When does your immediate family become your extended family? I spent three weeks with my family and it was wonderful to have all four kids and my parents at home in one house, even if it was a tiny bit cramped from time to time.
This visit home, my brother, Jason (28), was also able to come home. He has been gone basically since he graduated in 1999, so spending time with him was great. Not sure how much he liked having the noise, confusion, and clutter of children around him, but oh, well...I enjoyed it.
Then there is Justin. He's like 26 (I think, right?) and almost done with college...he is home this summer and became Brennan's BFF while Brennan was visiting before we got there. He taught Brennan how to play World of War Craft, though Brennan apparently kept getting killed when he was a level 4 or something. Justin was the "cool" uncle...the one where all the kids were found in his room b/c he let them watch his anime or even better...he let them watch him playing World of War Craft...I mean, what could be better then that :)
Jeni (24). She is my sister, a best friend, and a play mate for the kids. She was able to come to my parents twice while we were there, and then we stayed at her house while we were in the Baton Rouge area. She is very dependable and a lot of fun. She has two cute little girls who I loved 
Then there is my parents...I just don't have the time to define and reflect on my relationship with them. They are both fantastic people. They are so kind and generous and creative...my goodness...they have built their entire house THEMSELVES (other then the back deck that the hot "work release" prisoners built for them a few summers back...). My mom bakes cakes, my dad teaches school (he just retired from the military)...together they are quite a pair, full of love, humor, and kindness.
I don't know when you switch from being immediate family to extended.Maybe when you move away to college? Get married? Have children?
Whenever it is, immediate or extended, I am grateful to have these five people in my life.
(And, FYI, if they are still my immediate family, then leave a sweet note informing me but don't make me feel stupid...I am NOT in the mood)
2 Words to brighten my day:
I'm sure your parents were thrilled to have all the kids back home! How fun/stressful/etc. Love it! Sad I missed you. I would have loved to have seen yall.
I wouldn't say that I had dejavu while reading your post, but it was some eerie sense of parallel experience. Maybe a strong level of understanding that there is a point when your immediate family becomes extended. I think that for me it was when I had children. When you have children you become Mama and Daddy and so then your Mama's name changes to Grandma Cupcake and your daddy's name changes to Papa Jeff. Your brothers and sisters either take on endearing nicknames or tack on "aunt" or "uncle" in front of them. Pretty soon, even when YOU are talking to them, you're calling them Grandma and Papa. They become extended. I think that it makes a difference if you live closer to your parents and siblings. My family is 13 hours away in Pensacola so i'm kinda like you. Maybe if they lived closer it would be different.
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