Our pest control guy called Saturday morning to tell us he was on his way, which of course was my cue to run around the house like a crazy woman...moving piles of crap from one room to another.
Now ordinarily, I would not have bothered to clean up the clutter in anticipation of bug killing, but this bug killer just happened to be related to me. In other words, he already knows that I'm crazy, so I couldn't very well let him know that I'm both crazy and messy.
As my first-cousin-once-removed removed my pesky roly-polys, it once again occurred to me just how blessed I am to have landed in The Best Family Ever. Not the sanest, nor the most functional, but absolutely the best! I especially love that there are so many of us - with a couple more waiting to join the fun, even as I write. In fact, little acorns fall off our family tree at such a rapid rate that we should ALL be wearing protective gear :o)
Our big, boisterous, beautiful extended family is living proof that there is strength in numbers. Irregardless of our varied levels of dysfunction, at any given time there is at least ONE of us doing something right. Which means even though Cousin Joe might be in the pokey for a DWI and Aunt Beth has run off again to join the circus...we can always find someone to brag about.
Truth is, we would make for a very lively and entertaining reality TV series...falling in a category somewhere between The Cleavers and The Osbournes. Probably more along the lines of the Grizwolds.
Those of us that share common ancestors, share them proudly. But ancestors only provide the initial connection...love and life and marriage provide a connection just as strong. In laws, outlaws, halfs, steps, by birth, adoption or marriage...once you connect with ONE of us, you connect with ALL of us. We've even learned to embrace the (thankfully few) mixed marriages. In our family, a mixed marriage means somebody went and married an uninformed, unenlightened soul who does not root for the Rangers or the Cowboys, thereby proving that craziness in our family is not just, well...relative.
But the biggest perk of belonging to the special-est of families, is that we are literally surrounded by specialists. How lucky am I that at any given moment I can reach out and touch a family connection who can help me through just about any situation? We've got an Optometrist and an Optician; an Exercise Physiologist and a Physical Therapist; an Accountant, an Investment Specialist - or if it's too late - a Foreclosure Expert. We have a Draftsman who can draw up plans for a home, a Contractor who can build the home, a couple of Insurance Providers who can insure the home, a Carpenter who can fill the home with lovely handmade furniture, a Seamstress who can cover the windows, and Interior Decorators to pull it all together with a pop of color.
We have access to Nurses, Nutritionists, one and one-third Pharmacists and a Cardiologist-in-law. There is a Birthing Coach who can deliver our babies right in our own homes, Teachers to teach those babies how to read and write, Athletic Coaches to teach them how to run, throw and wrestle, and a couple of Preachers who can marry us with joy...or bury us with love.
Amongst our ranks you'll find Artists, Writers, Musicians, Singers, Comedians and Public Speakers. I can seek advice from experts and specialists in the fields of Computer Programming, Web Design, Management, Marketing and Business Administration...as well as several Expert Hunters and Master Baiters. And at the end of the day...we can call our very own Massage Therapist to make all the knots go away...or a Life Coach to make all the 'Nots' go away.
And now my very own Bug Zapper. Sigh.
It goes without saying that I am blessed. Even so, I say it as often as possible. I am blessed.
And not just because my roly polys are gone...
Now ordinarily, I would not have bothered to clean up the clutter in anticipation of bug killing, but this bug killer just happened to be related to me. In other words, he already knows that I'm crazy, so I couldn't very well let him know that I'm both crazy and messy.
As my first-cousin-once-removed removed my pesky roly-polys, it once again occurred to me just how blessed I am to have landed in The Best Family Ever. Not the sanest, nor the most functional, but absolutely the best! I especially love that there are so many of us - with a couple more waiting to join the fun, even as I write. In fact, little acorns fall off our family tree at such a rapid rate that we should ALL be wearing protective gear :o)
Our big, boisterous, beautiful extended family is living proof that there is strength in numbers. Irregardless of our varied levels of dysfunction, at any given time there is at least ONE of us doing something right. Which means even though Cousin Joe might be in the pokey for a DWI and Aunt Beth has run off again to join the circus...we can always find someone to brag about.
Truth is, we would make for a very lively and entertaining reality TV series...falling in a category somewhere between The Cleavers and The Osbournes. Probably more along the lines of the Grizwolds.
Those of us that share common ancestors, share them proudly. But ancestors only provide the initial connection...love and life and marriage provide a connection just as strong. In laws, outlaws, halfs, steps, by birth, adoption or marriage...once you connect with ONE of us, you connect with ALL of us. We've even learned to embrace the (thankfully few) mixed marriages. In our family, a mixed marriage means somebody went and married an uninformed, unenlightened soul who does not root for the Rangers or the Cowboys, thereby proving that craziness in our family is not just, well...relative.
But the biggest perk of belonging to the special-est of families, is that we are literally surrounded by specialists. How lucky am I that at any given moment I can reach out and touch a family connection who can help me through just about any situation? We've got an Optometrist and an Optician; an Exercise Physiologist and a Physical Therapist; an Accountant, an Investment Specialist - or if it's too late - a Foreclosure Expert. We have a Draftsman who can draw up plans for a home, a Contractor who can build the home, a couple of Insurance Providers who can insure the home, a Carpenter who can fill the home with lovely handmade furniture, a Seamstress who can cover the windows, and Interior Decorators to pull it all together with a pop of color.
We have access to Nurses, Nutritionists, one and one-third Pharmacists and a Cardiologist-in-law. There is a Birthing Coach who can deliver our babies right in our own homes, Teachers to teach those babies how to read and write, Athletic Coaches to teach them how to run, throw and wrestle, and a couple of Preachers who can marry us with joy...or bury us with love.
Amongst our ranks you'll find Artists, Writers, Musicians, Singers, Comedians and Public Speakers. I can seek advice from experts and specialists in the fields of Computer Programming, Web Design, Management, Marketing and Business Administration...as well as several Expert Hunters and Master Baiters. And at the end of the day...we can call our very own Massage Therapist to make all the knots go away...or a Life Coach to make all the 'Nots' go away.
And now my very own Bug Zapper. Sigh.
It goes without saying that I am blessed. Even so, I say it as often as possible. I am blessed.
And not just because my roly polys are gone...
I love you my dear!
ReplyDeleteI love you back, Mama Cass ♥
ReplyDelete