Family

Twice this past week I've gotten to spend some time with my co-worker, Cassie's family at two of her brothers' soccer games. I have to admit I have always envied my friends who have large close-knit families - especially those who have several siblings and/or cousins. My sister and I grew up as the only grandchildren. We had no first cousins, and only a handful of second cousins (most of whom were older by at least 5 years). Plus, you factor in the fact that my mom wasn't too keen on us spending hardly any time with any of our relatives if she could avoid it - and well is it any wonder I envy my friends with all those built in playmates!

Thankfully, God has provided me with several surrogate families throughout the years. First, it was the Morenos. Melissa and I became fast friends in elementary school, and I loved going over to her house where she had two older sisters and an older brother, and then she also ended up with an adopted younger brother. Next, it was the Hemphills. Robin and her family moved across the street from me when we were both in the 7th grade. I was soon invited to their weekly family dinners on Friday evenings which usually included both of her mom's sisters and their families, and both sets of grandparents. Usually, they would go to Larry's Original Mexican restaurant or have dinner at one of the families' homes since everyone lived within nearly 5 minutes of each other! I particularly loved it when we had breakfast-for-dinner :) Often the weekends would be spent with her family at either her brother's or one of her cousins' baseball games. One year, I even went with them on their family vacation on a house boat at Lake Travis. The next family that seemed to adopt me and my sister was the Altendorfs. This occurred around the time I was in college, and I became good friends with all three of their children. It has practically become tradition for Wendy and I to spend New Year's Eve at their home chowing down on fajitas, destroying gingerbread houses, and playing Nertz, Mexican Train, or Spades. And now that I'm up in Kentucky, Cassie has been inviting me to many of her family's events: first their Easter lunch, and now soccer games :)

I think it would be fun to marry into a family like the ones I've been blessed by. And one day, I hope to have a family of my own with three - maybe four kids - and hopefully my sister will pull through in the cousins department ;)