One thing. When asked if I had to pick one thing to save from a fire, it’s really hard to pick just one. But when going through my list of options one thing sticks out the most, the box of the photobooks my mom would put together when me and my siblings were kids. Although I may not always feel like it, my family is the best blessing I have in my life. My mom and dad, my brother, Vincenzo, my sister, Catarina, and my other sister, Emilia. They truly are my best friends, as I share my whole life with them.

The reason these photo books are so important to me is because not only do they show the memories of my family from growing up, but they also show the way our relationship as a family has grown. Whether the picture be sad, angry, exciting, or happy, the picture always has a deeper meaning. I never want to forget the memories of my childhood, I would say they truly were some of the best years of my life. The books show our family tradition of our yearly trip to Cocoa Beach for Easter, which is a tradition I want to be able to carry on when I have my own family. Or when we used to go to Wisconsin Dells every year before school started and stay at the Wilderness on the Lake. They show each of my siblings and I’s birthdays we celebrated from the specific year of the book, always having a picture of us with the “you are special plate” that has been passed down through my family. It shows days we used to spend on the lakes, like when we all tried tubing for the first time. Lastly, they show the small details of my family's life that other people don’t get to experience, but can see when they look at these books. The amount of memories stored in these books are truly countless.

No matter how much I fight with my family, or say how much I hate them when I get angry, I will never not need them. I love my family with all my heart and dread that our days of all being together are coming to an end as we grow up. My family means the world to me, and I will always make sure I remember our most special moments together for the rest of my life, and I truly think these books will be passed on for generations to be able to show how special my family is.