Is that even a word? I think that is Dad's version of angst, but I am not quite sure.

He and I had a nice little chat yesterday, and I realized just how selfish I have been being towards the family lately.

Poor Mom and Dad have been pouring their hearts into making the family work and I am always grousing about something! Not only is that counterproductive, but exactly what I accuse and condemn other people my age for doing. So, in relation as well to my other post, here is things I am grateful for about each family member.

Dad-He has been making a hugely concious effort, of late, to make our family feel like, well a family it hasn't been easy for him, but he has been very diligent in this effort. And, he is paying for my college! That is... amazing. I will still be working on getting scholarships, but the fact that he is so adament about me graduating with no student debt makes me very, very appreciative.

Mom- Can you imagine being in charge of 300+ munchkins, six children, two houses, two dogs and one husband? She does so, and does it cheerfully, almost making it look easy. She proffers advice only when asked and outdoes herself in trying to be super-mom. She has even gone as far as initiating herself into the family by backing her car into a pole,in true style of our family.

Laura- Sanguine doesn't even begine to describe Laura. Laura tries her absolute best to always make everything more fun for, well, everyone. She coins cute and at times, rather annoying, nicknames for everyone. She tries to be upbeat when I insist on being a pesamist. If she were a china doll, she would have a polka-dotted bow planted firmly in the middle of her head.

Joy- It amazes me how in-sync Joy and I can be, and then how we will completely clash. But, in any account, Joy absolutely goes out of her way to be a nice sister. She tries to do "sisterly" things, she calls me a leaves sweet voicemails and even lets me wear her jeans when I am good. Joy tries so hard to be a nice sister it almost makes me cry, but not quite.

Fred- To Fred, I am a unsolved mystery. Right up there with the uterus, shoe fetishes and why women go to the bathroom together. But he valiently tries, on occasion, to understand me. Granted, when he askes "so why aren't you in a bad mood?" it doesn't help, but try he does. Even when I nag, shout, and am generally evil. He will one day be famous and he's already brilliant.

Zach- Smiles sweetly when he knows I am trying to be a good sister. He also puts up with my corny jokes, my bad taste in movies and even cracks a smile when I sit on him.


Life is good, but only because I am surrounded by wonderful people. And it's not the people I work with, trust me.