On Saturday, I somehow managed to roll my lazy butt out of bed before the rest of my family, which was a very good thing because I had not packed at all. I bustled about the house in a quick manor, grabbing the things I needed, over-packing (aka: "pulling a Lauren"), and getting ready for my busy day. We left the house around 9; Tripp bound! Tripp is a tiny town in South Dakota that you have probably never heard of in your life. Some dear family friends of ours live there. The Schafers family. Paul and Tara have three kids. Payton is my age, Noah is Rudy's age, and Ripley is Izzy's age. This is the family that we went to Gavins Point Dam with this summer. As we got onto I-80 at the Greenwood exit my mind rushed through memories. I had not been on that part of that road since before we moved to Ogallala. My Grandparents used to live in Elkhorn (aka: "the annexed part of Omaha" but if you mention anything about that to my Grandpa, you'll find yourself in a heated debate). As we drove on, I remembered the hundreds of times I had been on that road anticipating seeing my grandparents. It was a little bitter sweet. One thing I really took note of was the beautiful glass catholic church on top of the hill about one mile away from the Gretna exit. It is so pretty. We drove through Gretna and it made me think of all of the lucky Gretna English students, who have the wonderful opportunity to be taught by the most amazing English teacher that I have ever met.
Soon we came up on the intersection that leads into Skyline Ranches. Much to my surprise, Dad turned! We were heading to Grandma's old house. It's amazing how things change so much. I didn't even recognize some of the houses that I had seen a million times. As we approached Grandma's house, tears started forming in my eyes. It was so different, but yet the same. The large tree in the front, the big red barn with the long black separate drive way, the cherry tree in the side yard, the cracked driveway where I had learned how to ride a bike, the pool I swam in every summer (it was also the pool that one of the horses decided to take a swim in as well. That didn't end well.) The place my family gathered at every holiday, the place where my Great-Grandma Dreessen had passed away, the place where my Dad had accidentally shot two nails into his knee, the place where I had unloaded so many trailer loads of hay, the place where I rode my first horse. (Her name was Blue because if you looked in the right light, her mane was blue.) All of these memories flooded my brain, sending my into a weird emotional state. I was happy and smiling, but I was crying and sad. My Momma was crying as well, this had been the house that she spent her high school years in. A house is a house. It can trigger memories, but it doesn't have the capability to keep them, we do. That house had six bedrooms, and the family that bought it had a ton of kids. They had a couple of their own, and at the time of the purchase, were in the process of adopting a couple more. It's their turn to make memories in that house.
After our little adventure we got-the-heck-onto-Dodge (oh man, that was a good one... Pun intended! You Omaha area people will get it!) and we returned to our South Dakota Bound adventure. We finally arrived that afternoon, and we spent the entire time with our wonderful friends. That night, Payton said that she was inviting two of her friends over, and that all four of us girls were going to enjoy a bon fire outside. Despite my hatred of fire, I was excited. I couldn't wait to meet her friends. Paul started the fire, and Payton and I went on a hunt for lawn chairs. A couple minutes later, like 7 people of various ages and genders showed up in her yard. I was confused, I thought it was just going to be us girls. Payton introduced me to everyone. I was a little scared. These people were creepy, they looked like the druggie kids at my school. The entire time, all they did was say cuss words, make inappropriate jokes, and talk about naughty things. I felt so out of my element. One creepy guy mentioned having alcohol in his car, and I was just about to go inside making a false sick-claim. He left, so I decided to stay, but I promised myself that the instant he came back, that I would go inside. He never came back thankfully, and there was no more talk of such things. If this is what normal high school age kids do for fun, I do not think I am missing out. These kids go out and party and get drunk every weekend. That is insane. Call me crazy, but I would like to impact my future positively, not ruin it by slumping to the pathetic level of the evil deeds that peer pressure leads into. Some people. I swear. After everyone dispersed, I practically ran into the house after being left alone to put out the fire (a task that I hate doing... fire really scares me) and told my Mom about everything that had happened. I was so discombobulated; I didn't know what to think. Frankly, I just went to bed with out bothering to take out my contacts or change into my pajamas, I was just laying there crying. My phone buzzed a couple of times, but I completely ignored it. At one point I chucked my phone across the room into a pile of Payton's clothes. I love Payton like a sister, but I don't know why she chooses to surround herself with such terrible people. I am so thankful for the amazing friends that I have.
Your cousin's friends may do terrible things and are utterly different than you (and me). That doesn't have to mean they're terrible people. You don't have to accept the things they do- but you shouldn't let their actions define them, though it sometimes does show their character. My sister is one of "those" people and she drives me ABSOLUTELY CRAZY because she does those things. But just because she does some very irresponsible things and acts in a way I find immoral, I have to look past those things to see who she is. It's hard, but it is worth it- I promise.
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