waterfall pouring down a gash through the mountainside, my family was content to just stop for a moment to take a few photos.    But I was feeling squirmish-- yeah, this would be a cool picture when uploaded on social media or whatever, but not too long afterwards a photo was all we would have! this small pause on our journey would not be enough to imprint on our memories.
  Ditching my shoes and stripping to my swimsuit, I decided in this moment of joyous spontaneity to be adventurous and hiked all the way to the bottom while the rest of my family stayed above.  Eventually Adam and Dad joined me, but I had long been swimming in the refreshing water.  How I felt alive!  with the roar of gravity-caught water and the rough showering on my skin and the serenity in the mist.  I absolutely could've cried when mom yelled down for us to get back in the car.

  So why is it that the times when we shrug aside the expectations {my mom had really not wanted me to climb down}  and decide to be a little wild that we are the happiest?  This has occurred several times in my life, when I've been with a group of people and been the first {and often the only} one to actually live the adventure, the beauty, the world, not just see it from a safe and comfortable distance.  Even then, being crazy isn't the same as being stupid; I didn't run down the slippery mountain pathway to the waterfall.
     My mom told me that she wants me to be a strong woman.  We know too many people who got married young, before they even had the time to be out in the real world and discover who they really were.  I don't wanna be that girl.  Yes, my absolute dream is to get married and raise a family from home, but how can I possibly raise strong children if I myself am a weakling, quiet and content to endure whatever happens to me?  I can't just endure!  I have to live a life where any hardships thrown at me can make me stronger, where I can stand on my own two feet and know exactly who I am in all circumstances and follow my dreams.  I want to be fearless and full of adventure, ready to ditch the norm so I can create memories like those at the waterfall with every step leap I take.

  And just like that, it's gone.
  You'd think that after two years of magic, there would be words, but there is nothing but ash in my mouth.  So now the pictures and the letters and the rings get put away and the memories get stuffed back in the past, nothing but memories.
  But at least we are still friends.  There is no bitterness, and we still poke each other with pencils during class, and we still talk semi-like we used  to.  I mean, how can you be mad at someone who's breaking up with you so he can be more focused on God and getting ready for his mission?  The only infuriating thing about that is how much more it makes me adore him.
  As we sat on the bench, talking about it and crying and yet still joking around about dumb stuff, I was absolutely relieved when I realized that there is no regret.  Maybe it's over, but those were some of the best two years of my life, and I gained so much-- both feeling accepted and learning to become a better, more outgoing and more spiritual person.
  So even though it's sad, all I can say now is thank you, Bryan.    

Childhood spun round and round, a joyous ride with sparkling lights and bright colors and innocent music.  Now, although the carisol still spins, it's starting to move slower and slower and I know the final stop is inevitable.    

  Tomorrow school begins.  It's strange, you spend half the school year looking forward to the glorious summer, but then when it comes you don't know what to do with it until it's too late.
  Fortunately, we've had plenty of fun and games.  My mom is the president and makeup artist of Actors Youth Theatre, and my siblings are involved year-round in shows, including the two summer shows, Addams Family and Into the Woods Jr.  Sadly, I'm not even a real theatre kid & yet I no longer find it abnormal to find false eyelashes/wigs on the coffee table, watch Sophie painted like cows or fairies or ghosts for "practice," or get asked to run to Goodwill and fill the cart with the strangest items I can find. {BTW, I just found out that last summer's Aida won several National Youth Awards including Outstanding Production!  This is competing against states like New York and California too!}

After his amazing performance as Jack {beanstock}, Eric got asked by representatives from THREE professional theatres  to audtion for their shows!

Sweet little Livy {left} got to turn bratty for the Stepsister role.