Family First and Growing Up

I always grew up with the words "family first" installed into my mind, though I can't say I always followed it, but I am so thankful that those words were. It resignated with me somewhere, and I can't put a pin point on when exactly it did.

My family is very family oriented-we know that you will always be considered family no matter what happens. Fact of the matter is that you are family. And I love my family above all else, equal to the point of my love for God and myself. They are my support system, my leaders, my followers, my friends, and the people I would do anything for.

I remember when the phrase was simply just another phrase to me. Like an idiom or something you hear "older folk" say when trying to teach the "younglings" a message. I remember either having my friends idolized before my family, or even boyfriends. When I look back on it now, I realize how completely balderdash I was being. People are always entering and leaving your life, and friends and boyfriends, or even girlfriends, can and will leave. Family will always stay. (If you have a "difficult" family relationship, I guess it can be hard to relate. They are family, though they may not act like it, and love you to the best of their abilities, I do believe. Even if some chemical imbalance is in the brain, I do believe that your family will love you the only way they know how. though they may not always show it.)

I am home now, and am so so happy to be home. When my mom and my love picked me up, I was filled with happiness and rushed to hug them both. We went out to breakfast at such a cute and nifty little place, shared stories and laughter, and then went home. It was a long drive, but I had so much fun! As soon as I came home, I hugged everyone and they were all excited to see me as well, all of us squealing and saying "I've missed you" and "So glad you're back". I was able to catch up on what was going on for everyone and tell them my tales.

I also got to give everyone a chair massage-which was well needed for what has been going on here-and they all were able to relax, telling me how good it felt and how proud they were of me.

After picking up groceries for Thanksgiving(so excited!!!) and then went to go see a girl friend of mine. I pulled up and she was just looking at my car like "who is that and why are they parking at my house?" But as soon as she saw me, we were both squealing like ten year old girls who just got their first Barbie Dream House set.

I arrived in a good time, and we talked about what was going on in our lives. She is still in High School, but it's her last year, and she is so ready to be done. I don't blame her, High School was not for me at all.And I told her all my crazy adventures of being off on my own and having to go through what I did. We are definitely going to hang out soon-I need my little partner in crime-and I may be able to get together with a few of my other girl friends from High School(I only had two friends who I hung out with on a regular basis after graduating but c'est la vie). So excited!

I have a week of reconnecting with my past. I'm so blessed. <3

Thanksgiving

This is my favorite holiday of the whole year. Not only do we all get to fill our bellies with delicious food and sleep after having that big platter of turkey and pumpkin and apple pie, but we get to spend time with our family!

I am a huge family girl and I always will be. And, as I've mentioned before, I'm in a completely different state then my family-6 HOURS away! I miss them so much and I have definitely stepped out of my comfort zone and I am ok with that. Being off on my own has made me discover my abilities and pushed me to do things that I am uncomfortable with. But I know that I can do what I want and what I need is already given to me. I am just so excited to finally be going home again and to be with the people I love most.

I think Thanksgiving is a time where people really understand what giving thanks means. Most holidays just seem to be about what I can get at the moment. With Halloween, it's to dress up, scare others, or get candy; with Christmas, it's about the amount of presents you get underneath the Christmas Tree, or what you can give to someone else while still being on a budget; with Valentines, it's about giving roses, or chocolate, or jewelry, or sexy sleepwear to your lover; with St Patrick's Day, it's about who can consume the most alcohol and still make it home with out being pulled over; with birthdays, it's, again, about the presents and being "queen/king" for the day; but with Thanksgiving, I really just see it as a time where people are able to go home, relax, have a beautiful meal, and be with family, giving thanks for what they have been provided with. It's about coming home to a warm fireplace, a feast being on the table-whether large or small-and being with your family, thankful that they and yourself are still alive to celebrate.

I have been counting down the days for this and I'm so excited! I'll be with my parents and siblings and grandparents and friends and people whom I love with all my heart. I'm just excited to have 5 days off of just being with them and catching up and staying together and just having fun. Telling them of my amazing journey out here on my own and what I have encountered. Hearing of the stories of their high school experiences and what has been going on at home. I'm so super excited!

I hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving and to remember that someone is thankful for you and all the happiness you bring to them. <3