Family...Is Just Important

This weekend has been chocked full of memorable festivities and special moments. Celebrating yet another year of life has made me realize one thing. Family. They are so important. Why? Hmmm...

You have to get to the bare bones of life. Family...they created you. No, none of us like to think about our parents doing "the dirty", but we have to face the fact that it happened. I acknowledge this, shutter, giggle a bit, and move on. Their love created me. For this, I am grateful. I know for certain I've never told either of my parents this. Here it is. I'm grateful for my parents doing "the dirty" and giving me life. (smirking) Truthfully though, I am grateful. Eternally. Not only am I grateful to be alive, but I'm grateful for my life because of all that I have surrounding me during this journey. My husband. My kids. My extended family. My friends. My Lord. All of them are the glue, the cartilage, the framework that holds me together. They are my family.

Family is also important, because with the blink of an eye, they can be gone. Be it a teenager taken too early from this Earth, a grandma taking her last breath after 82 years of a truly blessed life, a middle aged woman all too young to be separated from her loving husband, children, and grandchild, or even family members moving hundreds of miles away in order to make a life for themselves. We take our family for granted. Most of the time, we don't realize it until it's too late. If we are lucky, we get a short notice that heartache is near. Losing part of your family isn't fair. It's hard. It's emotional. It's life changing. Saying goodbye never feels good...why is it called goodbye? Because of these hardcore facts, we must all remember that life is short, even if at times it feels long and treacherous. Treasure your family, for you never know when you will be faced with the inevitable...goodbye.

Who else do you know that will cry with you, laugh with you, laugh at you, be boldly honest with you, and love you unconditionally, than family? Nobody. Family is forever. There are two types of family though. Blood, and chosen. I have both. Each type is loved the same. Some just play a more integral part in my being who I am.

This is my thanks to all of you. I am who I am today, after 28 years on Earth, because of each of you. You know who you are. If you are wondering if you are part of my family, yes, you are. My family is big. It's bold. It's strong and solid. My family...is just important.