All because two people fell in love...

My grandparents celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary this year!
They had 5 children. (Ummm, within 6 years I might add. Oh, and my grandma was only 24 when she had her 5th!)
Who then had 9 children altogether (grandchildren).
Who then had 4 children and growing (great grand-children).
Our family has walked through losing precious family members... All my great-grandparents, my uncle and cousin are now in heaven praising our Lord. But the losses make us more appreciative of the times we are together.

Seven+ members of our family are deaf. In this picture below we are all doing the I love you sign. Most everyone knows sign language in the family (my hearing aunt is an interpreter for the deaf) and if we don't know it well, we know some home-signs and we just make due with lots of body language, reading lips and writing things down.
My sweet grandparents, Harold and Ruth.
I love this laughing picture. I had just told them to kiss like they made 5 babies and that got them giggling.
My uncle Alan and Aunts, Lynn and Sonja and my mom Angela.
The sis's.
Alan and his wife JoLynne.
Their family.
Their girls, Hannah and Jansen.
Lynn and Bobby.
Their oldest son was not able to make it this year, but here are their two girls. My cousin Misty and her boyfriend Stefan.
My cousin Jamila and her boyfriend Ryan.
They have two peanuts. Trevor, age 2 and Jayke, 8 weeks.
Here is baby Jayke.
My aunt Sonja and her husband Joe.
Their kiddos Joseph and Sarah.
Sarah and her husband Jason.
My mom and step-dad Chet.
My step-brother was with his mom this year, but here is a picture from his 18th birthday party last week. He is very handsome!
Their family.
My step-sister, Emily.
I heart this cute, artsy, tween picture of Em.
Our family.
Us.
All the cousins.
We have cousin look-alikes in the family. My cousin Hannah and I favor so much in our facial features and some in personality as well. (Little lips, nose moves when we talk, love making earrings, all kinds of things!)
ONTO THE FUNNIES AND AMAZINGS...
I asked my grandma on this trip to describe herself in 3 words. She said, "Busy ol' woman." Can you believe that! I think she is young, but I have to agree about the busy. That woman NEVER stops. That was her quote to me a few years ago when I asked how she raised 5 kids so young, she said, "never stop." Seriously before the fork is out of your mouth, it is hand-washed and in the drawer. I chose this picture because one of her children, Sonja, got this gene. They were of course, in the kitchen- cleaning and organizing.
My uncle Alan is AMAZING! Seriously he is the most awesome artist and sculptor. I always say he is like my grandma (who taught art for 35 years) my mom (graphic artist) and I (fine arts degree) rolled into one person... times a million!!!
Here is a recent sculpture he did in bronze of a woman lying on a table. Even the table is sculpted people. I had my cousin Jansen cover her goodies. I do LOVE a beautiful nude sculpture. We are all amazed by his work.
Here are a few of his things. Alan Gibson Art.
Our family was going for a morning walk. Well, it was very cold so I asked my grandma if she had a scarf I would borrow. She comes out with these two rayon head scarfs. This is SO my grandma. She is always wearing these. I meant a real neck scarf of course and proceeded to laugh at her. She quickly corrected me by saying, "These scarfs are all the rage. Jackie O wore them with big glasses and she is timeless. I would never put a wool neck scarf around me." Well I stand corrected! My mom and I acting Grandma Ruthish.
THERE IS ALL IS! WHEW!

I cannot believe in the old saying, "Blood is thicker than water," because my family is built through adoption. Rather I would like to think that a family is a group of people that He alone united so we can do life together. The good, bad, sorrow and joy- people in your world you are to love like Jesus loved. You know He is the blood that is thicker than water...
Here are some good family quotes I found:

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~Jane Howard

I don't care how poor a man is; if he has family, he's rich. ~Dan Wilcox

Family life is a bit like a runny peach pie - not perfect but who's complaining? ~Robert Brault

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family. ~Anthony Brandt

The Perryman Family