CaptivatingCuriosity

I Believe

I believe in being transparent. I believe in being the only thing I can be - me. I believe in knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and their pursuit. I believe in sharing these quests with others and do so very openly and honestly. Through my love for transparency, my quest for wisdom, and my desire to understand God, His Son, His Spirit, and the world around me, I hope to open my thoughts to others so that they may be challenged to grow too. I will always be Captivating Curiosity.

My Family

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Growing up, my family was close. Very close. We spent a lot of time together - holidays, weeks in the summer, camping trips, birthdays, and other events. Now for most people, they consider their parents and siblings their "family" but for me, when people would ask me who my family was, I'd list them all off: my aunts, my uncles, my cousins, my grandma, my mom, and my dog Sam. That was my family. My extended family WAS my family

Growing up in a single parent family, and as an only child, the people I had in my life were more valuable than any material possessions we had (or didn't have, for that matter).

My family was my world. The love, time, and affection they gave me was priceless. My grandmother was my rock. Her love, affection, wisdom, and time she gave, were treasures that only I could share with her and nobody else. My aunts were my world...they treated me with such great love, any girl would have been jealous to be in my position. My uncles joking and lovable natures made them the only positive men I had in my life. My two older cousins, I marveled at and looked up to as older brothers, even though they never knew it. And my younger cousin, he was my friend, my playmate, and my equal. We spent so much time together, learning to share, enjoying each others playful natures, and being kids together. I was the only girl and I loved it.

I loved my family. I still do. (There's more...click here)
As time does, it changes families. With my cousins and myself growing up, people moving out of state, and grandma's passing away in 2007, our family has changed. No longer do we spend holidays, birthdays, or weeks of summer fun together. Instead, our contacts exist through email and phone and occasional visits.

I can't lie, it grieves my heart. When I look to the past, I begin to miss what we did have. I miss the fun, the love, the affection, the attention. I miss how my cousins used to pick on me and wouldn't let me play with their boy toys because i was a girl. I miss sitting in front of the tv watching the Brady Bunch while we ate breakfast together. I miss swimming in the pool and learning how to dive. I miss camping in the rain while our tent flooded with water and we all hovered on the only thing above water - the air mattress. I miss it. I miss my family.

But I am grateful. I am grateful for their love. For all that they were to me and still are to this day. I am grateful that they helped raise me. My mother couldn't have done it without them! Nor would I be who I am today without them.

I love you, My Family.

posted by tobepink @ 4:15 PM

2 Comments:

At October 30, 2008 9:24 AM, Anonymous said…

I love that picture of the kids. Your writing brought tears to my eyes. :-) I hope writing it helped make you feel better. I love you, Mom
At October 30, 2008 10:36 AM, Anonymous said…

I didn't know about your blog...Jamie, I miss those years too. The years when the 4 of you were kids went too fast and I loved every minute of it. That picture remnded me of Derek too. Speaking of times changing and families being apart more as time goes on...back then Derek (my cousin's son) was very much part of our close knit family and he relished it too. I missed him when Laurel moved away. You are forever in my heart and I will be here for you always. Auntie Barb