Home for the holidays

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

Family as friends

I never really cared much about my extended family when I was growing up. Looking back, I feel like, in a way, I wasted my 20 years. Now that I’m an “adult” ((or at least pretending to be!)) I am finding that some of my favourite people and friends are folks I’m related to! Who knew?! Lets see…

There’s my family on my mums side…  my aunt Linda is one of the neatest people around! We have so much in common, we always have a good time together. And she’s kind and giving. Pretty much wonderful. And when I was up at her house a month or so ago I got to “re” meet a lot of my family. Her cousins ((which make them my second cousins or something like that)) and other people that I’m not totally sure how I’m related to. I do my best to keep in touch with many of them, because they all live within an hour or so of me, and I really enjoy their company!I have an cousin, or an uncle.. I’m not sure… anyhow he’s been to Israel several times now, and he is very intrigued by the fact that I’m “jewish” and tells me all about the Holy Land! Pretty amazng stuff!

There’s my new-found cousin Robyn, who is a totally rockin’ chick. We talk fairly often about married life and family and photography. Puppies and kittens. All of that. She came to my wedding reception, which was the first time I’d seen her in over 15 years, if ever! Reconnections are amazing! And as of yesterday, I’m in contact with her brother, Everette. We’re fairly close in age, and for a year we were very close in location, though during that year we only saw each other once. Now, however, we email about every day. It’s kind of like meeting a totally new person. I’ve never really know Ev before, and he’s actually a really neat, kind of nerdy, but all around fantastic kid! How cool!!

On me dad’s side… I’ve got this awesome family of family in Newport. The two girls, one a little older and one a little younger than me, are AWESOME! Laurie still lives in Newport, but will be moving to NYC soonish. We’re trying to plan on hanging sometime soonish, since we enjoy eachother and are close to each other. I love her town a lot, and she’s never been to mine, so we’re gonna take turns visiting each other. Yay! Her siste, Megan, is living in Florida now. We’re gonna try to see each other when she’s home for holidays, and at some point, probably a winter some point, I hope to go down to her sunny home and crash with her for a while. AMAZING family! And most of them are close by, which is an amazing thing.

And on my husbands side… As it turns out my sister ((she’s really my sister-in-law, but I choose to drop the “in-law” because it sounds so removed and unfriendly)) has really grown up a lot over the past year. Part of that is she’s just gotten older, and the other part is she’s becoming a mommy! I enjoy talking about family, history, family history, faith, religion, kids, parents, art, music, whatever with her! And also, I’m really excited about being an auntie. I’m flying home in February to be there when she has her baby. Not in the delivery room, mind you, ’cause that’s creepy, but I’ll be there before hand to help take care of her, and I’ll be there after to help take care of her and her baby!

So, those 600 words to say that I love my family!

((By the way, my family family.. the non-extended family… amazing. I have the worlds best mum and dad and sister. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!))