Wisdom Wednesday: Family

The advice I have for you on this gorgeous Wednesday is Family is the most important thing in your life. Yes really. Hear me out. 

First and foremost, I have been blessed with an amazing family that loves me, supports me and is there for me. I know not everyone is as fortunate as I am to have the family I have, but I think people can pick the ones they call family too.

 Growing up most kids think their parents are embarrassing and don't have time for them. Let me tell you, they aren't! Enjoy them, love them and spend lots of time with them. I have experienced more than once, your friends will come and go, but family is forever. You may think your high school bestie will be your friend forever. I am here to tell you, most will not. People move away, go to college, make new friends and start making a life for themselves. People grow apart from each other. It's life. It takes a lot of work to make a long-distance friendship work and most people aren't willing to do it. But just like last Wednesday there are a lot of fish in the sea and people that need a good friend. You can read it here if you missed it. 

 My entire life I have always spent a lot of time with my family. I always have and always will. They truly are my best friends. I adore my mom, dad and sister. They are my everything. I fully believe you have a choice to whom you spend your time with. Growing up I had a few really good friends, but most of my spare time, the little time I had, was spent with my family. I always have a great time and they always make me feel so loved.

I also enjoy spending time with my grandma, aunts, uncles, and cousins. They are also people in my life that make me feel fabulous! They are supportive, encouraging and loving. Some of my favorite memories are growing up with my cousins, Drew and Bekah. Drew, who is 6'3 (I think - close enough... he is freaking tall), and I are a month apart, even though he always calls me his "baby" cousin I am still older than him. We would wrestle and play outside as kids and now when he is home (he is in the Navy) we are going to bars. It's funny how things change. :-) Bekah is a year older than Liz. She is in the Navy as well. When we were younger she would hang out more with Liz, but a couple spring breaks ago she came to Houston to hang with us for a week. Our bond got so much stronger the week she was here. Now, she is going to have a baby in November and she asked me to be the Godmother. Can you say excited?! I also, throughly enjoy the company of my cousin, Jaci, and her husband, Michael. They are the sweetest people. They are such an inspiration, not only as people, but the relationship they share with each other. I love love love hanging out with my Aunt Amy. She moved to San Marcos during my senior year. We would go on walks with Baron, go to dinner, float the river and make random shopping trips to the outlets. She is so in-line with my parents thinking, so when I was at school it was nice to have her around. I always love visiting with all of my other aunts, uncles and cousins. Again, I adore my family and cherish all the memories I have shared with them!

   

 Does my family make me mad sometimes? Absolutely. Do they drive me insane sometimes? Absolutely. Would I trade them for the world? No. They are my crazy family and I will love them forever and always.

 There are friends in my life that have become family too. Our family friends Rick and Jonell have been in my life for as long as I can remember. They went to some of my volleyball games, graduations, events and celebrated life's moments with me along the way. My best friends Tori and Sylvia have become like sisters to me. Tori and I have been best friends since the second grade. We are polar opposites and I still don't know how we have been friends as long as we have, but we are and I love it. She has been there for me through thick and thin and we have shared countless moments together. Sylvia and I met in high school. Do you know those people you meet and you practically agree on everything so you are just bound to be friends?? Yeah? Well that was Sylvia and I. We are a lot alike and she is such a sweet friend to me. I have been blessed with many other friends that have become like family, but these two girls are like sisters to me.

Basically what I am trying to say is, love your family and friends that have become family. You were given that family for a reason! Enjoy their company, share stories with them and love them. They really are the end-all-be-all. So call someone in your family, tell them you love them and make their day! At the end of your life material things will not be there, your family and friends will.

What are some of your favorite family memories? Do you have any friends that should be considered family?

Love,

AB