Family: 

In human context, a family (from Latin: familia) is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children. Extended from the human "family unit" by biological-cultural affinity, marriage, economy, culture, tradition, honour, and friendship are concepts of family that are physical and metaphorical, or that grow increasingly inclusive extending to community, village, city, region, nationhood,global village and humanism.

Family on the mind today.  The little one that I've started with a husband and a cat.  The big one I have in North Carolina that fills up three households and then overflows into a couple of others, and is growing; those people that have raised me, or been raised alongside me.  The family that is sprinkled all over this country - some of whom I know well, others whom I don't.  This family I will see sporadically throughout the year, and am looking forward to seeing parts of very soon.  I'm also thinking about the family that I won't be seeing for the first time during Christmas, and how grateful I am for Christmas traditions to begin with my husband, yet how sad I am to miss out on traditions I've known all my life.


The family that is not biologically related to me but is, instead, considered, "family by choice."  Often those are the people that I think aren't related to me, but that relate the best to me.  They know me, they get me.  We're in each others lives in unique and special ways.  Some of these family members are in my life for the day-to-day, mundaneness of life, for which I'm grateful.  Others are thousands of miles and phone calls away, but feel like we haven't missed a second in each others lives.  For this, I'm also grateful.  

Family is so screwed up, but we wouldn't be anywhere without it.  

I love this movie so much.