I’ll tell you this – it feels a lot like my childhood felt.

Brothers ribbing me endlessly, jokes flying over my head, loud laughter at all the wrong things, most comments resulting in some sort of physical violence, too many opinions, everyone is certain they are right and a general house volume of barely controlled chaos.

One entire decade later, my three brothers and my father and I are all in the same house in the same state.

It’s rowdy.

It’s pretty fun too.

It’s kind of out of control.

Sometimes we each step away – to the porch, the stream, the fire pit, the long driveway with the gorgeous view – you know, whatever it takes.

We’ve complained and we’ve laughed.  We’ve shoved against social boundaries and we’ve ignored common sense.  We’ve chosen to agree to disagree and we’ve mocked one another for the most foolish of reasons.  This is what my family looks like.  They’re loud and they’re all hairy – but mostly not on the tops of their heads – and it’s a Boy World all around me and I am suddenly reminded of how much my mom smoothed my life over and made it pretty because without her – these boys are just wild and unkempt and I lack protection in the storm.  (And so many of the nephews are boys too.  Our girl ratio is dangerously low.)

But they’re funny and they’re kind too; they care for their families well and I’m glad we all get to be in the same state for a couple of beautiful Colorado days.

(And my word – this state just keeps wooing me.  The sunsets.  The views.  The long stretches of sky and the snow capped mountains.  The cool evenings and the lack of mosquitos.  She’s everything I love.)

Also – in our short time together people have forded a fast-rushing river, made a snow angel shirtless in the dirty snow for $6, lost a fishing pole downriver, tried to pan for gold, crafted a passel of bows out of PVC pipe and tossed me in the hot tub with my attire on.

Don’t worry guys, it’s all perfectly normal stuff for us.

Next thing on the list – decide what family tattoo we should all acquire.  Right now it’s between a simple “E” for our last name or the John Deere symbol – because, you know, we’re classy like that.  (Danny did suggest the words “Can’t touch this” so there’s always that option too.)  And right now maybe you’re wondering if we are at all serious about this tattoo idea.  You know what – I’m wondering the same thing myself.

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