i've spent the week with the Casselberry's in oklahoma. my sister keeps asking what i've been up to and i never really know how to respond. i guess i can sum it up by saying i'm just living life with them and soaking up what family life is supposed to be like. they're the first to admit their family isn't perfect, but i learn so much each time i'm down here. it's one thing to hear about how families deal with conflict, work through frustrations, etc, but it means alot more to watch it in action. i also learn just as much by observing the ways they interact in the good times. growing up, i celebrated, laughed, and generally enjoyed life away from my family. but now i get to see how families enjoy that stuff together as a unit.

of course, it hasn't all been observation! we've watched a bunch of movies (pirates 2, shrek 3, pirates 3, a beautiful mind, and perhaps more before i leave), went shopping for maggie moo's ($203 worth of candy!) with Amos (one of the other "adopted" kids here), played rook, drank coffee, drank lots of chocolate milk with Johnny (a new tradition when i come down here), and made a few cheesecakes with Amos (another new tradition).

i'm so thankful that they welcome me into their family as one of them and let me live life with them!!!