I Believe in Family.

So I wrote this paper for my English 2010 class and Mom wanted me to share it with you all since after all I wrote about you guys. With some help from Katie (she edited it, thanks Kat) it flows a lot better. I hope you all enjoy it, I meant every word I typed. I love you all.


I believe in family. I believe that no matter what happens your family will always be there for you. I know a lot about families; I have two parents, two older brothers, and four older sisters. My whole life I have spent watching them, taking their advice, and doing what they told me to do for the most part. I believe that they have shaped me into the person who I am today.

My parents are my rocks. My father has been nothing but amazing my whole life. Despite having to travel around the country for work, he was always there for me and my family. My dad is a very knowledgeable person, and he has the answer to just about every question I have. I believe that he loves me despite my flaws or any wrong choices I’ve made in my life. My dad has taught me obedience to rules and respect for others, despite my personal feelings toward them. My first year in college I had a lot of problems with my roommates and wanted more than anything to come home and get away from them because I didn’t like them, but through many phone calls to my dad he helped me understand that I wasn’t doing everything I could to make it work with them. And the most important thing he has taught me is the gospel of our church and how to stand up for my standards and what I believe in.
My mom is everything to me. She has taught me how to act, how to cook, and how to love. On nights when my dad was out of town, my sisters and I would climb into her bed and just talk about our days, and she would just listen and give us advice on problems or just input on our days. I don’t think she knows how much those nighttime talks have impacted my life and made me trust her with anything because I knew she would never repeat anything I said. I believe in my parents.

I have two older brothers, Brian and Ben. Although we are about ten years apart, they have had a huge impact on my life. Growing up, my brothers and I had the typical brother little sister relationship, with me annoying them and vice versa. I never really knew how much my brother, Brian, meant to me until I was eleven, and he went on a mission to Honduras. I was so proud of him and couldn’t stop telling my friends about my brother and where he was and what he was doing. It was then that I realized how much I loved my brother and that I couldn’t imagine not having him in my life.

My other brother, Ben, and I fought all the time growing up. He honestly drove me crazy; he would pick on me and just do everything he could to annoy me, or so I thought. But again with Ben as he was preparing to go on his mission, I saw him change drastically into a loving person and someone I cared for a lot. It was those last months before he left that I realized I have an amazing brother. Now that both of them are fathers with babies of their own, I get to watch them be parents, and honestly, it’s weird to think that those two have little humans that they are responsible for. Through their examples, they have taught me that sacrifices have to be made in life, and, though it sucks quite frankly, it all manages to work itself out.

I have four sisters of which I am the youngest and actually the youngest of my entire family. My sisters are different from each other: loving, unique and perfect for me. I am truly blessed with the most amazing sisters, not a day passes that I am not in some way grateful for them. Even now into our twenties, we still fight; it drives our parents crazy, but that is just how we are. Sister fights are not my favorite in any way, but all of us are so passionate sometimes that it is the only way to express how we are feeling. There are gaps between my sisters and I; my oldest sister Samantha is fourteen years older than me, Jessica is ten years older than me, Katie is five years older than me, and Bizzie is three years older than me. Despite the gaps in our ages, I feel so close to them that age doesn’t matter. I’ve watched my sisters my whole life; by their example, they have taught me so many things. There is something about a sister that no one can relate to unless they have one. My sisters know me better than anyone else, besides my mom. No matter where I am or what is going on, they are there for me. Although we don’t live together anymore, I feel closer to them now than I have ever felt in my life. My favorite memory of them is from a Christmas one year when we were gathered around the television watching the Phantom of the Opera with all of us singing our hearts out and just being together. I love my sisters and wouldn’t trade any of them for the world.

I believe in family. My family is big, loud, and crazy, but it is mine, and to me it is perfect. Each member of my family plays a certain role, and without each one it just wouldn’t be the same. We have our ups and our downs. but I know that everyone does love each other and will never abandon one another. I love my family. I believe in my family. I believe in families big, small, quiet, and loud. It doesn’t matter what your family is like; they are yours.