Where I come from

Today is the day Blogtember goes live. From here on out I probably won't give an intro about the month's challenge, but today I wanted to chat a little bit about it. I like writing, and I don't think I'm a great writer by any means but I hope that I will become a better writer in doing this challenge. I hope to learn more about myself, and also connect with others out there who are doing the challenge. This series has some great writing prompts and I can't wait to dig in. Today's prompt is a bit of a tough-y though. It has the potential to get very deep and long, and I don't feel like going that way with my post so that's how it will be. Make sure you run over to Story of My Life to learn all about the fun, and start linking up with us.

Where did I come from and what makes me, me? I was born and raised for my first twenty years in a small city in the Pacific Northwest. If you don't know anything about this area of the country let me tell you about it. It's filled with lush evergreen trees, raindrops, and some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. A lot of days are overcast and dark, but it just makes us appreciate our days filled with sun that much more. 
We're lovers of cozy thick sweaters, hot coffee, and boots.

 

This city, for being so small, had so much to offer a kid growing up. I remember summer days out on our boat fishing for salmon, and nights spent at the near by San Juan Islands camping on the beach as our boat floated on the water in the distance. The stars twinkled above as my siblings and I shrieked when bats would fly overhead. During the winter months my father would take my brother, sister, and I up to the mountain to go skiing. It was an every Saturday occurrence. You can imagine my parent's delight when I reached the fifth grade and the ski area offered free season ski passes to all fifth graders. My mom would come along to ski with us many of the times as well. For many years my dad would follow us down the slopes with our video camera on his shoulder. While skiing. I'm talking one of those huge cameras that held a full size VHS tape. It was a sight to see, and had I been older I would have been mortified. My parents made it a point to get us all out doing family activities every weekend whenever possible. My small city had many hiking trails, and parks that were perfect for bike riding. Many days were spent on our bikes riding all over the city. Completely exhausted by the time the sun was setting.

As I mentioned, my family did a lot together. I didn't realize until I was seventeen and dating my first boyfriend when I realized how different my family was from others. When I went to his house for dinner, his family didn't have a dining room table. I asked him where they all sat for dinner. He replied that they usually didn't all eat together or if they did, it would be on the couch in the living room. I was baffled. My mother, from as far back as I can remember, had dinner on the table every. single. night. My dad would come home from work, and the rest of us would come to the table and eat together as a family. We would talk about how our days went-my dad cracking jokes, my sister acting mostly annoyed, and our golden retriever begging for food under the table. I thought everyone had the same routine as us! 

Something so small as eating dinner together every night didn't seem so small anymore. Looking back at my upbringing I realize I was very fortunate. I was surrounded by parents who truly loved me (and still do!) and wanted to be around me. It was those moments spent together around the dinner table or flying down the trail on my bike while my hair whipped in the wind that helped shape who I am today. Childhood plays a major part in who you become as an adult, and although as you get older and realize life is nothing like you thought it was when you were a kid, you learn to appreciate the innocence you once had.