The youngest of 6/The only one left

Well, as you’ve already read, there are six kids in my family. I’m the youngest. When I was little, I hated being the youngest. When you’re the youngest, you seem to be the easiest target. Now, I’m not saying I got picked on all the time. My siblings loved me, and the feeling was mutual. But, I’ll admit, there were times when I hated being the youngest. Obviously, it was harder to stand up for myself. I was usually the kid who went running to Mommy or Daddy. However, as people get older, grow up, and mature, you realize as a kid, you were stupid. You made stupid mistakes and wish you could change some things. I’ve now learned to live without regrets.

One thing that comes with growing up is change: everybody and everything changes. With change comes responsibility, opportunity, and life. One by one, over the years, my siblings have all changed and begun to live their own lives. Deanna moved out when I was only five years old. I mean, with there being 17 and a half years between us, obviously, we were at different points in our lives. To be honest, it was almost like Dee was a 2^nd mom to me.

When I was 10, Tyler decided it was time for him to spread his wings and he left the nest to follow Deanna to Winnipeg. Shortly after, off went Jordan to Fredericton.

Suddenly, we were down to three kids left at home. When I was 12 or 13, Courtney headed to Winnipeg, and then back here, and then to Fredericton. When she became engaged, she came back here in order to plan her wedding. Eventually, however, her heart stayed in Fredericton and she returned to continue planning. Now, of course, she’s in Connecticut.

We were down to two: Maddie and I. It was just the two of us and we learned how to take care of each other. In March 2011 (just a few short months ago), Maddie decided it was time for her and she moved to Halifax to be 1)closer to her boyfriend, Nathan and 2)to find her own way in the world.

And then there was one. At first, being the only kid left was really really weird. Over the months since she left, I’ve learned to accept it. Of course, it took some getting used to but now I’m okay. Sometimes, I really want her back and I hate being an only child but I know that change comes. Everyone and everything changes at some point; and people have to be free to lead their own life. I know my time will come soon and then it will just be my parents but no matter how far away we go, our parents and our home will always be the one thing everyone dreams of:

A place filled with love