Last weekend, we had a mini-invasion, since a lot of my family members returned home for a visit (including myself). I was so excited to get back up to the NKY to spend time with all my cousins that I hadn’t seen in forever. I always cherish time with my family, even if at times spending time with them can be a little crazy and tiring. However, I would never trade any of the times I have spent with them for the world.

I realized this as I was sitting around a campfire with two of my younger cousins last Saturday night. The s’mores-making frenzy had finally calmed down and we were sharing stories about our past family vacations. I brought out a book called “The Vacation Journal” in which my cousin Isabel and I have recorded day by day, the last three of our family vacations. Within minutes, my cousins and I were roaring with laughter and almost falling out of our camp chairs.

There are some pretty ridiculous stories in that book and most all of the writing is sarcastic. While “The Vacation Journal” tells tales of the good, the bad, and the ugly, it gives a true depiction of how my family is: a very different group that embodies the idea of “all chiefs and no Indians”, but at the end of the day, are a group of tight-knit, caring individuals that know how to have fun and love each other very much.

I have always valued the relationship I have had with my family, but since moving away to college, I have come to see how important it is to keep strong ties with family. I can see that I am one of the lucky ones. Many people I have come across in college do not have the same kind of relationship with their families that I do. This is something that’s a little hard for me to comprehend.

Whenever I feel lonely, sad, or lost, I can always turn to pretty much anyone for help. My parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, aunts, and uncles are my support system. They are the ones who will give me advice on anything and everything, even if I don’t ask for it. They are the ones who will go with me to the same Skyline restaurant every time I come into town because they know I miss eating it. They are the ones who go along with all my silly ideas for secret societies, plays, and gymnastics routines. They are the ones that will talk to me on the phone for hours, just because. They are the ones who will make me special lemon squares or butter balls at Christmas because I can’t eat the cookies with the nuts in them. And they are the ones that will be there by your side when you lose someone you love.

These crazy, loud, silly, sometimes annoying and ridiculous people are my favorite people in the entire world. I honestly have no clue what I would do without them. My family is definitely unique in every way, but I know that I can always count on them. They inspire me and challenge me to do better, to be a better person. They will always love and support me, just as I will always love and support them. So yeah, you could say that my family means a lot to me, but that wouldn’t even begin to cover it.