Sometimes Being in a Family Sucks

   I know that sounds awful, but you all know it's true. Being part of a family is hard. Really hard. Why? Because love sucks. It's a pain. In fact, love is pain. We spend our whole lives deciding when to let go and when to fight. 

But it's worth it.

  I just spent the weekend in one of my favorite places in the whole wide world - Moscow! How could you not fall instantly in love with those rolling green hills and cute red barns? Though the hills claimed me from the day I was born, my family holds an even stronger claim on me. We got to have a mini family reunion over the weekend before one of my aunts and her family move to Germany (the lucky dogs). Though we've had our ups, downs, and shed many tears together, I wouldn't give up the time our family has spent together for the world.

  Ultimately, those you love are worth everything, because that's what life is for. For us to love. We are here on this beautiful earth because of love. To return to our Heavenly Father with our loved ones is our ultimate goal. That goal is possible through the love of our Savior. Sometimes we have to give things up or make sacrifices that seem terrible because we love someone. Sometimes we have to fight and fight and fight for those we love. And sometimes, we just have to let things, or people, go. 

(I know you were all thinking it ;)

  

But really, love seems to drive almost everyone. I know it's one of my goals! 

 But enough of all that soliloquy... This sibling picture is from Christmas rather than this weekend, but I like it better because you can't see how much taller Jason is than the rest of us :)

Favorite picture!