Within These Walls {Our Home's Rulebook}

I love my family. Not the blow-me-away first sentence you were expecting, but it's all truth. My family guides me through life, encourages me to open new doors, and can't lift me up high enough. With this, I could sit here all day and tell you things I wish we could do better, the petty arguments we have, or the constant battle finding the perfect balance of family time. Within us all, there is the need to fulfill "normalcy." Normalcy has simply now become an image. An image that individuals seek to fulfill. The funny thing about it is that this so called "normal" doesn't exist. So many people live out their days searching for something that's extinct, or maybe something that never existed. As much as I may sound like I have it all figured out, I don't. Part of me cares too much about what other people will think of me and my family.

Back to within the walls of our house, which is now truly a home. Our home isn't perfectly clean or new, it's simply lived in. Our meals aren't home-cooked, like other families, but they are equally delicious. Our mornings aren't stress-free and easy going, in fact, they couldn't be more chaotic. But within our home are the ingredients for happiness: faith, hope, and love. We might not make it to mass every Sunday, it's a flaw within our home, but we live each day with our virtues and Catholic values. We hope to please God and each other at the end of each day. And always, no matter what, we love. We love our friends, our neighbors, our enemies, each other, and God.

So now are official un-published "family rules":

• Within these walls, we live for God.
• Within these walls, we always do OUR best.
• Within these walls, we give hugs and kisses.
• Within these walls, we pray away our troubles.
• Within these walls, we help each other.
• Within these walls, we apologize for our wrongdoings.
• Within these walls, we share.
• Within these walls, WE LOVE!

I'm sure I'm forgetting many things, but our house wouldn't be a home if we were classified as "normal."

Many things are blooming in my life. I'm happy. I'm ready for all the greatness right before my eyes. More on my upcoming happenings this week.

God Bless!

XOXO,

Sarah Elizabeth