15

2009.

I was happy. 

I found my place, my voice. 

Our new family grew closer and closer. My brothers became my best friends. 

I played in a lot of snow. A lot. 

I lost contact with every single one of my 'friends' in Texas. 

But I made new friends, awesome ones. 

I learned the difference between American schools and Canadian schools, (and just Canada, too.)

Things like public transit, loonies and toonies, the fact that you could just walk out of class and come back whenever you felt like it. I learned the metric system, socialized medicine and how to drive on the wrong side of the road! (haha just kidding on that last one ;) )

I went snow boarding for my first time!

I experienced the true cold,

 the kind when your own boogers freeze inside your nose and where you cough the second you walk outside because you can't breathe, it's so cold. This image flashed all too often:

I saw the majestic Rocky Mountains, Lake Louise and Lake Morraine. I sat on a rock and started at the mountains and thought

"Man, our God is amazing and creates amazing things."

 I said goodbye to Canada after my mom got laid-off. We drove for 4 days back to Texas with 2 dogs, 3 kids, 2 adults and all our belongings.

I begged my mom to not make me go back to the same school I was in before we moved. My friends no longer talked to me, I wanted to disappear. 

I ended up going back to the same school.

I looked into the eyes of some of the people I called my best friends just a year before, as they pretended they didn't know who I was. 

I remember the counselor I was seeing asked me how it was to walk down the hallways at school.

I thought "it's torture. This is hell ."

I cried everyday in the bathroom during lunch. I had no one to sit with. I kept thinking that this is only supposed to happen in movies, not in real life. 

I watched my brother graduate and go to prom. 

 I went to church camp where I jumped off 20ft poles and went zip lining over and over again till I was dizzy.

 I hung out with my family and made awesome memories.

"HEY did you know that Michael Jackson's dead?"

"TUUUBULARRR"

I went by myself to Florida to visit my cousin and aunt & uncle.

The new school year started things started to get better there.

 I was no longer bothered by my old friends and I made new ones. 

I joined french club and developed my love for the language. 

I got to go to the Taylor Swift concert for the first time!

I went to my first "texas" homecoming.

 I even handmade my mum!

That was 15.