Family: we love them and hate them, but we cannot live without them. I say this because I have five other siblings, a sister and four brothers. Two are already married and have moved out, thankfully, but the other three still live at home. Yet, we are not all related by blood. I never cared about this as I grew up with them though. All that really matters is the that no one has been killed yet, even with a few incidents of minor bloodshed in the past. I promise we aren't that crazy! But we are not close to ideal either.

And, yes, my sister is that short compared to some of us.

1. Family vacation is never boring

Vacation with a large family means many things: a trunk stuffed to the brim, being squished in like sardines, and eating crappy food while traveling. That is just the beginning though. Historically, with only three of us of in a car, something always happens. On the way to the Outer Banks I had an upset stomach, and my youngest brother had a low phone battery so he started telling somewhat horrible jokes. But that trip was not even bad, except for the fact that all five of us, parents included, shared a bathroom. One of the most eventful trips was when my sister got married (pictured above). The trunk had been filled to capacity, my grandmother, aka Mom-mommy, traveled with us, and the hanger for my bridesmaid dress broke mid trip. Things that we didn't expect to happen eventually turned into funny stories though.

2. Embarrassing moments? They always remember.

Your amazing accomplishment? Yeah, they have some memory of it. But, that time you tripped on the carpet? There are various versions of the event, including yours. In some, you trip over an actual object, and others say you made a noise. When, in reality, you tripped over your own feet and just looked embarrassed because someone was in the kitchen or living room and saw it happen. The only good part about this is you are not the only one who has these moments and can get a good laugh before asking if they are okay.

3. Leftovers? Nope.

I'm blessed to be one of the few people in the house that does not have their leftovers touched, excluding the few times my oldest step-brother would cut off where I had bit into the food. Other than that, I am able to keep my extra food. But the boys food is fair game. Thank God for their different taste in food, or there could be an all out war. General leftovers never last though. By this I mean pizza and take-out, two general groups that we all like. It's every person for themselves in the end.

4. Family love is shown in different ways

With so many different people in one house it can be a challenge to communicate how much you care about them. Something as simple as chucking toilet paper by their bathroom door can show them you care. Even going downstairs to fetch a pizza from the freezer because they are scared of a statue can be associated with love. Honestly, there are infinite ways to say that you love someone without saying a word, and, with a blended family, those moments mean so much more.

5. You have someone to explore with

Years ago our families, before the union of our parents, went to Yearly Meeting. Yearly Meeting is a Quaker meet up in North Carolina, and this particular year they hosted it at an old service base. My brothers and I ended up exploring what was left at the site, which ended up being a lot of fun. This was not our only adventure, but, without them being there with me, it would not have been the same. In fact, I may have not even snuck around a set if it was not for Trace.

6. The chance of being assigned: Date Babysitter

This really is not something that I loved, but I've had to do it before. My step-mom didn't want any of our significant others at the house without someone to check in on things basically. In all honesty, I maybe checked on a TV date five times, just to make sure nothing bad happened. But I knew my brothers wouldn't do anything after Ginger had gave them the talk, mainly because they valued their social lives. It did feel nice to be able to say that nothing happened though.

7. Needing to hunt someone down

This only happens on occasion. I guess we are lucky that way. But there have been times that I about chucked my stuffed dog at the door because of stupid shenanigans, or needed something but could not find the person. For example: I was once woken up by a loud, obnoxious noise. I proceeded to walk around the second floor of the house, glaring, with an oversized stuffed animal over my shoulder. Sadly, I never found the culprit. But, in a more civil situation, it can be frustrating trying to find someone. Which normally leads to texting or calling them. A big family warrants these sort of situations sometimes.

8. Always someone supporting you

Whether it is a choir event, sport, band competition, or anything else you are passionate about, there is always someone there to cheer you on. Even being so far away, my father and step-mom have come to choir events, as well as graduation. But I loved cheering my brothers on the most, because just being able to see them play in the band always filled mw with pride. A personal cheerleading squad is pretty amazing.

9. You love them in the long run

In the end, no matter how much they annoy you, they are family. You see, at this point I never think to mention if someone is step or half, mainly because there's no reason to add the words on. I've known them most of my life and have more stories than I can tell here, a gift in itself really. My life would not be the same without them, and I cannot imagine a world where they are not my family. I love you guys.