Happy December- one of my favorite months of the year! It is finals week here, and I only have one left next week, which means I have some free time to write and reflect. And I'm so thankful for those of you who take time to read my rambling! Still waiting for a first comment though ;) Today, I'm going to give you all a little sneak peek into where I came from and what my world is like now so you can get to know me a little better!
Growing up, my family focused on spending A LOT of time together, and to this day I'm so thankful for that. I have two brothers, one named Michael who is 2 years younger than me, and Ben, who is 5 years younger. We were all homeschooled for most of our school years, and our family had a strong faith-based foundation placed in the home. Like any family, there were ups and downs. I almost always felt very close to my mom, dad, and brothers. One of the best parts of my experience growing up was that I never felt alone, and always knew my family had my back. To this day, I cannot think of even ONE fight my brothers and I have ever had! However, rules were really strict in our household. I wasn't allowed to date until I was 18, absolutely no swearing, tight curfews, no C's in school, etc. At the time, I struggled a lot with understanding some of the rules I had, but now I can at least see half of the reason ;)
Hands down, the hardest experience of my life with my family was during my parent's divorce, and the times that led up to it. For as long as I can remember, my mom and dad did not get along. I can still remember Michael and I at the age of around 8 and 6 laying on the floor listening through into the ceiling of our parents room as their fighting kept us up at night. Still, somehow, we never saw their separation coming. When it did, I was both relieving and worried- I wanted each of them to be happy, but I was so afraid they wouldn't. Our religious background was extremely anti-divorce, so I was completely thrown off by the whole thing. Before my parents had officially divorced when I was 17, I had already moved out of the house that they would soon sell, and in with one of my friends.
It has now been years since their split, and our family is just now coming back together and finding our new rhythm. I have a hard time saying that my parents being apart is for the best, because I know God's will is always for marriages to work; however, so much health has come out of some distance and new beginnings. There is never an easy way to restart after an entire family dynamic is thrown out of what it has always been, but I'm so thankful we are getting close.
In the past couple years, my mom has began a new career that has helped her gain independence, and a new sense of confidence. Even better than that, our relationship is a hundred times ever than it used to be. I can truly say my mom is now my BEST friend, and there was a large period of my life that I would have never dreamt of that happening. God has formed such a strong bond between us. It is incredible how we are like mother-daughter, sisters, and best friends all in one. I used to always feel like I didn't measure up to her expectations, and she used to feel like I put up a wall around her, but everything has changed. There is no one (other than Jason) I can be more myself around, or count on more than my mom.
My dad remarried last year, and seems happier than ever. I only met my stepmom about two years ago, so it has been a bit of a windy road to try to figure each other out and get to know one another, but I think this year has been a year of growth for us. I had to get used to not being my Dad's only lady, and she had to get used to all three of his kids. It's difficult to move forward so much with someone who you've only known for a short time, but I've learned that it's all about communication. You can't be afraid to have gut-honest talks with them just because they're new, and it's extremely important to ask questions, and address any elephants in the room. Forgiveness is also key, to all parties involved! Things will be said, and need to be forgotten. When you give someone a chance, you may end up actually enjoying the person you've gotten to know. I know I have :)
So, there you go.. A little bit about me, and what has made me who I am. Ever evolving, always improving! My background story is probably a pretty average American kid classic, but I'd love to hear all of yours! Where did you come from? How have you handled changes in your family?
Have a great first week of the last month of the year!
Rachel Hallett
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| Michael & Ben (My brothers)- December, 2013 |
"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things..."
1 Corinthians 13:8
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