the end of the beginning...

And so it came. And so it went.

My baby sister's childhood softball career... from t-ball to Little League to travel ball to Varsity. Home runs, new cleats, playing catch in the backyard, pretending she was Jim Thome, sliding, broken bones, stealing bases, saving the game, making friends... she played with all of her heart. And how totally proud is her big sister? Very. I definitely couldn't have done it. (Not that any team would want me even near their field... but hey, that's beside the point!) Even though it's sad (okay, really sad...) that my baby sister is graduating and all that, I am so excited that after a decade and a half of commitment and dedication, my sister is moving on and will play college ball in the fall. She's following her dreams.

Last night we went to the annual year-end softball banquet, and well, high school ball is now over. I wonder if she believes me now when I told her it would fly by...

To commemorate my fabulous little sister and her lifetime of being an amazing ALL STAR.... here are some pics of this season. Also, I'm proud to be able to share a video the girls put together for last evening PLUS a video of the team umm singing, shall we say?

And so we talked all night about the rest of our lives

Where we're gonna be when we turn 25

I keep thinking times will never change

Keep on thinking things will always be the same

But when we leave this year we won't be coming back

No more hanging out cause we're on a different track

Cause we're moving on and we can't slow down

These memories are playing like a film without sound

And this is how it feels

As we go on

We remember

All the times we

Had together

And as our lives change

Come whatever

We will still be

Friends forever

Will we think about tomorrow like we think about now?

Can we survive it out there?

Can we make it somehow?

I guess I thought that this would never end

And suddenly it's like we're women and men

Will the past be a shadow that will follow us 'round?

Will these memories fade when I leave this town

I keep, I keep thinking that it's not goodbye

Keep on thinking it's a time to fly

And lastly, she might kill me for this, but Nikki had me print this paper she wrote for school and I, being the emotional big sister I am, had to keep it :) It is very special:

After 12 long years, we have finally made it. We have done our time in school and we are ready to move on to a new chapter in our lives. As graduation approaches, it’s only fitting to look back upon our high school days.
I came to Stow in the second part of freshman year, not knowing anyone. New school, new faces, and that seemed like a lot to handle at the time. I didn’t really know anyone, so I pretty much stayed to myself for the first few weeks of school. When the spring came around, I made the softball team, and that opened up many doors for making lots of friends and teammates. These very teammates are all my best friends now. We have overcome problems on and off the field and have gotten so close we are basically family. I am so thankful to be a part of a team like that.
Sophomore year seemed to be a blur. A huge memory from sophomore year is getting my license and being able to drive. Getting that driver’s license is one of the best feelings when you’re 16. You can go where you want to without begging your parents for a ride or trying to bum a ride of your older friends. Sophomore year also brought the OGTS. As we all found out, these tests weren’t as challenging as everyone had made them out to be.
Junior year seemed to be the hardest year of high school. The curriculum for this school year actually asked more from us, as students, then any other school year so far. Junior year brought writing the research paper. We worked endlessly on note cards that would only be burned by Mr. Stratton after we turned in our papers. After we turned in the research paper, it seemed like the year was almost over. We watched the seniors get out of school in the end of May, only wishing it was us. All of this seems like it was just yesterday.
Finally senior year came. We finally started the end of our public school education. Nothing was better than walking into the high school as a senior, knowing that this year was our year. A year to be serious and finish school, but at the same time, it was a year to have the time of our lives and just enjoy being young without many responsibilities that, later, would come in life. We had school events from senior homecoming to prom and those were all the best times that I will remember for the rest of my life. Overall, I have had an amazing time throughout high school, and now it is bittersweet to think that it really is about to be over. We are about to break out of our comfort zones and start our lives doing things the way we want to- no longer living how people tell us to. This is the beginning. Life is waiting for us. Everything that has mattered the past 12 years don’t mean anything now. This is a time to start over and make the lives that we want to live.
The lyrics I chose come from a Goo Goo Dolls song called Better Days. “ So take these words and sing out loud cause everyone is forgiven now cause tonight’s the night the world begins again. “

Isn't she the cutest? Yeah, she's definitely going to rock the world, so watch out.
I LOVE YOU NIKKI!

More to come.... grad party... commencement... lots and lots of stuff!