I'm really trying to keep this up. I remember the old days when all my friends would update their blogs regularly, and people would check each others regularly. I remember when comments were common, when writing and ranting were random, when posting was pleasurable, and when opinions were out in the open (sorry, I'm working on my writing...).
I can't really think of anything to write about, so I'll write the first thing that comes to mind. *Looking around the room* OK there is a family picture on the wall right by me. I wish I had a copy on my computer so I could put it up here. In words, the 5 of us aren't in the typical family-portrait layer, with mom and dad in the front while the kids rest their hands on their shoulders and stuff. No, Dad is in the back looking off into the sky with a look of "oh no we're being invaded by aliens!" Amers of course is stanced in the middle hanging on Dad and looking shocked. Mom is kind of in her own little world with the laugh that you know she is about to start crying because this is so funny; she's also giving Matt bunny ears. Matt has a look of extreme pain on his face because my fist is in contact with his right cheek. In retaliation, he grabs my throat in an attempt to strangle me.
That is my family.
I love this portrait, taken in the JCPenney portrait studio, because it really does capture our personalities. Most family pictures do not really allow their family's true colors to shine through. You can see the Van Dyck chemistry all over this!
I used to think we had a pretty normal family, that is, until I started hearing about other people's families (with exception of Megan Traynor's family!). But I guess at one point or another we all realize that our families are somewhat along the lines of, well, just plain "weird."
I'm going to have to shout out to my parents right now though. They have always been the coolest! All of my friends would tell me they were cool parents. We never had curfew. They trusted us. They gave us responsibility and expected us to be independent. I've done my own laundry since I was 5 years old! Things like that make me thankful now, because I consider myself to be a very independent person. I don't think I'll baby my kids because my parents didn't, and, in my opinion, we all turned out OK!
Anyways, Clark and Liz never put ridiculous expectations on us. They never punished us for bad grades because they knew we try our hardest. They never compared us to each other or made us earn any love or extra privileges. When we failed miserably (which, all of us have), they have helped us out. And I think the most important thing about them is that they have always put their kids before them. My mom works 2 jobs to put us through school and is sacrificing years she could be putting toward a master's degree to get us through school first. My dad takes care of my needs (car, money, and the best hugs I could ask for!) and has always defended his kids against those big bad bullies in this world. They really reflect God's love to me.
Anyways, our house may be constantly loud when we're all home. We may make fun of each other excessively and have our dramas, but I wouldn't have them any other way! I love the Van Dycks!
I wish my parents read this. Then again, maybe I should just tell them....
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