Delta 5, over the course of the last ten months I have loved you, I have hated you, I have relied on you, I have pretended like I didn't know you in public, I have shared laughs with you, I have gotten into arguments over stupid things with you, I have enjoyed every waking moment with you, I have learned from you, I have wanted to punch your faces in, I have cried because of you (both in happiness and out of frustration), I have been pushed, encouraged, and changed by you. For all of these reasons we have become a family. A very large, dysfunctional, strange, but happy... family.
I wish you all the happiness and joy and elation in the world, I hope your wildest dreams come true over the course of your lives, and I pray we never loose the bond that AmeriCorps has created between the thirteen of us.
You are all beautiful and inspiring in your own way and I can't begin to imagine what life would have been like had I never come into contact with your influences.
Denny: You've brought a new kind of laughter and sense of humor to my life that I will be able to enjoy for the rest of my life (or at least another year. See you in a month!)
JoJo: You were a little piece of home for me, not only because we share a similar geography but because your warm bubbly personality was always enough to get me to take a step back, take a breath, and just enjoy life.
Tony: I have never met anyone so chilled out and relaxed in my life. You take whatever is thrown your way with ease, a smile, and a beer. Three strengths I will be pulling from you over the next year!
Matt: Your outlook on life, conversation, and creativity were always a fresh of breath air. I had lost a particular creativity prior to joining AmeriCorps and you've helped reignite something for me.
Travis: I've never seen someone pour their whole self into their work before. Your work ethic is incredible and something I hope stays with me throughout the rest of my being.
Dahlke: Lady, you have such an excitement for life and you take on any situation like a champ. Ours is a friendship that has yet to bloom. We've got an exciting relationship to continue to build!
Leroy: I have said what I need to say to you, so I won't make a show of it here :) I will say though, you and I are pals to the end and the next time you see me I'm going to be a beast.
Aaron: You picked on me to the best of your ability and I can't thank you enough for it. From day one I've treated you with all the love hostility can hold and you've been sure to return the favor. You're my brother from another mother, thanks for the brotherly love.
Tommy-Guns: Thanks for letting me play the protective older sister role. Our geek spasms helped me retain a bit of home I didn't really get from anyone else in the Corps. Next time we see each other we'll have to bond over "other things" if you know what I mean. Ha!
Kari: You are definitely my AmeriBestie. No matter where our lives take us, we have a friendship that will pick up right where it left off whether it be a week later, a year later, or ten years later. I love you.
Chels: You should know there aren't many people I can tolerate when I need my "me time". Having you around when I thought I was going to break, when I needed to get away, when I wanted to ignore everyone on our team... I was so thankful for your calm and peaceful energy. Our coffee dates are what got me through this program at times.
MamaPaige: I can't say it enough. THANK YOU. I attribute a very large part of why I am coming back as a Team Leader to you. You poured everything you had into this team. You encouraged me like no one else could. I will always see you as a pillar of strength, as a mentor, and as a friend. Thank you.
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