Lent 2014 - Day 23 - Food

Food

I love good food.  Unfortunately it shows, but I'm working on that.  Whenever we go someplace Deane and I try to eat food we can't get at home.  This last weekend was a wonderful opportunity for that!

I ate flat-bread pizza with smoked salmon, cream fresh, mozzarella and caviar for lunch on Friday. It was delicious! Deane had a Drunken Goat flat-bread pizza that had sausage and goat cheese and Merlot.  It was good too, but I won.

We do that; compete to see who picked the best dish.  It's fun and it means we get to share.

For dinner on Friday night, our friends Mike and Karen took us out to a steak place called Pittsburgh Blue.  It w was AMAZING!  The photo above was my meal, Filet Oscar.  Petite filet cooked medium rare with asparagus and a crab cake on top, smothered in Bearnaise sauce. We had stuffed mushrooms and loaded  mashed potatoes as sides.  And bread, can't forget the bread!  A nice Cabernet to wash it all down.
For dessert (as if there was any room) we had Red Velvet cake with wonderful cream cheese frosting and Key Lime pie. Love.

Going out for nice meals like this is about much more than the food.  It's an experience.  Good atmosphere, nice service, great company.  I love it when a meal takes a few hours to get through because you're busy talking and drinking it all in.  It gives you time to slow down and savor the conversation, company and the food.  It's about much more than the calories consumed, it's about the time spent together doing something enjoyable.

I like to cook too, when I have time to do it right, which, unfortunately isn't very often.  Sharing food is a way to share love and there's nothing wrong with that!

So, eat up and enjoy!

Lent 2014 - Day 22 - How I Met Your Father

How I Met Your Father

It was Spring Break of my Sophomore year at the U of I.  I was 20. My then boyfriend was out of town for the week and I went to my favorite campus bar, Eddies to hang out with some friends. 

Eddies had two levels of seating and I was at a table with some friends on the lower level.  This guy on the upper level kept trying to get my attention.  I was doing my best to ignore him.  Suddenly, I heard the guy call me by name. 

Now, I knew no one I was with would have told this guy who I was, so I was quite surprised.  I looked up and saw a girl I had gone to high school with sitting at a table with the guy who was harassing me, and this other really cute guy.  She was not someone I expected to see at Eddies, and in fact I hadn't seen her since high school, so I went up to talk to her.

When I got to her table she introduced me to her friends, Dave and Deane.  Dave, the guy who'd been pestering me all night, turned to me and said "Your eyes, they're so (wait for it!), dark!" and I believe I said something to the effect of "And you're so full of sh@@!".

We ended up hanging out as a group, some of my friends and Dave and Deane and the girl I went to school with.  It was a strange evening but an important one, as it was the day I met your father.  

Deane and I started dating about two months later.  Dave is still one of Deane's closest friends, even though he now lives hundreds of miles away.  I no longer think he is full of anything bad am very grateful to him for pestering me so much that fateful night!

Dave actually took this picture of us, it's one of my all time favorites!

Lent 2014 - Day 21 - Change

Change

I want to talk about changes in life, not money, but often we overlook the small changes that add up to big ones so I think it's a valid metaphor.  Anyway, it's my blog and I can do what I want!

Change is hard for most people, whether its big or small its almost always challenging.  I've gone through a lot of changes in the last few years and I like to think its what keeps life interesting.  for example, if I wasn't open to change we would have never hosted Wolf and that would have been terrible.  

Recently many people close to me have had to grapple with change.  Changes in work, changes in friends, changes in where or how they live.  Its harder for some than it is for others. Those that are successful are those who embrace it, work with the good and use it to over come the bad. Its all in the attitude.

To make change work you must stay true to yourself.  You can take other people's advice, but you can't let them make decisions for you. Pretending to be something you're not just to keep other people happy, or so you don't rock the boat may work for a short while, but it won't make you happy.  You must work to make changes that are good for you and yours.

Life is what you make of it.  Don't get short changed! Wasting time worrying about changes you can't control is useless; better to put your energy into making positive changes in your life.

Lent 2014 - Day 19 & 20 - Noah

Optimus Prime Noah Marcus "silent" Wolf Schaumburg

When your mother told me she was pregnant with you I was so excited I screamed! It's a wonder the whole neighborhood didn't find out!

We did know if you were a boy or a girl for awhile, so Deane and Julian started calling you Optimus Prime.

Wolf wanted to be sure he was part of your life too, so he lobbied to have his name added in.  Your mother said the Wolf would be silent, but we could say it was there.

You have been loved since before you were born.  Our families are one now that you are here.

Being your Godparents is something that Deane and I take very seriously.  We are so honored.  To be clear, that means that Julian and Cora are your family now too, as if there was ever a doubt.

Your Uncle Deane will teach you to be mischievous and geeky, kind and giving and to love children and dogs.

Julian will be your protector and will wrestle with you, chase you and catch you when you fall.

Cora will teach you compassion, to sing and cook and to be fearless.

I am your Auntie Cee and you will melt my heart every time you call my name (just like your sister Lilly does).  I will be there to watch over you, cheer you on, encourage you to try new things, cuddle you and dust you off.  And if you and Lilly promise not to tell your mom, you may have cake whenever you like!

Lent 2014 - Day 18 - Baptism

Baptism

I was baptized on June 16th, 2009 at the First Lutheran Church in Paxton.

This was something I struggled with for a very long time.  Julian finally put it into perspective for me by saying "What's the big deal, just do it!"  In other words, "Get out of your own way Mom and accept the truth."  After that, it seemed simple.

Deane was raised Lutheran and so have we raised our children.

My mother was raised Catholic and is now Episcopalian.  My father is Jewish.  I was raised to not believe in religion.  When I was young, neither of my parents practiced any faith.  They have since both gone back to church / temple.  My half siblings all grew up in faith.  I had to get there on my own.

My husband helped me get there, he helped a lot.  He was very patient and never pushy.  He led by example.  Then, one day, we met this great guy who also turned out to be my husband's Pastor.  It was a bit of a revelation for me that a Man of God could also be a regular man. One who liked Star Trek, motorcycles and wine.  He helped me get the rest of the way there.

Now, I'm working on learning and growing my Faith, something I'm sure I'll be doing the rest of my days.

Tomorrow I will have the honor of becoming a Godmother for the first time.  I can't begin to tell you how much this means to me.  To have people pick you to become part of their family, to be asked to help raise their child, there is no greater honor.  This, among many other things, is one of the greatest rewards my new found Faith has brought me.  I can hardly wait to see what will come next!

Lent 2014 - Day 17 - Astrid

Astrid

My silly little "broken" dog!  She sleeps like this all the time, it looks so uncomfortable!  Astrid is a dog of many names:

• Baby Girl
• Spazy Pants
• Broken Dog
• Little Dog
• Prancey Pants

Astrid is our female German Shepherd.  She's just over 60lbs of pure muscle.

Astrid loves Gunnar more than anything.

Astrid loves to run, and man is she fast!

Astrid likes to chase the laser pointer dot.  This drives Gunnar nuts.

Astrid is spoiled.  She likes to sleep on our bed, until we move our feet and sneaks up onto the couch when we're not home.

Astrid is very protective.

Astrid does not like remote control toys, she tries to kill them.

Astrid does not give lots of kisses.

Astrid is a great mom! She still likes it when her pups come to visit.

Astrid does not like guns.  She hides in the truck when we go shooting.

Astrid has terrible farts!  She's been known to wake herself up with the stink of them.

Astrid is our sweetie.  She and Gunnar are such a perfect pair.  It's really wonderful to see how much they love each other.

Lent 2014 - Day 16 - Marvin

Marvin

I found out today that a friend's mother passed away.  It made me think of Marvin, my Father-in-Law. Marvin left us a few years ago, but the memories he gave us will never go away.

Some of my fondest memories of Marvin:

Upon our first meeting, him asking me if I had learned to shuck corn seeing as how I was from New York City. I had.  I passed that first test.

Hanging wallpaper in my dining room while he was trying to quit smoking!

Coming home to find a dining room set, a deep freezer, a dresser, or whatever piece of furniture we were currently in need of in my garage; he'd picked it up at an auction for a song.

Borrowing his '74 Mustang and driving it around when I was 9 months pregnant with Julian.

Him getting down on his hands and knees in his kitchen and trying to teach Julian to crawl.

Him teaching me how to drive a tractor, run a log splitter and a chain saw.

Him teaching the kids how to warm their hands over a campfire.

Him teaching the kids to drive in his Cushman cart.

The greatest compliment he ever paid me: "You're handier than a pocket on a shirt!" Given while siding our garage.

Dancing with him.  He was a great dancer.

Marvin was a wonderful soul.  He had a great sense of family, a gift he gave to us all.

He is deeply missed.

Lent 2014 - Day 15 - Being Connected

Being Connected

I think we can all pretty much agree that technology is awesome, when it works! 

Take for example, the fact that I could go along with my daughter as she shopped in Florida today.  Through text messages and photos I was able to share in the experience from my office in Illinois.  It made me miss her, but I think it made her miss me less.  It was pretty awesome.

Today I also shared one of my all time favorite Bill Cosby (Chocolate Cake) skits with my kids.  They've heard us reference it many times, but I'm not sure they'd ever seen it before.  Now, if I could just track down a clip of his "Jesus Christ and Dammit" skit, my day would be complete!

I'm using technology right now to talk to the tens of you who read my posts. I use it at work to well, have a job really.  It's all pretty awesome.  Except when it isn't.

It isn't awesome at the dinner table.

It really isn't awesome in the movie theater or at a play (except when you're texting your daughter as she's trying to find the right gate for her connecting flight in Atlanta and she's all by herself, then, it's awesome as long as it's done discretely).

I guess I'd have to go with it's not awesome anytime it prevents people from communicating, especially in person.

It is awesome when one person in your family lives overseas and you want to see them but can't be there in person.

It can be a detractor, even when we think it's enhancing the experience.  Sometimes we get so caught up in sharing an experience we forget to experience it. Experience it first, share it later. Don't get distracted by all of the technology and information around you and lose sight of the people and things right in front of you.

Let technology enhance your life, not dominate it.

Lent 2014 - Day 14 - Vote!

Vote!

The right to vote in an election is huge!  The fact that we, as a nation, can go to the polls peacefully and vote for those we wish to represent us in our governments, voice our opinions about taxes and referendums is truly one of the things that makes our nation great. The system isn't perfect, but it's pretty good.  I do wish we (in Illinois) didn't have to vote a "straight" ticket in the primary elections, and I find the whole Electoral College thing terribly confusing, but over all I am thrilled with the ability to vote.

If you are an American Citizen and you are over 18 I certainly hope you voted today.  If you didn't you not only forfeited your right to have a say in the elections, you have also forfeited your right to complain about the results of said elections.

Think about it for a minute. We don't have to risk our lives to voice our opinions. There are no armed guards at our polling places.  We don't have to dip our thumbs in ink once we've voted.  Anyone who is a citizen of our country and 18 years old can vote.  How cool is that!?!

People died to give us this right and people are dying still to protect it.  Do not disrespect them!  Get out there and VOTE!

Lent 2014 - Day 13 - Gunnar

Gunnar

Gunnar Valentine VonGeiken, to be exact, i our male German Shepherd.  He weighs just under 100 lbs, has a very loud and very deep bark and is a total sweetie pie!

Gunnar can pop a basketball in one bite.

Gunnar loves to chase tennis balls, but his favorite toy of all time is a Jolly Ball.  He will chew on a Jolly Ball until he has completely removed it's handle.  It becomes his life's work when he gets one.

Gunnar eats rawhides.

Gunnar adores babies!

Gunnar hates fireworks and thunder but doesn't mind gunfire.

Gunnar tries to retrieve clay pigeons.  This is not a good thing.

Gunnar gets jealous when Deane and I hug.  He will push his way in between us.

Gunnar sleeps at the bottom of the stairs where he can see every door into/out of the house.

He has the softest ears!

He will lean against my legs so that I can't walk and must scratch his back.

Gunnar loves CBR (canine belly rub).

Gunnar is the Big Dog and he likes to chew on the Little Dog (Astrid).

Gunnar is madly in love with Astrid.

Gunnar is the best dog anyone could ask for!

Lent 2014 - Day 12 - Involvement

Involvement

Deane has always said that if he didn't want to be involved in his kid's lives, he wouldn't have had kids.  I tend to agree with him.

While I don't consider us Helicopter Parents (at least I really hope we're not), I would say we are very involved parents.  We always have been.  We volunteered at our kid's pre-schools, worked with them in Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, supported them with the parent's groups dedicated to various sports and school activities, (cross country, band, chorus, post prom) and theater, and serve as youth leaders in our church.  Along the way, we became involved in the lives of many other children as well, what a gift that has been!

We are no longer as involved in Julian's life, as he is moving more into adulthood and a life of his own. However, we have fostered shared interests over the years and are enjoying participating in activities as more of a peer now.  It's pretty awesome really!

We still have a few years of active participation left with Cora as she finishes up High School.  We seem to be milking it for all it's worth.  She is involved in more activities than her brother was and we are right there with her.  

We are enjoying the ride, even though it is often very hard work involving long hours.  To be able to help these kids be successful, to see them grow and share their talents with the world, is truly a wonderful thing. We have built friendships with other involved parents, nurtured kids who's parents are absent (for many reasons) and supported teachers and other leaders who need all of the help they can get.

I can't recommend it enough. Get out there.  Get involved. What you get out of it will be so much more than what you put into it.  It will be worth all of the frustration, sore feet and lack of sleep.  One smile, one triumph, one proclamation of "That was the best _______ EVER!" from joyful kids is better than a thousand nights sitting on the couch in front of the TV.

Lent 2014 - Day 11 - Show Choir

Show Choir

Heading home after spending the entire day with our daughter's High School Show Choir at a competition. What an awesome group of kids. 

These kids are very talented and fun. It was a long and exhausting day, but by no means was it boring. Our kids are never any trouble.  They don't really need much in the way of chaperons. They need the odd word of encouragement, and help finding their shoes, but are always well behaved. 

It was a joy to be a part of this day of theirs. I'm looking forward to more over the next few years. First, I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep!

Lent 2014 - Day 10 - My Marriage

My Marriage

My marriage is very important to me. I am very fortunate to have what I consider to be an excellent one.  I'm not trying to brag here, I know we are some of the lucky ones.

My parents divorced when I was nine.  My mother went on to marry and divorce 2 more times before I finished college.  My father remarried when I was 12 and is still married.

Deane's parents were married for over 60 years, until his father passed away.

I knew I wanted to get married, but wasn't in a hurry to do so.  Deane and I were together for three and half years before we married on December 22, 1990.  It was two weeks before my 24th birthday; Deane was 25.

It was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Marriage is hard work.  We have had our ups and downs and have been faced with many challenges.  I think each challenge makes us stronger.  We are not the same people we were 24 years ago, thank goodness!  Wouldn't it be boring if nothing ever changed!

Some of the best compliments my husband has ever given me are "You are so much fun!" and "You are always surprising me!"  I think it's wonderful that after all of these years we are still learning about each other; still trying new things and enjoying life together.

Deane has always been there for me.  He makes me stronger.  He makes me laugh.  He pushes me and catches me and even carries me. I do the same for him.

We are a good team.  We read each other's thoughts and finish each other's sentences.  We get frustrated and fight and push each other's buttons. We know what will make each other happy or sad and do our best to stay happy.

We work hard.  We play hard. Mostly, we do things together.

I'm a little worried about what will happen for us in the next chapter of our lives as our children will be on their own soon.  I'm sure we'll figure it out.  It will take some adjusting.  It will take some work.  We will do it together.

Lent 2014 - Day 9 - Wolf

Wolf

Last year we had the honor of hosting a young man from Germany in our home.  It was one of the best decisions we ever made!

Wolf is the son/brother we didn't know we had, but are sure glad we got to meet!

Wolf finds joy in meeting new people and trying new things.  We got to learn so much about ourselves by introducing him to our lives.

Wolf has more clothes than most teenage girls!

Wolf can eat more (5 double bacon cheeseburgers at one sitting) than anyone I have ever met!

Wolf is a perfect fit in our family.

Wolf is quite the Rock 'n Roll star when given the chance.

Wolf plays a mean cow bell!

Wolf learned the true meaning of friendship while in Paxton.

Wolf is very thoughtful,  very slow to anger and cares deeply.

Wolf likes to party!

Wolf has a great appreciation for all kinds of music, history and movies.

Wolf learned about giving time and helping others and loved it!

Wolf understands the meaning of  "family".

Wolf is greatly missed.

Lent 2014 - Day 8 - Paying It Forward

Paying It Forward

For the last 6 years Deane and I have been the leaders for our Church Youth Group. One of the things we do a lot of is raise money for the group to do things like go to Youth Gatherings and have Lock Ins. Every year during Lent we host a Soup & Sandwich supper at our church for a Free Will Donation. This is one of the major fundraisers for our group.  

This year we decided to shake it up a bit.

This year we decided to split the money we raise 50/50 between the Youth Group and a different person in need or charity each week.  Ok, it was my idea but the kids thought it was a good one.

We do not bring in tons of money.  All of the food is provided by the members of the Youth Group and their families. Tonight we served about 30 people and raised a total of $150. 

Do the math, that's an pretty expensive bowl of soup & sandwich!

We will donate half of it to a local woman who is in the hospital fighting a very serious infection.  It won't pay her bills, but it may pay for parking for her family to visit her, or gas for trips back and forth to the doctor once she gets out of the hospital. It did raise awareness that she is in need and hopefully there will be a ripple effect.

My family received help like this a few years ago and I can't begin to tell you what it meant to us.

We were in need.  I was in the hospital/nursing home for almost 6 months and off work for a year. Family and friends hosted fundraisers for us and we received pretty much exactly the amount of money we needed to keep going.  People also brought us food and groceries, bought my kids their school supplies, paid for their school lunches and left Christmas gifts on our doorstep.

My accident was not the defining moment of my life (I'll talk about that one later), but it definitely had a great impact on us (ha ha, impact, get it?).  All of the good that we received as a result of this bad thing needs to be paid forward. That's what we are trying to do, one bowl of soup, sandwich or whatever at a time.

Go out there, perform a random act of kindness and pay it forward!  You will receive so much more than you give!  It's amazing!

Lent 2014 - Day 7 - Cora

Cora

My baby girl, isn't she beautiful? Just wait until you get to know her, then you really understand how beautiful she is.

Cora is very outgoing.  She is our social butterfly!

Cora worries more about others than she does herself, she is very empathetic.

Cora is a nerd, and proud of it.

Cora loves cosplay, Dr. Who, Star Trek, gaming and cupcakes.

Cora has an amazing voice.

Cora loves children and dogs.

Cora can break easily, she takes other's words to heart.

Cora doesn't like to fight.

Cora is strong.

Cora is a great shot!

Cora has a huge heart.

Cora laughs easily.

Cora makes my heart sing.  She gives me strength. I know she will always be there for me. I can't wait to see what she does with her life.  She brings me joy and I love her.

Lent 2014 - Day 6 - Julian

Julian

What can I tell you about my son, Julian?

He's Awesome! Oh, you want details? Ok!

Julian is cautious, he always has been.  He likes to assess a situation before he jumps into something. This should serve him well as he goes into the field of Criminal Justice.

Julian is generous. He has never been very competitive which means that if someone wants something like being first in line, he's happy to oblige.  Now when it comes to his sister, that's another matter!

Julian is helpful. Whenever someone asks for his help he does his best to be there.  He is also quick to hold open a door for a stranger or help someone struggling with something.

Julian is friendly.  He has always had lots of friends in many different circles.  He can be kind of quite until he gets comfortable with a situation, then look out! 

Julian is loyal.  Once you gain his trust he is your friend for life.

Julian is stubborn and sarcastic.  I have no idea where this comes from!

Julian loves history and cars and firearms.

He is picky about his clothes but not his food.

He loves to travel.

He loves children, always has.

He loves dogs.

Julian appreciates a good sunrise or sunset and will stop and tell others to look at them.

Julian is strong.

Julian appreciates his family and loves them.

Julian is smart.

Julian makes me proud and I love him.

Lent 2014 - Day 5 - Sunday Night Crew

Sunday Night Crew

Almost every Sunday evening this group of kids come over to watch TV with us.  Mainly we watch The Walking Dead, lately we've been turning them on to Firefly too.  It's great.

We all cram together on our TV room couch, eat cookies, drink tea and watch TV.  We talk about all kinds of things and laugh a lot.  We really enjoy their company and wit.  I think they enjoy hanging out with adults who enjoy their company.

I will miss these nights when the kids are grown.  Maybe we'll be able to make friends with other teens, but it won't quite be the same.  I wish I had had a place like this to go when I was their age, I think it would have done me good. I hope they are getting as much out of it as we are.  They keep us sharp and keep us laughing, what more could you ask for?

Lent 2014 - Day 4 - Paxton

Paxton

I love living here!

I love that it takes half an hour to run to the IGA for a gallon of milk because you have to stop and talk to 10 people while you're in the store.

I love that what's going on in our schools is considered front page news in our local paper.

I love the way people look out for each other here.

When I had my motorcycle accident 2.5 years ago, among other things people did for us, for six months people brought dinner to my house everyday.  This was such a huge thing for us. While I was in the hospital it took a huge weight off my husband's shoulders.  Once I got to Heartland, just down the street from our house, it allowed Deane and the kids to bring dinner to me and let us eat together as a family, something we have always tried to do. It meant the world to me. I will never know who all of these people were who provided us with the food, or be able to thank them.  That's ok, they don't care about that, they care about me and my family and that's what matters.

Whenever someone in Paxton needs help the town is there for them and so are we.

I know some people don't like living in small towns because they say too many people get into their business. I have not found this to be the case.  What I have found here are wonderful, giving people who care about each other.

It is a privilege to live here and I have no plans to leave.

Lent 2014 - Day 3 - My Girls

My Girls

I have this amazing group of women I get to call my friends.  Every once in a while, we get together for our Girl's Night In.  They all show up at my house in their PJs or sweats and we sit around eating Chinese take out and drinking wine. Eventually we watch a chick flick or two, while drinking more wine.

It's perfect!

While we're hanging out in our comfy clothes we talk about everything. We discuss the finer points of our relationships, shopping, our kids, food, etc.  It's a safe and warm place where we get to love one another for exactly who we are.  We talk about serious things.  We hug, we cry, but mainly, we laugh.  Sometimes we laugh so hard we pee our pants (anyone got a a dollar bill?).

I am so very lucky to have these women in my life.  They lift me up and hold me close.  I love them all more than I can say. I know they are always there for me, and I'm there for them.  I love that my daughter gets to see how close women can be, even though she thinks we're crazy. We've taught her some very important skills, like how to open a bottle of wine and how to support each other just by being there. I hope that someday she has a group of friends like you and that she can embarrass her daughter the same way.

Thank you ladies, for you make my life better just by being in it!

I think it's time to schedule another Girl's Night In!

Lent 2014 - Day 2 - Home

Home

This is my home.  We bought this house about a year and a half after we got married.  Back then, it was army green with darker green trim.  Over the past 20+ years we have worked hard to make this house our home.  We have remodeled every room, at least once and work on painting the outside of it pretty much every year.

I love this house.

Growing up I moved almost every year. My parents were in Grad School when they had me and we moved around while they finished their degrees.  When I was 9 they got divorced and never lived in the same state after that.  My father stayed in Urbana (he lives in Champaign now), but my mother continued to move about the country.  I would spend one year with one parent, then the next year with the other one.  This continued until half way through my Freshman year of High School, when I decided I'd had enough. 

I chose to stay in Urbana (my mother lived in Fairbanks, AK at the time), because I had more friends there. I lived in the same house then until I graduated from High School; 3 years, the longest I had ever lived in one place in my entire life.

Deane lived in the same house until he moved out to go to college.  His mother still lives in their family home.

Our children have lived in this house their entire lives.  We love to travel, because we have a wonderful home to come back to.

There is still work to be done on this house.  It, like our lives, is a work in progress.  May we never grow tired of it!

Lent 2014 - Day 1 - My Family

My Family

For Lent this year I'm trying something new.  I'm not at all sure I will make it through all 40 days, but I'm going to give it a try.  I am going to post a photo each day of something or someone that is important to me. That alone is a challenge, but the more I thought about it, the more I felt that I should also share WHY the person(s) or thing(s) is/are important to me.

I thought I'd start with the obvious, My Family.  That's easy! Actually, no.  The people in this photo are the most important people in the world to me.  They are the ones who have taught me what the word "family" means.

Growing up my family was small, and disjointed to say the least.  We were not particularly close and many of us didn't really care for each other.  I know my experience is not unique and I'm not complaining, just stating some facts.  I was an only child until I was 16, when my first half-sister was born.  I moved out when I was 18, so I never really got to experience life with a sibling.

When I met my husband I began to learn what family really means.  His family is large, connected and very close (not to mention loud!). It took me a long time to understand why he would want  to spend time with them. It boggled my mind that one would voluntarily go "home" and work on one's parent's or sibling's house, or get together for dinner.  Slowly I learned.  

Family are the people you can count on, related or not, no matter what, to be there for you, love you, laugh and cry with you.  They are there through the good and the bad, when you are at your best and when you are at your worst.  It was amazing!

This is the kind of family my husband and I have tried to build for our kids.  I think it's working.  I am still surprised that my kids want to hang out with us (me).  I love that my college aged son still comes home most weekends, my high school aged daughter still confides in me and my adopted German son shares his life with us from thousands of miles away.

This is my Zombie Apocalypse Team - Deane, Julian, Cora and Wolf, and together we will survive!