Friends/Family Sometimes It's All the Same

I am lucky enough to have more family than anyone I know. The past couple weeks I have had one family reunion after another. On my way home for Easter, I spent a night with my ex-family who are and always will be very much my family. We laughed, we reminisced, we shared our family stories. I spent time with great-nephews and nieces, some of whom I'd never met. Then home, for traditional family time--gizzards and beer, catching up, sleepovers, church and Easter dinner--there's no place like home. This past weekend, I met my North Dakota family for our annual reunion - "fantasy vacation". I spent so many years away from home that my North Dakota friends became my family, North Dakota became home. Now their families are my family too. Their kids are growing up and I am so blessed to be their Auntie Kim. While we were enjoying our fantasy vacation, my family expanded with the birth of a great-nephew. How wonderful to share my family experience with my North Dakota family. I am so very blessed that my family has grown as much with geography as with aging. Family/family is all about love! If I'm lucky, mine will just keep growing.