Relationship Reflection

This week relationships and the way they help people develop has been heavily discussed. This has caused me to reflect on my own relationships and how they make me who I am. Without my fiancé, best friends, sister and extended family, I would not be able to make it through my day to day trials.

One of those people is my fiancé Michael. We met during college, and are getting married in five months!! (Yay)

This relationship is a very positive one because he is constantly helping me grow and become better. He encourages me when I need it. He also helps me see when I am wrong. We have been through a lot together and he is always by my side. We were best friends long before anything else, and through going through things and learning together we were able to make a bond that is unbreakable.  It is not always easy, I am very stubborn and so is he so we butt heads and fight making it sometimes hard to want to be close. But I have learned that overcoming out obstacles, although painful, make the good moments better and help us grow as people and as a couple.

My older and only sister Taylor is one of my most cherished relationships. We are best friends. Our major differences and big fights have only led to us being better people. She has taught me how to stand up for myself, be kind to others, to never give up and how to be a great person. She is a constant example of what people should be. Growing up together, along with being best friends, and having rough childhood has led us to having such a strong relationship. I would not trade it for anything. 

My extended family, I have truly learned everything from this group here. This picture was taken at my cousins Nathan's wedding last June. Nathan and his four brothers and sisters are my double first cousins. Which sounds like some crazy family tree, but really means is my Dad's sister and Mom's brother got married and had kids, so I have the same family as Nathan. It is confusing but it I legal and completely legit no incest or anything (and really fun to explain). We were all a very close family when I was little and stuff happened and we were apart for years. This last year I we have reconnected and this has just taught me how strong and important family bonds are. They can never be ruined and love prevails. They have taught me everything I know about love and its power. And how great family is!

My best friend Jamie and I. We have been best friends since we met in eighth grade. She has taught me what friendship really is and how much it can endure over the years. We have been through a lot together and never let the other go through anything hard alone. We live far apart but we are still as close today as we always been.  We have our own language and jokes.

 My roommate Kari and I.  This is for a photo shoot we did together for an acting class. I have learned how to live with someone outside of my family from her. It is not always easy because we come from different backgrounds and have different ideals. But with out her, I would not have learned how to communicate what is important to me as well as I do now. As, well as how to accept other backgrounds and to grow in friendship.

Relationships take a lot of work. But true friendship, love and family, make it worth it. Things fall apart and you need people to help put you back together. You have to give as much as you take and love even when you do not feel like it.

All of these relationships help me in the early childhood field. From knowing how to communicate, to understanding the bonds people have, to knowing how to help and listen to and for people needs. I have learned all that from my relationships and without any of these skills I could not be effective in this field!