Family

Family: 1. a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head

2. a group of persons of common ancestry

3. a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation

I pulled these three definitions off of the Merriam-Webster online dictionary. To me, these definitions are so vague. Why isn't the word "love" included in any of these? What about "through thick and thin" or "molding one another..."?

I know that dictionaries are so much more technical and to the point compared to the way I may think, but my definition of family could probably be 20 pages long. Where would we be without family? More like, where would I be without my family? In my case as I grow older, my love for my family grows stronger. Yeah, I fought with my siblings growing up, I got angry at my dad for not letting me date until I was 16, I was furious with my mom when she still made me come home by midnight the summer before college. I look back though at all the times I was angry or upset with the four other members of my family and now I smile. These 4 very important people have been the biggest...well call them "molders" in my life. I wouldn't be who I am today if it weren't for them and I wouldn't trade any of them for the universe.

What was once a definition in a dictionary to me is now so much more. My family member are my best friends. I go to my dad for his opinion on most things. He is always good at helping me hop out of my "dreamland" and see the realities in life. He has saved my behind many times and he has always been great in the past with advice when a boy had broken my heart. His love for me is unconditional. My mom...I tell her everything. I get angry with her about the things that upset me, and she cries with me about the things that make me happy. We are so similar in so many ways that people mistakes us as sisters...she loves when that happens! I now live vicariously through my brother when it comes to kids. He has a son who is almost 2 and he is such a great dad. I caught myself asking him for "what do you do when kids are naughty" advice on the phone the other day. I also have a deep respect for him for joining the military and serving our country. Katie, Katie, Katie. My arch enemy growing up, the younger bratty sister, the one who knew just what to do to get under my skin...she is now my best friend. I can't imagine my world without her. Thinking about it brings tears to my eyes! I am so lucky to have her here with me in Omaha. Not a day goes by that we don't talk on the phone...at least twice, if not three times. She is one of the most motivated individuals I know and she works herself to death some days. She is my buddy to hang with on the weekends and will tell me the truth when my clothes don't fit just right! I may be biased, but my family is the best. We may not have it all together, but together we have it all!

Besides this beautiful preview of the Lewis family (because what blog post is fun without a picture?) I want to leave you blog readers with these last thoughts...what does your family mean to you? How have they shaped and molded you into who you are? What's your definition? Think about it and never take them for granted...they're the only one's you've got! :)