This is my brother, Alex. He is 29 and lives here in High Point, about 5 minutes down the road. He got his degree in Natural Resource Management and Forestry at Western Carolina University. My brother has always been kind of an unspoken source of strength for me. We haven't always been close, but I have always looked up to him for many different reasons. See, with my brother it is, and always has been - "what you see is what you get". It is one of the characteristics I admire most about him and wish to possess myself. Alex is up front about everything. He doesn't try to hide from people or pretend to be someone he isn't. He puts on no facade, but remains extremely steady and, for the most part, even keel. He is very strong in his convictions and you always know where he stands. If he sees someone doing something that he doesn't think is right, he stands up for what he believes. He loves his family and is always protective of my mom, Carly and I. If I EVER needed anything, I know I could always go to him and trust him to look after me. He is one of the most genuine people I have ever known, and though he isn't always quick to express his tender feelings, when he does it almost always leaves you standing a little taller and knowing that someone honestly cares so much about you and what happens to you. He tends to be a bit guarded, but his love and compassion comes from deep within his heart. I love my brother and am so grateful for him in my life.
This is my sister Carly. Also known as : doo doo, carl, darl, darlene, doowalla, etc. She is 21 and is a student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She was a nursing major, but recently changed to sports medicine. No, I'm not from the milkman. Her and Alex look quite a bit alike and I tend to be the oddball. Carly can put a smile on my face every single day. I don't know if it is the fact that she can almost make me pee my pants laughing at any given time, or the fact that she is one of the most spontaneous people I have ever met. You never know, from week to week, where Carly will be or what she will be doing. Whether it is going on a cruise, going to Daytona, flying to Las Vegas for the Miss America Pageant, or going to some random concert.....she lives a life full of adventure. I admire her for so many things, but I love how she can just let go and have a good time. I worry about EVERYTHING and it makes it hard for me to just let loose sometimes. She can lighten a room just by walking through the door. Everyone seems to want to be her friend and she will take anyone in. One thing I will always love about Carly is her generosity. I can remember countless times when she would go on little trips and only have $5 to her name. Instead of spending it on herself she would ALWAYS find something to bring back to me. Sometimes it meant that she didn't get a single thing while she was away. She always thinks of others first and if we could all be a little bit more like that, the world would be a better place. Carly is also strong in her convictions. She is still coming into her own and learning about life, but she does not hide who she is. One of the things I love about her is the fact that I have always been so proud to be "Carly's sister". It is a label I will forever wear with honor.
Alright, alright. Hold your horses. No, that is not my older sister. That is my mom, Cindy. Wow, I don't even know where to begin when describing my mom. Maybe because no words exist that are beautiful enough to justly describe her. My mother is my best friend. I'm sure you could ask anyone who knows her and they would agree that she is almost as close to perfect as you can get in this life. If I had to pick out a downfall of hers, I honestly don't think I could. She is my roommate, and works as a customer service manager for a furniture business. She is a knockout and only gets younger as the years pass. At the age of 55, many people mistake her to be in her late 30's. (Please keep your fingers crossed that I got the same genes that made her age so well) She is so easy to live with and constantly finds the good in every situation. As a convert to the church, she has never strayed from what she knows to be true. Being the only member in her family, I am amazed at her ability to pattern her life so closely to the way the Lord would have us live. She is my inspiration every single day and if I grow to be half the woman she is, I will consider my life a great success.
This is my pops. His name is Richard and he lives in Illinois with my step-mom Selma: who happens to be one of the best things that ever happened to my old man. If I had to describe my dad with one word, it would definitely be "unique". I think he is where I got my oddities from! That whole side of the family is a little off their rocker, but that is why people love them so much. NEVER is there a dull moment in our family. Just like everyone else, he has had his ups and downs, but I admire him for his willingness and desire to help others who are struggling with their vices. You can always be guaranteed a good laugh when he is around because he tends to take life as it comes and is notorious for being able to lighten tough situations. Though some of our beliefs have grown to differ over the years, he never fails to acknowledge the Lord's hand in his life, or mine. Whenever I am going through something tough, he helps me to see where the Lord is and encourages me to learn what He wants me to learn. No matter what we have been through as a family, I have never had to question the fact that he has always been, and will continue to be proud of me for the person I am and support me 100% in my endeavors.
Well, thats my family. They are unbelievable, and have really helped to shape me into the person that I am. I have experienced so many things in the last 10 years, and my family has stood by my side through thick and thin. When I am in trouble, they run to my rescue. When I do well, they are quick to congratulate me and tell me how proud they are of me. When I am sick, they rush to my aid and stay with me until I can stand on my own two feet again. Not only that, but they allow me to spread my wings and experience life. It was not easy for them to let me leave home, move 2000 miles away, and continue to support me when my health was on the fritz. Many families would have probably made me come home, but they always give me room to make my own decisions and do what I think is best.
"The family is the foundational unit of society and of the church, and it can provide a kind of nurturing protection and security that no other institution can duplicate". The Lord designed the family unit for our benefit so that we can have support and help through the tough trials of life. He knew that we would need people who would always be there, even when the rest of the world walks out. Boy am I a lucky girl!
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