My Mother And My Family

I admire my mother and father because they have experienced several hardships but those experiences set them apart. My mother learned how to keep going when she lost a loved one and my father proved everyone wrong.

My grandmother and her siblings lived near a grocery store with old fashion wooden floor as well as freshly picked fruits and vegetables from the farm. My grandmother stated the rent prices was different compare to her days and her oldest sister had to pay only $6.50 for rent. My grandmother said back in her time a nickel was worth a whole lot and If you had a dime you were considered to have a lot of money. To return to the subject, after losing their mother, another tragedy strikes seven years later when my grandmother finds out her younger sister Veronica got married. My grandmother stated from her days you could get married at the age of fifteen if you had parents ' permission. Everyone was so upset because he or she thinks her sister was too young to get married and did not trust her husband. My grandmother said he kept saying he would kill somebody and go to jail. My grandmother said her sister husband started to give her bad vibes. To change the topic my grandmother also said one day when her sister was in bed trying to go to sleep her husband was in the bathroom taking a bath. She felt something poking at her side and turn around to see what it was. It was a bunch of knives in the bed with her. Fear for her life she left silently while her husband was still in the bathroom. One day my grandmother sister spouse had called her sister to meet him on the track. Hesitant she went to meet him that morning. After my grandmother sister was done talking to him, she turns to

In December of 2008, my wife and I found out we would be having our fourth child. We were living in Sugarloaf Key, FL while I worked in Key West, FL. Due to some unforeseen circumstances with our land lord, we terminated our lease in Sugarloaf early, rather than trying to find a place for the remaining six months we would be there. We moved the family back home to North Carolina over the Christmas break from school. I still had six months or so remaining before I transferred to my new job in Tybee Island, GA. The military had moved us before, being a military family moving was a bitter sweet occurrence. The family adjusted well and settled right in. Having family close by to help ease this transition helped out greatly. The fourth addition to our family was developing on schedule, regular doctor visits, and checkups. We decided that he would be born in NC since my wife was comfortable with the doctor she was already seeing. The estimated delivery date also worked with my work schedule and being home for the birth.

would hurt me so much seeing my friend’s dads be there for them while mine was nowhere around. The question of why was I not good enough popped up into my head multiple times. My mom would always tell me that it was my dad’s loss. He was missing out on my life.

My life was stereotypical. A mom, a dad, a brother, and a dog. A nuclear family was what it was. House with a white picket fence. My days consisted of being in my fantasy world. Where stuffed animals were pets and they had their own little families. Where I spent hours finding creepy crawlies in the woods. Where watching my dad’s favorite show was considered quality time. But that fence was only an illusion. Like many other families, that white fence kept in more than just the family dog. It contained the secrets and lies. It hid the reputation of an unfaithful father. It created an illusion of unity within our family.

When I was 16 years old, I realized I was similar to my dad. I always felt different from my family. My parents and my sister's look-alike. Their skin colors are all the same. I’ve always been the darker and chubbier one in the family. Sometimes I used to think I wasn’t even related to them. I even asked my mom as a kid, “did you guys kidnap me from someone as a kid?”

There are things more important than money in life. As the days pass by, someone dies or is born. There are some who live their lives with nowhere to call home.Dreaming of having a place to sleep and eat and be comfortable at. There are some who live their lives, knowing that the next day they won’t be able to wake up. Hoping that they get to stay alive another day to feel the warmth of the sunshine on their face, to smell the freshly made breakfast, and to be healthy again. And there are those who live their lives with no family, dying to know how it feels to be embraced by your parents. Some people never experienced having a family. Some people, including kids were never able to stay healthy. And some people never experienced what a roof on top of their heads would be like. I am thankful to have a home where I feel secure. I am thankful to be in a healthy condition. I am thankful to have a family.

Ice Break is a short story from the anthology “The Journey Prize Stories 24” written by Astrid Blodgett in 2012. We don’t know exactly where the story takes place, but we know it is some place cold, because there is ice on the lake, and snow on the roads. It could very possibly be Canada since Blodgett is Canadian. It takes place in modern times, and we know this because there are modern day things like televisions and cars.

Although both my parents are from different parts of the world, I consider myself extremely Americanized. My mother, from China, and my father, from Malaysia, were both raised in America. Both my grandparents were strict and traditional. They passed on their values and beliefs to my parents; however, my parents did not believe in those values, so, they did not pass these values on to my brother and me. I have lived a very privileged life compared to my parents and cannot fathom living the way they had. This past summer, we learned that my father’s brother was getting married, and we were all expected to travel to Malaysia. So, my father planned a family vacation to go to Malaysia. Never did I think that a simple summer vacation trip could change my life.

On the day of October 7, My mom picked me up from dance at 9. I walked in my house and walked back to my bedroom and plugged my phone in, as I walked out of my bedroom and walked to the bathroom my dad had yelled my name to come here. My mom and dad were in their bedroom and I continued on to go to the bathroom. As I was walking in my mom walked out into the hallway and I whispered to her and said what does he want. My mom said “I don’t know” just go to the bathroom. So I went to the bathroom my heart racing and wondering what was going on, I knew it couldn’t of been good. When I came out of the bathroom they were still in their bedroom, and I was trying to avoid going in to talk. So I walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen to get some grapes, and then I was heading to the basement to finish my homework. As I was washing off my grapes, they walked out into the kitchen. They then walked up to me and told me they needed to talk. My dad grabbed my hands and my mom walked to my side, and then that 's when they said my mom had breast cancer. I didn’t know what to say, so I just stood there and the tears started pouring out. That 's when all the questions and bad thoughts started to come to mind. The questions like what is she going to have to have, and then the thought of I don’t know what I would do without my mom. She came around and gave me a hug and told me she was going to be okay. I definitely couldn’t tell them that I was thinking that. I had to be strong and make

It’s been eighteen years since my mom has seen her sister, everyone claims they look like twins both laugh a lot, are friendly, bubbly, and blonde. I thought I would not find anything in common with this aunt of mine, for she is from another country: Novosibirsk, Russia. Although, my family and I are Russian, I assumed she is a “different type” of Russian. My mom and aunt grew up with their grandparents, to this day my aunt lives in that very neighborhood. She’s four years younger than my mom, but looks quite like the same age. Mom and she decided to finally see each other, for it’s been too long. LAX California is where I finally got to meet my mother’s “twin”, I didn’t know what to expect. Hours passed and I had no patience, I couldn’t wait! Excitement was running through my whole body.

Family needs come before the needs of yourself. That’s the lesson the most horrible time of my life taught me. If you are in a situation that is irritating, if it's about family it doesn’t matter. This whole situation taught me that family is the most important thing in my life. July 3, 2014 is where my story starts.

A very special person in my life is, my grandmother. Back home in India I have a joint family. My family stays in different floors of the same building. She is what you could call “the Queen Bee” of our family. I learn a lot of life lessons that define me as a person from her.

Most people think that their lives would be perfect if only certain conditions were met, or circumstances would turn in their favor. I know many of my friends would choose to be rich and famous. Others may choose simple things, like a new house or a car, even a better job. For me, my life would be perfect with these three things. To have more time with my family, have more love and less hate in the world.

The most important thing for me in my life is my family. Although we are separated during the week, we would hardly see each other. Deep down they are the reason why I look forward to Fridays and Sundays. These days are not just any ordinary day of the week for me and my family. My two beloved aunts Maria and Luz come to visit me and my mother, most of the time we go out of town, which makes the rest of the day go by very fast. Then what we usually do during the week.