The Game

We stood outside of the cheap, La Quinta hotel in
Sacramento with cheer leaders and nervous parents.
Tyler jumped around, but the rest of us stood silently. My stomach danced around inside of me, and I could only imagine how the team felt right now. We stepped up the stairs onto the bus. The seven of us sat on the cold grey hound bus; legs shaking with anticipation and “’Stangs to State” hats on. 400 miles away from home, all we cared about was being there for the team. The whole five minutes to the gym, I squeezed onto Emily’s hand until the tips were redder than her lips.

We were the only people in the
Marlborough cheering section, the seven of us. We stood proudly in a line, spelling “MUSTANGS” with our tee-shirts. I had never felt more proud to go to my school than when our teem won. As we ran down to greet the team, one of the parents said, “Maybe that will be you guys someday!” We looked around at each other and smiled. Nothing would make me happier than for that to be true.

The Sonenshein World

Thanksgiving was always a peaceful time for everyone except my family. Every year we take the long drive to my uncle’s huge valley house. The first step into their house meant leaving the real world, and entering the Sonenshein world. The warm house smells of strong wine and turkey. As I walk further in, a sea of family rushes at me. Uncles and Aunts kiss my cheeks and toddlers swarm around my knees. My family settles back into their seats, and babies are dropped into my arms. Walking into the kitchen, I see my uncle doing his infamous turkey dance and four toddlers laughing hysterically on the floor. As we sit down for dinner my head spins. Ten different conversations are going on and I am a part of all of them. My family’s theory is: If someone is talking at the same time as you, you should shout whatever you are trying to say at the person you are talking to in order be heard. This goes on exponentially until one of the babies wakes up and starts crying. At that point everyone quiets down, but then soon starts the process over again. Progressively thought out the night, bottles of wine are poured, and many glasses are finished. I sit back and realize how lucky I am have so many people who care about me, and who will be there for me. Some may call my family crazy, but I wouldn’t trade them for the world.