New York Finale

To wrap up our trip, we went to New Jersey where my aunt had a party for the three of us celebrating birthdays.  There was lots of food, fun in the pool, more oh-so-cool older cousin time for Little One, more adoration for Miss, and cake.  I even got a birthday kiss!
I have to say something about these folks.
I was what? Twelve I think.  When my step-dad married my mom, and my sister and I came along; a packaged deal.  We weren't adorable little babies; and in fact for a good long while we made it our business not to be adorable AT ALL.  These people didn't have a particular reason to fall in love with us, and they didn't owe us anything, that's for sure.  But.
At that wedding, I remember someone saying to me, "welcome to the family!"
And since that day, we have been.  These people have adopted us in every sense, and never made us feel like we came late to the family-togetherness party.  Even though we kind of did.
You don't get to choose your family.  Or really, your step-family either.  But you do get to choose how you treat those you're stuck with.  And I'll always be grateful that these guys seem to have unanimously chosen to be awesome to us.  And I'll always be happy we're stuck with them.

I'm sorry that we're moving so much further away from this side of our family; it's been nice to be a train-ride away.  But it was wonderful to get them almost all in one spot once more before we go, and to get to introduce Little Miss in person.  And I know we'll see each other again as time goes by. 
We'll make a point to.  That's what Family does.