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May 23, 2014

What is Family?

May 23, 2014/ treanab

I don’t care about whose DNA has recombined with whose. When everything goes to hell, the people who stand by you without flinching they are your family. Jim Butcher

This quote is my life motto. I do think that in older times, the saying that "Blood is thicker than water" was absolutely true; people were more isolated and more dependent upon their families to provide for basic needs (clothing, shelter, food). But as the world has evolved, I like to believe that most people's conceptions of family have gotten bigger.

Case-in-point: LB's mom, the fabulous momma Mary, asked me the other day if I wanted her to make invites for Peek and Adam's baby shower here in Denver. I was able to find invites that I didn't make (bad blogger), but she asked me: "Don't you have enough going on right now?"

My response: "We are their family here in Denver. Of course we are throwing them a shower."

Momma Mary has always noted how luck LB and I are with our group of friends here and all over the place. It's just the way I have always been with my people: fully invested, fully committed, and fully willing to show up with all of my ugly baggage. This doesn't make me the perfect friend; in fact, quite the opposite is true. I acknowledge that I am tough to love because I can have an overwhelming (if not suffocating) personality at times. I tend to burst into friendships with abandon and end up disappointed when not reciprocated. I've gotten better at this due to the sheer act of being almost 30 29. :)

Here's my simple truth for this Saturday where I am admittedly STUFFING MY FACE IN AUSTIN TEXAS: my friends & LB are the people who stand by me without flinching. Without asking what is in it for them. Because of them, I know what family is. *Fun fact: as you are reading this, LB will have gotten the surprise of his life while we are in Texas this weekend picking up a truck. The person who surprised him is easily LB's favorite human on the planet (he even beats me out)... and is most definitely FAMILY (in all caps and everything).

House of Bennetts

Hey now. I'm Treana...welcome to my little slice of the internet where I get to use exclamation points with abandon!!! We do more here than overuse certain forms of punctuation. Around these parts you'll find DIY projects, budgeting ups and downs and tools, photography fun, food goodness, music loves, and hopefully a little inspiration. We talk about anything and everything here and hope that you'll join us in our mutual weirdness we call life. For more about us, our wedding, and our lives, visit the 'Bout the Bennetts page. (I so wanted to put an exclamation point there).

Oh well oh well oh well-a. Huh! Those summer nights. #youdownwithlmb

Oh well oh well oh well-a. Huh! Those summer nights. #youdownwithlmb

He’s just the lesson on loving your kiddo so so well and that life and parenting are forever tries. The things he’s taught her can be summed up into... everything. #youdownwithlmb #lmbanddada @robrich23

He’s just the lesson on loving your kiddo so so well and that life and parenting are forever tries. The things he’s taught her can be summed up into... everything. #youdownwithlmb #lmbanddada @robrich23

No justice, no peace. I’ve basically been unable to post or think about much else. Enough is enough. #defundthepolice #endsystemicracism

No justice, no peace. I’ve basically been unable to post or think about much else. Enough is enough. #defundthepolice #endsystemicracism

She’s my hero. #youdownwithlmb

She’s my hero. #youdownwithlmb

I never understood that all kids are miracles when I was growing up. I didn’t have parents who... well any of it. And yet, I never really feared becoming a parent because I was going to do it better (have you met me?). And then God gave me this

I never understood that all kids are miracles when I was growing up. I didn’t have parents who... well any of it. And yet, I never really feared becoming a parent because I was going to do it better (have you met me?). And then God gave me this miracle. This force of a human. This incredibly hilarious, loving, strong, gorgeous miracle. We’ve been trying to give her a sibling for on and off two years now while still doing it “better”. So here’s what I know for sure this Mother’s Day: love yourself no matter how you became a mom. Love how you parent from a place of love and forever tries. If you’re lucky enough to have a mom who loved you, the best she could, try to love her for that too. Love those miracles you’ve got. And rest today in the knowledge that you just are doing it better— own that. Happy Mother’s Day to all. If you can’t get to happy today, you’re good sis. Get off the social media and get some good air into those lungs— Mother’s Day is hard. I see you.

Scenes from quarantine. We’ve hit two weeks here folks. Thanks to their daily walks, Lyla and daddy are doing great. This is a lot of family/at home time and it’s hard. #itsgettingchippy #stayhome #covid_19 #youdownwithlmb

Scenes from quarantine. We’ve hit two weeks here folks. Thanks to their daily walks, Lyla and daddy are doing great. This is a lot of family/at home time and it’s hard. #itsgettingchippy #stayhome #covid_19 #youdownwithlmb

It’s taken a week for me to be okay posting about our vacation to Mexico. What was supposed to be a relaxing, family filled trip, was a giant stressball. The resort we actually stayed at was an absolute nightmare... and not a resort. What matte

It’s taken a week for me to be okay posting about our vacation to Mexico. What was supposed to be a relaxing, family filled trip, was a giant stressball. The resort we actually stayed at was an absolute nightmare... and not a resort. What matters though is that Lyla had a blast and keeps asking when we can go to Mexico again. #youdownwithlmb

A simply excellent weekend with seeing my favorite humans everyday. #youdownwithlmb @lwbranz @adambranz

A simply excellent weekend with seeing my favorite humans everyday. #youdownwithlmb @lwbranz @adambranz

My physical TBR/to be finished pile is ummmmm... a lot. I’ve gotten off to a nice slow reading start with only 4 books done in the new year. I’m listening to Know My Name and it should be required listening for all High schoolers. It&rsqu

My physical TBR/to be finished pile is ummmmm... a lot. I’ve gotten off to a nice slow reading start with only 4 books done in the new year. I’m listening to Know My Name and it should be required listening for all High schoolers. It’s very triggering in large and small ways for me, but it’s so important to know her name and her story. @chanelmillerknowmyname @ashleyspivey #spiveys📚club

Friends and adventures and celebrations this weekend. #joy #youdownwithlmb

Friends and adventures and celebrations this weekend. #joy #youdownwithlmb

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