Family.

The importance of family is the overarching theme of "Waiting for Normal." In the story, a family isn't necessarily the people you are born to; it is also the people with whom you surround yourself. Just because a person is related to you doesn't mean they are good family and just because a person isn't related to you doesn't mean they aren't family.

Addie and Mommers are family, but what does that mean? Mommers doesn't take care of Addie the way that Addie takes care of her. She loves Addie, but she is too irresponsible to love Addie in the way the young girl needs to be loved.

Soula and Elliot are family to each other. They are not romantically linked, but they are best friends. Soula and Elliot take care of each other and try to make each other happy. They also become family to Addie, taking...