Life In The USA

 

 If any of you follow or read Sandra Bourland's blog, before any of you think I am stealing her pictures just know that she is my aunt and I am aware that they are hers. She has given me permission to use or should I say share her pictures since we are family and....well....we know each other LOL!

So as you all know, we are now living in the States with my Tia Sandra, my uncle Curtis and my cousins Jasmine and Nicholas.  They are the only family we have here and I have to say even though we live in a quiet little town, we really know how to pump up the party  ;) There is never a dull moment with my family and there have been a few times that we have bumped heads (ask my Tia, She'll tell you ;)) but most of the time its fun convos, long laughs, and great memories. 

You would think that cousins bonding after many years of not seeing each other would be difficult, but we spoke and acted like we had been living together our whole lives. My cousin Jasmine and I could practically call each other sisters with how close we are. We can trust each other with secrets and personal stuff and not worry about the other ratting. We are very naughty and mischievous, but I'm pretty sure all young girls are. The talks about me driving her places once I get my car, laughing at stupid things that don't make sense, and my favorite, laughing at each other when we either get hurt or fall LOL. We are crazy, but we know how to have fun.

Nicholas and I don't really have a bond, but that does not mean I don't love him to death. He knows how to make me smile and can really get a good laugh out of all of us, and the funny thing is...WE HAVE SO MUCH IN COMMON!!! We both love salt and vinegar chips, we don't eat bacon....the list can go on so if that can be considered as a bond, then we have a pretty strong bond too :)

 My uncle Curtis has recently retired from the military. He worked with the best jets ever ;) The F16's...(talk about a proud niece lol) I also never really had a bond with my uncle until recently when we moved here. He and my Tia (in case any of you were wondering, I call her Tia because that means "aunt" in Portuguese") were involved in a long distance relationship and a year later got married. I was barely two years old at the time and had a very strong bond with my Tia, strong as in she could be my second mother. After they got married Tia left for the States with my uncle and I never understood where she was or when she would be back at the time :( when I was old enough to understand, I was angry and upset with my uncle for taking my Tia away from me but once I started growing into a mature young lady, I realized that it was a very unique love story and was happy that my uncle could fill my Tia's life with great joy.

Well I have introduced you to my family here in the States, but I have saved my Tia for last. When I was only a year old, I had my Tia and my Bio Odete (Bio meaning great grandmother in Portuguese) look after me while my parents were at work. I created a very special bond with them both and especially my Tia, growing up to think she was like my second mommy. No-one will ever replace my mom, but the love I have for my Tia is very close to the love I have for my mother. Like I mentioned just now, when Tia left I was too young to understand where she was or when she would be back, I would still walk into her bedroom every morning with my baby bottle in hand and say "good morning Tia" and there was no answer for that morning, and the morning after that, and the morning after that. When I was a little bit older, I realized my Tia was never coming back and that broke me....because I was so close to her it always felt like something was missing. I was grateful to have had my great grandmother still, but I wanted my Tia there too.

 Tia has missed most of my childhood, my birthdays, my dance competitions...just about everything that has happened in my life. Now that I am here we can share all those things, I have already shared my 17th birthday with my family here and that was amazing and also different in a way LOL but now I am turning 18, and for some reason this birthday means a lot more to me than the rest not only because I am becoming an adult but also because I get to spend this special occasion with my family and most importantly my Tia <3 We now have the chance to catch up all of those years in a different kind of way <3

Well there you have it. You have now met my crazy family here in the United States!!