We Are Family!

fam·i·ly - ˈfæməli, ˈfæmli [fam-uh-lee, fam-lee]

A group of people who are generally not blood relations but who share common attitudes, interests, or goals and, frequently, live together:

Two or more people who share goals and values, have long-term commitments to one another, and reside usually in the same dwelling place.
A group of like things; a class.
A group of individuals derived from a common stock: the family of human beings.

Since coming home, one of the questions I hear from Sara most is: "Is this your family, Mom?" She will ask this as we are traveling from place to place, and she is meeting new people. It touches me... as I know that she is trying to figure out who all these people are... what their significance is... and how they now relate to her.

Today we were getting ready to leave to go to a picnic. We had been talking about it all week... and she was excited... but as we left the house to go, she turned and asked, "Are these your family at picnic, Mom?" I told her: "No, today we were meeting some of our amigos... our very dear friends, people we used to go to church with - and some of them you already know!" She seemed kind of disappointed... and I must admit I was sort of confused by her response.

As we were driving to the park... I began to think about Family and what that means. When speaking of her friends at the hogar, Sara will often waiver between calling them her family and her amigos. And certainly - when looking at the definition of "family" as seen above... this would certainly be true. They were a group of people, generally not related by blood. They had common interests, common goals, and they obviously lived together. But the one thing they shared that many cannot understand - is a love and commitment that few people will understand. They have weathered some storms in their lives... and these storms have "knit" them together with a bond that cannot be explained or understood.

As I continued to think about Sara and how she is trying to fit all of this together... it occurred to me that these friends we were meeting were the same to Tim and I as the children at the hogar are to Sara. While we might be a group of people that are not related by blood, we have many common interests, common goals, common attitudes and common values. However, the biggest factor with us and these friends, is that we have grown stronger as a group, with our love and commitment to each other. We have also weathered some storms as a group... and these "storms" have truly knit us together as a unit... as a team... as a family. I like the last part of the definition: A group of individuals derived from a common stock. I like that. I like to think that we all come from the same "stock"... because these people are good people. They are all kind, loving, gracious, supportive, encouraging, funny, loyal and best of all... they love to have a good time! I like that!

So next time Sara asks me... "Mom...is this your family?" I'm going to tell her... "Yes, Baby Girl... they sure are! They are part of our extended family... bless their hearts!!!"

So enjoy the pictures from today... and check out some of our "extended" family. They are a HOOT!