immediate family
Blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family.
On New Life
I remember waking to my mother’s screams, and believe it or not, it was not an unfamiliar sound. It was December 12th, 2005, in five hours my sister Sammie would be born. The third sister whose birth I would get to witness, and the one I would never forget. I had been waiting the past nine months for this moment and now it was finally here. The excitement shot me out of my bed like a tiny eight-year-old cannon. I sprinted to my older sister’s room, the sound of my feet slapping on the cold hardwood floor echoing in the hallway. I jumped up on her bed in hopes of being the one to wake her and share the news but she wasn’t there, I was disappointed with the realization she had woken up before me.
By Hanna Wingate8 years ago in Families
How A Bicycle Race Changed My Life
Honestly, I have led a very mild life in general. I've never really experienced what the world has to offer, as I've been fairly content with just staying in my little controlled and comfortable world. I've had the opportunity to experience some once in a lifetime events though:
By Matthew Bailey8 years ago in Families
Stand by Your Man. But Not Your Daughter
I grew up in a house where songs such as "Stand by Your Man," "Substitute," and "Jolene" were seen as containing valuable words of wisdom. They were played daily on one of our two cassette players- in the kitchen or in the car on the way to school. The message was clear: if you were lucky enough to "bag" a man—no matter what kind of man and by what means—then you must do anything to keep him. You might not love him, and he might not love you, but as long as you had one that was yours, nothing else mattered.
By HM Pattinson8 years ago in Families
Some Stuff You Just Don't Make Up
Today is one of those days. My head is congested and I feel a fever brewing in my chest. On top of my current health status, I have lost pretty much everything that holds you together as an adult. Well let's see—I got really behind on my rent payments so in August I moved back in with my mom. Ugh, yes. See our relationship is not the greatest (story for another day). And last night, I woke up to my Jeep, (that I was super proud of myself for being able to get almost two years ago) honking the alarm in the distance as I realized it was getting repo'd. It's the end of the month, and my sales haven't been the greatest for November. And those damn NSF fees keep taking my money and the commissions don't pay out quick enough. All around yes, it is a shitty situation.
By SanJuanita Escobar8 years ago in Families
Spending the Holidays Without Your Parents
I’ve been holiday-crazy since I can remember. It didn’t matter which one—Christmas was my favorite holiday, just like Halloween was my favorite, just like Thanksgiving, Easter, New Years, my birthday. I reveled in the overwhelming joy at Christmas, the excitement of Halloween, the hearty appreciation during Thanksgiving. Conversations got deeper, people got sappier. It was an excuse to love people loudly and without reserve.
By Kye Earley8 years ago in Families
The Never Ending Norm
SLAM! The door downstairs literally shook the house, and then I knew… my aunt was pissed off about something. That was just how you knew she was in a bad mood, when doors started slamming in the house, or how you could hear the groan she gives every time she saw how the cat destroyed the house again, or in this case, the constant, normal arguing on the phone with my cousin or just arguing in general whenever they saw each other's happy faces.
By Victoria Vargas8 years ago in Families
Losing Sight
My mom wasn’t around much when I was a little girl because she was always working. She picked me up from school, dropped me off at home, and went to work until 2 AM. Because of this, I spent most of my time with my father, and we had a great time. He didn’t cook much so dinners usually consisted of frozen food that was easy to heat up and we never complained. I have very vague memories of play-wrestling with him in our living room and asking him about his collection of Tonka trucks. More prominent memories of my father revolve around one thing: his temper. Nonetheless, I was very close to my father as a child.
By Melina Smith8 years ago in Families
Being a Child Carer
All over the world, there are kids who have taken on the responsibility of looking after their ill parents. There are even some children looking after their siblings. Making sure they eat, bathe, and go to school. Some people think it's crazy, others understand, and some people think it shouldn't be allowed. However this isn't a post about whether it is right or wrong. This is just about my experience as a child carer and its effects.
By Denilia Blue8 years ago in Families
A Culture Like No Other
Amazing food, strong families, and having a great fear of a chancla wielding mother when you did something wrong. Latino culture is one unlike any other; the music, the language, and the people are so unique and vibrant it's no wonder that "Despacito" got so popular. Now for those who do not know much about Latino culture, let me tell you there's way more to it than telenovelas, tacos, and Daddy Yankee. When you are referring to someone of Latin descent, you are referring to someone who was born or comes from parents born in Central America or South America, also including the Carribean islands like Cuba, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
By Lauren Gonzalez8 years ago in Families
Being Thankful for Family
With the holidays coming up, a lot of us are thinking about family. We're either thinking about how much we're dreading spending so much fucking time together, or trying to remember how thankful we are to just have them, or maybe we're thinking about the family we used to have and wishing with everything that even for this one little holiday, we had that back. In whatever form, most of us are thinking about family. With Thanksgiving coming up, we are reminded to be thankful for what we have and who we have.
By Michelle Schultz8 years ago in Families
The Wind Chimes
My mother was quite possibly the most eccentric woman you would ever meet. She had long, curly hair, the same color as the warm orange leaves during fall. She was a short woman, but she had the confidence of someone ten feet tall. When someone looked into her deep emerald eyes, they would immediately feel accepted and loved. She was feisty, and would be the first one to tell you where the door was should you have chosen to say some unwise words in her presence.
By Danielle Hintz8 years ago in Families
