The most vivid memory I have was seven years ago when I broke my arm, and this is the story of how my eight year old self broke my arm.

It was Christmas time, and just like any child my age, I was excited. So I sat down to write my Christmas letter to Santa. I remember exactly what was on it. I wanted a new tea set, "big girl" makeup, and the coolest new iPod. When I finished my list I had to decorate the envelop better than everyone else, because in my eight year old mind Santa looked at the prettiest envelop first and that child got exactly what they wanted that year. So being the over achiever that I used to be, I had to out do everyone else. So when I finished "out doing" people I grabbed my Christmas list, put it in my envelop, and headed to my room. I loaded up on coats and socks for the short journey to the mailbox.

Geared up and warm I walked to the garage and hopped on my hot pink groovy girl bike. As soon as I took my first peddle out of the garage the cold air hit me. I figured that if I peddled faster that I could get out of the cold air faster, which was a good idea. So I peddled as fast as my little legs could go to the mailbox. Getting to the mailbox I was so happy because I knew that my envelop was better than everyone else, so I was gonna get my tea set, iPod, and big girl makeup from Santa. To do a little pre celebration I decided that I wanted to "look cool" and ride around my neighbor's u-turn drive way. So I put my letter in the mailbox, put the red flag up, and took off for my neighbor's driveway.

The road was very icy so maybe it wasn't my brightest idea to peddle that fast. I was right, my bike slipped a little, but I kept my balance and kept the bike up. When I got to my neighbor's driveway I was peddling really slow, to prevent myself from falling or almost falling again. I stopped when I got to the edge of the driveway to scope out what I was about to do, because being eight years old this was something that was going to be really cool. I saw every stick, branch, crack, and dip in the driveway. Seeing everything in the driveway I took off forgetting the ice and the fact I almost fell a few minutes before. I peddled faster than I ever had, dodging the first four obstacles. Things were going just as I had planned. I wasn't expecting what happened next. Their giant golden retriever, which to little eight year old me was the size of a bear, took off after me. I stopped paying attention to the obstacles in my way and peddled even faster than before. Before I knew it a fallen branch was stuck in my front wheel and brought my bike to a halt; myself flying to the concrete. In that moment it felt like I was in the air for hours.

Finally hitting the concrete, I landed on my arm. Might I add that it was my right hand, the arm I do everything with. Feeling the tears brimming my eyes, I got up. At this point I was regretting my victory drive, because now I have to drag my bike all the way back to my house. Steadying my bike with my left arm I started making the walk back to my house, fighting to hold the tears back. I was doing good, until I got to my garage then all the tears that I was holding back came flooding out. I threw my bike down on the ground and ran inside crying my eyes out. I remember the exact look on my parents face. My mom's face filled with fear and curiosity as to why her daughter came in crying her eyes out, and my dad's face was blank like nothing was happening. I don't know if his face was blank because he was in shock or because he didn't know what to do.

Shortly after I explained what happened between sobs, I was being put in the car and being taken to the redi-med. When we got there I was taken start back while my parents stayed up front to fill out paper work. Being eight, being taken to the back without my parent was scary, but being put under a scanner to get a x-ray on my arm was scarier. Soon my parents joined me in the back and I calmed down. When the x-ray developed it showed that I indeed had broken my arm. Then the doctor told me that I had to get a cast and that I could pick any color I wanted. Instantly I got super excited that I would a colored cast! So being Christmas time I got a red and green colored cast. I was so happy, because now Santa has to get me everything I wanted, because come on, I broke my arm for him, decorated my cast with his colors, and my envelop is better than everyone else's. Lets just say "Santa" got me everything I wanted and more for Christmas that year.