3/30: Growing Up is Hard

I Love You, Mom and Dad.  But You Drive Me Crazy
{If you missed the beginning of the 30 Day Challenge you can find it here}

Oh gosh, this is a hard one.  I guess that's the point of these questions though, isn't it?  The point is to make me think and be honest with myself and everyone who reads this.  So please, be patient with me as I put all my thoughts together.

Mom and Sam at Julie's Wedding Reception: 7/2011

Getting ready for the wedding: 4/20/12

Oh my mom.  I've heard before that I've gotten my stubbornness and hardheadedness from her, and that we clash all the time because we are so much alike.  Growing up, I always denied it because I couldn't see it.  Now, I guess I get where people are coming from.  :-)

I love my mom because she is a very strong woman.  Her strength was tested when our dad died, but she tried to hold the family together and I think we all grew stronger as a unit because of that.  We may fight and disagree, and I may think she is wrong and vice versa, but she is still my mom and therefore I love her.  

My mom and I are definitely the fighters in the family.  Sam got her calm personality from Dad, but I got my stubbornness from my mom.  It's caused many arguments that can get a little heated and ridiculous.  Even though my mom and I argue, I know she means well.  She is strong willed, stubborn, loving, funny (sometimes...hehehe), and a little bit dramatic.  Life would definitely be boring without her and Sam and I are very blessed to have her as our mom.    

Me, Dad, and Sam one Sunday morning before church.  This was in 2004, a few days after I graduated high school

Me, Dad, and Sam again.  I think this was in our old house in Culpeper.  I may have been 4 going on 5 in this picture.  Not sure though.  :-)

I love my dad.   He was my favorite person growing up.  We always did things together and I always loved being around him.  His laughter was infectious, and you couldn't help but smile when you were around him.  He was kind, funny, intelligent, witty, and loving.  When he died, there were so many people who came up to us at the funeral and told us how much they loved him and how Dad had touched their lives in one way or another.  

My dad and I had a lot of things we liked to do together.  When he had to go into work on the weekends, I would always ask to go with him (mostly because I liked the high speed internet...haha!) because I could spend two hours in the car (coming and going) talking with him.  Even though I gave him a hard time, I always valued his opinion.  We liked the same movies (Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, etc) so that was something we could always do together when Mom and Sam would go out shopping (yes, I was definitely Daddy's little girl!).  We had a blast, and I have so many great memories of him.  

I'm not saying we never fought, because we did.  There would be times where he would annoy me (like any parent does) and I didn't want to be around him.  But...at night I would always go in and give him a kiss before bed and tell him I loved him.  We were all very blessed to have him be a part of our lives.  

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My parents always set a great example for Sam and I.  They had a wonderful, loving relationship and that is the kind that I strive to have with Chris.  They were always laughing together, holding hands, and being very affectionate in front of us.  Growing up, Sam and I thought it was gross but now I realize how sweet it was.  I wouldn't trade my childhood for anything.