Day 25

Thankfulness Day 25:  My family...the ones who raised me.

I didn't appreciate all the hard work, tears, yelling, praising, praying, and cleaning that my parents until I became a parent...it always seems to work out that way.  A village raised me...and an awesome village it was! 
My mom became very ill when I was 3 months old and was in the hospital in a coma until after I was over a year old.  Due to those circumstances family poured in making sure my mother was taken care of and I was taken care of too.  Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, Friends, Church family, people came out of the woodwork to help.  I don't think when people get married they anticipate their spouse going into a coma and waking up a year later with only the functions of a newborn baby, due to this my mother and father divorced.  There is a lot more to that story, but it isn't my story to tell.  Some consider the after affects of divorce a curse, and while I can sometimes see that point I look at the after affects of my circumstances and consider it stepping stones that created me who I am today.

The majority of my raising fell on the shoulders of my maternal grandparents.  Let me introduce you to Ma and Pa.  They don't have real names anymore, I can't be positive but I think if you'll look on their drivers license they went ahead and changed their names to Ma and Pa.  Ok so that was a joke but no one calls them by their actual names anymore.  Their just Ma and Pa.  Together they have raised a multitude of children, grandchildren, neighbors children, family friends children...you get the picture.  Technically they have four children, 4 grandchildren, and 1 great grandson. 

  

This is Pa.  He's great.  Pa loves working in the kitchen cooking fantastic meals for all church events.  He enjoys yardwork, and sitting back in a rocking chair enjoying God's creation.  He retired a few years back, but that hasn't slowed him down any.  He isn't always the talker when in a crowd but rest assured when he does have something to say it is worth hearing.  Pa is a deacon at church and has a servants heart.  He loves God, Family, and Country...in that order. 





This is my Ma.  She's a talker and a singer.  Seriously the woman loves to talk as much as I do.  She can sing like nobodies business too!  Ma loves babies, and she could rock the Tasmanian devil to sleep.  Ma is your typical homemaker.  Her house is always spotless, her laundry is always done, her drawers are always in order, her bathrooms are always clean, her kitchen is always clean, and her table always has food on it.  As a child Ma always played with me.  We would have tea parties, cook meals together, make play dough creations, rock baby dolls, and play dress up.  She can play the piano, and is the assistant choir director at church.

 
This is my momma.  I get my hair from her...yes I do point out the obvious.  I also get my freckles from her, and my skin tone from her.  Mom loves music, playing games, cat naps, and never meets a stranger.  She enjoys church activities and helping out in any way she can.  If you know her, you've been changed for the better.  No one ever meets my mom and walks away the same.  She has a testimony like none you've ever heard, and is proud of who she is despite her disabilities.  She's fantastic. 

These are the main characters of my village of parents.  But because I'm so proud of my family I'll introduce to some more key players in my village. 



This is Aunt Pam and Aunt Pat.  They are my moms sisters and also identical twins.  They were the definition of cool when I was younger...come to think of it they still are.  They always bought me cool clothes, and things that my Ma was "to old" to buy.  They took me on vacations every year and spoiled me absolutely rotten.  The only reason I ever wanted to be an aunt was because I wanted to be as awesome as these two ladies.  AND they are gorgeous. 


I have not forgotten about my Daddy or my stepmom.  They are cool enough to get a blog post of their very own.  I am my fathers child...my mannerisms and attitude are a lot like his.  I also have the greatest step mom anyone could ask for.  I am overwhelmed with thankfulness when I think about my wonderful family.  They are so awesome.