My family and I recently went on vacation to Universal for what would most likely be our last vacation as a family and I really enjoyed reliving my childhood. Though it’s true that Harry Potter was my childhood, and seeing it come to life at Universal was a dream come true, it was amazing reliving my childhood with my family. 

 For the past few years it has just the “core four” living at home, my cousin, aunt, uncle, and myself. It’s a lot of fun just being the four of us, even though my uncle, the only male, constantly complains of the unbalance in power. We laugh a lot, picking on each other, and do much together like watching our family show “Glee.” As much fun as it is, I really miss the boys.

I moved in with my family when I was five and my brother was nine, since that day I’ve always been treated as a daughter and sister to my new family. Alexa and I, only eight months apart, spend a lot of time together.  We’re in the same grade, have the same friends, share a room, and do basically everything together. She is the sister I “technically never had.” I can’t imagine not growing up with her. Andrew and Kreighton, two years apart, are equally close. Aunt Karen and Uncle Carmen, the king and queen reigning over us, are the bosses that we revere; they both do so much for us.    

Since we all grew up together, we obviously share thousands of memories. My favorite family activity is simply reminiscing. Discussing Kreighton’s refusal to eat anything that was not green, fascination with trains, and obsession with dinosaurs; Andrew’s hilarious Xbox Christmas episode or his chubby baby cheeks; Alexa’s cute pig tails when she was the tiniest little kid; or me and all my oddities growing up is my favorite.

When we were at Universal, particularly Jurassic Park since we all grew up with that, so many memories flooded my mind. Many we talked about, but some, I just sat back while viewing my family’s changes. I looked at how tall Andrew is now (over six feet!), how much Kreighton has matured from his Dennis the Menace years, and  how Alexa’s pin straight hair has been taken over by her father’s (fro-like) hair.

 My family has grown, changed, and adapted quite a bit and that’s the amazing thing. It has been years since we have hung out together, truly together without anyone else. It is simply astounding how we can just pick up as if it were yesterday. We’re all still incredibly close when together, and that just fills my heart.

I know that as the youngest, I’m not supposed to be the sentimental one who is so sad that soon the boys, particularly my brother, will be moving away, but I am. I can’t imagine never having a time when it is just the six of us.

Yes, I love the other people- my cousins, grandparents, and even the boys’ girlfriends, but I love the six of us. We are such a family. We may be a unique family with cousins living together, but that is what makes us even closer. We know what it is like to lose your family members tragically and have to recover from the loss.

We’ve been through so much together, it’s amazing. But we have survived. That’s why we are a family. We have helped each other to no end, always supporting and loving each other. I know that, no matter what the traditional definition of family is, that is what I have, and I firmly believe it is the best family in the whole world.