When I had just turned three, my parents sold/packed up everything they had and moved away from the only place they had ever known. They didn't necessarily do it because they wanted to, they knew they had to.

The town I was born in is 558.4 miles from the town I call my home. With leaving town, they also left family behind. I spent the better part of 18 years wondering why I wasn't good enough for people to call or write to, let alone come see me and honestly it's put so much in perspective for me.

Those who care will always find a way. If you can't be bothered to pick up a phone or type out three words more than three times a year, why should I consider your family?

Sometimes I still catch myself getting mad about it. I'll see my boyfriend's family crowded in their house laughing, talking and just having a good time together or I'll hear my best friend's grandma go "Honey! It's been so long, I've missed my baby!" when it's barely been three weeks since she's been home and Ma-mama is going on and on about all the food she was ready for her and how happy she is to see her.

But looking back, I'm thankful that everyone who was supposed to be my family bailed on me. Them leaving me, as well as my parents and siblings, out of the picture has made me so much more appreciative of the people who have let me be a part of their families along the way, and even more so the families I've been blessed to make along the way.

I have a god-daughter being born in May and I promise you that child will not ever know what it's like to have none of her family besides Mom and Dad show up at her birthday party.

It motivates me to have my only family, to keep the connections I have with my brother and sister. We were such lonely kids that it pushed us together, ultimately it played out for us. But when my son looks at me and says "mommy, I'm boreddd." I cannot wait to shoot back with "Let me call your Aunties and see what the other munchkins are doing". I cannot wait to cook big meals and hear my children scream with excitement as my parents walk through the door.

It makes me look at the five people I spend every day of my life with and just smile. Smile because we chose each other. They decided to open their hearts and make us a family.

When others couldn't even do what was supposed to be ingrained in them, these five were compassionate, honest, loving and kind enough to let me be a part of their family and give me that kind of love and support.

The best thing I can say is, thank you. Thank you for never calling, for never checking up on us or helping when we needed it. The house I grew up in VS the rest of the world was challenging but it's one thing I would never change about growing up. I didn't need you then, I don't need you now. Here's to building new families with new traditions.