Family By Lizzi Botta

My family is a very important part of my life and I know I can always count on them. I have three other siblings- two older brothers and a younger sister. My oldest brother, Christopher, is 20 and is currently on his way to becoming a Police Officer. He used to attend William Patterson but now he just works full time. At family events, Christopher is always seen sitting off to the side, just listening to other people, not talking much- he is the polar opposite of my other brother Michael. 

Michael is 19 and goes to the University of South Carolina. In high school he was always in honors or AP classes, so everyone saw Michael as the "smart kid", and now I am expected to meet those same standards. And even though he can be funny sometimes, he can also be irritating- Michael used to play songs like Fergalicious in my house and would just play the song over and over, every. single. day. Thankfully since he is in South Carolina, I only have to deal with this a few times a year. 

My sister, Kimmi, is only two years younger than me and is in eight grade. Out of all my siblings in my family, Kimmi and I are the closest- but this doesn't mean we don't fight. We share a lot of inside jokes and we always make each other laugh, whether its laughing at a funny video or laughing at something embarrassing that has happened to one of us. And, of course, we always rant to each other or will just complain about school or some other issue. Even though we have very different personalities, we surprisingly get along most of the time.

My parents are both very hard working people and are very tough on me and my siblings. My dad has been a fireman for 25 years but a few months ago he retired, so now he works at an Academy. My mom is a physical therapist and works a lot, but she always finds the time to drive me and my sister everywhere. And even though I argue with my parents about stupid things sometimes, I am very grateful for all they do for me.

Last but certainly not least is my dog, Jasper. I've only had him for a little over a year, but I can't imagine my life without him- my sister and I always wonder how much our life would've changed if we hadn't gotten Jasper. Almost every night, Jasper will stretch out on my bed, leaving me the tiniest place to sleep, but it's all worth it. I always feel him moving when he's asleep and when I look over at him, I'll see his legs moving back and forth- sometimes he will even bark and growl in his sleep. If I am ever out of sight of Jasper, he'll come running after me, frantic to find me. Everyone loves Jasper and even though he gets a little scared when meeting new people, he'll eventually warm up and will be jumping all over you.