It took me leaving home to realize just how important my family was to me, and what each of my siblings brought to my life.
I was so oblivious to the comfort that was brought to me just by being with my family. My first day at college I wake up to a phone call from my mom saying that my great grandfather had passed away. My great grandfather was one of my heroes, and I was so lost. I was in a brand new place surrounded by people I did not know and who was going to comfort me? As plans for the funeral were made, it ended up turning out that I was unable to attend the funeral because I would have had to miss the first day of classes. That was the hardest part. My family would all be together mourning and I was alone in Atchison, Kansas. This experience helped me to realize that my family means the world to me and they know me the best. They know what I need when I'm sad. They know what makes me laugh. They understand my quirkiness. They know me.
My younger sister is four years younger than me and just finished her freshman year of high school, and I feel like I missed everything. Growing up my mom always had a rule for my siblings and me: if you were not busy with your own activities, you were going to attend the others' events. It was always important to my parents that we as siblings showed our support for one another. Growing up, I thought this was THE most annoying rule. I did not enjoy going to soccer games that I did not get to play in or Boy Scouts banquets just to watch my brother get another patch. But being on both the older and younger sibling side of that rule, I realize now how important it is. As the older sibling, I hate missing Erin's events. I feel like I'm missing her growing up. As the younger sibling, I hated that I did not have my older brother there to cheer me on. Being five hours from home and missing band concerts, winter formal, dance recital, etc. made me realize how important it is to support your siblings. And it taught me to appreciate that silly little rule.
In August, about two weeks before move-in day, my brother decided to move to Wyoming to work for my grandpa while he continued to look for a job. This was a hard step for all of us because he had never lived more than an hour away from home. My brother and I were pretty close growing up, and still are today. I had never been separated from him for more than a few weeks, and I knew when he left in August that it would probably be December before I saw him again. The idea that I was taking this major life step in moving away from home and my brother was not going to be there to move me in to my new home was devastating. Being at college and knowing that when I go home to see my family there would be one person missing was really hard, but it also taught me to cherish all of the time we had together.
My mom is famous in our family for the quote, "Bottom line you are family and you love each other!" Anytime that my siblings and I would be fighting she would always tell us this. Most of the time it would be followed with, "Now apologize to one another and hug" to which we would roll our eyes, mumble "I'm sorry" and give a half hug. She still has been known to say that to this day. IT IS SO TRUE! No matter what happens we are family, we love each other and we will always have each other even if we are spread across three states.
I love you Mom, Dad, Joshua, and Erin!
