Seventeen

Yesterday I was talking to my best friend Julia who turned 18 today. We were talking about how great being 17 was. And I have to agree, 17 was probably one of the best years of my life. Why, you might ask? Well...

I went on my first international mission trip-something that I had wanted to do since I went on my first mission trip my sophomore year. I saw the great West in all of its glory. Arizona and California will forever be blazed in my memory. (Literally as it was 100 degrees outside, and figuratively) It was the year that I got my first job. Even though I can't say I always loved having a job, it taught me how to be responsible. And the pay checks were always the best. 17 was the age when I became a senior. I loved being at the top of school even though I had senioritis like no one else. It was the year that I fell in love. I interned at Grabill Missionary Preschool and loved every moment of it. I was incredibly blessed to coach a group of girl soccer players with my best friend Kaitlyn Beer. It was the year that I hit a deer on Halloween...okay, so that wasn't so great  but now I can laugh about it. I grew closer to my family when we lost power for three days and sat in a freezing cold house. 17 was when I decided what I was going to do with my future-namely heading to Purdue University. The year that I took ACTs and SATs until my head almost fell off. The time when I learned to appreciate the literary genius of Gabriel Garcia Marquez. 17 was the age when I watched my brother and sister begin to grow into the people that they would become. The last year I would spend my entire age under my parent's roof. Being blessed enough to go and see Barack Obama be inaugurated in Washington DC. Even though we were cold it was worth it enough to see history being made before my eyes. Hanging out with my friends making cupcakes until we were comatose from all the sugar. Sharing pain with friends who were going through hard times. Realizing that I was becoming an adult way too soon. Spending the last few weeks of being a youngin' with the best of friends. And finally, finding a golf ball at the old church property with Katie. Oh, and remembering my last day of childhood by eating an ice-cream cone at McDonald's.

Yes, 17 was a great age. If I could, I would travel back and do it all over again. There is not a thing that I would change. I know that as I get older, I will probably pick another age that was my favorite. But here and now, 17 was probably the best year of my life.