Tuesday 1 April 2014

We are family

If you had told me when I was 17 that I would ever voluntarily go on holiday with my parents and two sisters - I would have laughed in your face.  I had spent years avoiding spending any time with my family, desperate to disassociate myself.  I was the awkward square peg. Black sheep.  Difficult middle child.  Despite the bigger age gap between my two sisters, they always seemed to get on better with each other.  I remember countless family holidays and outings which ended with stressed-out parents, fighting siblings and me in a sullen silence.  My parents must've wondered what on earth they were doing, having 3 girls... Would it ever improve?  Would we ever all get along?

Well, a decade or two later and I am pleased to say yes it has improved and yes we do now get along.   And not just in a "lets tolerate each other for the sake of our parents" or "you've only got one family you have to make the most of it" sort of way.  No.  More in an unconditional love, support and loyalty way of three best friends. 

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when and why this change occurred.  Certainly, leaving home helped.  As did a growing maturity and awareness in each of us - awareness of how great our childhood really was, and how lucky we were to have a fundamentally happy home.  

In the hustle and bustle of our twenties - with gap year travels, new jobs, university, boyfriend sagas etc - I think we all relished the comfort and security of coming home for a few days at Christmas or on birthdays.  I think we all appreciated home comforts more and more - and the easy familiarity of just being ourselves. 

A few years on, and this is now the third successive year that we have all gone on holiday together: the first time, fretting over our fledgling baby bumps, then last year cooing over two 7 month old babies, and now laughing along with two hilarious toddler cousins who adore playing with each other and are a constant source of joy.

While my little family of the husband and the boy are the very centre of my life - I will always need my sisters.   They have come to my rescue on many an occasion, not least when I was recovering from childbirth and mental illness.  When friends and colleagues were few and far between, my family stepped into the breach - faced the psychosis, supported my husband, loved my baby, mopped my brow. 

xxx


13 comments:

  1. Just what family is all about, lovely. Thanks for sharing with #TheThemeGame

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  2. Aw. That is lovely. I love my relationship with my sister and I have a good friend who is the middle of three sisters and I really envy their family set up too because her younger sister also has a son the same age as her eldest. There is a ten year age gap (plus a gender divide!) between my kids and my sister's and although they all get on fab we are always at such different stages of our kids lives and experiences and I sometimes feel excluded from 'family' outings that my parents go on with my sister's family (musicals, restaurants of an evening, etc.) which my two are obviously unsuitable for. We now have teenagers and toddlers but we'll be going on holiday together this year together too! #TheThemeGame

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    1. That's great about the holiday! I actually think toddlers and teens can bring out the best in each other... :) my cousins and I cover about 3 decades in age, and have provided lots of fun family gatherings over the years... Have a lovely time! Kx

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  3. It's so wonderful how you've all grown closer together as the years have gone by. And your sisters sound like a great support to you and your family, as well as being there for the fun family holidays. Thanks for sharing with #TheThemeGame x

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    1. Thanks! It's a great Linky...
      I just couldn't be without my sisters now... X

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  4. You wrote that so perfectly...my husband is a middle child and I love the stories of when they were little and bickering, but I especially love how they get along now. Thanks for sharing your story.

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  5. Aw, thanks so much for reading and commenting, that's really kind! X

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  6. aww I loved reading this post, I think growing up has a lot to do with things changing a perspective in life its great that you realise hat you will always need them I think we all need family at one time or another - great post xx

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  7. Aww this post is so lovely. I was raised with a little brother, so I have no idea what it would be like having other girls in the house. Great post hun, thanks so much for linking up #madmidweekbloghop x

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  8. This is a beautiful post Kat. It's so lovely that your relationship with your sisters came good once you all grew up. Great that they were so supportive of you throughout your breakdown too xx #ThemeGame

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  9. Thanks ladies for your lovely comments! Yup I do adore my sisters... I'm very very lucky! :)

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  10. I only have a brother who I am very close to but lovely to read how important your sisters are in your life. Thanks for linking up to #brillblogposts. Please add my badge or link back. Thanks

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    1. Thanks! The badge is below - hope this is ok, I find the badges rarely work if I put them in the posts themselves... X

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