I live now

Not sure when this was taken exactly, but it was definitely before 1991.

My mom died in a car accident when I was 4 years old. She was driving to visit some friends a few hours away. A drunk driver lost control in the rain, swerved into her lane, and hit her. My dad died when I was 11 years old. He got lung cancer when I was 8, it went away after a few months of treatments, then came back and nothing could be done. He died May of 2003. I moved here that June and have lived here ever since. When I tell people, they don't always look at me the same way after (the fact that I'm a dork is beside the point). A few distant family members pity my sister and I because we're "the orphans". Well, I don't see myself that way and my sister can speak for herself. I don't lack parental units. In fact, I don't lack family at all. I have a huge family and I live with my aunt, uncle, cousins who are like brothers and a second sister to me, my sister, and cousin's friend (not to mention, the pets we have). I let it slide when my aunt is called my mom or anything like that because my aunt and uncle and cousins are like parents and siblings to me. I would never want to trade them for a different "normal" family. I like how there's plenty to miss when I go on a trip or someone else goes on a trip. There's rarely a dull moment around here, for better or for worse (better at the moment because Miiki is sleeping with her tongue hanging out of her upside down head). At the moment, I can't say I'm missing much. Sure, I still miss my parents, but I'd be missing out on life if I lived in the past. There's plenty of life ahead.

At our grandparents' house in early March. Good picture of everyone = nonexistent.

Loving the rain. A nice May 1st, imho.