Family is something that has always been really important to me. In my life, especially, I have found family in more ways than one. This feeling of family has mostly resulted from my friends and co-workers who I have no blood relation to. It’s those people who want you in their lives and who accept you for who you are who make a family. You don’t need the blood, you just need the bond.

When I turned 16, I decided that it was time to get a job in order to support myself as well as my siblings and make sure that we all had everything that we needed. Life was rough for me at the time because my parents were going through a separation, my mom had a new boyfriend, and my siblings depended on me. My mom worked at KFC, so I thought why not just try and get a job there? She already knew everyone and I kind of knew a few of them. I got my application and ended up getting hired about a month or two later. I was really nervous and extremely quiet when I started. The family issues had only gotten worse and I ended up showing up to work with tears in my eyes and anger in my voice. Working with my mom didn’t help anything. She ended up quitting about a month after I had started working, but I still couldn’t get away from everything that was going on outside of work. That’s when my new family came into play. I felt, for the first time, like I had people there for me. My boss Kristy and two managers Alicia and Betty became my three moms. They took care of me and talked me through every situation. There was one day when I couldn’t take anymore and I had called Kristy, bawling my eyes out. She helped me through it and ever since then they have been there for me more than anyone else has.

To Betty, I thank you for always giving me a good laugh and loving support when I need it. She also makes some pretty bomb fried green tomatoes. To Alicia, I thank you for letting me come over at 11 o’clock at night to sit out on the porch and just talk about everything that’s going on in my life. Plus, thank you for letting me get so close with your amazing kids. I’ll never forget all of our Nerf wars or that science fair project. Finally, to Kristy, I thank you for basically being my mom altogether. Between the zoo trips, college visits, days spent at her house, breakup sessions, and giving me my job, she has been an amazing addition to my life. They all have. I’m more than happy to call them family and they always will be.

However, it’s not just my work friends who have impacted me, it’s the family that I have come to gain more recently. I just finished my first year of college and it was probably one of the best years of my life. There are three girls especially who I know will keep supporting me in the years to come. They have helped me through school in many ways and I love them so much. To Alexis, Camila, and Kelly, I thank you for being my home away from home. You guys can always make me laugh and are there when I need you to be. I can’t thank you guys enough.

You see, there doesn’t have to be a blood connection when it comes to family. There just has to be a bond, a bond that’s so strong that there will never be a breaking point. I have gained three sisters and three moms and none of us will ever share the same bloodline, but we will always share the memories that we have made as well as the many more yet to come.

Blood will make you related, but bonds will give you a family.