Three Good Things

Family, love, and Trust

Entry 1:

During the summer, I went to Las Vegas with my parents and a friend. I had a lot of fun taking a tour of Las Vegas and I was able to get a tan! The best part of Las Vegas was that I got to meet my mom's cousin for the first time. It was bittersweet because my mom hasn't seen her for 30 years and I was really fortunate to meet her. We had a great time catching up with my aunt and got to eat at buffets. Seeing family all the time makes me happy and makes my life more fulfilled.

Entry 2:

After Las Vegas, I went to Concord and Lake Tahoe. I went to Concord to sleep over at my cousin's house for two nights and got to spend time with her, my nephew who is the same age as me, and my little nephew and niece. I had a fun trip at Tahoe with my nephew and his friends. We stayed up late till we were too tired, cooked food, ate at restaurants and it was really fun. I'm grateful for the family that I have because we become really close like best friends.

Entry: 3

On my birthday September 20th, I celebrated with my family and friends. It was the best day of my life because I finally got to celebrate with almost my whole family on my mom's side. My cousins made me really happy especially one cousin who had help me with my birthday. We're really close and we treat each other like sisters. She's 18 years older than me & her oldest son who's my age. She has two younger children. Anyways, we became really close this year after so many years of reconnecting. Her dad is my mom's cousin and the whole family grew up together in San Francisco... My mom grew up with my cousin's aunts and uncles. I'm blessed that I reconnect with my family because family is always important in life, it's what you have. My cousin calls me her "kaikaina" meaning little sister in Hawaiian. When we were texting after we had celebrated my birthday, she told me that she's so grateful that we are family and her in life and that we won't have to ever reconnect because we are bonded for life. That made my life because I always will love my family. I'm really close to a lot of my cousins on my mom side and a few on my dad's side because they live in Arkansas and Texas.

Entry 4:

Friday wasn't really a good day but I spent time with my brother and his daughter. My brother is having some health issues but what made me happy is that we are becoming closer since he moved to San Francisco from San Diego because he was in the Navy. I love to spend time with my brother and his daughter. Being there for my brother means a lot to me especially we have a 13 year age gap. I really want to be there for his daughter and I may be her god mother if they decide to baptize her. What makes me happy is that we are becoming closer.

Entry 5:

I had breakfast with my family along with my uncles, cousins, niece and nephew. We ate at Big Joe's which was a really good place to eat. I enjoyed that day because my cousin and I are like sisters and I look up to her. I tell her everything and ask for advice from her if I need help since I trust her. She helped me with my birthday and that means a lot to me. Keeping your family close and becoming closer to a cousin means a lot because cousins are your first best friends.

Entry 6:

I have a Lantrip cousin in Arkansas that's literally like a little sister to me. We are two years apart and never ever met each other. Her father is my dad's first cousin and the last time they saw each other was a long time ago. We found each other on social media because our brothers knew each other and met each other in the Navy. It was a great feeling knowing that I have more relatives to meet on my dad's side. It's wonderful that we had became close because we are family no matter what. I got to meet Jill's older brother who is in the Navy along with his wife and two little sons. Jill and I text each other everyday no matter what and it's been over a year since we have been talking. There was not once that we had stopped talking to each other. Hopefully in the summer of 2016, we will be able to meet and become a lot more closer.

Entry 7:

Next summer, I will be going to Hawaii with my family and I can't wait because it will be almost everyone in my mom's family. The cousins, nephews, and niece that I had mentioned are going with us! That will make my summer because we are becoming a lot closer and I hope that doesn't change. My cousin Alena who is my nephew's mom, we are really close like sisters.