What would the 12 days of Christmas be without the partridge in the pear tree?

Of late, I have had increasingly powerful spells of homesickness for Medford. But last night, I was looking at my photo album and I had this realization. It was one of those things that hits you so hard and kind of breaks your heart a little because you can't go back to what you had. I've been thinking about how much fun a visit to Medford would be...seeing all the CPTA kids, and Southies, and good ole Medford 5th ward. But when I think about it, nothing would quite be the same.
As I was flipping through photos and reminiscing, this was the realization I had. The summer of 2004 was the best summer of my life thus far. That's all there is to it. So, I would like to dedicate this little blog to a few of the hundreds of fond memories I have of this past summer. To me, summer started in about the end of April this last year, which of course is fine with me.
I remember making that 15 minute drive to Central Point every evening for "Into the Woods" rehearsal with the windows rolled down and rock music blaring as I drove down those country roads. I remember hanging out with Chris and Aaron and Willie and Kristen, and I remember the warm pavement of the parking lot of the church after (and occasionally during) rehearsal. I remember Gramma's house and that Fourth of July night when we set off hundreds of fireworks in the street in front, and stayed up till 3 in the morning playing improv games. I remember that picnic at the park, and playing tennis and wall-ball with Chris and Willie. And the hat day! Meeting over at Aaron and Chris' house with Kristen and Willie and renting movies and eating hamburgers. And that night when Chris, Aaron, Kristen and I spread a sleeping bag out on the grass in front of the church after rehearsal, and stayed for hours and hours, telling stories and laughing and watching the stars. Pear Blossom parade with CPTA, and the new car, yet another blue station wagon.
Then there was moving into Bretty's house, and the pleasant warm evenings with lemonade and a book, and Saturday mornings laughing and telling stories with Brette. And learning to play the drums...coming home from work every afternoon and throwing on shorts and a t-shirt and banging on the drumset in Bretty's room. And having my own bedroom for the first and probably the ONLY time in my young life.
And then there was work, something that I loved in spite of myself! Hearing Carlos rant and rave about being president in his Brazilian accent, talking about acting with Sandra, the rare nights I would close with Tim and Lance and Carlos and Jade. Then there was Aaron, and hanging out with him and Amanda and Bernie...and bowling and watching movies at Aaron's house.
I remember Medford 5th ward, and hiking Pilot Rock and FHE and volleyball at Fichtner after Institute. Chad and Erin's wedding, and Ricky's baptism, and giving Hanah rides home. There were the nights of hanging out with Becky Stone and Katie and Dee and the Bells, and that funny part of the end of the summer when Becky and I took turns living at the Bell's house. Somehow, I also remember a lot of Taco Bell from that summer. I remember the nights of hanging out with Becky and Cole, and that night we went to Sharis and then went out and bought half a dozen 2 liter sodas from Food 4 Less and drove back to the Stake Center parking lot and shot soda bombs off in the air.
Somehow it's so hard to get just words to convey all the things this past summer was to me. It's over now, and now I'm living a different life, with different faces and voices and textures and and sounds and smells and tastes. It's just as wonderful as this summer was, but it's in a different way. I just miss the feeling of the summer, and all the things and people I knew. I love and miss you all, and hope you know how much you meant to me, and how much you mean to me still.

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What would the 12 days of Christmas be without the partridge in the pear tree?