i grew up in albert lea, mn. in the same town, on the same street, in the same house, and the same room. still, when i go home to visit, it's all still the same. i have really appreciated this consistency, especially during the many, many changes i have gone through in the past couple of months. no matter where i go, i know that i can always come home. i know the house will always be picked up and clean, and will smell of candles. i know the grass will be freshly cut and the bushes will be trimmed to perfection. i know my bed will be made, and my room will be clean. i know that the fridge will be full and the diet coke and alcoholic beverages will be plentiful. most importantly, i know that i will be greeted with love by my family.
it's funny how it takes moving away to really appreciate how blessed i am with my family. when you live with them day after day, you seem to take things for granted. because you get too fixated on the little things they do that irk you or annoy you. and it takes away from the fact that they are your family. and they will always be there for you and love you no matter what. there's that saying, "you don't know what you got, till it’s gone." or at least ill it’s not always there anymore. when i left for college, i got very homesick. i missed my bed, my mom and dad, my house, and dare i say, my brothers. and as the years have gone by, i have not been as homesick all the time, as i got more comfortable in where i am at. but since my visits with my family have become fewer and farther between, i can now say i truly appreciate how fantastic my family is. and what a wonderful blessing they are. it causes us to really value the time we spend together, and lets us enjoy it more by fixating less on being annoyed with each other. (or at least i try to...)
the more people i meet, the more i realize how very blessed i am to have the family that i do. not that families can be compared, apples to apples, because everyone is a family, and we are all a little bit dysfunctional. whether or not we admit it. and my family is not exception; we are a crazy, loving, sarcastic family. and like all family we have our quirks. we are completely sarcastic almost 90% of the time. we like to joke around, and quote comedians and movies. we like to people watch and use the term, 'bless their heart' which we think excuses any comments we make. we like to enjoy happy hour with snacks and certain beverages. we enjoy to clean and organize. we like to go out for treats and order pizza on a friday night. we don't like to take one car to go somewhere. we go on family vacations. we give each other a hard time. we laugh at ridiculous comments. we pretend my little brother is not really part of the family. we play scrabble. we make it impossible for my mom to get a decent picture of us. we support each other. we sit out in the driveway, drink and people watch, like good 'ol white trash.
most of all, we love each other. always. no matter what.
and i do not know what i would do without them. they are some of my favorite people and my heart is continually bursting full of gratitude for them. because no matter where i go in my life, or what happens; i know that i can always go home. to the house where i grew up. to the house that is my home.
dedicated to my family: tricia, jerry, spencer, haley and carter.
xoxo emma
