As I was eating with my grandparents and parents yesterday, I got a little choked up. I was sitting by my grandma and had to help her cut her meat. It reminded me of all the times that she had cut up my meals, or made my brother race car peanut butter sandwiches. I was awestruck by the realization of how much I take my family for granted. They are amazing, God loving people that would do anything for anyone.
My brothers are possibly the coolest and best brothers that anyone can have. Russell, and his beautiful wife Meagan, have been married for 6 years. They have just started on a new journey in their life and are going to adopt a child. You can read more about this at their blog. Russell has always been there for me, from the time that I had chicken pox and gave them to him to when my best friends fiance passed away and he drove down to Pearland to be here. Meagan has been the sister I never had from the moment that I met her. She has embraced our crazy family with both arms and fits perfectly into the family. I had a love/hate relationship with Keith, the middle child, when I was little. As soon as Keith realized that I was as cool as I always said I was, our relationship changed. His friends were my friends and my friends were his little sisters. Sarah brings adventure and compliments my brother like noone else could. My brothers taught me how to fish, to love Brittish comedy, to appreciate differences in people, and how to love God. Their actions were always louder than words. We love to embarrass our parents and have big plans for Chicago this summer. I would not be the person I am today, if Keith hadnt had spent the quarter, and prayed for a little sister. I am so proud of my brothers and all of their accomplishments.
My parents- what can I say? My mom and dad have been there for the three of us (now 6 of us) for all of our lives. They showed us how to love each other and that no matter how little we had, we could still give back to those who had less. My mom and dad took their summers to go on our youth missions and choir tours. They made time to know our friends, no matter how much we protested. They made us spend our Sundays at the church all day long. Which I never minded because that is where I made many of my lifelong friends. My mom made Christmas special. From the stockings to the presents, Christmas Eve service and having to go to church before opening presents, some of my favorite memories are at Christmas. My mom shows the same love and patience for her 2 year olds that she did for us and shows that same love to my elderly grandparents. She took care of my Bappaw, along with my Granny and aunts and uncle, while he was sick. She still takes my granny to appointments and takes my dad's parents to doctors appointments or whatever else they might need. My dad has showed me that no matter what, laughing is a must, and that sometimes, you just need a cookie. He has given up so much to make sure that his family, his kids are taken care of. He takes off work to help his parents, even when it is inconvenient to him. He let my mom go be with her dad for over 3 months and was there, by her side, when she needed him. They have shown me that just because you have a fight, doesnt mean you give up on love. There have been hard times in our family, but they never stopped loving each other, or us.
My grandparents have shown me what unconditional love is and how to have a long, happy marriage. Both sets of my grandparents were married for over 50 years, helping their children in anyway they could. I have been incredibly blessed to have known all of my grandparents for 25 years. Both sides of my family have engrained the importance of family in all of the grandchildren's brains. Although the Martins are spread all over the country now, we still get together at least once a year, and I have sweet memories of trips to NASA, family reunions, hoildays, Labor Day weekends, fishing, the river house, and many other times that my family has been together. My moms family still has Christmas together and is very involved in each others lives.
I am incredibly blessed by a huge family! What is your family like?
Christmas 2007
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