31 Days: Crazy Families are the Most Fun

I'm really excited about this 31 Days post!

It's all about family, right? Yes, it is!

So, you have to MEET my family, don't you agree?

Two and half years ago, my beautiful niece, Kaley, got married.  

It was a very non-typical extra super deluxe hot summer, and she had an outdoor wedding. 

I love this girl so much that my husband and I, along with the 3 boys, set up a good portion of the tables, chairs, and other structures.  

Did I mention it was super fantastic hot?

So hot that I got the worst sunburn of my entire life.

My legs swelled up to twice their normal size because of it. 

Uh huh. 

I love this girl.

She's pretty awesome. 

AND, she's my guest blogger today!

She's sharing what it's like being a girl in this slightly neurotic family of ours.

Isn't she cute?

And, here she is!

Prepare to giggle....

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Standing at a grocery store checkout at 9pm one night I looked at my husband and gasped, “WHERE’S ANNAH?”

At that moment I turned around to see a look of terror in the eyes of the store employee who obviously assumed from my minor panic attack that Annah was A) a small child or B) an elderly, Alzheimer’s patient, but no. She’s my 23 year old, responsible, self sufficient, educated, beautiful, younger sister.

“I’m right here.” Annah said looking at me with sheer disgust at my ridiculous fear that something had happened to her in the 5 minutes that we had been standing there at the checkout counter.

My husband just looked at me and rolled his eyes as he continued to checkout while I immediately burst into laughter.

Growing up I probably had the most over-protective parents a person can have. Yes, we were allowed to function as normal children and adolescents, but before every outing we always knew we were going to get an earful of advice, suggestions, do’s and don’ts before we were allowed to sally-forth. These talks included things like, having to wear a helmet to a tricycle race in pre-school all the way to the dreaded ‘It only takes one time and you could get hurt…’ talk Dad gave us countless times before getting behind the wheel of a car as teenagers.

My parents could be a little overboard in their protective measures sometimes, but to tell you the truth, they weren't the only ones. As a girl in our family, you could always count on Gran to warn you, “Don’t make eye contact…” when dealing with less than desirable strangers. And NONE of kids can forget the time when driving through a small town in a nearby state, Gran told us to all close our eyes until we got out of the town due to “known accounts of witchcraft.”  Not to mention countless talks about being sure to go to the First Baptist Church before any other churches when we went to college because there was a good chance that they weren’t going to be a cult. I promise Gran isn't crazy, but from the day we were born she has worried about our souls and salvation probably more than the Pastor.

Although my sister isn't as “cautious” as some of us, I know she still worries about me. When I began dating as a teenager she used to sit up in her room waiting to hear if I made it in on time worrying that if I missed curfew I wouldn't be allowed to date anymore. I’m not sure, but I think she was looking out for her future interests. And then there was the aunt that threatened to clean-the-clock of a boy that broke my heart when he failed to ask me to a school dance.

So from these accounts it’s easy to see why I might be just a little overprotective when it comes to my baby sister. My dad always told us that no matter what, you take care of each other because all we have is each other. Yes, it can be a little embarrassing at times to be so protective of one another, but as I start my own family, I hope to pass that protective nature and instinct on to my children. I’m so glad through this dangerous, scary, witchcraft wielding world, I know I’m covered with a slew of aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, siblings, parents and a star of a husband to lookout for me. Isn't that what family’s for? 

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Yes, the Gran she refers to is my Mom, and I'm pretty sure I was the one that offered to clean some boys clock for her. Never mind that she ended up marrying him. (He's pretty awesome, too, by the way. He's the cutie patootie in the picture with her.)

Families are a tad more fun when they're a little crazy, aren't they?

Isn't yours?