Today was my first time attending church in I do not know how long. It felt good to get up, dress up, and start my day off right. the church we went to is unlike anything I grew up knowing. It is held at one of the few hotels we have here. I know it very well, it holds a lot of memories for me.
My good friend Joe worked as a buss boy, weightier, and cook in the restaurant thats a part of the hotel. My best friend Karina and I attended a 1920’s party there, it was quite enjoyable. I have stayed some nights there and swam in the pool, but the most memorable thing I have done in this hotel was attend my high school winter formals. Not all of them were held there, only two, but I remember those times very well.
The conference room the church was held in was the same room we rented for these formals, The Alexander Ball Room. As I walked through its doors, memories flooded in from each of those years. I remember coming in early and decorating with some of the girls. I loved being a part of the decorating crew, and the cleaning crew. I never wanted to miss out on any fun that was being had. 
We would decorate for hours, listening to music and talking about the night to come. After the room was decorated with all the character it could, we went to one of the rooms we rented and got dressed up and ready for the night together.
I still remember the feeling of nervousness and excitement as I entered the formal, joining all my friends. (I hate getting dressed up, but when I get the chance to do it I love feeling beautiful.) I have never been to an actual public school prom, but I know that our formals blew them out of the water. Yea we didn’t have a lot of money, or know fancy moves, but we had real fun. 
Every P.E we would have swing dance lessons, square dance lessons, and a few line dances. The line dances were my favorite. We would have these lessons to prepare us for the formal night. Everyone danced with everyone. We were never allowed to bring “dates”, yeah people dated but this rule was made to help everyone get involved and have no one left out. Everyone danced with everyone. Yes we had to have chaperones, but this didn’t stop our fun. We ate dinner and then danced the night away. Girls arrived with shoes but once dancing started they were all flung off.
You know how sometimes a song will play and it will take you back to some place in your past. “Forever”- by Chris Brown always takes me back to The Alexander Ball Room. It takes me back to all my friends faces dancing around me, to the dress I was wearing, and the happiness I was experiencing. When this song plays, tears start forming and I go back in time.
After I wrote this blog I found an old journal from my high school days. There are many stories in it but only one that I found so far was relevant to this topic.
“Today was the winter formal and I had so much fun. We got out of school early so we could decorate at the hotel. We left school at 2:25 and headed for kwataqnuk, but more specifically the Alexander ball room. Once we were there Kendra, Marisa, Elizabeth, Dillon and I all helped to decorate the room. After that was done we went to our room and got ready. I had a hair stylist do my hair for me, it was so beautiful. After my hair was done I got into my dress. It was baby blue, spaghetti strapped, and simple. Only the neckline was embellished with flowers. I had gotten it at Good Will in Seattle, Washington when I was there visiting my aunt.
After we were all dressed and ready to dance we walked together into the ball room and plugged in my iPod. (I was always the DJ when it came to parties of any kind.) once the music was on people started arriving. Chris came and willingly helped take pictures of me with my girl friends, and Levi told us that we looked beautiful.
During dinner Chris was a gentleman and pulled my chair out for me to sit on, as I sat he pushed it in towards the table. After the dinner of spaghetti, Elizabeth and I started dancing. The first line dance that was performed was the cotton eyed joe. Then Jerome asked me to dance swing and the waltz with him. The second line dance of the night was a dance called the Gothic dance. (Christian school I know) Loren was my partner for that one. I ended up tearing my dress at the bottom and got my foot stepped on, but that didn’t stop me or anyone from having fun, and we never expect anything less when dancing with loren.” (He was always so energetic and loved to do everything full force)
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The next day was our last day of school before the christmas break. I remember this day very well only because our biology, math, and logic teacher (same person) decided to torched us by holding his biology and logic “midterms” the morning after we all had staid up dancing and having fun. I remember coming home late at night changing out of my dress, taking my biology notes and studying till I fell asleep, notes and book in my face and lap.
“When I got to school we were all tired because we had danced the night away. Some of us stayed back from watching the little kids christmas rehearsal so that we could get more studying done. Everyone hated Mr. Hart for making us do a test, but we suffered through it and got it done. After school was out Elizabeth and I asked Jerome, Joe, and David to go to the movies with us. Only Joe and David relied with a yes to our invite to watch National Treasure 2.
We all met up a little before 3 giving us plenty of time just to chill in the theater and talk. I sat by Joe and Elizabeth. During the movie Joe was throwing candy at David bugging all of us, and making us laugh. After the movie we all went our separate ways home.”
My Native Land 