Growing up, I wasn't one of the kids that had four siblings; it was just the four of us until my parents got divorced. I had four sets of aunts and uncles as well as two sets of grandparents, great aunts and uncles and cousins. When my parents later got remarried to other people, my family grew. I gained two more sets of grandparents, four more sets of aunts and uncles, and a bunch of cousins. As I grew up I could see certain traits that different parts of my family had, as well the ability to see where my traits came from (still curious as to where the red hair came from with my dad, my brother, and myself). No matter what part of my family I was around, I was so thankful that I had so many amazing people in my life who each brought something new to it. Your family is always there for you, and without them, I wouldn't be who I am today.

There is almost always a family function

If your family is like mine then you know that there is most likely a family related event each month. Whether it's a holiday, birthday, or just a family BBQ, odds are that you'll see your fam at least one weekend of every other month.

You've got a huge cheering section at any event

From your fifth-grade jazz concert to your high school graduation, you know that when you look into the crowd you'll spot a section full of your family cheering you on for your accomplishments. They all take the time out of their lives to support you because they care for you that much. How many people want sit through one hundred third graders playing an off-tune version of "Hot Cross Buns" on the recorder? The answer is none, but your family does it because they love you anyway.

At functions you have to answer the same questions over and over

Your family loves you. That's why they bother to all ask the same questions over and over again. My first Thanksgiving home from college I only said "School is good. I'm excited about Christmas break. My friends are great. I miss being at home. I'm taking classes x,y, and z. And I can't wait to see you guys at Christmas." At first, I was sick of repeating myself, but then I realized how much they cared about me and that was why they all wanted to know everything about what had been going on in my life.

You always have someone to talk to about anything

My family has always reminded me constantly that I can talk to them about anything. But there are certain family members who I will go to for different things. Regardless of what the situation is, I can get multiple opinions on everything. They're all so supportive, and if you talk to one of them usually others will have input on the conversation.

Taking a family photo is so difficult

Family photos are great. But it's hard enough getting everyone to look in the right direction, let alone get everyone smiling with their eyes open too. Trying to get that "perfect" picture with a big family is a nice idea, but it is a total fantasy that is close to unattainable.

Hand-me-downs

Being the oldest kid (and the only girl for 13 years) meant that I didn't get any of the clothing that was a hand-me-down. But my brother's clothes went through six other boys after him and are still circulating through the family. Hand-me-downs are a huge money saver and are a great way to see certain clothing items pop up over and over again (who doesn't want to see the cute Christmas outfits be worn over and over again).

Saying goodbye takes a solid 20 minutes

At every family function I can remember, I got the "20-minute warning". This warning meant that it was time for us to start saying goodbye to the rest of the family because, by the time we finished, it would take roughly twenty minutes. The odds of forgetting to say goodbye to someone are very high when you have so many people in your family.

There's a plethora of embarrassing stories about you

As much as your family loves you, they also got to watch you grow up. People that have seen you since day one usually have multiple stories about you, and they're always willing to retell them or tell them to someone new for this first time.

You'll always have many people who love you

You're just as special to them as they are to you. And each person in your family brings something new to your life. Coming from a big family is a blessing that not many people get the privilege of having.