I'm not sure what is making me post this blog entry, but I just have to.

I want to talk about my family. There are 6 people. That's all the family I have.

I'll start with my wife, Adrianne. She found me when I was just a couple months clean. She has done more for me than she honestly should have. She takes care of me in ways that I never could have thought someone would. She has been my rock for 17 years come October. She supports me in everything I do and everything I am. i have helped her a tiny bit too. I've helped her gain some confidence and self respect, and she now knows how to say "no" and how to stand up for herself. I couldn't live without her.

Next is my best friend. I talked about her in the blog post about her saving me from my racism. I'll stick with the name I gave her there. Lauren is my savior. I wish I knew how, but she ended the racism that I had fought for literally decades. She is shy, but still amazing. She always checks in to make sure I'm doing good, and I make sure she is ok as well. I've never had a friend before, so it still feels alien to me to say that I have one, even though we have been close for over a year at this point. What can I say other than Lauren is a godsend. Or maybe more appropriately, Goddess sent?

Now we have to talk about my other family. They aren't blood, but they are my family. They are a Hispanic family and they have gone beyond friends to family that means more to me than blood. The mother and father I call my brother and sister. A little weird for a married couple maybe, but I don't care. Their son and daughter see me as their aunt Jennifer. Their mother specifically told me that. And I see them as my niece and nephew. They have been the kindest, most loving people I have ever met. During the last presidential administration, I was terrified that they were in danger simply due to their ethnicity, despite them all being American. Sure, they've been to Mexico and spent a good amount of time there, but that doesn't mean they aren't from the states.
I was even able to ask them to pick us up some dog food when we ran out and our car wasn't running as well. Obviously I paid them for their time and for the food. But no one else would have done anything like that. Not even Adrianne's parents. Adrianne's mother actually told her that we "should have Beaner and Clover killed" because we were getting a bulldog. Those were the exact words she used. I was enraged when Adrianne told me about that. I haven't let her see Lady in years, because the last time she was around her she actually terrorized her. She would chase her around their house shaking a can of pennies at her. Pitbulls are scared to death of loud sounds. And the pennies scared her. After I found out about that abuse, I said never again. That was about 3 years ago, and they haven't seen Lady since.

I never had a family growing up. I had biological links to several people, but no family save my paternal grandmother. Now I have 6 people who are family. I've been homeless, abused as a child, fought addiction, and mercilessly bullied to name a few things. Now I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, food in my belly, family who cares, a woman who loves me, and even a few luxuries. Despite not having a lot of money, I consider myself extremely wealthy.

With all that considered, what more does a person really need?