Every Story has to have an ending

You are now reading the blog of a former Reach team. As of June 27, 2008 the reach year has ended. We look upon this year with so many wonderful memories. We went to and through a total of 15 states as a team, we went to the typical states which are gone to in the beginning of the year, Oregon, Washington and Idaho, we went to the typical mid-west trip states, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Montana, South Dakota, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Kansas and Missouri, and even went to a couple states which are typically part of the northwest and southwest teams, Alaska and California. We’ve had many countless experiences, countless hours in the van(s), countless hours listening to music, countless inside jokes (maybe it is better, how do you say burrito in Spanish?, trying to get to the movies, and so many others which I will spare you from), countless people we have encountered both in and out of retreat, countless calories burned on laughing, and countless calories consumed in host homes (to all of those who contributed to the extra inches in our beltlines, we thank you). We’ve met great priests across the country, and have learned how truly universal the church is. It was amazing coming to Yakima, WA that windy day of August 26, 2007, as we sat together in the team room that evening after the barbeque was over we looked around the room and saw a room full of strangers we were being forced to live a year with. As we go our different ways, we look around and no longer see strangers but a family. We have spent so much of our lives with each other that we’re even closer than siblings to a certain extent. As Jake would always describe it, “We’re like brothers and sisters who always have to go to each other’s baseball games, football games, and such. We’re like siblings who can never get rid of each other.” We may have wanted to leave sometimes, or maybe wanted someone else to leave, but now that the time is up we want to cling to that which has become our home and family. We may all be going back to our original homes, but if home is where the heart is then I guess I have pieces of a home spread across the country. As we leave here with our memories, I leave you all with a profound thank you. Thank you to all who provided the many prayers, and for all of your support throughout the year, without you there would be no Our Lady of Lourdes Reach team. I leave today with a final look on our year past, and the words of Paul, “I have completed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness awaits me, which the Lord, the just judge, will award me on that day, and not only to me but to all who have longed for his appearance.” (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

God Bless for one final time,

The Our Lady of Lourdes Reach Team

P.S. There is of course still the photobucket and YouTube account which will remain for some time with our pictures and memories of this year past. For those of you who may have lost or forgotten the links to those they are http://s217.photobucket.com/albums/cc232/OLL07-08/ for the photobucket and http://www.youtube.com/oll0708 for our YouTube account. Feel free to browse through and see the many pictures and videos which didn’t make it onto the blog.