Family Life...

I have a very loving family who has supported me through thick and thin in everything I do. I have one sister who is 10 years older than I and her name is Suzanne Michelle Wallace. My sister and I are very close. We talk all of the time even though we are at very different points in our lives. We are always there for each other no matter what. Unlike many other siblings, we rarely fight or argue. We have a strong relationship now and I'm sure it will continue.

Sue and I in Jan. of 2006

Sue has been married for the past 10 years and has three beautiful children. My niece Brianna Lynn Wallace, who happens to be 10 years younger than I, is like a sister to me. It is an odd thing, but my niece is 10 years old, I am 20 years old and my sister Sue is 30 years old, so it is always easy to remember the ages of us. I have two nephews who are wonderful, Gregory David, 5 years old and Christopher Brian Wallace, 4 years old. All three children call me Aunt Fish. When Gregory was very young and beginning to speak, he was unable to say Chris, and it came out as Fish. Ever since then, Aunt Fish has been my name to them, and I love it. My entire family even refers to me like that to all three kids. Bri, Greg, Chris, and I have a lot of fun together. Brianna especially looks up to me. For her kindergarten class, she brought in pictures of my favorite stuffed animal, and I, and always talks about how she wants to go to Elmira College like her Aunt and be her roommate. I love it; I have the time of my life with all three of them.

Gregory, Christopher, and Brianna

I live with my mother, Sharon. My father, Paul, and my step-mother, Shirley, live a few neighborhoods away. The three f them have made huge impacts on my life. My mother and I travel a lot. For as long as I can remember, we have gone on vacations each spring and summer. A tradition on my mother's side of the family is to travel to Cape Cod, Mass. We holiday there almost every summer. My mother and I love to do as much as we can while vacationing; we are not the type of people to just bum around and relax, we like to go go go and have fun!! We have done everything from the typical siteseeing and shopping, to scuba diving, parasailing, to hiking to see volcanoes. think our favorite vacation would have to be Hawaii. We have traveled there twice and I went with a class in 2005. All three trips were different and exciting.

My mom and I at Hanauma Bay, in Oahu, Hawaii in the summer of 2004

My father and step-mother keep me active in my everyday life. We golf at least a few times each week during the summers, go fishing, and just hang out and play cards. They both have influenced my academics greatly, lways making sure that I push myself and be the best that I can be. My father and have always been close, and my mother says that I am a "daddy's girl". Maybe that is just a little true!!

My dad and I in 2004 at my sister's birthday party

I owe a lot to each and everyone of my family members. They keep me strong and have taught me how to become a well rounded individual, but more importantly, how to become an individual.