The Family

Growing up, I always knew I had an awesome family. My parents were everything a kid could ask for – caring, responsive, helpful and nurturing. While my two sisters helped guide me along by always staying on top of me about, well, everything. Now over the past year, I’ve added a brother-in-law into the mix and he certainly makes the Sacchetti clan a spicier mix.

However, it wasn’t until I moved away did I realize just how great they were. You see, I never lived too far from my parents and sisters, and something happened over the years. I started to take them for granted. I had a problem with my car, ok, time to call pops. Need a home cook meal, hey mom, I’d like some chicken pop pie. Need to buy some shoes, ok sisters, here’s some money.

I promise you I’m not that lazy, but the crutch they provided started to overshadow all the other qualities that made them so special to me. And sure, all those things above are part of what make them great, but being away from them for an extended period of time I have come to miss all the little things that are hard to describe.

Over the past 17 months, I’ve seen my family one time. That was the joyous occasion of my sister’s wedding back last April. When I went home the first time, it was great to see everybody, but in a weird way, it didn’t feel like I had been gone for too long. Too much had changed in my life that I hadn’t had much time to realize much of anything beside how to live in a whole new world. Well, the past ten months of not seeing them has certainly changed that. It feels like a lifetime since I’ve seen them.

That’s why I’m so excited for the next month. First, my sisters and brother-in-law are visiting then my parents. I’m excited for a multiple reasons. I’m excited to show them Panama and the culture. I’m excited for them to see my community. I’m excited for them to meet some new friends. Most of all, I’m excited just to be with them.

And, no, I won’t ask my sisters to pick some shoes out for me, I don’t have any money. Nor will I ask my dad to take a look over my car, I don’t have one. Finally, I won’t ask my mom to make a good home cook meal. On second thought, maybe that will happen.