My Uncle

Fear holds back a person’s ability to commit to an event, a relationship, and contains one back from his or her dream. As a child, I dreaded boarding an airplane due to the altitude and the pressure closing one’s ears, a terrifying experience. In addition to my fear of airplanes, flights would absolutely bore me. Hence, my impatient reaction of shaking my leg in a fast paced, up-down motion, a nervous tick. Over the years, every time my parents announced a trip that required an airplane flight, the idea would horrify me. Nevertheless, the distinct moments I boarded airplanes, there were always hints of curiosity about the bird-shaped flying machine. How does this strange machinery work? How could an airplane be this frightening? That fear was the foundation of my commitment to aerospace engineering.

Growing up as a little girl with a full time dad was always interesting. I was always my daddy’s little girl, or as he calls me “Lil Dawg”. He was like my side kick, Best friend, and the best dad a little girl could ask for. My father was really the only family I have ever known, from having a mother who did not care and a family who was hurtful in every way possible. My father was the only one there to wipe away my tears, to kiss my “boo-boos” when I fell, and the only one to show he loved me. I never had the life most young girls had.. I never really did the whole shopping, getting my nails done, or playing with make-up. I did the every weekend at the race track watching my dad race, as well as being known as the girl who rode dirt bikes, and played with the boys. I didn’t mind though as long as I was with my dad there was never a dull moment. My dad is a very tall man with pretty blue eyes just like mine, and as most people called him “my twin”. People often ask “what do your parents look like?” My response was always “Picture me with short hair”, because I am a smitten image of my father. I was always so appreciative of what he did, because I know he tried his best to play both roles. Despite the fact of wondering what a life with a mother would be like, Life with my dad was perfect, because that’s all I have ever known. Never did I think that my life could be transformed from perfect to a disaster….

Though they were not always there throughout my childhood, they still did a decent job raising me up. This family shaped me to be the person I am today. They guided my way through my teenage years, they prepared me to faced the real world at the young age, and they taught me to be

I have learned many different things about life, people, and myself from my family. As I grew older, I also realized that family is one of the few things that can make me happy and that I

We all have someone that we attached to at a young age. Whether it be a relative, family friend or role model. My person was my grandfather. He was one of the most kind hearted people you could ever meet; he was also one of the funniest. I can be having a terrible day and think about something he said or did and I can’t help but smile to myself. Pawpaw was my mother’s father and my grandmother’s husband. They were the “All-American” family. They lived in suburbia, Granny didn’t have to work and they lived life comfortably. My father wasn’t so fortunate in his youth. He had an extremely dysfunctional family and childhood. No one ever saw my mom and dads marriage working out but somehow they defied the odds and are still happily

Growing up my family was always very close. We were always together; whether it was going to church or going to the ball field. My mother raised me as a single mother. She would work a lot of hours at work and my grandparents would watch me. They would take me to school and ball practices. Where sometimes my mom could not make it, she would always tell my grandparents to tell me something

It was the Summer of 2015 and finally school had ended.Almost every summer my family goes to visit my mom’s side of the family they live in Florida.We usually drive there but this year not all of my family were going at the same time so my siblings were to go on plane.As many know Florida is very humid and the scenery was full of palm trees.I was 15 when my siblings and I were going by plane to Florida.The last time I was on a plane was when I was a baby and my parents were with me I hadn’t been on a plane for years and I had a fear of being on a plane.

When I was younger, I really liked cars. I would go out to my dad's shop when he was working on things. My dad had a dark blue 1995 Ford F-250, he named it Old Blue. We always took it to my grandparent's house. On the way there we would go down a road with a lot of hills. My dad would go fast and act like we were jumping the hills. Eventually, we had to sell Old Blue because my dad blew the motor. My dad would also take me to weekend car shows and truck pulls. Sometimes at the car shows, we waited for the races. We went to a lot of truck pulls too. My dad would always talk to me about what the trucks were, and why they were so loud. He would make fun of the Chevy trucks when they did bad, and he would say “Should have bought a Dodge.”

My mother, she's my favorite best person. She's always with me since i was a kid she's been there when I fall down and need her help. She helped me with my homework when I was small and when I was sick and she would take care of me. This has been a great example for me that we should always help people just the way my mother did because you never know when you will most need it. Being in these places with my family has made me a better person that is in love with life. This has showed me a different way of seeing bad things and moments and replace it with memories that i will never

As I became older I would stay with my Aunt almost every weekend. She would take me to do many things I never did with my parents such as going to the movies, eating out at nice restaurants and shopping. She was my Miss.

Growing up with a wonderful family to support me and have my back in everything I do, has made me become the person that I am today. I have two brothers; one of whom is my twin. Having someone to share your life with you while growing up is truly something unique and special. Going to a new school or trying to make new friends can be really tough, but when you have someone that is always by your side, it makes it easier. My brother and I have done everything together, which has shaped me to be the person that I am today.

As a newborn, I found my family through the gift of adoption. My parents, my home life, and my experiences have had a direct impact on shaping who I am today. They had always taught me that everyone is gifted, just in their own way. The hard part is to find that gift. As an adoptee, my entire childhood was a buffet of sampling sports, lessons, activities, and class subjects

For example, my grandfather Jerry was a doctor and my Great Aunt Margaret and Pat were nurses. Anytime I was sick, my mom would always call her dad up and talk to him rather than rushing me to a doctor. When I was in the 7th grade, it was one of the hardest times of my life, Jerry was suffering from heart attacks and fluid in his lungs. I had never been exposed to the feeling of loss until he passed away. Losing one of my role models and someone that I cared deeply about made me a stronger person. Since his passing, I have seen more and more of my aunts and uncles than I had before, and growing strong relationships with all of them.

As a kid I was tough, I did anything and everything. But flying scared me. I was in Hawaii and flying was unavoidable if you wanted to go anywhere. My father lived in California so when I decided to visit him I also had to face my fear and fly over the ocean. My want to see my father had to be stronger than my fear or I may never have never had the chance to know him. It was after September 11th so flying was even more intimidating. But knowing my family was on the other end made it easier, so I took my first flight by myself to California.

My parents as well as my extended family have been crucial in providing the foundation for my beliefs, attitudes and values. I grew up