Family defined.

I love a good challenge. Recently my definition of family was challenged. And honestly, I'm so glad it did. When I get challenged on my beliefs it makes them stronger. It makes me think a little deeper on why I believe what I do. I hope that's how it is for everyone, I can't imagine a life where you are so stuck in what you believe that you don't grow.

So in this challenge I've tried to put into words my definition of family. It's been hard, I know what it is to me but finding the words to actually explain it is tough. The most simple definition I could come up with is this: Family = Community.

When I look at my family growing up it wasn't just my dad, mom, big sister, and me. It was everyone around us that we did life with. The people we invested in and in return invested in us. People we rejoiced with, mourned with, laughed with, and disagreed with. It was more than just a friendship. Things in a family aren't always fun and happy, there are hard times but we got through them together.

Now that I'm older, and live a distance away from my home family I have found it so important to keep this mentality. Living away from Tuttle, away from Snowhill, away from my parents hasn't always been easy. Jason and I have learned to invest in people and found people want to invest in us and they are as much family to us as the people we share blood with.

this is some of my family.

This doesn't mean that I don't value my bloodline. I do, but I know there is more to family than blood.