It’s Monday, November 25, 2019. I’m home with my family after an exhausting day of traveling through the cold winter weather in southeastern Wyoming. As I am writing this, my two nieces Aurora and Aria sit next to me watching my every move. They have been stuck to my hip since I arrived and seem quite amazed by the image of me typing away on my computer. They are incessantly asking me questions and act adoringly over every small thing I say. They fight with their brother– my favorite nephew– Azriel over who gets so sit next to me.
It is the small moments like this that remind of how lucky I am. My family is my biggest supporter. Everytime I do anything, no matter how significant, they act like I’ve just won the Nobel Peace Prize. My family never really had high expectations; they are more of a “whatever happens, happens” type of folk; that being said, they are exciting for me in everything that I do and are proud of me after every hurdle I jump.
This school year is my first completely on my own. I’m living on my own, have my own car, and am soley responsible for surviving the school year in Laramie. It has been a culture shock. I went from living with my mom and siblings and seeing all of my many extended family almost every day to being almost isolated with only a few friends for a support system. I deal with all of my problems on my own; I have no one to come and rescue me– no one who could be with me in a moments notice. Struggling on my own these past few months, I’ve learned the importance of a strong support system and how I have taken my own for granted all these years.
My family is my biggest support system, but they are more to that. We are very close. My siblings are my best friends and growing up my mom has always been my idol. Coming home to my bickering sisters and mom was familiar and even comforting. In a strange way, I love it– its what home is. My sisters and brother make my laugh with their insane antics. They are the funniest people I know, and I forget how much I miss seeing this. My loving, neurotic mother forces us to have dinner together when we all would rather be on our phones, and I also, forget how much I miss eating home cooked meals with a bunch of crazy people.
This Thanksgiving I am so thankful to be home with my family. I am looking forward to a long week of good food, silly antics, and good ol’ family bonding. There’s never a dull moment when I am home. They make me laugh and they give me strength to continue struggling my way through college. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to do all the things I am able to and I wouldn’t have hilarious and insane stories to share at parties.
*All photos courtesy of author*