Westerns and stuff

I suppose that it is about time that I finally wrote up my thoughts and feelings about Westerns. I know that there is a lot going on in my mind right now as to what happened and didn't happen and I know what will come out in this spill, well, not exactly what will come out. In a cruel sort of way, Westerns snuck up on us. I don't mean that all of the sudden it was that we were blindfolded and sent on a plane to Colorado, I mean that suddenly half of our girls, including myself, were either sick or injured. As we set out last Friday, I was missing my dark jersey, and was coming down with the worst sickness I have had all year. Lisa pulled her hip flexer, Aurbi's knees looked like someone sent them through a meat grinding machine. Emily had been missing practice for a variety of reasons and CJ was just healing from a sprained ankle and being sick. It seemed like what we had been preparing for had left us unprepared and under manned (or womanned.) As we finally made it to Colorado, we noticed the dryness but also the beauty. It was the perfect mix of Eugene and Southern California. Great weather, awful memories. As we finally made it to our hotel, our stomachs made their largest complaint about their emptiness. Trudging back out to vehicles was to begin the worst part of my night. As all the juniors crammed into one van and the freshman in another, I didn't know where to go. Standing in the middle of the parking lot, Mindy Force was kind enough to invite me to come with her, Daniel and Collin. Relieved that I not only had a place to sit but was with friends my mood slowly started to improve, until Luke told us he needed one of us to leave. As his gaze fell directly on me I knew tha tI would be alone with the fresheman. As dinner that night I was allergic to half my food and had to sit next to Nina. There is no need to say more.
The next morning we were all up and ready to play. We came out hard and took our first game solidly, 13-3. The next round was a bye, and we took too much time relaxing and not enough time watching. Coming out in our second game, we were out of it to begin with, but then decided to make a run at it. The run might have gotten us back into it, but the constant verbal harrassment from the other team got us too down. At that point we shut down. Playing our butts off earlier that day, we gave NW a sad excuse of a game. Luckily for us they are a team with great spirit and fun. We wished them luck and they took it to second place. After our third game we went to watch the guys. After a disgusting pick call, they ended up losing to Lakeside, setting them against South. South came out ready to go, while CHS was the biggest mess I have ever seen. Sad to say the boys were beaten fairly badly, but the night would get worse. Watching the showcase games gave many of us and idea of who we might be playing with in the next two years. A crazy thought. After that it was back to the hotel and mostly, swimming. Hanging out calmed my nerves, but what ended up shaking me was being sick. After discovering that you could open the trunk through the window, and fit two people back there, we were off to the store. I bought cough drops, went back to the hotel, wrote some personal stuff in my journal and then quickly conked out.
Waking up the next morning sucked. I was tired, sore and sicker than ever. Making sure that everyone was taped and ready to go filled my morning as we had to be out of there at 7:30 am. Once ready to go we hit the fields. Playing our first game, Aubri and I got to match up against some of our friends from tryout camp. It was a fun game, and we took it quickly 13-3. South on the other hand lost their game, sending us agianst South in the quarter finals. Playing them sucked. The game was no fun until the second half when we started playing like a team and family. I would like to think that my pep talk did infact pump up my team but I do not know for sure. We played well the second half but still lost. Our final game would be against Lakewood, a Colorado team that we took to give us the tie for 5th place. The guys cheered us on our last two points and it was nice to hear that what we were doing wasn't second place to the real competion in the opens division as many people tried to lay claim. But I suppose that all that is not waht is truely important...
The CHS womens team, also lacking an adult coach this weekend, played together. We won and lost as a team. Lisa, who was injured and in pain, kindly called lines, and while in the game came up with some throws I never thought she had. Emily Neyman had some sick deep cuts that us into our endzone much faster than we imagined. CJ broke the South cup all weekend long, and didn't drop a single disc. Christine and Kimber were our dynamic cutting duo, responsible for much of the flow of our game. Yeon and Claire, as much as they despise being lumped together, played harder than either one thought possible. Both got amazing D's and shocked high schoolers with their amazing skill. Rosie, who had only been playing for a little over a month really stepped it up. And I have to say that Aubri was the back bone of out team. She had so many skys and bids that most people stopped to watch and the UPA is even bragging. Overall it was a great weekend that we will only improve upon next year.
I however feel as if I was the least helpful person on the team. I know that handling can be a somewhat thankless job, but I didn't realize how much. Props to Collin, Andrew, Daniel and Peter Q-B for dealing with it.

Love

I know that this is going to sound crazy but I think that I just understood the true meaning of love. Love is a concept, at least to my understanding that is thrown around far too easily. Many times we catch ourselves saying things like: I love milk or I love history. But the honest truth is that you don't love those things. No one that I know of would die for milk or history. People say that they love thing when they really mean that they like things. I however have finally come to understand that the deepest love (except for maybe Jesus's love) is between friends (counting Jesus as all of our older brother) I know many people would argue that the strongest love is through a family but some of the things that people have said and write to me have started to convince me other wise. Included are somethings that people have typed to me that mean so much more and cost the price of love that I could never repay.
You are one of those that has influenced me greatly, especially with my ultimate play. Because watching you at state last spring made me feel like, "wow could i do that" and now i try. ~Jeff Chandler
You are my Hero! ~Peter Qualtere-Burtcher
Your a great person. Love life, love yourself, love school, ( stay in school,), love Ultimate, <<< (i mean continue too,) love Aubri, and most of all, LOVE YEON! ~Yeon Choi
but i just wanted to tell you that i appreciate you and love you and want you to be happy, you are the best coach i've ever had and a really good friend, let other people help you out when you need it we want to it won't kill us i promise. you are super sexy, a really good, smart, productive,loveable, wanted person. ~Emily Skeen
I sometimes wish that I could help her with her problems, as I do for you too. Though I am one silly girl, I can be serious. I am a good advice-giver, and since your busy busy lives dont need any more build up as it is, know that I, Yeon Choi, will take some of that weight off your guy's shoulders. Tell Aubri I said that too. I love you guys. Dont fight. Stay in school. ~Yeon Choi
I know that these aren't the only things but this is what I found in five minutes. Just the realization and the purity that I find in these few simple sentances amazes me. I feel as if the world has been lifted up off of my shoulders when I look at what people have given me, not their friendship, time, advise or intelligence. But they have accually given me their love. A thing so emcompassing that the item can never be repaid or redestributed. It is something we can never take away from each other, only give and that is one of the most glorious things in life. Giving love is giving life. When you give someone your love, you give them your friendship, time, advise, intelligence and so much more. The lives that we all touch with simple kindness is felt in a love that is like a smouldering fire. Once that fire gets a little more fuel it gives more heat, and with more heat it is given more fuel. I guess that the true purpose of this post is to say that I know love, am blessed with love and pray that everyone will always know love. I hope that I pass on love to others and can be some of the fuel on that smouldering fire. I hope that we all love one another. We are so precious that it would be crazy not to love one another. May you be blessed with love, total and complete love- pure love.
With love, from me.

Adults...

Sometimes I really wonder about adults. I mean who said, okay you are eighteen, I feel that you are responsible. Let me tell you there are just some people not ready to take on those responsibilities...Anyways different subject. Is anyone else worried about Aubri?? She is seriously frightening me lately. I know something is wrong, but she won't tell anyone. I think that if Daniel or Luke talked to her long enough that she would open up, but even then I don't know. She seems so sad and lost, I wish I could be her guiding light. Or maybe just a candle to show her that her feet are still on safe and friendly ground. Hmm, I guess I don't have too much more to say...I do have a question, Yeon and Claire, did my advise help or would you rather I didn't comment? Okay that is all. Loves.