In my little giving thanks series, I just have to mention family! Lets face it, not everyone in the whole world is close with their family. I know from personal experience that if you are close with your family, you have a special bond and you know you can “lean on them” during hard times and laugh a lot with them during good times. If someone isn’t close with their family, the word “family” may not mean biological family-it could mean close friends, church family, or even pets.
This is my family^
Family dynamics can be crazy to say the least. Sometimes tension can erupt between two members and cause a fight or some bonds may be so close that members would be willing to do anything to see the others happy.
Families are not perfect. Imperfection is also what makes them so awesome.
I will admit that I don’t always get along with my mom- as my little sister grows up I feel as if she connects with my mother much easier than I do. Most of the time my mom and I DO get along and can finish each other’s sentences (crazy!). My dad and I have the same work ethic and laid back personality. My brother and sister are high strung and loud; when they get together chaos ensues. 
They just look calm in the picture.. I promise he was trying to throw her off the balcony.
Another thing I love about family is acceptance. 
In my short 19 years on earth I have made some mega mistakes and guess what?! My parents (and siblings and God) still love me! Crazy. I don’t know why they do. I suppose it is the same reason I would forgive and unconditionally love my family members if they made big mistakes as well.
I think that is all I have to say about family! Being a part of a family is a wild ride, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
“The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another’s desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.” ~Erma Bombeck
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Do you have a crazy/loving family?! Tell me about your family dynamics 🙂
Living My Full Life 
This is such an amazing post 🙂 you guys are just awesome!
oh family, such a blessing and yes we all have crazy in the family. But they do accept us and they do love us! Even when we are snots, haha.
I am blessed to be part of an amazing, accepting, loving family. It has totally shaped me and made me the person I am today. I loved how you wrote about your family!
Beautiful post about a beautiful family!
Families are so complex and unique. I think when we are younger we have this vision of what a “good” family should be and we kind of compare our families to that. But with age and wisdom, I’ve found the beauty in my family in it’s uniqueness. I wouldn’t change a thing either!
Families are always a little bit crazy at times. Those who you love the most can often drive you the most crazy! But overall, such a blessing 🙂
You have such a beautiful family! It’s so obvious how much you love each other. It’s so nice that no matter how many mistakes you make or what you’re like, you’re family accepts you. I wish could be like that with more people!
Aw, what a beautiful post and a beautiful family!
I love this post :). You are super close with your family (I can tell by reading almost every day) and so lucky to have such an amazing family. Everyone’s family has issues and problems but you are so right, family will always be there for you through mistakes and hard times!
Love this post!!! I love my family. My immediate family is anything but dysfunctional. My parents are still together, and my younger brother and I are totally civil towards eachother. I do wish I lived closer to my extended family though who are all in Hungary, and New York.
This is amazing. I’m extremely close with my family too and it makes me so excited that other bloggers are too. 🙂
Love your family. They’re so precious and I love how you’re honest about you and your mom. Me and my Mom are the same way…we can finish each other’s sentences but sometimes I think she and my sister have a deeper connection and get along better than we do sometimes. But no matter what I know we have an awesome bond and she’s always there for me!
One of my favorite posts today! My family means EVERYTHING to me because at the end of the day, they are the ones still there with open arms. Not a day goes by that I am not thankful for having such amazing parents.
what a lovely family tribute 🙂 And I could not agree more – sometimes the imperfections are what makes family AWESOME!
It’s weird to say but from reading your blog for so long, your family is so so so endearing and heartwarming to me. Y’all have an amazing gift.
I love this! Family is such a big part of my life…not just the immediate family, either. My cousins and I are like best friends and I have no idea what I would do without them! I love that family bonds you seem to have!
Your family just LOOKS happy, I love it! And what a great thing to be thankful for. There have been some terrible dynamics between my parents/my parents and I, but the past year or so has been the best–who cares if it took 20+ years to get there, I am thankful for my amazing parents. I do wish I lived closer to extended family, as I barely know some of them, but I have a great circle of friends that I can consider “family” too!
I love your family! 🙂 I hope to meet you all some day!
My family does not really get along. Some of us barely speak to each other evem living in the same house. My parents are still together but are NOT a team and there is no consistency whatsoever… And I only get along with one of my brothers. But no family is perfect!