Forgive the millions of pictures, I find something so charming about looking through old photos. There's also something bittersweet about being nostalgic, and remembering the times when things were simpler and I didn't realize that families can be really hard.
It's hard in the best way possible; In a way that I want to have my own someday, but hard nonetheless. My family is so beautiful, and my extended family is going through a million and a half things literally all within days, but everything feels so okay. I know that God is looking out for them. It's nice to know that even though there is so much chaos going on for them, they have each other and us to go through chaos with. Plus, having a lot of my family as a part of the same faith as me, we can pray together and know that whatever happens God has our backs.
Family requires sacrifice, and so much patience. On bad days you might even have to pray to know how to really like them (one of our favorite sayings here is: "I don't like you right now, but I love you.").
I live at home right now, but last summer I could not wait to get out. I packed up my things weeks in advance, and I was outta here fall semester. Things didn't go as planned, and pieces of me realized that I needed to be back with them for spring semester. Those reasons aren't all apparent yet, but through many prayers I know I'm supposed to be here. And to be honest, it's a little bit restricting, but I've learned to love and appreciate them more than I ever did in high school, and more than I think I ever could if I wasn't here at this exact point in time. I love them to pieces, and wouldn't ever want a different family. They teach me things constantly.
I'd also like to give a little love to my "second families." Like my theatre family, The Bairds, friend family, The Richards, and my work family. I think that we all need second families to get us through our own, to keep us sane, and to make sure we feel loved all the time. I love my second families a million times over and wouldn't be who I am today without them. They help us grow, and give us qualities and isms to create ourselves.
And for that, and everything family, I am eternally grateful.
xoxo,
mo.
