All in the Family

Coming back to my 'best friends' post I gotta say that two of my MAIN best friends are actually in my immediate family. These people have known me for 26 years, I have fought with them more than anyone in my life, cried with them, laughed with them, loved with them, and lived with them. I'm talking about my mother-who I hope to be half the wife she is to my father, and my sister-who has the most amazing soul of anyone I've ever met.
My cousin Hannah told me last week that I would not be the person I was today if I hadn't have been raised by my mom. My mom is known for being very easy going and funny. She can make me laugh most days (unless I'm grumpy in the morning) and she has the biggest heart. My mom is one of the few moms who actually parent the correct way...she put EVERYTHING on hold and everything else on the back burner when me and Jamie were born and put us first. She didn't buy clothes or jewelry or the fancier things in life. She did without so that me and Jamie had the nice things. She even made sure my dad had the stuff he needed before she got anything. My mom is also a very spiritual woman. She loves the Lord more than anything. She has a good moral compass and knows right from wrong. With her, there is very little grey. It was always black and white with her. Which, at the time when I was growing up wasn't all that good. And mama also believed in corporal punishment, which I also believe directly affected my way of life! My mama is the BIGGEST inspiration in my life. I have learned SO MUCH from her in 26 years--how to cook (almost lol), how to wash clothes, how to 'properly' clean, how to send Thank-You notes, southern hospitality and etiquette....all that I have learned from her. She is the one thing in my life that has stayed constant for 26 years--never changing, solid as a rock, and always had my back. She will be the reason that I have turned out that way I have, and I am pretty durn proud of that.

My sister has been dubbed by Katie Simmons as "one of the funniest people" she has ever met. (she gets that from my Mom) And, I have to agree. Some of the happiest times have happened in my life with my sister----and some of the worst times. But all that again makes me who I am today. She can sometimes be blonde but she is just a happy soul to be around. She has the heart of a child most days but can turn around and have the wisdom of veteran Christian woman in seconds. She baffles me and while our personalities, tastes, and likes are completely opposite, there is nothing I would trade or take back from our childhood...(except maybe for jumping that pool fence in the winter and Mama catching us---wow we got in trouble!) Jamie did go through a small change from high school to college and it was a very good change. She matured a lot and decided she was going to beat me to the altar! She picked an amazing guy to be her husband--I honestly couldn't have picked a better one myself. As I talk to Jamie about marriage now and what all that entails, I know that Jamie is doing it right. There are right and wrong reasons to get married and right and wrong ways to 'do' marriage. Just because you have a child with someone does not mean you should get married. I know that is NOT the reason my sister and Andrew got married (lol) but they actually got married for the right reason--Because you love someone, you date them, get to know them, and find out who that person is. That relationship should be based around Jesus and his plan for both of you as a unit. That is what Jamie and Andrew have. I see that when they look and talk and laugh with each other. That is definitely why I look forward to getting married so that I can share that with Justin.... and I do look at their relationship as a model. They are really an awesome pair.

So that rounds out why I am the way I am.....There is a song by Eric Church that says..."I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for those who I've loved along the way"....this is exactly why I've shared all this. Those people who have shaped me and molded me to the person that I am today. And while I have my moments, I think I turned out pretty good.