Being that it's Friday, I'm going to attempt Family Friday and see if I can't keep it up!
I'm lucky enough to have had the best of both worlds growing up, because I got to reap the rewards of being an only child (well, the only one in my house - I have sisters from my dad's side - a story for another day) but I also got to enjoy the insanity of a multi-sibling family, since I was the second-oldest cousin of MANY MANY cousins, and my youngest uncle was only 10 years my senior and we lived in the same house as children (well, he was 16, but still).
Most of the siblings were off and gone by the time I was cognizant of their existence, but the younger ones have not only been adults in my life, but also quite a lot like siblings of my own. My two aunts have always been close with me and shared details of their lives that are more sisterly than what you might think of as aunt-ish, and even my mom is more like a sister sometimes! My two older uncles are much more like uncles, given their distance and age difference from the younger siblings, but they're still people I'm glad to know.
Most of all , the afore-mentioned youngest uncle is truly more my brother than my uncle. When we were younger he liked to give me Indian Burns and fart on my head (and would probably still do so if given half a chance), and he was soley responsible for my claustraphobia, but he also drove me around and took me to movies with swear words in them and let me hang around when his friends were there and listen to rock n' roll and he had the cutest friends (Keith - my first crush!), and if there's any more proof he's actually some kind of brother, than I don't know what it is! I missed him a lot in the last 10 years or so, he was married to an unfortunate woman who... well, long story short, he wasn't able to be around much. He has since smartly divorced her and is now married to a wonderful woman who I adore. Because, you know, it's *my* opinion that counts.
The funny thing about multiple sibling families is that there are one of *everything* in that family (unless you're the Osmonds). There's the controller, the spaz, the free spirit, the smartypants, the contrarian, the total wingnut... sometimes one or two of those at the same time... it can be alternately infuriating and hysterical but it's never dull! Not only that, most of them have produced equally interesting children, who I'm lucky enough to speak to on a regular basis.
So today I'm just thankful to have that big family, even if the nature of it has changed over the years from one big unit to several little ones, and even if I only really talk to them by email and Facebook messaging... it'll do.
I'll finish up with a photo of my lovely grandmother, because of course without her none of us would be here!
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