My big, busy, happy family

by Jay-Ar N. Fortunado

The rising sun woke up our whole family. Ten sleepyheads crawled out of bed—that's me, my four sisters, and my five brothers! We are a big, noisy bunch, and sometimes our house feels like a big toy box. But even when there is not much space, there is always lots of love.

My mama is the busiest woman in the world. Every morning, she wakes up even earlier than us to pick the juiciest mangoes and the freshest vegetables for her market stall. She works really hard so we can have yummy food on our table and a very convenient life.

Papa is not afraid of any mess! He can fix a broken kitchen with a smile and cook the best meals for our whole family. He is like our own personal superhero, cleaning, cooking, and taking care of everything around the house.

One of my favorite things Mama says is, "We may not have a lot of money, but we're rich in love!" And it's true! Even though things can be tough sometimes, we are always happy together.

Here's my big dream since I was young: I'm going to finish my studies and find a free community college to learn how to be a teacher! In a year or two, I'll be the first person in our family to graduate. Maybe someday I can teach all of you too. As they say, "If you can dream it, you can do it."

We all work hard to help each other out. My big sisters help me wash clothes and dishes, and my brothers help me fetch water most of the time and sometimes get firewood. We know that Mama and Papa work super hard so we can all have a good, stable life.

That's why I promise to study hard and become the best teacher. One day, I want our family to have a big, peaceful house with a mango tree in the yard. Then, Mama won't have to work so hard anymore, and we can all relax and play together under the big, comfy mansion.

Our family might be big and busy, but we're always there for each other. Together, we laugh, we learn, and we chase after our dreams. That's what makes my family the best in the whole world!

Genre: Short Story/Realistic Fiction

Theme/s: importance of family, perseverance, strong family bonds, sacrifice, education, dreams, gratitude, and giving back.