Growing up...

I was talking to a friend today and we started talking about our families. Not the families we have NOW, but the families we came from. Families that helped shape the type of people we are now.
I know no family is perfect. Every family has their struggles. Has their fights. Has their issues...
But as I get older, I realize its how all the individuals that make up that family, act and overcome those trials together, that make them what our Heavenly Father intends a family to be.
Not perfect, but just a REAL family.

I am so grateful for my family being made up of REAL people. People that even when those trials and struggles came around, we stuck together. I am so proud to have grown up in the Albert home.

As my friend and I continued on with our conversation, we started talking about families showing love.
Every family can show love. Every family showes their love differently. I am grateful to come from a family that love was everywhere.

Here are a few things that when I think about them... my heart is truly full because to me, that is just plain L-O-V-E.

We talk.
I mean, I talk to my family alot!! I call my mom almost twice a day. I call my sister at least everyday. I call my dad just to annoy him during his favorite shows. Even though he wants to watch his TV, he will talk to me. Cause he knows its important to me.

We listen.
I can't tell you how many times I have called my mom to just listen to her day. Its trivial... but to me, it makes me feel not so far away. She listens to me too. I talk A LOT. And my mom will listen. Probably more than she likes. :)

We say I LOVE YOU.
I can almost count on one hand how many times my parents have gotten off the phone with me without saying I love you. Its what they say. Its what I love to be reminded of. I love you is a great little phrase that can melt a rough day.

We snuggle.
Some of the best memories I have as a little girl is going into my parents bedroom early on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It would be a rare sight if you didn't find all 5 Albert kids, along with my parents, snuggled up in their bed. Those snuggle times usually included my dad telling some of his wild-and not true- stories, singing monster twinkle, or my big brother talking like Donald Duck. Its the same big brother that calls me on my birthday just to leave me a message singing to me in Donald duck voice or Thai. He is crazy, but I love him.
Some of my favorite memories now that I am older... we still snuggle! My sister and I snuggle together on the couch. My other sister and I snuggle amongst her 5 crazy children. I snuggle with my mom. I love snuggling and I love snuggling with them. Makes me happy.

We respect each other.
Not everyone in my family believes the same, thinks the same, or acts the same. Yet we respect each other and try to be respectful of all those differences. Cause bottom line is... we are family. and we love each other.

We spend time together.
Growing up I remember going on small day trips. Whether it was to the lake or to the temple, my family did stuff together. One of the best memories my family still talks about today is a random trip to California over St. Patricks day weekend. We were driving down the highway and one of the radio DJ's was acting like a elf version of Elvis. Probably wont sound too funny on this blog, but let me tell you, we can still laugh til we cry trying to re quote that skit.

We are just us.
No pretenses, grumpy, happy, laughing, crying... its who we are.
We pretty much speak our mind and dont care if you want to hear it or not. We are loud, not politically correct AT ALL, crude, gross, pinch eachother during prayers, argue just to hear my mom remind us that "eternity is a long time so we better learn to get along now".

I am so proud of my family. So proud of each of the members of my family. They make me want to be a better sister and daughter. They are a constant reminder to what I need to improve on when it comes to being a wife to my love, John. They are a daily reminder of what kind of home I want my kids to experience.

A house full of love, laughter, some fights (cause its not a REAL family without those), lots of making up, hugs, kisses, and most of all... I love yous!!