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On March 5, 2007, I was born. The time was 6:45 A.M. I was just under 7 pounds. This pictures captures the moment my sister met me for the first time. With a stuffed animal in hand, my sister and I became inseperable. -
On March 17, 2009, my family adopted a rescue Border Collie with a troubled past. Kat, later renamed Maisy, lived in an abusive, practically inhabitable home for the first few months of her life. Miraculously, she was able to leave that home but was quickly placed in a kill shelter. The day before Maisy was going to be euthanized, she was rescued by Great Lakes Border Collie Rescue and that is where my family found her. From them on, Maisy has thrived in the comfort of a loving home. -
As I walked into the intimidating Trinity preschool classroom, I noticed a girl more hysterical than I was, her name was Emma. I quickly drew her a photo of her mother and we immediately became inseparable. Nearing the end of 6th grade, I made the tough decision to transfer to Immanuel. Being away from my best friend was horrifying but this choice made our friendship stronger. We both graduated from 8th grade and have gone to different schools but I know I will never lose my best friend. -
On this vacation, my family rented a houseboat in Kentucky. This boat featured 3 different floors. The base floor had 1 bedroom and bathroom. The main floor included the kitchen, living room, 3 bedrooms, and 2 full bathrooms. Finally, the third floor featured a large hot tub, outdoor kitchen, and a slide down all 3 floors into the water.
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On this major day in my life, I ran in my very first track meet. I remember specifically running the 400 and 800-meter races. As I got into my ready stance to begin my race, my heart beat as if it was going to beat right out of my chest. As soon as I heard that shot, the nerves appeared to have floated away and I was filled with a rush of adrenaline to keep me going. I might not have come in first place in those races but I most definitely fell in love with running that day. -
On this vacation, my family and I traveled to Flagstaff, Pheonix, and the Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. After sightseeing in Flagstaff and Pheonix, we drove to the Grand Canyon. There, we flew over the park in a helicopter. Next, we rode on the famous Pink Jeep Tours to tour the ground on the Canyons. Finally, we hiked 2 miles down the treacherous trails of the Grand Canyon.
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On this major day in my life, I played in my first volleyball game. Although I could barely control the ball and serve the ball over the net, my team conquered St. Peter Eastpointe, as of 2017. I placed the ball precisely on my left hand and raised my right to smack the ball as hard as possible to defeat the opposing team. My fist hit the ball perfectly and glided over the net. That was the winning point of my first volleyball game. -
This event was my very first basketball game. This game is where I learned that you do not have to be naturally good at a sport to love it. I had never planned on playing basketball but in order to have a team, I needed to join. Although I have fallen out of love with this particular sport, this event remains a monumental moment in my young life. -
On this day, my parents surprised my sister and I with a puppy. My parents told my sister and me that we were going out to eat at a new restaurant. When we pulled into the driveway of a random building, I knew immediately we were getting a puppy. I jumped out and that was when I saw Molly. She was a 1.5-pound black and brown Pomeranian. -
I attended Trinity Lutheran Utica from child care to 6th grade. Nearing the end of 6th grade, the opportunity arose for me to transfer to Immanuel Lutheran Macomb. With large amounts of thought and consideration, the choice became clear to switch schools. With this decision, I was able to not only maintain the relationships I had created at Trinity but also make new relationships at Immanuel. -
In December of 2019, my family bought the cottage next door to my grandparents cottage on Lake Huron in Lexington, Michigan. However, this cottage was anything but move in ready when we bought it. The cottage had not been renovated since the 1970's, featuring neon green and orange shag carpet and floor to ceiling wood paneling throughout. Since the purchase, all furniture has been removed from the home, the wood paneling has been striped, and new hard wood floors have been installed. -
This small adventure is one of the last memories I have of my life at Immanuel Lutheran before Covid. The first activity my class did was the swim test. This camp included an Olympic size swimming pool, so for the safety of my classmates and I, we needed to pass a swim test to ensure we were safe in this pool. The pool included a large rock wall, slide, and diving board. The rest of the trip, my class rotated from the swimming pool, outdoor games, and eating in the dining hall.
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On this very important day in my life, the Immanuel principal made an announcement on the intercom. The announcement was that spring break was to extend to 2 weeks instead of 1. Immediately, my teacher rushed us to gather our coats and supplies needed to finish our schoolwork and we were sent home. After only 2 short days of my extended spring break, Immanuel announced they were switching to online school for 2 more weeks. This trend continued until my 7th grade year was completed online. -
After months of lockdown and isolation, I was able to return to school on the first of 8th grade. At first, it was odd to see only the eyes of those you were talking to but it was easy to adapt to the new protocols. After every class, you needed to clean your desk with either bleach or a disinfectant wipe. Desks were separated at least 3 feet apart and some classes featured a plastic barrier in-between each person. Mask breaks were added throughout the week to feel a small sense of normal. -
Last February my family traveled to my favorite place on earth, Vero Beach, Florida. We stayed at the Disney Vero Beach resort in a 3 bedroom cabin on the beach. Our cabin was nit only on the water but perfectly situated directly across from the pool. The American Icon Brewery is one of my favorite restaurants so we ate there. Every day was spent lounging on the beach, shopping, swimming in the pool, playing mini golf, or biking the trails of Vero.
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On this vacation, my family traveled to Destin, Florida for spring break. We rented a condo on the Gulf of Mexico. Our condo was on the 11th floor with a perfect view of the beautiful water. One of the activities my family purchased was a ride on a hydro-jet. This boat was built like an extra large jet ski to dolphin watch.
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After 2 years of Bible studies and sermon notes, I was able to be confirmed on May 1, 2021. Due to Covid regulations, only part of my family was able to attend. However, this did not cease the love that surrounded me on this special day. After the beautiful ceremony, my extended family joined at my house for a party. This day will forever remain a very meaningful moment in my heart. -
After attending Immanuel Lutheran for 2 years, I graduated 8th grade in the class of 2021. Even through all the trials and tribulations of Covid, I made it through. The last week of school was spent making memories to last a lifetime. The ceremony announced each person in my graduating class and their accomplishments. Awards were given for sport participation, honor roll, and high honor roll. -
After 18 long years of living with my only sibling, my sister, Allie, moved 500 miles away to Michigan Technological University. Michigan Tech's Campus is located in Houghton, Michigan. This beautiful campus is seated on the Keweenaw Waterway that flows into Lake Superior. Across the river is the Michigan Tech ski hill. 9 months out of the year, this ski hill is filled with students enjoying the chilling weather. -
After graduating from Immanuel Lutheran, it was time to move on to high school. Entering high school was not too difficult for me. I had learned the ways of the hallway on orientation and mastered my locker combination. Along with this, I knew many people from volleyball. However, I had no idea how many people I would meet from outside of volleyball.