I have always believed that your family isn't just the one you were born into, it's the one you create for yourself. Some may say that is silly; that family are those who share your name, but I don’t think that’s the only case of family. I don’t know why I believe this or where it came from. Maybe it came from my mom who never really cared about the lines of family. She didn’t have the easiest childhood or the closest family growing up. Her family where those that she cared about and that cared about her. We were her family, our friends were her family, her gymnastics friends were her family. She may have started out with a small family, but I know she passed knowing she had a large family that loved her.
I like to think I have many families too; the first is the most obvious, the one I was born in to; then there are the Durkee's, the ones that 'adopted' us almost 22 years ago; then there are the Nuss's, the ones that 'adopted' me when I was in elementary school; then comes our Living Waters Church family, the one we joined around 17 years ago; and next comes the circle of friends we’ve surrounded ourselves with over the years, the ones who have stood by through the thick and thin.
When we moved to the Rogue Valley 22 years ago this June, my mom started working at the local gym (I can’t remember if it was Mega or Flip City then). It was then we met the Durkee’s, Howard and Judy and their three girls Amanda, Angela, and Audra. They started babysitting me very shortly after so my mom could coach without me being at the gym. I, as well as Jeremy and Sarah, spent every week day over there growing up until I started high school. It didn’t take long for them to go from our friends to our family; my second parents, my sisters (and their husbands), and my nieces and nephews. We have been through literally everything with them; birthdays, holidays, family celebrations, births, deaths, Sarah’s treatment, my mom’s treatment, her death. They are part of our family.
I met my bestie Angela and her family when we were in first grade at GCS and they have been like family to me ever since. She’s my bestie, my sister; her brother is my other brother; her parents are my third set of parents. We have been through so much together; many birthday’s, holiday’s, family celebrations, trials, silly fights in middle school (ha). They were there for me when Sarah was going through treatment; they let me stay with them many times when my parents went to Portland for her. I’ve had many sleepovers and many memories with them over the last 16 years. Growing up they always had the best cereal at their house, the kind with lots of sugar, and on Saturday’s when I’d stay the night we’d almost always have donuts for breakfast. I always liked staying the night…and I still do. Haha. They are part of my family.
Our LW family is amazing. We are so blessed to have had all of those amazing people in our lives the last 17 years. I have met many wonderful friends there over the years; friends who are there for me no matter what, friends who feel like my big sisters. They are all the most supportive, loving, kind, wonderful people. They are prayer warriors. They are intercessors. I have so many memories from Sunday mornings, Wednesday nights, and summer and winter camps. LW is my home church, forever and always. They are part of our family.
Our friends are wonderful; my friends are wonderful. Many of our/my friends I consider to be more like family. Our family friends have been there with us through all of life’s ups and down. Friends who have stood by me through everything; my friends who have held my hand through everything; my friends you let me cry on their shoulders or vent when I need to. My friends, both old and new, have stayed by my side these last few months. They are amazing, kind, fun, supportive, loving, and hilarious. They are part of our family.
If the last few months have taught me anything, it’s that family is one of the most important things in life. Family has no definite lines. If I didn’t have the family above, I wouldn’t have survived the last few months.
