The Best of Friends Are Always Found Within Our Own Families - Or Adopted Into Them

"Families - where magic is born and love is unending!" ~T L Nielsen

I know I have tons still to catch up on - that's what happens when "vacation" all comes together and you don't have any time to record it (save the pictures you took along the way)!

I just have to say

"I LOVE FAMILY"

This weekend I took the kids to Vermont for an unusual and rather special occasion: My aunt (who is only a couple of years older than I am, and whom I was always close to) had come back for a visit with her husband and their seven kids! I had not seen Carolyn and Bill in 15 years - so this was a very special moment for all of us.

Though that was special enough - we also managed to have other family members gather together to visit and to have Zane (my nephew) blessed (Bob came down to do the honors - down and back in a day because that's all the time he had).

What I loved most was that my children, from the very beginning, mixed right in with Carolyn's - family really is family after all. Such bonds of friendship formed over these last few days can't be topped - fast friends were made by all!

Gabi and Rosa spent every possible moment together (they are the same age) and you would have thought they'd been born together they way they acted.

Bethie interacted with many, but mostly played with Josie (who is 5 years older).

Fiona is, by far, the cutest (tallest) 3 year old I've seen!

(okay I'm going to spell her name wrong, I can just feel it, so Turinetti family, please forgive me) Ona has the cutest glasses and though she's very aware of anything that might set her apart from others, she has a beautiful and catching smile!

Peter and Jeremy loved to play with (and be doted on) by Manny and David - Manny seemed to really jump to the role and had all the kids laughing and playing hard!

And a kindred spirit - yes, I even told her she needs to take the time to read Anne of Green Gables- Sabina... so sweet, gentle, and so willing to help! Quick to make friends of anyone - determined to know when they'd see us again, and "threating" to email me... I would guess, with Sabina, that's no threat, but a promise! I surely look forward to it!

Watching our young families interact together, I felt, briefly, transported back in time - you know, like in the movies when all the family kin get together and the kids just run and laugh and play and enjoy each other all day... it was like that. It made me "home sick" as my heart aches for such everyday encounters.

We are so grateful for the fun we had - and especially for eternal bonds that mean these friendships are the strongest ever because they are strengthened by the bonds of eternal families!

Thanks, Bill and Carolyn, for making such a huge sacrifice to come up to Vermont! It was a wonderful weekend - you will all surely be missed... no more 15 year gaps between our visits!