basically an only child

To clarify: I do have a half sister but she is 10 years older than me and spent her time going back and forth between our house and her mom's house and then she went college when I was 8 so I spent a lot of time being the only child.

I'm super close with my parents. Probably closer than most kids are. Don't get me wrong, it hasn't always been this way. I definitely had my rough years in high school where I thought it was cool to be sneaky and that I could get away with lies, it didn't work. Mom's know everything, I don't know how but they do. Every time I heard, "it's going to take awhile for us to trust you again," it hurt. They say lying gets easier but I don't think that phrase ever got easier. Needless to say, I've learned my lesson. My parents know pretty much everything about me and I'm okay with that. In fact, they were some of the first subscribers, thanks Mom and Dad!

I would not be where I am today without them. They've never missed a single thing. From the time I started little kid sports, my dad was always there. Sometimes he was even the assistant coach! I know he did the same for my sister. My mom was always there cheering me on. My dad is the reason I got into sailing. I cannot say I've always loved it, but if it wasn't for him, I probably would not be at the Naval Academy. I know sailing isn't the most common sport but it's the one that I've grown to love and excel in. I was terrible when I started, like so bad that my dad truly wondered if I'd ever get any better. Nonetheless, he spent every weekend driving me to and from regattas and every summer day driving me to practice. I can't tell you how many times I'd prepare my "I'm quitting" speech on the sail in, only to get the tears ready and begin it in the car and then chicken out. I never quit, I'm still sailing...

My dad also went to the Naval Academy; however, I did not grow up around it or the idea of it. Even my own coach told me he saw me at a bigger school. I'm one of those people that likes to do things just to spite other people... If you say, "you can't do that" or "don't do that" I probably will. I had to work hard in high school but it paid off because I got in. My parents were my biggest fans. They still are. They always seemed to know the right amount to push versus when to let me do it on my own. They never said "of course you'll get in!" We all thought it'd be a long shot, prep school at the very least. I can honestly say it was the best decision I've ever made.

I, like every other Mid, hated it at first. Plebe year sucks. I don't know how else to put it. You have no time, classes are hard because it's college, and everyone treats you like you're a child but you're actually 18-19 years old (some are older but that's a different situation). My parents were my rocks the whole time. Also my teammates and my roommates and some childhood friends. I also prepared a quitting speech for school, which I did deliver over the summer during my family vacation to Park City. Alas, I am still at the Naval Academy so that went well.

I go home most weekends that I don't have sailing, and I realize that's a luxury. I am so thankful that my parents live so close to my school. I don't know if I would feel that way if I went to a normal college but in this case I am grateful. When I came home from spring break this year I made the choice to spend my two quarantine weeks in Maine with my boyfriend and his family. This was probably one of the toughest decisions I've ever had to make. I naively thought "oh yeah we'll be back at school in no time." I was choosing to ignore all of the data my dad had given me and everything the news was saying strictly because I felt I could because "I'm an adult." Which is what I said while I stomped my foot like a two year old to my mom. For context, I was a 20-and-a-day years old when we had this conversation. "Are you sure you'd be okay staying up there for like two months?" "Yeah, of course but that won't happen" .... Hi, I'm Kimmie and I'm not afraid to admit how incredibly wrong I was about that. It's been three weeks, going on four. I'm glad his family likes me.

I miss my parents, I really do. I tried to pull the "I'm tough, I'm an adult, I can do this by myself" big girl card. This is getting close to the longest I've been away from them. Yes, plebe summer was six weeks but I still saw them in person creeping around the yard. My youngster cruise was a little more than three weeks... I guess I've talked to them more than that. I know kids my age who go to real college go this long without their parents but at least they could theoretically take a plane or drive or home. I literally cannot get home. No, that doesn't scare me I'm just really missing home.

Please don't get me wrong, I love Soren's family. They have been so nice and hospitable and have taken such good care of me. I am so so thankful for them. I just thought that I would've hated being home and I sometimes think that maybe it wouldn't have been so bad, I don't know I still go back and forth. I do like the human interaction that Soren provides, it's nice to have someone to hangout with but I do miss Bungee.

The original whole point of this was to talk about how this is the first year in my life that I haven't seen either one of my parents on their birthdays. My dad's is March 29th and my mom's is April 4th. I called my dad on his and one of the first things he told me was that he needed a haircut... I just laughed because that's such a minor thing compared to how our world is literally falling apart. I too need a haircut and I need to get my SNS off my nails but I don't know how to do that at home, I should've thought ahead. I've been texting both of my parents nonstop and I've called and Facetimed at least once or twice a week. I guess this is what living away from home is really like.

I'm thankful for Soren because this has been super hard. I don't feel guilty for leaving anymore I just miss home. I don't know when the travel ban or the state borders will open back up but I know I'll be excited. This has been sappier than initially intended. I love my parents and my mom will be getting a call on her birthday too!