Family

Families are strange things, they are forever changing, morphing. One moment you have one sibling with his massive forehead and silly grin and next you have five little siblings. You get to wake up to the sound of little girls giggle and singing Justin Bieber songs. You get to watch your little silly brothers grow up, stop running around with their fingers up their noses, and start running around with cell phones, texting girls, and growing up so very fast. I'm going to College soon, so forgive me for being so emotional.

I recently went to dinner with Matthew and some of his family and it made me realize the importance of family. How joyful life is when you can hear little kids running around playing, and you are able to surround yourself with the people who you love the most. Family is there for you through thick and thin (literally and metaphorically speaking). They love you when everything is falling apart, when you are patching it up, and even when everything is fine. They are the ones who can poke fun at you, and give you the biggest hug and make you feel safe all at the same time.

But, there is a family out there, bigger than the one in my house, bigger than the people I am related too. A family I have recently felt very grateful and so abundantly blessed by. I have grown up with my dear friend Emily, and after a recent visit I realized how blessed I am. I wish I could list everyone who I consider part of my family, people who have pieces of my heart. How grateful I am for them, how amazingly beautiful my family is! I have friends who are willing to listen to me talking endlessly, and somewhat nonsensically at two in the morning. friends who are willing to deal with my snorting when I laugh, and the endless pranks we play. I have friends who have touched my life, and helped me through some of the hardest times in my life. How big my family is! How much I love those who are in it, and those who have left an imprint in my life! I wish I could express my love for them. I wish I could express how much I love my family, immediate and adopted! Thank you! Thank you for letting me be apart of your life! Thank you for loving me, thank you for letting me love you! Thank you for all you have taught me!