I have ten parents. I grew up normally; with my mom, my dad, two sisters, and my puppy. However, that changed one day. I could hear the soft sobs behind my mother’s bedroom door. Curiosity and worry filled me. I wanted to know what was going on, and I wanted to comfort my mom. Finally, that night at dinner I found out.

"We're moving." I know I saw my parents lips move, but had I really heard the words? "ALABAMA?" I tried to scream but it came out more as a broken sob. The D.C. area had been my home since I was only a year old. It felt like my heart was ripped out, put in upside down, and the wound was left open. That wasn't even the worst of it. My daddy was leaving to go before us, and we be left in our home. It just didn’t feel complete without him there.

The day he left was hard on me. People were coming in and out to say goodbye. The second I heard his engine start and back out of our driveway, sobs came. I cried what felt like for hours. But not only did my tears start, so did the phone calls. It was do you need this, can I help, I’ll take the kids. Our neighbors filled in the hole that my father had left. There were four families that became my own.

My mother would pile me and my two sisters into the car and we’d meet the other families for dinner, movies, game nights, or just sheer support. It became routine for the other adults to tell me no to going out or to go do my homework.

I have five moms and five dads. Ms. April gives me assurance, Mrs. Mary my love for special needs, Mrs. Beth my perseverance, and Mrs. Laura my timidness. Mr. Todd gives me my strength, Mr. Drew my witt, Mr. Sal my sarcasm, and Mr. Jorge my charm. My mom and dad give me life, my blue eyes and red hair. My ten parents are what make me unique. I am what makes me, me.