I believe most of the richness of my childhood can be attributed to the fact that my parents wanted a large family and produced seven children, of which I am the middle one. I know I would be a different person altogether if I had been born an only child, or first or last. Birth order is such an interesting topic, as we are shaped and made by the influences of those around us at early ages. So I was shaped by my siblings, and helped to shape them as well.

My father's name being Keith and my mother's name Juanna Beth, they named us all with the intials KJ. We were, in order: Kollin James, Kandra Jane, Kellie Jean, Kerrie Joann, Kevin Jesse, Kristopher John, and Karmen Joy. Our ranch brand was the Lazy KJ, which meant that the K and J letters were fallen on their backs, or asleep and "lazy", so to speak.

In my viewpoint, my brother Kollin was the feared and yet adored eldest brother whom no one questioned or intruded into his space. Kandra was the bossy babysitter with a passion for horses and reading, and we wanted to be just like her. Kellie was my accomplice in everything, as we were born close together and were different as night and day. Kevin was my adored little brother who was always in trouble and never lost the ornery gleam in his eye. Kris was the tough little guy who wasn't afraid to stand up to anyone, though he couldn't talk clearly until age five. And Karmen came along seven years later, so she was the beautiful baby of the family, so sweet and sincere even to this day.

Each of my siblings have grown and changed and formed into adults with whom I have good and friendly relationships with. But being spread all over the United States and married with families of their own has given me the feeling that I only really know them through memory's eye. And the way I related to them and felt towards them as a child is the backbone of the bond I feel with them today. I really love my family for what they were to me during childhood, and the feelings I have today for them all stem from the love I had for them when we were children. I was very happy as a child, and the thoughts and memories that I have of growing up around my family are probably my most prized possession.