Lesson 40: Family Time

This is what my bathroom sink looks like when my sisters came to visit.

This is what it looked like after they left.

My sisters surprised me with a visit this past week, and I was so happy to be able to spend some time with them. Growing up as the youngest of six, I realized it was nice to have a lot of siblings because there was always someone to play with, and I was never lonely. I was reminded of this when my sisters came to visit.

I think that the photos posted above best illustrate my feelings about all this. Having a big family makes you feel full and satiated. But when they leave, you feel a little bit of emptiness.

I think that I've taken my family and having them around all the time for granted. There have been times when I've felt like I'd be happier as an only child or with just a couple of siblings, but this past weekend reminded me of what's so great about having a big family. There are a lot of rough times (the youngest gets teased the most and has to watch everyone leave the family home) but there are a lot of good times, too (the big pile of presents under the Christmas tree and the most awesome family portraits ever!)

This is when I realize that I love my family a lot more than I know, and despite all the moving around, challenges and life changes, family is what keeps me stable.