On Parents.

Good morning, I know it's a Monday, but try your best! The way my new schedule is, today is actually my Tuesday, so I'm in a bit more chipper mood then if it was actually my Monday.

I'm training somebody new in my department at work this last week or so & we were talking about my childhood and her kids' childhood where we were truly the last generation before technology took over.  I was telling her how blessed I felt to have parents that knew the importance of getting us kids outside. Whether we were running over to Grandpa's to have us drop us a mile down the road so we could float down to our house on the river during the summer or swimming in our backyard pool or jumping on our ATVs and dirtbikes to make up our own adventures and race around the track that my uncle built.

Somehow this led me to realize that I never posted really anything for Mother's Day and with Father's Day coming up in a few weeks, I thought I would share a few tidbits on each of my parents, because not only do I have a great Mom and Dad, I also got really lucky in the "step"parent department as well.

I look the most like my momma, and I also have her big heart.  Ever since I was a little girl, she told me that she loved me higher than any mountain top and deeper than any sea, and I know she does, there isn't anything she wouldn't do for me or any of her kids, although there's no contest that I'm her favorite kid.  Some of my favorite memories are from when I was a little girl and her and I would road trip up to her hometown before my little brother was born as well as our road trips up there now because we usually end up making the trip alone & it gives us a chance to catch up and bond even more.

If I've ever made you laugh with my humor & wit, well you can thank my Daddy for that. He taught me to work hard so you can play hard, and that family is the most important thing a person can have and be a part of. He doesn't know the word quit and I get my work ethic from him.  My favorite memories with him include our morning routine when I was younger before he and my mom got divorced, as well as all the times he just calls me to check on me now that I'm out on my own.

If you asked me which of my parents I'm closest with, it would probably be my Lynn-Mom. She's been one of my best friends since I was a junior in high school and though our relationship may not be as close as it was back then, I know that I can call her and get an honest answer with no sugar coating anytime I may need it.  She's the one who has helped nurture my relationship with Jesus and my faith the most  and I'm so grateful for that.  Some of my favorite memories with her include when we used to go do vending down in the cities and we would talk about everything and nothing all at once, as well as our mornings after I stay at my parents now that I'm on my own. My dad's gone to work and Ryan's at school so it's just us, some of the best conversations happen then, probably because we don't have two other people trying to butt in ;)

My stepdad and I probably have the most complicated relationship, it got really strained when I was in high school and honestly, it's a lot better now that we aren't around each other 24/7 like we were when I was living with them  He's one of the smartest people I know though and can fix just about anything if you give him the time to get it done.  He taught me how to be opinionated and gave me my love for NASCAR, I can ask him just about anything and he knows the answer. Some of my favorite memories with him include going to New Hampshire and watching a race with one of our family friends, my Uncle Dave as well as the trips each August we take down to Iowa for the Knoxville Nationals.

Not  many people can say they have pretty good relationships with not only their parents but their stepparents as well and I'm so glad that I can.  I hope all four of my parents know just how much they mean to me and that I'm so glad that they were the ones who I call mine.