Family

My name‿ is Henry,│ and‿ I grew up‿ in‿ a close-knit family in‿ a small town near the coast. My parents got married‿ over thirty^thir-dy years‿ ago,│ when they were‿ only twenty^twen-dy. Although they did not have much money in the beginning,│ they have built‿ a comfortable life together,│ an(d) they still live‿ in the same house by the river.

There‿ are three children‿ in my family. My older sister has two children‿ of her‿ own now,│ an(d) she works‿ in‿ a bank,│ so she is‿ always busy. My younger brother‿ is still‿ at college. Las(t) year he broke his‿ arm│ while he was playing soccer,│ an(d) he had to^hadda stop training for three months. My mother‿ is‿ a teacher‿ an(d) my father builds houses,│ like his father│ before (h)im. My brother takes│ after‿ our father:│ he is quiet‿ an(d) very practical.

Every Sunday,│ the whole family gets together‿ at my parents' house. The older generation cooks,│ the younger‿ ones wash the dishes,│ and‿ everybody talks‿ about their week. Of course,│ we sometimes‿ argue about small things,│ but we never leave without saying goodbye. I feel lucky│ that we have so much‿ in common. A family like‿ ours‿ asks for‿ a bit‿ of responsibility from‿ everybody,│ and‿ I think‿ it‿ is worth‿ it.