Blog Challenge Day 11: My Family

I find it ridiculously ironic that today is the "My Family" blog post seeing as my own little family was legally dissolved today.  That's right, I received my finalized divorce decree all signed & notarized & everything today when I came home for lunch.  Maybe it's coincidence, or maybe I just needed a very blatant, in your face, reminder that I have so many who love and support me on this day, a very emotionally charged day.

Well my family is incredible.  The two sides are like photo negatives of one another.  One very small, the other very large.  One is very involved in each other's lives, the other kind of does its own thing.  We all love one another, but the two sides are very different in other ways.

I don't have a recent picture of my mom's side.  There are only about 20 of us in total.  Out of those, I only am close to the Colorado ones…5 family members.  The others are here in Texas.  I haven't spoken to the Texas ones in, I don't, 15 years maybe?!  We're just not like that with one another.  I think when my great grandma died everyone was finally free to parade their hostilities out in the open and have nothing to do with one another.  There is, obviously, discord between my grandmother and her brother and sister.  This is the best I could do of the Colorado family.  The only ones are missing are my uncle, cousin & grandmother.

Yummm…chili dogs

My dad's side is huge, but they are Catholic so that should explain quite a bit.  Just counting my grandparents and their line, there are over 60 of us…that does not include extended family.  That is a whole lot of family, let me assure you.  The majority lives in Nebraska, with others in Iowa, Oklahoma, Maryland, & here in Texas.  We are loud, chaotic, someone is always in "a fight" with someone, and we always have tons of food & beer.  And, I love it.  16 people are missing from the following picture, 2 babies have been born since it was taken, & 2 cousins are set to be married in the next year.  

Catholicism + no cable = my family

I love every single member of my family dearly and am thankful that I have been blessed with so many amazing, supportive, crazy funny, caring family members!