~Desmond Tutu
My own little family - here in our little house - the six of us - make up more love than can ever be written on a valentine. My kids are incredible! They are smart, funny and good looking! I enjoy being with them."Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future." ~Gail Lumet Buckley
The family I grew up in is crazy. There are eight kids living - we are very spread out in age - 23 years seperate the oldest and the youngest. We never all lived at home at the same time. But when we are all together it is GOOD TIMES! All five of my brothers are fun to be around, some are more quiet than the others, some think that being mean is funny even after all of these years, some are just so hilarious that even thinking about them makes me laugh. I know that any one of my brothers would take me in, nurse my wounds, and make me happy just like they did when I was just the bratty little sister.
"Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family." ~Anthony Brandt
My two sisters are both amazing women whom I admire and look up to. My oldest sister, Susan, has been like a cool young mom to me. My own mom was older when I was a teenager and Susan would always let me come hang out with her and her family. She is a strong, loving and generous person. My other sister Lynda is such a good mom to her kids. All of her kids are so well mannered and talented and wonderful. Lynda has always made the best of every situation and done it with a smile and a sense of humor."We cannot destroy kindred: our chains stretch a little sometimes, but they never break." ~Marquise de Sévigné
My parents made for us the kind of home where we all knew we were loved. They never let us go a day without a hug or an "I Love You". We each felt like we were the favorite. We all craved their attention and somehow they gave it out judiciously. I am constantly inspired by the way they taught us that family was first, dinner together is important and making memories creates a legacy of love. When my dad died, it was my privilege to collect memories from each of the kids; we made a lot of memories together as a family. "The informality of family life is a blessed condition that allows us to become our best while looking our worst." ~Marge Kennedy
I married into an equally impressive family. My in-laws are so much younger than my parents - they are the same age as my two oldest brothers. When we first got married, Alan had a 3 year old brother! Both my mother-in-law and father-in-law are close to their families so Alan grew up with tons of cousins and aunts and uncles around. I didn't - this was a whole new culture for me. I love it! I love all of his family. Alan's mom is a rock! He has three brothers whom I adore and one sister that I feel such kinship with - I think we were meant to be blood sisters and grow up together. I love you Jen!
"The only rock I know that stays steady, the only institution I know that works is the family." ~Lee Iacocca
When Alan's parents divorced, his dad remarried and brought even more family in to our lives. We love his wife, DeAnn and all that she has brought in to our family mix.
"In time of test, family is best." ~Burmese Proverb
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2 comments:
Aww --that's so sweet! Thank you for a glimpse into your family.
Family is the best! My siblings and I laugh when we get together and I laugh when I think about them too. Sometimes when we IM each other, my kids gather around to find out why I am laughing out loud at my computer, and they read it- but they don't understand why I am laughing. They will never understand the jokes go back 25 years or more and they will never 'get' them, but that just makes it even funnier to us.
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