Hitting the Family Lottery

I grew up in a very loving and supportive household. My parents' relationship was the epitome of everything that I wanted for my marriage and future family someday. I always felt like the luckiest and happiest kid in the world. I had it all: loving parents, a great little sister, a home that I loved and more love and support than I ever could've imagined.

Admittedly, I've always been a pretty naive person and until recently, I was naive enough to believe that everybody grew up in a situation like I did. When I moved away from my parents, I started to try to make friends in my new area. As we were getting to know each other, we all discussed our pasts and the lives that we left behind. I was shocked to hear some of the things that they shared with me.

Some of them hadn't spoken to their parents in years and they didn't care to do so ever again. Some girls were beaten by their parents. Some were children of addicts that chose their addiction over their family. As I listened to everyone's stories, all I could think about was how sorry I was that they didn't have the same experiences that I had. Everyone deserved the same happiness that I felt growing up and it truly saddened me that everyone didn't get it. While I was talking to these girls, I truly realized just how lucky that I was.

I have strong relationships with both of my parents and being around all of these new people made me realize how truly special and rare that can be. I never took my family for granted but now, I definitely can say that I have an even deeper appreciation for them and the life that they gave my sister and I than I ever did before.

I remember seeing the way that my dad looked at my mom and wishing that one day, my husband would look at me that same way. I remember spending every Saturday at the park and every Sunday in the pool with my family. I remember being able to come to my parents with anything, no matter what. We had a connection and a bond that I can only hope and pray that I'll have with my children some day.

I miss my family more than words can say and even though I've moved away, I still do what I can to keep them involved in my life. It hurt me to hear my friends say that they never wanted to speak to their parents again. I can't imagine my life without my parents or even our (at least) 2 phone calls a week. Family is the most important thing in the world and it's never been something that I've taken lightly. But I am extremely grateful that I was one of the luckiest kids in the world.

My dad used to tell me that the one thing in life that is always constant is family. He told me that things come and go in life but at the end of the day, nobody could ever take away the fact that my sister and I were his kids and his family. I carry that knowledge with me every day and will treat my future family with the same respect and care that I was raised with. I know now that how I grew up, unfortunately, isn't everybodys' "normal" but I can tell you, that I'm so thankful that it was mine.

When it comes to families, I definitely hit the lottery.

I love you, Mom & Dad. Thanks for everything.

-Chelsea

Missing Out

As I've mentioned before, I've recently moved out of my mom's place and moved into mine and Kris' first apartment. We moved 1,400 miles and several states away. In doing so, I feel like I've gained a lot of independence and it's refreshing to know that my life is now officially all mine.

However, sometimes being this far away makes me feel sad and disconnected. My little sister just got her driver's license. My dad moved into a new place. My mom got a new dog. While all of these things may seem little and inconsequential, they're significant because they're happening without me. I didn't get to see any of it. I only get to hear about it on the phone or see photos on Facebook. Don't get me wrong, those definitely help but I have no family up here. So it makes me feel like I'm on some other planet. I can't just drive to my mom or dad's house and spend time with my family. 

It shows me how important family is and how important it is to stay in touch with them. I call my family at least twice a week and I make sure that I keep them up to date on everything that's going on in my life. It's not nearly as much as I'd like to do but it's all that I can do. The Skype connection out here is terrible and the few conversations that we've tried have all failed miserably. So we keep it to the phones.

I can't wait to go back home and visit my family. I've been looking forward to it for months and I wish that I could've gotten home sooner. But it will happen in time. And I do know that when I see them again, it will be a tear-filled reunion. So if you are lucky enough to be around your family every day, appreciate them. Tell them you love them. Hug them. Let them know just how important they are because when you do finally leave the nest, you'll miss them more than you ever thought possible. 

-Chelsea