We are Family!

There were almost eighty people at our family reunion.  It was so good to see my family again.  I had forgotten just how great they are.  There was so much food that I got up at 5am to go for a walk to counterbalance yesterdays overindulgence!

Our family has had a tough few years.  We have gone through a lot more than just our struggles with addiction.  And, we've worked very hard to put things right.  It has required massive change on every one's part.  When you change, it is painful and long.  It feels as if you will never escape the consequences of your bad decisions.  You find that you begin to expect things to be hard.  Until one day when one little thing changes.  One little thing that perhaps you never expected to happen.....happens and it gives you hope!  Maybe you can begin to hope for more.

And so, this is how things have been around our house.  We've accepted (finally) the bad and are now summoning the courage to hope again.  Yesterday, we went to our big family reunion.  I have five brothers and sisters.  We took a picture together and as I was telling my older brothers (I'm the baby!) where to stand, and my daughter heard them say that I was so bossy.  It occurred to me that I am bossy.  I'm bossy because they let me be.  They made me think I was "all that".  They made me feel invincible.  So, just as you go home and slide right back into that brother/sister role so easily.  I was also able to slide right back into that spot of being loved so much.

My kids felt it too.  For heavens sakes I will even go so far as to say that the dogs did too.  I kid you not, they didn't want to leave and they always want to go home!  The Son could not stop commenting on what a great time he had.  Both Little and Big Sister loved hanging with all of their "big" cousins who now have a lot in common with them.  We're all getting older.  We are starting to appreciate the value in a families love.....more than ever before.  We have learned to accept each other warts and all.

My sister rented one of those big blow up water slides.  The kids (big and small) loved it.  But, as the day wore on, many of the "littles" came off of it crying that a sibling or cousin hit, kicked or bumped into them.  My favorite quote from the day was, "you're not at school, we're family just hit them back." 

And, that is what we do as a family.  We love back.  We hit back.  We stick up for each other but at the end of the day, we work it out and can't wait to see each other next time. 

I'm so thankful for family.  They were just the thing we needed to remind us of the good things.  And, I'm still praying for all of our addicted loved ones!