Our FAMILY is at the beach this week. 24 people in one giant beach house to celebrate a 90th birthday, an 88th birthday and 65 years of marriage for the two birthday kids. We’re singing, we’re dancing, we’re surfing, we’re laughing, we’re eating — oh, how we’re eating! We live all over the country now. But, our parents believe in creating a FAMILY bond so they’ve made it a point to get the entire bunch together as often as possible. We are far from perfect, but because of their vision, cousins who might see each other once every ten years – if they’re lucky – now know each other well. They’ve played games together, laughed together, stayed up late in the hot tub together, played in the surf together, shared stories and hugs, annoyances and delights. And they’ve done it over many years through numerous experiences because two people know that FAMILY is important and they have created opportunities for the bonding to happen. At the end of the week we’ll all head back to our various corners of the country knowing that we are loved, appreciated, known, and part of a crazy, beautiful FAMILY. I wish that knowing for every child. I wish it for every FAMILY. It’s one of the reasons I do what I do – because that beautiful FAMILY bond can begin with music right on the floor of our Kindermusik classrooms. I’ve seen it happen going on 20 years now. Yep, FAMILY is everything. 
And aren’t these two the cutest?