The Family of Drama

I am so blessed to be a part of a large family.  I may have grown up not really knowing who I am, but I have always known I was a part of something.  My mom had five brothers and sisters, and each of them had at least one child.  Two grandparents, eight aunts and uncles, nine cousins and one sibling... and that's just on my mom's side.

I've come to realize that our family unit is like a season of Big Brother, without all the cameras.  Alliances are constantly shifting depending on the task of the week, and - on occasion - people are evicted from the house.  At the end of it, there is a realization that we love each other very much despite hating the game we are each playing.

Add a touch (OK, more than a touch) of dramatic tendencies, and we are an interesting bunch.  We grew up with family being central to everything we did.  Our grandparents lived a matter of blocks from us, and we spent almost as much time at their house with our cousins as we did at home.  Some chose to move away, some didn't have the choice but were away nonetheless, but the rest of us were there.  My cousins were more like siblings to me; ironically, my brother always introduced me as The Spawn of Satan.

As we grow older, and our numbers keep growing through marriages and births, I feel increasingly lucky that I am still close with almost everyone.  There are times when the drama is stifling (especially when I'm at the center of it), but I have always felt sorry for those people with little to no family.  As much as we irritate each other, we also have each other's backs.  And we are provided with built-in entertainment.

Next year will bring (at least) three more births for the family, so I'm feeling a bit sentimental.  I'm so grateful for all of my family and the joy they bring.  I feel so blessed to be a part of a large family!