My Life Story: growing up

I was born in Okinawa, Japan to a dad from Louisiana and a mom from the Philippines. My family came to the states when I was 2. We lived in California where my sister Sabrina was born. Then we moved to Louisiana, where my brother Thomas and my sister Paulina were born. We lived in Louisiana until I was 8 and then moved to Georgia. We moved three more times until I was 13 and I ended up attending five different schools.

During middle and high school as well as the beginning of college I had a few close friends who got me through an awkward time of life. I'm immensely grateful for them because they arrived right when I needed them. Some of these relationships have ended or changed but they helped to shape me and they hold a special place in my memory and heart. Writing to God almost everyday since I was around 11 also got me through this period of life. I believed in God from a young age but I became a Christ follower at 18 after attending a Harvest Festival. This is one of the BEST decisions I ever made and it has continued to change my life in wonderful ways I never imagined.

All of the experiences above and others during this time of my life shaped me in ways I didn't fully understand and am continuing to unravel now. Through conversations with close friends, family, and even writing papers for my degrees the examining and reflection I have done on this time of growing up has been essential in my life. I am most grateful for these experiences I encountered because they have helped me to relate to others who have also felt they are weird, outsiders, or unwanted. This combined with my faith has also made me very open about my life, struggles, and my desire for community.