There's No Place Like Home

Last night wrapped up the greatest two months of my life so far. Charlotte's Web is over. I don't quite know what to do with myself.

I am so so proud to be a part of Duchesne Theater. I really feel like I have made a home here over the past two years, and the friends I have made will stay my friends for life. We are just the most wonderful family. Sometimes I think about what my life would be like now if I didn't have this beautiful thing in my life, and I know how horribly sad and changed and different I would be. My heart is so full of love for each and every person who was with me on that stage this weekend.

So to my beauties, thank you. We have gone through so much together and I am so very proud of all of us. A few of us may be going out into The World next year, and to those people I give all of the love in my heart. I just want you to know that once you set foot in Duchesne Theater, you will never truly leave. You will always have a home here-remember that.

Thank you all for a fantastic show and for being such a huge part of my life. I love every one of you with my whole heart.

The Greatest Thing Ever...

...happened to me on Thursday.

This week marked the end of the quarter not only for those of us at Hogwarts but also for college students around the country. Many of last year's seniors are now home on Fall Break, and a few of them dropped by school early in the week to say hello. Their reappearances made the sadness of Trish being gone fresh again.

Let me make this clear: I have missed and missed and missed her every single minute of every single freaking day since she left in August. She (and all of My People, for that matter) is so much more than a good friend. I love love LOVE her. And it makes me sad all over again whenever I walk down what used to be their hallway and no one is sitting there.

So I was feeling pretty bummed out all week. Then Thursday came, and I just wanted to go home and sort out my life and write letters and sleep. I was still thinking about this halfway through Swing Choir-my seventh class of the day-when the door opened, and in came My Favorite Canadian, who happens to attend the same school as...wait...

And then, ladies and gentlemen, TRISH CAME THROUGH THE DOOR.

I feel really bad for everyone in the room with me and in the classroom below me, because I screamed and ran straight to them. And I shed some eye water. A lot, actually.

I had no idea they were coming. It was just the most wonderful surprise. I still haven't gotten over my excitement.

Both of them came to rehearsal, where Jessicaaaaa made her equally unexpected entrance. De-Facto Mongolian Sweetheart got pretty emotional when that happened-the two of them are like sisters. I didn't let Trish out of my sight the whole time because I was worried she'd disappear. But she didn't-the three of them stayed until halfway through rehearsal. I won't be seeing her for a while, I think. She and My Favorite Canadian are driving back tomorrow.

When I came home I got her letter telling me that she was coming. To be honest, I'm really glad it didn't come earlier. I rather like surprises, especially when they have red hair.

For Good

So remember my little side note on Monday about the Special Surprise? Well, probably not, but if you don't then you can just follow the fancy little link I am so proud of myself for putting up. Anyway, pretty much every defining moment of my freshman year culminated in that one Special Surprise. Let me explain:

In early September of last year, I officially met My People. Trish, Lil' Newton, MoDawg, MurrKat, Glitter Unicorn, and Jessicaaaaaaa all became permanent fixtures in my life the day we started making Theater Magic together. Actually, I knew them waaaay before they knew me. I had been watching THEM make Theater Magic and dreaming of making it with them years before I actually got to. But when I did it was just as good as, if not better, than I imagined it would be. And I have them-ALL of them-to thank for that. But this is their last official week at Hogwarts (jsyk: I do not really go to Hogwarts) and then they will walk to Cathedral, turn their tassels, and go out into The World. And there is no doubt in my mind that they  will rock it. I'll be pretty bummed out, though, to say the least. These people are My People. They are some of my dearest friends-sisters, even. They are not just six people whom I know and love-they are one force of beauty and talent and sparkle and kindness and love that has taught me so much in so little time. I will always be grateful.

Long live the Mundys.

And so to at least attempt to show my thanks for My People, I teamed up with one whom I will call Baby Carrot (she is small and a ginger), who has a few People of her own, to surprise them with a little song. This song. I didn't think it would be that emotional. We sounded fantastic while rehearsing and were just really excited to show them. But then the music started. And I shed a lot of eye water. It was fairly unattractive and definitely did not enhance my musical ability. It wasn't the situation so much as seeing them all there. Trish was sitting right where I had her sitting as I went over the song in my mind. Top row, left side, second seat. That really got me. Baby Carrot handled the situation a lot more gracefully than I did. She is a trooper. And very sassy. She rocks. But Glitter Unicorn-I had given her a note to read beforehand, which just thanked her for everything she has given me (she doesn't know this, but it is a whole lot of stuff) and told her how fabulous she is. But she shed some eye water as well, which was REALLY weird because that doesn't normally happen. It was very...enlightening, almost. It was like proof of her humanity-I always thought (and still think) that she was a superhero- goddess-invincible, nerves-of-steel person. But I managed to get a hug out of her. It was good.

She's stylish in a dumpster.

Yes, be jealous.

Unfortunately, Lil' Newton and My Favorite Canadian Eh were not there. They were being smart and finishing up a Super Smart Test. So they came to see it during Show and Tell. Lil' Newton...I could say so many wonderful things about her. And I know she is reading this (p.s. Lil' Newton, Chi Chi is reading as well) so I will say those things so she knows how wonderful she is. She is sparkly. And kind. And smart, talented, beautiful, funny, lovable, lovely, and it is "all about her bootay". And I am so so so unbelievably glad to have her and her blue and yellow clothing in my life.

Holding on to memories...

We sat in that dumpster together for an hour.

Thank you to My People. You are the most wonderful beings on this earth. Even if you don't think so.

Chi Chi loves you.