I ripped open the package, not caring that I looked like an angry gorilla to find the soft, black and white plush doll underneath. It was my very own, brand new Webkinz stuffed animal. I had been hoping for this one stuffed animal for months now and finally it was in my hands.

“Pandi” was filled with hours of fun and was covered in fuzzy fur but best of all, she was all mine.

Webkinz are stuffed animals that come with a code to unlock their whole world virtually! You could visit and build a house for your animal(s) all while snuggling with them too. Webkinz come in all different animals and styles. There is the black and white panda like mine, the cocker spaniel, the cocoa lab and many more. No matter what kind of person you are, there is a Webkinz fit for you.

I loved my Webkinz with all my heart. It was the best companion. Even my parents loved my Webkinz. Being a kid meant I had a short attention span and my Webkinz were one of the few things that could keep me entertained for hours.

My Webkinz, Pandi will forever be a part of my childhood. She was there through the good the bad and everything in between.

Sadly cross country with my friends and Coach Ciccareli has come to an end but, now we get to start training for track season which is right around the corner. I look back at my cross country season and I see how much I’ve grown, not just as a runner but as person. My team became like a second family to me. We are all really good friends now. I remember the first day of practice, we were all shy and scared but now, we couldn’t be any louder. On the bus on the way to our meets, we have Coach Ciccareli blast the stereo and we all sing along. We stand on the side lines and cheer on our teammates. You never know if a boost of encouragement could be the difference between first and second place. All in all, not only have I made up breakable bonds with my friends, I have gotten my own personal record and all of the hard work and long practices has all been worth it. What I got out of this experience was definitely worth waking up early every morning before school.

I am from a happy place,
From playing with the dog to reading a book.

I am from the welcoming white home,
The smell of that nights dinner on the stove
  And the warm fulfillment feel of a complete family.

I am from palm trees and purple flowers,
  With the green grass growing tall
Along the little white fence with my handprints
Trailing along throughout my life.

I am from family game nights,
Sitting around together with Clue and Rummy-cube
I am from Dori and Uri
To Taylor and even Elvis too.

I am from jam packed Saturdays
To lazy day Sundays
From running cross country
To just running around doing errands.

I’m from the tickle monster
To the tooth fairy
And even princesses too.
From the Wiggles
Growing up to Dancing With the Stars.

I’m from the small, sunny town of Boca Raton
From Ellen and Ann to Ben and Jay.

I’m from family times at Zilker Park,
Watching Redbox movies,
And cooking as a family (minus my sister).

I am from a loving place.
Where love is not just an imagination, yet a real thing.