My parents got divorced when I was young, I don't have much memory from before then, but things worked out, so I'm not mad about it. They both got remarried multiple times, but they both currently are in good marriages. Neither of my parents was able to go to university. My father was working on the side while going to school to provide for himself, my uncle and my grandma. After he finished high school, he started working to improve their life condition, several years later he married my mother. My mother married while she was still in school, because of the constant moving and different environments she had to adapt to, she was unable to finish her education and dropped out. She did get her high school diploma when her situation became better.

I was raised mostly by my grandma after my parents got divorced, at the time I only had two siblings. Several years after, my uncle got divorced and my cousins, two, started living with us. It was like watching a younger version of ourselves, but now we were there to help, everyday was a day where we ate, cried and laughed together. My grandma took good care of us, she loved and cared for us deeply, she used to always say: "Only your grandchild is dearer than your child".

I have to admit that eleven siblings is a lot, it can be difficult at times to please everyone or get what everyone wants, thus, give up on the idea and do what they don't want, its much easier to piss off everyone than to please them. Being the eldest I try to at least listen to what is troubling the young'uns and try to lighten the mood whenever they fight (which is a daily occurrence).

Watching my siblings grow leaves me dumbfounded at times, how it feels like they were wearing diapers yesterday and now they are going to school, making friends, struggling with homework, their eyes when it lights up with curiosity. Just thinking about how someday, these brats in diapers will go off someday on a journey, to write their own story, is what keeps me going and makes me want to do whatever in my power to make sure they are prepared to face the world, but never forget about how important their family is.