I Am From

I found this over at one of the new blogs I'm reading (and loving), Owlhaven. It is a writing exercise about your childhood and I decided I'd give it a shot. I would love to see other people do this, and if you do, PLEASE leave me a comment and let me know!

I Am From

I am from cold, rainy days and busy summers. From dinner as a family every night and eleven years of homeschooling and teaching myself to read.

I am from lessons learned from every grandparent. From sewing and money management and woodworking. From loving unconditionally and cooking and canning and doing jigsaw puzzles. From photography and painting and being thankful.

I am from a sound faith and high standards. From respect and love and learning from everyone you meet. From projects and crafts and life lessons.

I am from a huge family. From German and Pennsylvania Dutch. From humor and stubbornness and loud voices and food and more humor (and stubbornness).

I am from playing outdoors and learning to ride a unicycle. From trips to the library and counting the cars on the train. From grocery shopping with Dad and two grocery carts and a crate of milk.

I am from "Did you bring your money?" and "Mikaila, I'll be the parent."

I am from "I love you, bug" and "Here, I'll show you..."

I am from trick or treating in the car so we could visit all the relatives. From too many Christmas parties to count. From Valentine's Day cookies and St. Patrick's Day songs. From 4th of July homemade ice cream and two Thanksgiving turkeys and so many cousins.

I am from summer weekends full of da Vinci Days and the Fair. From performing and participating. From running into somebody I know every time I turn a corner.

I am from game nights and a revolving front door. From photo sessions with Mom and math lessons with Dad. From broken sewage pipes and drunk drivers totaling the car. From jumping on the pillow couch and swinging from the clothesline pole and the apple tree.

I am from homemade dinners and chocolate peanut butter ice cream. From getting tucked in every night and then "sneaking" into my brother's room for bedtime conversations. From fresh farm food and "haystackin." From doing my own laundry when I was seven and field trips to caves and tidepools.

I am from amazing parents and grandparents and great grandparents. From aunts and uncles and great aunts and uncles. From cousins and second cousins and third cousins. From laughter and fun and love.