2. Sports. One word, but such a huge part of my life, even to this day. I can't remember a time when I didn't play, weather on a team or just with the kids in my neighborhood. Every kid in my family(at least my dad's side) played a sport at one time or another. Well, maybe not Nikki and Jason, sadly, they don't really get included in general statements about that side of my family, they weren't around much. But the rest of us played. I played softball from the age of 8 to now, and volleyball in 4-5th grade, and 7-8th grade. Of course I played other sports, just never on a team.
3. The neighborhood I lived in for the first 8 years of my life, it was really like a second family. without that place, I would not be who I am now. The 30 or so kids I grew up with, and the adults who kept a watchful eye on my childhood mean a lot to me. We ran the block, with what we thought was freedom, only to find out later, our parents and the neighbors were never far, and someone was always watching. (which explains how our parents always knew when we'd done something wrong even before we made it home.)
4. My dad's family. Growing up, they were the side I spent more time with. I to this day don't know all the reasons for this. It's partially because my moms side all live out of town, while my dad's live nearby. Oddly enough, my mom's side is the one that tends to get along better with each other. My dad's brothers all tend to go through periods of disliking each other, and fighting. But never the less, it was my dad's side I spent the most time with. (not to say I didn't see my grandma Farrell, I did often too, it was the rest of my moms side that I didn't see)
5. Going to North Carolina the summer before 8th grade with my cousin and aunt. this trip epitomizes my relationship with my cousin. I was her second and last resort for a friend to bring along. (which she was only allowed to bring to placate my cousin, because my aunt and uncle had announced they were divorcing.) The whole time, I felt rather out of place. My aunt didn't help me feel more at home with them. In fact, I sometimes suspect she made it worse. In the group pictures from the trip, you'd be hard pressed to find one with me in it. I always got elected the photographer. Anyway, a lot of things from that trip weren't the best, but I still think of it fondly. I just crop my aunt, her friend, her friends kids, and occasionally my cousin from the memories I recall.
6. 2006, April. The day My Cousin died. And a year later (April 25, 2007) when one of my best friends committed suicide. Two days I will never forget. Both devastated my family. The first devastated my dad's side of the family, the second devastated my friends that I consider family. both changed the I look at the world. I remember the rain. It was relatively cool that day. The rain started off slowly, I was walking to the bus stop, an umbrella clutched tightly in my hand. Halfway between my house and the bus stop, it began to pour. the umbrella did no good, my pants got soaked from the bottom to mid-thigh in only a couple minutes. I was pissed. I didn't have time to go get different pants, or anything. I stomped to the bus stop, not helping my wet pants, not that it really mattered. My brother, his girlfriend and I waited on her front porch, so we were out of the rain. The bus was on time that day. I climbed on, and was sullen the whole ride. I was broding about how I was going to complain to my friends about the rain which had stopped minutes after I climbed on the bus. the trip passed quickly, and soon I was trekking into school. my shoes soaked through, my pants sopping wet.
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