I've Got All My Sisters *And Brother* With Me

Since this is a relationship/life blog, it just makes sense for me to dedicate at least one post to the relationships that start 9 months before you are born: relationships with your family members!

Those who don't know me very well probably don't know that I have a gigantic family.  Like, huge.  It all started out with my five older siblings (names have been changed for legal/privacy reasons...)

And now, we're this: (You may ask why there are cookies with bodies in this picture.  To protect the innocent, I turned certain munchkins into aliens to respect the privacy of them and their parental units.)

I'm lucky to come from a very tight-knit family.  Even though we are all grown up now and have our own lives, jobs, and families (and some even live way out in cowboy nation, Texas) we still have those times when we all get together and laugh constantly. 

My bridal shower was the first time in 6-7 years we were all together, so it was a great day! (That's when these pictures happened) 

And since I've gotten married, I've realized even more how much I love my family. I mean, without them, I never would have had these experiences:

• Being carried around on a pillow when I broke my leg at age two
• Learning the Funky Chicken (See Fig. 1.1 below)
• Solving mysteries such as Mr. Klaw
• Breaking into my own house with my siblings when the parentals were gone

Fig. 1.1 The Funky Chicken

Our families are the starting force that shape us into who we eventually become.  I have recently discovered that I am basically the same as my mother, and I just happened to marry someone who has a lot in common with my father. Everyone in my family also has the same sense of humor and we tend to all be interested in the same sorts of things. (And by that, I mean we all care deeply about me.  Because I'm the Princess.  And also my parents' favorite.)

Proof that we all think the same: A game involving me, my mom, brother, sister, and sister-in-law.

Because I don't get to see my family very often, I cherish the times I do.  And while there may have been phases when I was younger in which I wished I was an only child, I know nothing could replace all the fun memories I have with my family. 

As I've gotten older the relationships in my family have changed.  When I was younger, because of the big age gaps between me and everyone else (6 years- 13/14 years, don't ask for exact math) I didn't really relate to what my siblings were going through.  But now that we're all adults, I've found that we're all very similar.

And I'm glad to know that once I start having kids (give it like at least 6 years, yall) they will be surrounded by a plethora of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, great grandparents, and anyone else that I'm missing, from my side and Blake's side, who are all very loving and supremely weird.  

Our family, circa April 2014.  Ignore my hair.