Where I am from

I’m from God, the One who created everything that I am.
From His love that is always surrounding me, to my surprise.
I’m from family.
From the Grandpa God took before me and the one who forgot who I even was.

I am from fear of bugs and speaking to crowds.
From being four-eyed and having braces over the years.
I am from the faith that tomorrow will be a better day, but yet I am not always promised tomorrow.

I am from dreams that someday I will be a missionary and speak Spanish well.
I am from my future with a devoted husband and loving children.
From the brick house, white picket fence, and fresh apple pie life.

I am from playing tractors with my brother, and together we’d combine the living room carpet, row by row.
I am from sleeping in the back of a tractor, or on the floor of a combine, hating every minute of it
as a little girl.

I am from my grandma Jenny’s kitchen smelling tastefully of her famous spaghetti and mushrooms.
I’m from staying up late watching Spice World with her and my cousin.
I’m from sitting in the snow trying to wrap my mind around the inevitable news.
I am from that January day being forced to say goodbye to her long before I was ready to.
From feeling like everything had come crashing down upon me and there was no way out.

I am from mocha espresso--many times the only thing keeping me awake.
I am from movies, watching them over and over until I can recite every line.
From books, that once I’m drawn in, it’s hard to get me out.
I am from hoping and failing, but one keeps me from doing the other.

I am from the simple moments--the ones that make you laugh until you cry.
I’m from lying on the trampoline watching the millions of glistening starts above me with my friends.
From racing rolling chairs down an ice covered road.
From learning to accept people for who they are.