*GASP* That has been the most used expression the past week for the new 2009- 2010 West Virginia State FFA officer team. For instance, I continue to write out and say 2009-2010 West Virginia State FFA Officer Team (just like that) because it is unbelievable. It’s a moment I have been waiting for since I can remember and I always thought about what I would say or do when I became a state officer. But yet the only thing I could do was gasp and I don’t foresee that changing in the near future.
Wednesday we headed down to blast off at Cedar Lakes. I rode with Beth and Andrea and let me tell you a six hour trip was extremely entertaining, and the entertainment didn’t stop there. All week learning about ourselves and each other was absolutely amazing. We all agreed that we loved our team and are so glad to be a part of this together. We laughed, we cried, we laughed until we cried, we talked and listened, and we had the chance to learn personal things that made us realize our differences which we feel make us stronger and our similarities which are just interesting. Even the late night talks with Mr. Hughes were extremely, well, educational.
But then we come to Saturday. As we sat in a session talking, in walks Mr. Burdette with a box. Now being that were a group of mature young adults we waited patiently to find out what was in the box( more like we squirmed like five year olds wanting to open a big shiny box). Then after hours and hours of waiting (thirty minutes) Mr. Hughes finally opened the box. That dull cardboard box will forever be remembered as the shiniest box I have ever seen because inside was our FFA Association jackets. It was the most amazing feeling and all we could do was gasp. As we unzipped the jackets, tried them on and stared at each other we felt this since of pride, responsibility, and were extremely proud to be serving the state we love for an organization we love. The jackets didn’t just fit in length and width, but the jackets just felt right. It is so hard to explain this feeling but it was, well, gasp.
After we finally parted our ways, Beth, Andrea and I headed for home. We almost ran out of gas and almost lost our brakes and when we realized that we might we started laughing and couldn’t stop. We found gas about five miles before we would have started having to push and we did make it home on those brakes (amazingly because when I pushed the brakes the car shook insanely).
As I stepped out of the car I held up my new jacket for my parents to see. I don’t think I have ever smiled so widely and I waited for what my parents would say. I figured a ‘that’s amazing’ or ‘Let me see, let me see’ but what I heard was none of that and yet all of that. I heard GASP.
