family

the van voy family (2018)

family is the most important thing in my life.

a few weeks ago, i boarded a plane and flew to see my family in the middle of my busiest semester, questioning whether or not that was the smartest decision i’ve ever made. let me cut to the chase, it was.

i come from an extraordinary family and i am extremely blessed. my grandparents got married in 1958 and had 4 kids. starting with the 6 of them, they soon became 10 with each child’s spouse, then 12 grandchildren grew the family to 22. add in the spouses and children of the grandchildren and we now sit at a family of 33.

33 people who all really love each other.

i’m the 4th youngest grandchild, so i’ve observed a lot of what our family is from younger eyes. i’ve always had a hard time wondering why the rest of the world is so evil and full of problems and i finally figured out why; the rest of the world is normal, but i have been exposed to such a wonderful community of people that i can’t comprehend people who don’t see life from my perspective.

and yes we have our fair share of issues as any family would, but truth be told, they are few and far between.

i’ve watched some of my older cousins flourish into incredible jobs and marriages with beautiful babies, changing the world with everything they do. i’ve watched the other older cousins go through many trials and come out stronger than ever before. i’ve watched my younger cousins grow into beautiful and talented young ladies. i live in a family full of people determined to make the world a better place, and i am the beneficiary of it.

i have aunts and uncles who willingly serve their communities and the people around them, even when they have nothing left for themselves. i’ve watched them suffer incredible loss and still put a smile on their face to show the world that you can survive. i’ve watched them build beautiful lives in their marriages and families.

i have two incredible parents that work tirelessly to provide for my brother and myself. a father who i couldn’t be more proud of who has taught me what it truly means to love, pursue Christ and persevere in everything. a mother who taught me the true meaning of sacrifice and putting family first. a brother who’s taught me what it means to be positive and to befriend anyone.

and i sit back in awe today of just how truly blessed i am to have my family, and how proud of each and every one of them. i won’t name them all here for privacy reasons, but if only they knew the joy that resounds in my heart when i see them. they are what motivate me every day, and help me to realize the world really can be a wonderful place if we open our eyes to see it that way. and i hope in 50 years, i can be even a fraction of the people they all are.

thank you for being my big, wonderful, beautiful family.

always,

her.