Family (Sunday Scribblings # 109)

Before I started this, I asked my brother what family brings to mind. In the typical dry sarcasm he said "Horror and a little bit of nausea."

Family is incredibly important and lucky for me God bestowed an amazing one. My mom is incredible. She is the strongest woman I know. She worked harder than anyone I've ever known and in a couple weeks she will walk across the stage to get the diploma she so rightly deserves. I can't explain my joy nor my pride in her. I only hope that I can be like her someday. My dad is the kind of dad people wish for. Always there for us and he worked his ass off to give my brother and I want we wanted. Then Saturdays we would grab lunch and watch football which has carried on with me. And my brother is one of my best friends. He's younger but protective. He literally saved my life. But thats a story for another time.

And not just my immediate family in awesome. My mom is 1 of 7 and my dad is 1 of 5 so lots of aunts and uncles, cousins and other family to enjoy. I'm not very close to my dad's side. There isn't anything wrong with them they are just.... not as close.

My mom's side however... :-) As I said, my mom is 1 of 7. Her side is extremely close with them all living in Oklahoma. Holidays are mad houses. As everyone has gotten older and had families of their own its changed some but I can remember as a kid having Thanksgiving or Christmas at our house. There would be people sitting at the table, on the couch, chairs, the floor, the stairs. I'm talking 30-40 people in my house. When anyone is sick the hospital waiting room is full, especially when its my gramma. The doctors come out to talk to her family and they get a ton of her kids, grandkids and great grandkids sitting there waiting.

I moved to New York 2 years ago and I miss my family every day. Last summer my aunt passed away and it was so hard to be so far away from them during the grieving process they were all going through. I talk to my immediate family every few days and some others every now and then. I still miss them terribly.

I got lucky as my fiance's family is great. My mother in law (MIL) helps with the maternal stuff, like last weekend when I went to the hospital she went with me. I wish my mom had been here but MIL is a good 2nd choice. My fiance's dad is a great guy. Extremely involved in his kids' lives and tries to spend as much time with them as possible.

I had a friend when I was younger who came from an awful home. Her mom was an addict so she lived with her grandma. She never knew her dad. She clinged to my family. I think it was through her that I realized how blessed I really am. Through everything I have my family. My parents had to deal with a lot from me, especially at the end of high school and the year before I moved here. But they stuck it out and I am forever grateful. My brother backed me up no matter what. He might never know how much he really means.
I think I'll end with this. "Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter".