I had sort of neglected my email all week. I wanted to be present with the girls and honestly…there was just not time. On the last day as everyone was packing up their bags I opened my laptop to maybe just answer a quick few. I immediately heard the ding that told me someone was IMing me. I looked down at a message from me brother that read:
“So…did you turn the tides?”
While I know he was being an a**hole big brother…the answer is yes Josh. Yes…we did turn the tides. And it was awesome.
Last week has been really challenging to wrap my head around. It might have something to do with the fact I got engaged as soon as I got home but on top of that…it was so amazing on so many levels I’m not really sure where to start. Going into the week I was nervous…really nervous. Even on the drive up to Michigan my stomach was basically in my throat. Then we walked in the door of this amazing lakehouse. The kind of house that you can’t help but relax in. And I was calm. Ok…not totally calm. But in comparison I was much calmer than I had been. As the girls started to show up I began to realize that everything I had worried/stressed/freaked out about was happening whether I liked it or not.
As the week unfolded…it turned into more than I could have ever imagined. Those nine girls poured their hearts and souls out…and trusted us to do the same. There were tears…lots of tears…but there was also laughter and s’mores and boat rides and late night campfires. Those talks that I had worked so hard on for weeks…were such a small part of it all (which came together great if you were wondering…well at I least I think). I look back at what I thought that week was going to be like and I was so wrong. I know every girl there took away the bullet points that we had each so carefully placed in our slides. But more than that they took away an experience. They took away new friends. New best friends. And they left that house different than when they walked in. And if you ask me…that is turning the tides. So take that Josh.
People keep asking me how it went. They want to hear all about it. And every time I go to say the words they just don’t come out. Because the truth is…it went exactly how it was supposed to. Exactly how it was meant to. We knew going into this that everything about this week was going to unexpected. Unplanned. And that every person in that house would make it what it was. And that is exactly what happened.
To all the girls who came across the country (and Canada!) to be with us…thank you from the bottom of my heart. You guys made last week everything it was and I can’t wait to see what’s next for you.
Until next year…
by laurenwakefield