Keeping up with the Jones'

When I was younger, I HATED my older and younger brothers and I fought quite a bit with my twin. Older people would always say things like, "When you get older you will all be friends." and I would laugh because I knew that they were so wrong. While I did know that I would always be best friends with my twin (we don't even really have a choice), there was no way that I would ever be friends with my stinky, mean, disgusting brothers.

Now we are all grown up and live all over the world. Spread out all over the continents - never have we been further apart. We have every excuse in the book to never communicate with each other and just live distant lives. But - we are actually all best friends. (I already got the "I told you so!" years ago so don't say it again now. haha) It's interesting to me how it happened. We didn't just all grow up and then decide that it was time to be friends. We each had to get to know each other again, and it happened slowly over time. Because we are all so spread out, Facebook and other things like it have been really beneficial to us. In fact, it's really what brought us all back together. It's even how I have gotten to know my in-laws better and I'm really glad about that because, once again, they both live really far away.

Last year we all got together at a beach house in North Carolina and it was the best vacation I have ever had. It wasn't the most luxurious or adventurous, but it's my happy place that I go to in my mind. I would say that it's because I'm surrounded by the people I love, but I have been on vacations that fit that criteria and it wasn't the same. I don't even know how to explain it... it was magical. (I realize how puke-y that comment is and I'm still not changing it.)

We are doing it again this June and although not all of us can make it this time, I'm still really really really excited.  It's one of my biggest lilly-pads. (click here to see what I'm talking about) And I'm even bringing my boyfriend this time! Should we take bets on how long it takes until one of my brothers kills him? hahaha Just kidding Ryan! (kind of) haha

While my brothers are still kind of snot-nosed-meanies, I now see the humor in it. And weirdly enough, the same brother that set the couch on fire that my twin sister and I were laying on when we were babies, is the one that everybody says I am the most like. And my little brother who had been estranged from everyone for years, is now just as close with everybody as I am.

While we still fight (especially me and my twin), at the end of the day we will ALWAYS have each other's backs. We would each fight and kill for each other and are there to listen to each others problems. We are definitely not a perfect family, but I wouldn't trade these idiots for anything.

Go ahead and comment and share your favorite memory with either your family or friends. OR Just tell me one of your favorite vacations!