A Collection of Memories in Honor of International Day of Families

What better way to kick off International Day of Families, then a short complication of stories from you! Relax, enjoy and be sure to spend some quality time with the family in your life! 

"I am one of nine children. And I’m smack dab in the middle. When I was younger, my parents struggled financially. I can’t imagine the stress that was placed on them having all of us little children! God looked down upon them with his grace and financially blessed my parents. When I was about 12 years old, the company that my parents worked for took us to Oregon. When we were there, we went deep-sea fishing. I can still feel the waves going back and forth as my dad was trying to keep composure with the motion sickness and not throwing up. Being on the ocean in a boat deep-sea fishing was so freeing with the wind blowing on our faces. I think I remember that moment, because I won the biggest fish award for the day!"

~ Cindy

"One memory I have with my family is going to the lake in the summer to kayak. We had two kayaks and seven people, so while two people kayaked, the rest of us would eat ice cream on the shore while talking, reading, and playing games ❤️"

~ Kianna

"When I was growing up, each Fall my family would go together to the State Fair. We would go for an afternoon and look at all the different animals and vegetables, and watch some of the judging.  Then in the evening, anyone at the fair could also go to the rodeo. We would bundle up in blankets and jackets if the evening was chilly and stay for the rodeo. My dad would walk across the street to McDonald’s and get a big sack of hamburgers. We loved sitting together, watching the animals and enjoying our smashed hamburgers."

~ Tosha 

"I have seven siblings and grew up in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Because of this we got very creative when it came to having fun. During the summer we would ride our bikes up the mountain and float down the canal. Even though the water was freezing we still had a good time."

~ Rebecca 

"One weekend during my childhood, my grandpa came to our house to bring us a surprise. To my excitement, he brought my sisters and I a blowup bouncy house! The next couple hours after we watched the house expand and fill our entire front living room, we played and laughed and smiled with our grandpa. And when it was time for him to leave, we all jumped on the bouncy house one last time to make it inflate. This childhood memory of mine reminds me of the times I had with my grandpa." 

~ Mega

"I have very fond memories of “showing off” my two younger brothers whenever my friends were over because they were SO funny. We would have them rehearse skits for us, wrestle each other and dance. We would help them practice, and then they’d just put on an actual show for us just to make us laugh! They are much younger than me so I had that “second mom” relationship with them, but we still had so much fun with each other, especially before I moved out of the house. What a fun time!"

~ Kim 

"Once my grandma came to visit us in Florida. We went to the coast by a light house. My grandma told me that I needed to look on my body for ticks because I could die from ticks. And the whole night I had nightmares about how I couldn’t find the tick and that it was going to kill me. I was 7 haha."

~ Sara 

"I remember when me and my family lived in Idaho. When I was younger I loved admiring animals, especially horses. I would find myself going on walks with my family and making my parents stop to feed the horses! We would grab apples and sneakily feed them. Our faces would light up when we could see the horses! I remember the smell, color, and even the environment. Even now being older I have loved that memory and the happiness I felt when I walked past those horses." 

~ Aubs

"One day my family and I went swimming in a natural spring in Florida. Suddenly someone spotted a giant alligator, so sadly we had to evacuate. But now when I play two truths and a lie, I say, 'I swam with an alligator!'"

~ Sara

"I have many childhood memories with my family that bring me so much joy! But I'm also so grateful for the memories I’ve made with them in the more recent years; like going swimming in the summer, sledding in the winter, jumping in leaves in the fall or even something as simple as watching a movie or eating Sunday dinner. These memories bring happiness to my heart and make me feel privileged to call my sisters, mom and dad family! Cheers to many more memories together!"

~ Amanda