To team stride,

I don’t know where to start. 

I remember getting our team assignments and thinking we were the leftovers since we had the smallest team lol. Then we got to GA and realized we were nothing alike, which made me even more convinced we were the leftovers lol. I was scared. Scared we couldn't be friends because we were different. Scared you guys wouldn't like me. Scared we would be awkwardly miserable lol. I watched the rest of the teams instantly bond over their similarities for the first few weeks as we struggled to speak more than a few words. 

But the Lord knew. He put us together for a reason. Little did we know all of that would change. We got to SP and discovered what he actually had for us. We came to see our differences as strengths for the body, we realized in being together our team was whole and complete (we could actually be friends?!) We came to appreciate those differences, strengths, and weaknesses, while seeing the similarities. 

We went from strangers to friends to sisters. From not being able to talk about anything other than food we missed from home to not being able to go to sleep because we had too much to say. You became people I constantly wanted to be around, people I adored. You earned my trust, you showed me you were a safe space. It became clear you loved me and cared about me. You took the time to see, know, and hear me. You were always there, and I didn't even have to ask you to be. 

You pushed me. And sometimes I didn't like it. But regardless of how I received it, you didn't stop loving me, you didn't stop fighting for me. You showed me real and raw, patience, grace, forgiveness, and love. And you let me push you; we invited and fought for growth together. 

We mourned together and celebrated together. We laughed, cried, danced, and sang together. We chose in and did the thing; on the good days, on the bad days. 

People won't understand. They will never know the intensity of our crackhead hours, our inside jokes, how much we valued quiplash, how many times Emma and Morgan peed their pants from laughing too hard, all that went down during SMT, how bad we were at dance ministry, how hard it was to say goodbye, how many times you guys called me to kill a bug, our team times, having communion at 1 am, or the stress of meal planning. They won't understand. But I will; I will remember the big moments, the little moments, and everything in between. I won't just remember, I will treasure them because I treasure you all. 

I think back to when we chose our team name- stride. Which means a long, decisive step in a specified direction. We decided we wanted our team team be one that took intentional steps toward the father together. And to think about this is so sweet, because I can say without a doubt that this is what we have done. And I know this is what we will continue to do, even if we're in five different places. 

So stride, thank you. Thank you for making my race what it was. Thank you pushing me, for loving me, for seeing me, for knowing me. Thank you for choosing in. Thank you for all the laughs, tears, and everything in between. I wouldn't have wanted to do life with anyone else. Love you endlessly.

-Pollo (for you, stride :))