I am an only child. It’s kind of hard for me to admit because I think that there is a bad stigma around being an only child, but I think it all comes down to the way you were raised. Just because I don’t have siblings and have never lived with another kid, doesn’t mean I haven’t constantly been surrounded by other kids my entire life. I was raised with Porter and Orion Post, and they definitely gave me the experience of having two brothers. We were constantly playing, fighting and simply just being together. Even though my parents made the decision to have just one kid, they always knew that I wasn’t going to be alone, and they did a good job of giving me the “sibling experience.” Both of my parents are older siblings, and I think as kids they both took on some responsibility with having a younger brother to look out for. Both of my parents are the reason why I am the person I am today. 

My mom is the most kind and selfless person I know. Growing up, she always taught me to kill with kindness and always see the positive in a situation. My moms biggest love language is acts of service. She is constantly doing things for other people and getting nothing in return but a good feeling. My mom spent countless nights with me while sick, and she was always reading story after story to me and staying in my room until I would fall asleep. She has a gentle approach to everything she does, and, by just being in her presence, your mood is immediately uplifted. She cares with her whole heart, and, a lot of the time, I don’t know how she does it. She is always there for my dad and I. She is constantly carrying whatever we have going on with her, yet she stays strong, kind and beautiful through every situation. My mom truly inspires me everyday to be kind, do the right thing and navigate through the world with a positive outlook. 

My dad is the smartest and funniest person I know. Everything that I do, I do to make my dad proud. I am constantly working hard to make him proud, but he is always making sure I know he’s proud of me no matter what. One of my most favorite things about my dad is his stories. He has so many stories. I could listen to the same stories over and over again, and I definitely got my storytelling skills from him. Whether he’s telling me about his childhood neighbor, Chris Rocco, running home after watching scary movies or walking uphill both ways in college, they never fail to entertain me. One of my dads main love languages is music. He knows almost every song, and one of my favorite things to do with my dad is show him songs and just be together. He is also constantly doing things for me without me even asking, and he knows me better than anyone else. He is constantly pushing me to work hard and be the best version of myself.

My parents are amazing together. They have been married for over 20 years, and they met in the Grand Canyon. They both showed me what love should look like. They work together as a team, which leads me to believe that is why I work well with others. They rarely fight, but when they do, they never go to bed angry with each other.  They both worked hard to give me the life that I have, which I am forever grateful for. They have both taught me so much and given me so many opportunities. Even though I don’t have the sibling I’ve always wished for, I love our small family, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.