i love my family

scenic hike in AZ

I went to a family wedding this month in Arizona and I've come back with 2 main emotions;

1. I feel really refreshed and pumped full of genuine love from the people who had a huge part in raising me. I laughed so hard I *cried* more than once in 48 hours--what an awesome, awesome feeling.

2. I feel incredibly homesick and nostalgic for my world back east. Spending a short but fairly intense amount of time with my family reminded me of how powerful our bonds are and how deeply I value them in my life as not just blood relatives but also as friends.

I loved being teased about the length of my dress (yep, totally on the short side, which I didn't remember it being until it was out of my bag and onto my body...my bad!); I don't think anyone besides an Aunt can get away with saying "c'mon, hoochie mama, let's dance!" (and dance this hoochie mama did).

I loved my mom being asked "how did she get so goofy?!" after I teasingly tried to get my Uncle to dance with me by performing ridiculous moves. For the record, "goofy" was often a way of life in our house. In my humble opinion, more people should take themselves less seriously.

I loved when the photographer, in her haste to pose us all for a group shot, turned to my other Uncle and said "I'm assuming this is your wife?" while pointing at me. We laughed so hard I nearly had to excuse myself to pee.

I loved watching my Aunts fearlessly cut a rug on the dance floor. Girlfriends have some serious moves! I also loved when my Aunt had to take a break, saying "The mind is willing ladies, but the body is weak..." (I'm still giggling thinking about this).

I loved that one of my grandmother's best friends was there. It felt good to have a piece of our Nanny present.

I loved staying up in our shared hotel room with my 2 cousins (I have 25 of them total!) having a heart to heart about life, love, spirit and forgiveness. They are both remarkable young women that I'm so humbled to know and love.

I loved watching the Penn State football game with my Pop and sister in the hotel lobby while eating cheese doodles (the Wise kind that I can never find in Cali and it kills me).

And I love the reply from my sweet cousin Liz when, in discussing a past romance, I stated how I felt like a failure; "No. I'd never call that a failure. It simply evolved to the place it was meant to be. You're still friends! How could that ever be a failure?". Lizzie- you have no idea how much this resonated with me. It was like finally, after 2 years, the light bulb finally went on. Thank you so much for saying that.

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Dad and his 2 not-so-little girls :)

me and my sister, the model.

4/21 cousins on my Mama's side. oh man my dress is real short...

mini hike before the festivities

bogarting the lobby TV to watch PSU :)

 It's been so rewarding through the years to see my family step up for one another over and over again. It doesn't matter what we've been through; someone will always, *always*, be there for you. This is a huge blessing and flow of committed love I never want to take for granted.

I love my family.

In Gratitude,

Trish