Family, it’s just a six-letter word: but to me, it is a word full of meaning. From the moment I was born, my parents showed me with love. I love spending time with my family. Hiking up Mt. Washington, going on a road trip to Las Vegas, camping in Virginia, and playing volleyball in the mud are some of the greatest and most unforgettable memories I have made with them.

The definition(定义)of the word family, in the dictionary, is a group of people related by blood. As I grow older, the definition of family continues to change. I have learned that one can have different types of families. My volleyball team and my lacrosse(长曲棍球)team are two groups of people I consider as family because during each season, they are the ones that I am always around, that can give supports, and that can give a helping hand when needed.

I like to think that my classmates are another type of family. They help me on both schoolwork and homework and explain concepts(概念)that seem foreign to me, like different slang words. They can even make me laugh although I am having one of those days when it seems like the very lousy thing is happening.

The people around me have taught me to always be there for family and that family comes first. From school, to sports, to home, I know that I am not alone, that there is someone there. Without my family and my “extended(延伸的)families”, I don’t know where I would be. I am truly lucky.

It wasn’t a very good week. On Tuesday, Sam’s father lost his job. Then on Wednesday, Sam’s mother said that the rent (房租) on their apartment was going up. It was Friday, and Sam received (收到) an invitation from Rosa to her birthday party.

Sam knew Rosa from Adventure (冒险) Club. He knew he would enjoy Rosa’s party, but he didn’t want to go without a gift. What could he possibly buy her with the little bit of money he had? Sam knew he couldn’t ask Mom or Dad for any money, not this week!

Later that afternoon, Sam went to a second-hand book shop. He had a quick look, and then a book caught his eye. It was a book about women adventurers. “Rosa might like it,” Sam thought, “but could it be good to give her such an old book for her birthday?”

Sam decided that a second-hand gift was better than no gift at all. So with his last dollar, Sam bought the book and went home. He felt a little better.

The party was on Saturday. Rosa opened all her gifts and thanked everyone for the nice things. She stopped when she opened Sam’s gift, but she said nothing. That made Sam wonder if she liked the book, and he felt a little worried.

When Sam got home, he checked his e-mail and found this message from Rosa.