All of the sounds around me scream familiarity. Safety. This is home. I hear my grandmother listening to her mass on t.v. on a Sunday morning. Although I can't understand it, for the life of me, I still listen. It's in Portuguese... I may not be religious, but hearing her pray along to the service has become a part of my Sunday. This is home. I hear the joyful conversations of my parents, and they are happy. So happy. My dad will come out from his room, wrap me up in a giant bear hug, and say, "good morning, Peanut!" As he does every morning. This is home. I sit around and watch t.v. with my sisters and my brother.  It's not always the same thing, but usually what happens is we all start talking about something or other, and even as we hear the t.v. playing in the background we don't stop. I don’t get upset that I am missing my movie because this is home. Throughout the day I constantly hear the opening and closing of the side door because our two cats can't decide whether or not they want to stay inside our outside. This is home. My twin sister and I usually spend a lot of time together away from my family. I can’t imagine a world without her and all that she is. I hear her baby voice when she talks to the dog as if she is her child. This is annoying, but this is home.  My mom and aunt take turns cooking dinner. Sometimes we all argue over what we want for dinner until we decide on one thing. We bicker, we fight, but it's okay because we are family. That’s what families do. At the end of the day, I run into my parents’ room and give them both a hug and a kiss, as I have always done. I tell them goodnight and they tell me goodnight and that they love me. I tell them I love them too. This is home. Through all of the little, negative things life
throws our way, above it all we love each other. This is home. This is the place that I have learned the most important lessons, heard the most encouraging words, felt the truest love one can feel. This is place that gives me shelter, protection, and warmth. This is home.