Kreipl Family

I’m a lucky girl. I have a wonderful family. For most of the year it’s just my small family of four…surrounded by three sisters and their families plus my parents; all within a few miles. We get to have family dinners together, birthday parties with cake and present opening, picnics in the park, swimming on summer weekends, and holidays together. No more Easter's alone, no more shopping for the smallest turkey for Thanksgiving because you are only feeding three mouths, no more Happy Birthday singing phone calls, no more invitations from our adoptive family (thank you Reed and Kat!). Now it’s perfect. Now it’s fun. It’s something I hadn’t had with my side of the family my entire married life until we moved to Arizona. Not to mention we have three of Austin’s sisters and their families along with his parents down the street as well. That’s 32 immediate family members within a few minutes drive. I know we are lucky. Really really lucky.

Except that not EVERYONE in the family is close by. And it makes me miss those who don’t live here all the more. Especially when one is your sister that you shared your mother’s womb with and have practically the exact same DNA. Kinda extreme I know, but for a twin it's true! Oh, and guess what I just learned...this will freak you out! Genetically speaking, our children are half-siblings rather than cousins. Hmmm. That gets you to thinking, but we’ll just stick to calling them cousins! But at least this scientifically biology descriptive closeness (I just made that up) gives you kinda of an idea of how close I really am with my twin! And how much I hate that we don’t live next door to each other and share a white picketed fence. Something I’m sure our husbands don’t mind the slightest.

As sad as I am not having my sister and her family near by, and as much as I miss them those other 358 days out of the year, when they come and visit, it makes those reunions all the sweeter.

Last week Jamie and her beautiful family came to Arizona. We finally got to meet their new addition Henry! The lame picture I took doesn't do this cutie justice, so you'll just have to go visit Jamie's blog to see how handsome he really is. He’s perfect and adorable in every way and is such a cute addition to their family. I loved holding him, and I love that she gets to experience all that comes with a little prince charming in the family.

We spent a few days in Payson at a super fun cabin. Even though it rained on us, we still had a lot of fun!! How can you not with 25 people under one roof!! We fought over the one and only Soduko book, played games (I’ve discovered a new favorite, Ticket to Ride anyone??), ate some yummy meals, and the guys took the kids down to the creek and fish hatchery and played horseshoes. It was a really fun few days. Dax and Wyatt loved exploring and being outside in the mountains and it was nice to take a few days off of work and hang out as a family, with everyone!
Of course, when we returned home, we were welcomed again with the 100 degree weather and played at my sister’s pool all day Saturday celebrating my dad’s birthday. Good thing the guys are troopers and braved the 82 degree water with all the kids. I don’t get in until it as at least 87. I admit it. I’m a total cold water wimp.

Jamie took some great pictures of the four of us in Payson and I am so grateful she did. We had all of 5 minutes before the downpour! Looking at these pictures reminds me how much my family means to me. I wish everyone could know Austin and the boys as well as I do. I can't put into words the love I have for all three of them. They make my life so happy and complete and this family, my entire family, would be different without any one of them. I am so glad we have these chances to get together and enjoy each other as a family.

Because really, that's all that matters to me.