Family

If there's one thing I've learned these past two weeks, it's that my family is behind me one hundred percent and will never leave my side. I have an absolutely amazing family and while I don't know what I did to deserve them, I'm more thankful than words can describe for having them in my life. What does family mean to me? Family means a bond not only of blood, but of genuine devotion to one another. Friends will come and go throughout our lives but family is something that will always be with us through good times and bad. Without the love and support of my family I wouldn't have been able to recover from the death of my father. Without family, I would have given up a long time ago. My family is not only a source of strength for me, they are a haven I can go to whenever the trials and tribulations of life are weighing heavily on me. Now I'm going to go into a little bit of depth on each of my family members and what they mean to me. Watching my little brother Daniel grow and develop into a man has been an experience I will always cherish. He's not only my brother, he's someone I know I can count on whenever I need anything. My little sister Ellie has been by my side right from the beginning. Her and I went through the death of our father together and were pillars on which we could support one another through that difficult time. My older sister Hannah has always been a constant source of inspiration for me. Her persistent optimism and sense of humor never fail to pick me up whenever I am feeling down. My older brother Tim is someone that, quite recently, I learned I have much more in common with than I ever realized. A lot of the things that I have struggled with in life he has also dealt with and he has taught me how to make it through them just as he did. My oldest brother Sam, while because he is so much older than me I had a somewhat distant relationship with growing up, nevertheless has always inspired me. He is one of the smartest people I have ever met and it has been both a joy and a privilege to see him grow and raise his own family right before my eyes. My mother never ceases to amaze me. I've never met a person who has been through so many hardships yet has persevered through it all. She has taught me so much and absolutely refuses to let me succumb to the demons that I deal with. My father, Samuel, while not my biological father, took me in when I was very young and fulfilled the role of a father figure above and beyond any expectations I could possibly have set. The most inspiring thing about him to me, is that even though my sister and I aren't his biological children, he has treated us as his own. While sometimes he had to administer some tough love, and at the time I had some resentment for it, I have grown into a well adjusted adult because of it. Now to talk about my the people who aren't my immediate family. My aunt and uncles on my moms side are people that I always look forward to seeing at family gatherings. My uncles never fail to make me laugh and have supported me throughout every point of my life. My aunt Nancy is one of the smartest and most caring person that I've ever met and it never fails to make me chuckle whenever she gives my mom a call because I always know it's her since her and my mother constantly cackle as they talk to each other. My aunts on my fathers side have been a crucial group of people throughout my life. While they are spread out throughout the country, they will, without a second thought, make the journey to see the family whenever an important event or hardship comes around. Everyone is always surprised when I tell them how many cousins I have. There are too many of them to cover all in this one entry, but I can say without a doubt that each and every one of them has made a significant impact on me in one way or another. Lastly, is my grandmother. She is the most underestimated people I have ever met. She is so much stronger than people realize she is. With the passing of my grandfather, while she is still in mourning, she has remained strong and still maintains her role as the matriarch of my dads side. Family is everything, they are my roots, my source of strength, and I can honestly say that I wouldn't have made it this far in life without them.