Why My Big, Crazy Family Is The Greatest

I come from a very large family. I may only have two brothers, but my mom has eleven brothers and sisters. So yeah, my poor grandmother popped out twelve children. Cue the inevitable "OUCH, that had to hurt" and "Seriously?" Some of my aunts and uncles live in different states, but for the most part my mother's family is located within a 10 to 15 mile radius, if that. I've always had a multitude of aunts and uncles in essence "raising" me. We are just that sort of family, very close, very hands on.

I truly feel bad for those who aren't necessarily close to their families, or don't have much family at all. I don't know what I would do without my big, crazy family around. I definitely wouldn't be as, uh, unique when it comes to my humor and dancing. I've never understood the whole hating holidays because of awkward conversations and questions. It just doesn't happen in my family because one way or another, everyone always knows what's going on in each other's lives and we like it that way.

I grew up with Sunday and Wednesday night dinners (now Sunday, Monday, and Thursday night dinners) and birthdays what feels like almost every other week. The saying "family comes first" is something I take very seriously and I'd like to think that they're some of the best people that I know. Okay, the best and the weirdest.

We have terrible quirks, like on-the spot music trivia that nobody in their right mind would know without Google, perpetual lateness (dinner is announced that it is served an hour before it actually is to ensure that people are on time), cat hoarding (I'm looking at you, Popo and Momo), and just general obnoxiousness. On the other hand, I've had many conversations with my cousins about the fact that we're all relatively intelligent and pretty good looking, if we do say so ourselves, so I guess we have that whole humble thing going for us too.

Sometimes I hate that I'm not home most of the years anymore because I don't get to see my family as much or the kids growing older (especially my nieces and nephew). Other times, it makes coming home that much more special and exciting and fun-filled because it's usually for some sort of family party or event. More often than not, I get excited to come home for the food and the desserts, but the laughs are just as great.

(PS, if you're reading this, Aunt Mo, I'd like an ode to my selfies at the end of this year's family video. I think it'd be a nice way to conclude the entire thing. Think about it).