Memories–The things that keep us young in life. Our family has a ton of them…

Violet–The sweetest little 11-year-old sister I know. Memories of her always bring warmth to my heart. Every time I think of my baby sister, I think of love. She is a girl with the biggest heart I know. And when we sit down at dinner and I want that extra piece of bread, even if she hasn’t eaten hers yet, she is still the first to offer up her happiness in exchange for someone else's. And that's not something you find very often.

Addison–The most candid 16-year-old sister I know. If she wants you to move or do something she isn't afraid to say something. The memories regarding her are usually back and forth. I reminisce and wish we had more pleasant memories but the ones that come to mind are the ones that I wish I could go back and re-do. It's not a good way to live, but with us being so close in age we were like north and south. Boy and girl, same sports, same person. And because we are so similar, we tend to butt heads. She doesn't know that my love for her reaches farther than her mind could ever grasp, but sometimes the most cherished things are the things that are left untouched, virgin to hate, left alone. Sometimes she may feel alone, but as long as I’m on the earth, she can consider me as her company. 

Kelli–My mom; the sweetest. For someone who is “unemployed,” she is pretty handy. All of my memories of her pertain to a couple of things, taking on mountains by herself, her unmatched work ethic, and her unfathomable amount of love for her three beautiful children. She never ceases to amaze me with the unconditional love I receive after stepping out of line. Knowing that someone is going to be there for us even in our darkest moments, is something hopefully everyone has. All I can see is the amount of projects she plans to take on once I’m out of the house. I'm just left to wonder what my room will look like once I move out. Will that be her next project? Who knows, whatever it is, it most definitely won’t be bigger than the love she has for her children, the love I hope to someday reciprocate on my kids.

Marcus–My father; a scary man. Now when I say scary I don't mean that he hits me, or abuses me by any means. He's just one big guy. A guy who if someone messes with the people he loves, won't be able to mess with anyone else ever again. When I see my dad, I see no wrong. Has he made mistakes in the past, sure–But haven’t we all? My dad’s work ethic = unmatched. My dad’s love for us = unmatched. There is nothing, no one, no amount of anything, that would make his love for us turn away. Everything my dad does, is for us, for his family, for his love. And someday, I hope to be able to give my kids what he was able to give my family and me. A stable roof over my head, food on my plate each night, and morning, and best of all, someone to go and talk to. Ask for help, and advice, aid me with anything regarding my life. I want to emulate everything my parents have done for me, won’t be easy but that’s life. If it was a cakewalk, my memories of everyone would be perfect, with zero imperfections. 

It isn’t about the memories that I have with my family, but the love within them. A common factor in every single one of my family members–Is love. Without love, you can’t make memories, feel happiness, or feel family. And the love that lives within my family and me is love I hope to see again in a family of my own. That would be my perfect memory. That would be MY perfect family. And the one I have now meets that quota.