Family

By: Serena, Age 12 1/2

The family I once had lived on the beach. At times life seemed to be total chaos-imagine four kids all in sports- with games or practices all on the same day. Imagine two full-time working parents, both owning their own businesses...two constantly fighting teen twins and 2 girls left in the mix. And then imagine the fights- which ranged from teasing to yelling.

It might all sounds unpleasant... yet I loved it. When our family came together we learned lots of new things. How to baby-sit, how to play video games, the list just went on and on. And when we moved away from each other I couldn't help but cry.

Now on my mom's side we live in a duplex in the city, close to our dad's and far from our former beach steps. My mom's boyfriend visits us often and it almost seems like we are the all-girl family you see on TV- not the catty fighting kind, but the kind that is closer than ever.

I miss our old lifestyle, but at times I love our new one even more.

When we visit our dad it is completely different, not like our old lifestyle at our mom's, not like our new. Here we have 3 girls and though 1 of them is 4 years older than the other, we are all quite alike. It's not chaotic yet it's not calm. It's just life.

And that is my life in my family. And the fact that we're all happy and all together... Well that's what counts.