People you should Know- Day Sixteen

I love the old saying "You can pick your friends and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose".   Well......  Leaving the nose totally out....  I made up my own.... "You can pick your friends, but you are born with your family"  and if you are just lucky enough, you have a terrific family, like I do, and some of your very bestest friends are in that very tight circle, that you call "Your Family".

Today you are going to meet some of my very favorite family.  

THE GAFFNEY TRIBE

Shannon is my cousin.  My mom and her dad were brother and sister.  Her dad was a twin (to a brother), and he had twins and Shannon is one of them.   She is married to Mike, who is like my brother, and I feel compelled to call and talk to at any sign of strife in the world (I figure he will set me straight), and Megan and Paul are Shannon's children with her first husband, Mike has raised them from the time they were tots and as far as they are concerned, he is "Dad" to them, in every way.  Austin is their third child, and he just makes the circle complete.

I loved my baby twin cousins.  I was 9 1/2 in this picture and they had just turned 3.

  I really couldn't get enough of them, EVER.  If I could have had my way, they would have just moved in and lived with me.  I adored them.

They were my own little barbies.  Shannon had the curliest, gorgeous red hair and I would spend hours brushing it and making those cute little pigtails that she is sporting in the above picture.  They were just my favorite things. 

Then Shannon went and grew up and had these little dumplings.   Since she didn't have twins, she opted for the next best thing....babies 10 months apart. 

Then all the sudden, I had two new favorite things.  Paul was the first BOY I had been around and I was his biggest fan.

Actually, Kip was his biggest fan, and couldn't get enough kisses from him, but Megan pulled a close second, in Kip's "fan club".

Lacey loved her some Paul, too!

Shannon and Mike have lived in Italy, Maine, south Texas, and I am so happy that they are finally within spittin distance (south Dallas) and I can get to them in under 4 hours now.  That makes life good. 

Austin and Laynie had a special connection.  There was just something about that ginger top that she really loved. 

This past spring, when we helped with Children's Miracle Network "Wings of Hope" run, the Gaffneys came and joined in the fun  (All except Paul, who is in Okinawa in the military)..  and we really froze our bejeebers off, but made some great lasting memories...  TEAM HOPE FOREVER!~

Before the race, we tanked up on carbs at the "Pasta Party" in El Reno, and listened to Lacey speak.

This team exuded SPIRIT.  I'm telling you.... it was SO COLD that day, it was almost ridiculous.

It didn't slow Mike down. He was the first family member across the finish line in the 5k.

His wife was right behind him, and took FIRST in her age group.   I was one proud cousin!!

 Megan rolled in third in the fam damily, and though she didn't place 1st (like her mama)

she won, hands down, "Most Spirited" with the Sign.....

Austin rolled across the line with style and panache..... I would expect nothing less from him..

Showing off his shirt, and then, in an incredible hulk move, tore off his coat...  only to put it RIGHT back on.

these are people you should really get to know.

They will tell you, that we NEVER EVER get together when the conversation doesn't somehow flow to Poop.  We are so LOUD, and just get louder the longer we are together.  We play games, and talk poop and get loud.  And it doesn't matter if it's only been 15 minutes since we've seen each other, or 15 months.... we never miss a beat.   I love love love these peeps.  I'm happy they are my family, and even better than that, they are my friends.   I love them,  grody poop stories and all, so blessed to call them friends.