Ohana

Part of Hawaiian culture, ohana means family in an extended sense of the term. It emphasizes that family is bound together and members must cooperate and remember one another. The term has the same origins as (and usage is similar to) the New Zealand Maori term "whanau".

My family has been more than mom, dad and my sister. I have Esthela, who is really my aunt. Since my mother raised her, her children call my parents grandma and grandpa and her husband calls them "in-laws".

I always wanted to have a brother. A big brother was my dream. In return, life gave me Ian. Exactly 9 months and 20 days my junior. The male support I have needed all my life. He has been there in the toughest moments of my life and has been witness of my joy for the past 10 years. Newer additions to my brothers are Mike and Jerry.

Yazmin and I are very different. She is a complete fashionista. I on the other hand am a bit of a tomboy. I adore her and Esthela. When we are together, the gossip, the laughter and the tears are endless.

I've always had the big sister complex, and eight years ago I brought Wilde into my family. She's a year younger than Yazmin and physically looks like a cross blend of Yaz and me. Many have even doubted the fact that we aren't related. Lex joined the family five years ago. I took her into my family and she did just about the same. The newest addition is Brenda, who is actually two years my senior. The bonds are still in construction phase and perhaps it will be as strong as the other bonds I have with the rest of my family.

Stitch said it better than anyone: "This is my family. I found it, all on my own. It's little, and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good. "