I am such a family girl.
I love my family, I love knowing they are only one room away, and I love that I can rely on them for anything if I need it. I would definitely say my family is close. I’m blessed to have my mom and dad and 2 older brothers. To me it is a little crazy thinking about being away from all of them for a whopping 9 months. However, God works in funny ways for me to believe we would only be apart for that amount of time…
Michael- My brother Michael is 19. He is funny, caring, and a biiiiiiiiig workout junkie. When he isn’t at home he is at the gym. For real, I feel like after he graduated it was either of those places, and work but he worked at a gym how ironic. To me Michael is your classic annoying and protective older brother. Michael and I are close and love to have a good laugh and even though we would get under each other’s nerves I think we would both say we loved getting to hangout.
One thing I idolize about Michael is how much of a fighter he is. He is someone who doesn’t give up and won’t stop till he gets it. The best example I can give is about the Navy. Ever since I could remember my brother wanted to be in the Navy. He loves his country and wanted to follow my dad’s footsteps by joining after he graduated. When I was a sophomore and Michael was a senior I remember when he would always get asked what his post graduation plans were and he would always tell everyone “I’m going to join the Navy when I graduate.” So Michael started his process to join. We all assumed that Michael would get through everything. He passed all of his tests, he was in the best shape he has ever been in so it was no questions asked that he would pass all physical fitness tests. However, Michael was denied from the Navy when he was 18 because when he was 13 he had an inhaler, but my brother does not have asthma. This is how it all started, the process of Michael getting into the Navy. We had multiple doctors’ vouched that this inhaler was never used and that Michael is more than fine to be in the Navy. To make a VERYY long story short Michael fought for a little over a year and a half to get into the Navy. On February 19, 2019 Michael finally left to go to boot camp and in a little over a week I will get to see him graduate. It is crazy to think my brother finally has a big boy job doing what he loves. Michaels very long story is one of the many reasons I believe God is sooo real. That prayer actually works. I have had people for the past 2 years pray for Michael in all the ups and downs of his process, for when he left for boot camp, while he is in there, and just for his future. I think Michaels story is just one of those stories that is all God. It was all Gods timing. It is a story that shows that even though we wish prayer could make things happen overnight, sometimes it doesn’t. How we can’t always get what we want. How life is sooo out of our hands and that we just need to fully put it into Gods. One thing about my brother is that growing up he didn’t like going to church because it was boring to him. He never really made an effort to have a relationship with God. Michael told us when he went to boot camp he was going to start going to church, so in a letter I wrote him I asked him how that was going. He wrote me back and told me “Spiritually I’ve been great. I read my bible every night. I went to Church last weak and the sermon was very powerful. I cried. No shame. Please pray for me! Things are very stressful sometimes. I pray for you guys every night.” This sounds very bad but I have always assumed Michael just would never really put that much effort into his relationship with God. Now he is proving me so wrong and look at this dude!!! Michael just adds many reasons why I look up to him. For him to turn to God when things are tough for him is just another reason. I believe every. single. thing. about Michaels story is just so God driven. I cannot wait to see him and to watch him grow more spiritually with his relationship with God, in himself, and in his career. A proud sister is an understatement.
My parents- Kim and Mike Wells are my parents. I get a lot of my personality from my mom like my ability to just talk to people, my energy, and my ability to tan easily (sorry Michael that you got dads side of that). My mom in my opinion is the epitome of selfless. She is always doing things for other people and never herself. I definitely take after her in having a hard time saying no to people. My mom is also sometimes sassy which I also get from her. However, she is sweetest person and has a heart of gold.
My dad is just an overall great guy. I get a lot of the way I handle things from my dad. When we are both upset we like to be left alone and not be spoken to. My dad is someone who is always chill is the best way to put it. I feel like I haven’t ever seen him super overwhelmed or stressed out. He takes everyday one step at a time, which I really admire and wish I could do the same. My dad also loves a good movie, which I take very much after him.
My family is very lucky because my dad was in the Navy, but we never had to move around and fortunately lived in the same house my whole life. My mom was born in Spain, lived in the Philippines, and then lived in Virginia Beach. My dad was born in Florida, grew up in North Carolina, lived in Bahrain for a year, and has lived in Virginia Beach. He travels everywhere for work and one of his favorite places is Japan.
Japan, so far away from Virginia Beach. So different from life here in the United States, and would have never crossed my mind anyone I know would call that home. Like I said earlier though, God has a funny way of making things happen.
When I leave for the World race about 2-4 months after my mom and dad are leaving and living in Japan for 3 years. To me this is crazy because a couple months ago my dad got an offer to move to Japan and my mom instantly said no. Now here we are. My parents are really brave for doing this. To get up and leave everything they are comfortable with to settle down for a few years in somewhere new. Now I know this makes my dad so happy because he loves Japan, especially the curry and the sushi. I know it is hard for my mom to think about, because it is so not what she had planned and doesn’t realistically know all the logistics. I believe God is working through my family hard though. My dad prayed, and prayed, and prayed about this and it just seemed like everything felt right. Michael will be in the Navy and has a job and will be taken care of. I will have graduated and will be on the World Race. My brother Tyler is moved out and has a good job. There isn’t much reason for my parents to stay when they have such a good opportunity in front of them. I believe this was also so perfectly timed from God. How everything kind of fell in such a perfect way for my parents to not have any reasons to be like “well I don’t know if we should go because of …”
Myself- I am leaving to go on the World race another God driven thing happening in the Wells family.
To me it is really crazy that when Michael was home it was probably the last time my family would be living under the same roof forever. I mean Michael has a job now. My parents are living in Japan for 3 years. When I come home from the World Race I have to find somewhere to live; and when my parents get home I will be 21 so maybe I will have my own place by then. By the series of events that have happened in my family I have finally just realized to stop trying to plan what is going to happen next. However, I know that if God is in control then it will all work out. I ask for continuous prayers for my family. With Michael and the navy, for Tyler and just smooth transition when we all leave, for my parents and the move to Japan, and for me with the World race. I cannot wait to see how God is with us through all of this.
Love always,
Melanie
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declared the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
