AW Family Talk

Good idea, Jon.

My wife and I are nearing our tenth anniversary (August), and we have two kids: our daughter, Aisling (pronounced Ashling), turned three in May. Our son, Finn, will have his first birthday anniversary in October. All three are redheads; I hit the jackpot. There are some happy snaps here.

My parents retired a couple years ago; they sold up and now live aboard a boat. They spent a year on the Eastern seaboard and now have settled on the Northwestern coast. As I speak, they're in British Columbia, heading south from several weeks in Alaska. They'll keep wandering the coast until it's time to snug in for the cold weather, when they'll settle back to Puget Sound.

My brother's in Columbus; whenever we talk, we still goof around the same as we did in the back seat on family vacations.

My in-laws live in Australia, down toward the mountains. I've got one sister-in-law in Brisbane, married with a baby. We all get along famously; again, I hit the jackpot. My FIL takes the mickey out of me a lot, but I've been in Australia long enough to know that a good ribbing is just the way they tell you you're all right. I'm giving it back too these days, and we laugh all through it. I've grown up a lot here.

I miss my family often, but I see my parents about once a year, for a few weeks. Splitting time between Oz and Washington/BC is wonderful.

I have been married for ten years last month. We have been together for 13. We have 3 children. Asher 8, Faith 6, and Anna 5 (Thrasher or Spider man; when there's groceries in the kitchen, Twister and Whiner). Really their nick names are Mine, Gowie and Frickerd.

We have a cat named Monkeyface and a new addition to our family, who is just as weird as we are, Birdy bird, our cockatiel.

I have two brothers: They are married with one and two children. My older brother is NHP in Las Vegas and my baby brother has disowned us since his marriage into money. I guess he thought I would ask him for some so he quit calling me and the rest of the family.

I have a mom who was almost 6 months sober until yesterday. Oh, well. I have been doing this with her my whole life.

My dad committed suicide in 83 when I told on him.

I have my Auntie who has grown distant from me for some reason, but I still love her dearly and we talk once in a while briefly.

I have two cousins. One who is very successful with her husband in real estate and they have 2 children. And the other one whom I adore as my own child is on drugs and in and out of jail with her convict husband.

Grandma and grandpa have moved on.

Then there are the only in laws who will have anything to do with me, my husbands family. Yes, I have the dreaded mother in law and her daughter too. I have learned to deal with those two very well over the years and have won their love in certain situations at least 10% of the year which is good enough for me.

And there you have it. My family, give or take a few grey hairs.

Since I keep encouraging The Squidlets (family talk for the kids) to come here, I'm reluctant to say much about them. Who knows if they're already lurking?

John and I are about to celebrate our 30th anniversary (in freakin' Paris! Me, in Paris!). Sommer is 21, a college senior investigating graduate programs in philosophy. Seth is almost 20, a college junior studying physics, hoping to apply what he learns in the music field. (I'm already practicing the phrase, "...our son, the physicist, and our daughter, the metaphysicist.") They're both good people and quite funny, which makes them a pleasure to have home for the summer.

My parents are long gone. I have a brother in San Jose, retired early from Silicon Valley, and a sister who teaches third grade in Wisconsin, both on cordial terms but not particularly close. (It's a sad truth that it's hard to remain tight with people who are physically distant.) Last summer we gathered to celebrate 100 years of marriage among us all. We're closer to John's brother in D.C., a librarian at the LOC, since he visits often.

Different lifestyles, different values, but a good family, tolerant of most differences and smart enough not to bring up the aspects we can't abide. I wouldn't ask for more than that.

Maryn, whose idea of 'family values' isn't what most people mean by that term

I have one brother who is married and has two children. My parents are both still living and married to one another. I am married and have two children.

Apparently, I am the radical of the family. My mother, whom I love dearly and who tries her best to grasp anything about me, just can't. My father comprehends me 100%.

I have one dog and two cats who live in the house. I have two turkeys, two doves, two pigeons, two chickens... starting to sound like Noah's Ark isn't it?.... only one pheasant and three pigeons who live in our stable. No horse yet. My hamsters recently passed away. *sigh*

That's about it.

I wasn't going to post today, but what the heck.

I am unmarried - never been, never gonna. The third child of parents who planned on two, and to add insult to injury, the third girl child of parents who'd planned only boy names.

I live with my sister - the middle one, we own a house together and buddy around, sharing the place with our two cats Rumor and Secret. My parents divorced when I was a teen - Dad died last summer. He was an alcoholic my entire childhood, but sobered up 8 years before his death.

We live in a small town across the bay from Seattle, always have (except a 10-year stint when I lived IN the city).

My maternal grandmother was a poet. Unfortunately, she killed herself when my mom was 16, so I never got to know her. Umm . . . Wow, you put your life down on 'paper' and it's a pretty dull read!

sorry

What a fascinating read this thread is!

My family is not terribly exciting, I'm afraid. I'm married to a wonderful woman named Renee who is very smart, sane, and cool; I'm still puzzling over the bit where she actually voluntarily married me, but I don't question it too hard. We have no children, but we have a house full of animals (the list goes: 4 cats, 3 rats, 3 mice, 2 gerbils, one 55 gallon fish tank full of fish and one 29 gallon fish tank full of 6-year-old goldfish). We have a lot of books, and we live happy, quiet lives.

My parents have been married a little over 25 years, and are still completely in love with each other. They work for the Catholic church, they have all their lives, they will 'till they die. They will never be rich. They do it for the love, and because they believe in it very deeply. It can be a bit humbling.

I have a sister, Clare, who is younger than me by five years. She is just getting to that interesting late-teenage years where she starts to shudder her way free of the world around her, sit up and look around. She still doesn't have a useful opinion yet, but she's getting closer. Coming this Spring, she will be moving in with my wife and myself for a year or so. It'll do my wife good, she gets lonely. I am not always the world's most interesting company.

I have no extended family.

My wife's extended family is a huge Italian conglomerate of women who like to cook, want me to hurry up with the having-children bit, and alternate between griping that I do not shave enough, or I do not grow enough facial hair. Her family goes on and on and on, and I'm relieved mine doesn't.

...and that's mine.

I'm really enjoying reading about everyone here. So, here's my bit (do you want me to wake you up at the end?)

I've been married for 9 years (come November) to a wonderful man who actually manages to put up with me most of the time. Kiddies are not on the horizon, but we have four cute kitty cats, Ernie and Sandy who are ten this year and Millie and Schrodinger, who are five. (by the way - never call a cat Schrodinger as a joke, it wears off when you have to explain it to more than one vacant expression...*).

My parents divorced years ago and both have re-married (my mum twice). Because of this I have, in addition to my "real" little brother:

• three step-sisters (although two are technically ex-step sisters) - none of them evil.
• Two half brothers
• One half-sister (who is 20 years and 5 days younger than me - she turned 13 this year and I feel old).
• One stepmother (who tends toward the wicked)
• Two step fathers (again, one of them an ex-) - I love both to pieces.**

Of course, on top of that I have my in-laws. My mother-in-law died of cancer two years ago, but Dad and hubby's two sisters are brilliant.

And I can't forget (wow, this is reading like an Oscar speech) my Gran - who should have been an artist, but was born into the wrong generation - and my auntie (who is 5 years older than me and four months younger than my hubby). I'm really close to both of them, despite the fact that one lives in the UK (my gran) and one in Cairns, Oz.


- If you fell asleep during that, you can wake up now, I'm done.

*Although it's better than the two cats I had growing up who were called Shakespeare and Dickens - abbreviated to Shakes and Dickie, just try going round the neighbourhood calling that out (btw, this only really works in the UK).
** I did have a step-grandfather too, but he died a few years ago.

Crap, we've agreed on something. Oh well. THere goes THIS planet.

And I'm taking notes on everyone's family. Heh. Heh. Heh.

I rellay enjoyed the photo album, lots of suprises. It's interesting that lots of the members here are older than I would have guessed from reading the posts. Something about writing keeping the mind young and agile maybe.
I've been married six years, and have a two year old son and a second child due Christmas eve. I'll try to get some pics up if I can figure out a good way to do so.
BTW what's the death match thing I keep seeing here?

I'm the oldest of 6, three boys, three girls. I'm babysitting my two sisters right now, so I should probably get off. I have a mom, a dad, a step-mom, a cat, and a dog. Plus various assorted family members.

jbal said:

Something about writing keeping the mind young and agile maybe.

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Nah, I think more of us were dropped on our heads as children than you'd imagine.

MidnightMuse said:

Nah, I think more of us were dropped on our heads as children than you'd imagine.

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From ages four through twelve, I stood on my head. However, I blame hip-hop culture for how I turned out.

PeeDee said:

From ages four through twelve, I stood on my head. However, I blame hip-hop culture for how I turned out.

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Sure, when I was that young and flexible I could touch my foot to my chin - but STAND on my head?

I love hearing about everyone's family - spouses and children. It's really nice to find out there are real people behind these funny glasses and fake noses we enjoy.

Good thread, Spooky.

As for PeeDee taking notes: I lied. all of it

MidnightMuse said:

Sure, when I was that young and flexible I could touch my foot to my chin - but STAND on my head?
I love hearing about everyone's family - spouses and children. It's really nice to find out there are real people behind these funny glasses and fake noses we enjoy.
Good thread, Spooky.
As for PeeDee taking notes: I lied. all of it

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I lied. I couldn't stand on my head until very recently. However, when I was younger, I could put my foot behind my head. I tried that again recently too, and I don't want to talk about it.

As for lying, it's no matter, Muse. I visually confirm everything. I already knew.

i'll be married 12 years this month and have five kids aged 10-18. they all still live with me but the oldest is edging out the door. three girls and two boys are an interesting mix.
i became motherless at age ten but did get a step-mom and step-sister for a few years. not wicked at all but the bonding wasn't too strong. i still pop in to say hello when i go back home for a visit.
my dad passed away unexpectedly five years ago. we had a fantastic relationship (once i grew up.) we spoke by phone weekly and visited usually once or twice a year. he was a wonderful grandfather to my kids.
there are three older brothers. we all grew up in wyoming. one lives here in sacramento now and has four pretty-much grown kids. we hung out a lot when the kids were younger but not as much these days. another brother (the one i'm closest with) recently moved to mississippi and married one of the sweetest people i've ever met. she's from thailand originally and the cultural differences are fascinating, it's great to make fun of my brother's new odd accent. (i'm the little sister, remember? it's my job ) the third older brother disappears from time to time and returns to our lives with either colorful stories or colorful people in tow. it's been almost three years since i've heard from him.
there's two younger siblings, a brother and sister, they arrived soon after the step-mom. both are married and beginning families and still living back in the cheyenne/denver area. we lose touch for short periods but always have a great time once we catch up.

i'm also blessed with a large extended family. my husband comes from a family of eight and his hawaiian mother has so many siblings and cousins that i can't count them nor remember everyone's names. when there's a gathering, everyone is either 'auntie', 'uncle', 'niece', 'nephew', or 'cousin', according to generation. (sidenote, the food at these gatherings is phenomonal.) he has a sister about two hours away and we get the cousins together for smaller events a few times a year. he had two brothers who died young and has another brother and sister who are further away but we manage maybe one annual visit.
all this is a lot of stimulation for me, having grown up seeing my dad's family only a handful of times. funny tho how you can bind to someone even with minimal encounters. my grandmother was a jewel and there's an aunt in texas and some cousins with whom i still keep contact. but i have had hardly any contact with my mother's family.

i keep in close touch with my SIL from my first marriage. her kids and mine are great friends and we frequently spend holidays and vacations and even days off together. i'd say she is my closest, dearest friend ever.

and as if all that isn't enough, there's one more family branch i have to mention, as they have been rocks in my life. after my divorce from the first husband, i met a cool guy who left his home in cheyenne and spent the next year bringing nothing but joy into my life. we became engaged and i became pregnant with my third child. shortly after she was born, his young life ended at 32. his family (another large one, he had 9 siblings) was supportive and loving and my daughter visits them in wyoming almost every summer. all my kids call his parents grandma and grandpa and again, i feel blessed for their presence in my life.
wow..i won't even get into pets..just to spare you.
thanks for asking, spooky.

i sure hope i don't kill the thread with that one. it's long i know but i just couldn't leave anyone out.
feel free to skim or skip.

I never got to know my parent very well. I only knew my mother for a few weeks and never even met dad (mom just called him Tom . . . apparently dad wasn’t faithful to mom, but I don’t want to get into all that). I do remember having several siblings but we don’t keep in touch. At about four months old I went to the humane association shelter. I was fortunate to find a good human to adopt. He’s kind of goofy looking and none too bright but he’s okay most of the time. He’s tries hard and that all one can really expect from a human, isn’t it?

My favorite activity is napping; I have several favorite spots for this. For the other two hours a day that I’m awake I like knocking things off the table (the silly human keeps putting them back on the table for some reason), climbing in grocery sacks, demanding more food, and chasing string. I also keep a close eye on the pesky birds and squirrels who dare to invade the deck out back. One of these days . . .

I have fun playing around with my human. One of my favorite things to do is to run past him when he goes to the kitchen and then stop suddenly. He’s almost fallen on his face a few times. Ha! Great fun. I also like to play a game at night by sitting on his chest and licking his face. The funny human gets a silly grin on his face and moans for someone named Becky. It’s about this time that I make a flying leap for his crotch area. The man has pretty good reflexes, I gotta give him that.

Don’t think that I’m always mean to the pet; one of the things I try to do is distract him whenever he takes up that annoying habit of reading (“Bad, human, bad!”). I will go and sit on any book he’s trying to read and let him pet me. Or paw at the newspaper until he puts it down and then I go sit on it. I do need to stop that man from cursing so much.

Well, that’s my life. I’m afraid I don’t have kids (I had a little operation when I was smaller), nor do I want any. I hope all of you here will be nice to my human. Don’t tell him I said anything . . . but he’s a little bit slow, if you know what I mean.

Good-bye and meow for now.

Well, I was the second green-brown eyed child born of a Persian father and a Pakistani mother. My oldest brother just graduated from college, and I've got two years left. My younger brother is attending within a year, and the other youngest is still in elementary.

My parents met back in the late 70's, when my father fled Iran after Khomeni and the ayatollahs got into power and made life for my extremely liberal father hard. He arrived in Pakistan, where he had family and met my mother. Despite their cultural differences, my parent's union was blessed by her conservative family, and soon after they immigrated to the US where they had us kids and build a happy home for us to return to with our dirty laundry.

I was sort of the rebellious one in the family, and tried to defy my parent's uber-conservatism. When they found out I had a boyfriend when I was 18 they forbid me to see him, or anyone again. As a response, I married him in secret when I was fresh out of High School. My parents never quite forgave me for that, and for a while lowered their heads to the community that has forever been looking up to them. But now they have accepted me as the free spirit I am, and have assured me that I will always have a home to come to.

I have been happily married for 1 and half years to a wonderful man who takes great care of me and lets me go shopping whenever I please! We aren't planning on having kids anytime soon since we're both young and continuing our education and furthering our careers. I'd tell you about my in-laws, but I don't consider them family(unfortunately. . .yeah, right).

Well that's what I have to say. Off to go shopping!

My first marriage lasted just short of twenty years and produced a lovely daughter, now 31 years old. She's married, and she and her husband are elementary school teachers in the Phoenix Valley. Unfortunately, that marriage broke apart (not because of any third party), and after several years of living like a youngster (some regrets, some great memories), I re-married. I moved from the Phoenix Valley (I was a professor of biology at Arizona State University for 24 years) to the East Coast, and my current position as Professor of Marine Biology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

My current wife is much younger than I, and we have produced two lovely children, a son of six years and a daughter of three years. As I write this, my wife is back in the Phoenix Valley trying to get pregnant again... Since I was "fixed" a long time ago, and the reversal didn't work, we have to use all of the modern medical miracles of procreation. We have a fantastic medical group back in Phoenix, so we fly back there when we want to give it another try (our last one ended in miscarriage at 12 weeks). Some of my stuff is frozen, so this time I decided to save money and stay in Wilmington with the kids for the week it takes my wife to go through the procedures (she has family around there). This is probably our last try since it costs around $13,000 a try whether it works or not, and I'm now 56 years old and not quite as energetic as I used to be. But, in my biased opinion, we make really cool babies.

I'm Mr. Mom/Dad for this week, and I have to get the kids off the a local swimming pool with friends now. They'll be easy to get in to bed tonight. The kids, that is.

My family is way way way way too big for its own good...

I do only have two sisters and my parentals, but my mom is one of thirteen, so you can imagine the number of aunts, uncles, and cousins I have...

Only two grandparents still living, but my grandfather on my mom's side is married (for the third time).

I have two cats, Sammy and Tigger.

...that's really all the interesting stuff. If I start talking about my extended family in more detail, I'd never finish.