Age of Family

        

           There is a continuing cycle in life called "Family", where we become a part of a group either by choice or from birth. And most importantly understanding it WILL change, there is no such Family is a "one size fits all" situation. Certain family members hold together all the relationships, then most often when that one single soul is gone everyone leaves the family structure for something more of their own style. It happens all the time, the cycling of families, the changes, the new and old members coming and going. Family is an AMAZING concept to me it is even more enjoyable to have such family who actually cares about you and want to be around you. My Father-in-law Kelly has been a very caring parent in my life from the first date I went on with his oldest son. He just carried himself in that guiding father way, changing my car tire, looking under the hood and putting up a safety door lock to my new apartment. Helping me move stuff, while making sure I always had something to eat. I never had a Dad who would just call me up to chit chat about nothing and everything, so as I grew into my 20's Kelly became the most amazing Parent I have EVER known. Family will change, adapt and move on into the future I am truly grateful for his example in what it means to be an unconditional loving parent. 

Having such good friendships in the family structure makes going through hard times much easier from the love and support of healing in the "Safe Zone" called Home.

When Dad turned 50 in 2010 we all went on a a week long wine trip family vacation,  my husband turned 30 in the same week. So the birthday boys had such a good time celebrating together! The nights were full of new restaurants, playing board games and drinking newly purchased wines. 
We all road tripped out to California, Dad with his lovely beautiful wife Teresa, and the 4 of us "Kids" His sons and their wives.....we were always referred to as "The kids" which always made me giggle. It was cute to be consider a kid when you reach 30 years old....THAT is why families are rich history and feel often timeless. 
The age of family, getting together every week and sharing in new drink ideas or new food recipes, telling funny stories and dog sitting for each other. Meeting up to see a movie or just drink coffee, going to the farmer's market or watching a play together. Being family is like having an always available friend ready to join you in BBQ afternoons or testing out a new family game! When all 6 of us went on this big vacation I realized these situations were a bit more stressful on some of us in the end. Some people have a desire for more "family time" when others clearly do not. It was a good experience to learn these kind of life lessons. To not take it personal, to understand family is always adjusting and changing over time.....Everyone goes through cycles of time in their own personal life, then sometimes choosing not to even be family anymore. 
I explained to my very upset Husband as he realized what he wanted this trip to be like was not unfolding so easily.

"What I have noticed about this trip is how we are a better family when we only meet up for happy hour during the week instead of spending the whole week together." 
I smiled and shrugged thinking even with all the disagreements or problems unfolding on this vacation, it was still nothing like my own family who would NEVER even take a road trip together to begin with! My husband chuckled shaking his head "I guess we are all trying to figure out what family looks like when you get older." 
The age of family, the stage of time will change everyone once they live through such events together. Family is the light house that brings us all back together through any storm. When we discover it's true value, when we don't take it for granted, our time getting in out of all these "storms in life" along with a good glass of wine makes being a family one of a kind age in our lives!