When you get married, you marry his family, too.

Well, we've just returned from Honey's family reunion. When I was in middle school and high school, I hoped that some day I would marry in to a big family. I'm not sure what I was thinking back then, because for all practical purposes, I have a big family, but whatever. . .

If you knew Honey in college, you probably also knew that there were several other people attending that same college that share his last name. Several. Other. People. In fact there were so many siblings/cousins attending college at the same time that you probably never sorted out the whole entire mess and have no earthly idea who goes with whom. In fact I have many conversations that go something like this:


"Oh, so you're married to Honey Lastname. Isn't K Lastname his brother? They look just alike."



"No, K Lastname is his cousin."



"OH. So, K Lastname and B Lastname are brothers."



"No, K and B are also cousins."



"OH! So, Honey and B are brothers."



"No, they're cousnins."



"Ohhh! I guess I always thought that Honey had a brother that went to college with us."



"He does. M Lastname is his brother."



"OHHHHH! So, how does L Lastname fit in?"



"She married K Lastname. So she's only a Lastname by marriage."



"OOOOHHHH! I always thought K Lastname had a sister. . ."



"He does, T Lastname."



"Oh." Shakes head and walks away mumbling to self.



And, really, if you are one of those confused people, don't feel so bad. Even those of us who married Lastnames, don't have it all sorted out. In fact, very few of the Lastnames themselves have it figured out. And the ones that do are so old we aren't sure if we can trust their memory. The Lastnames that you went to college with? They are just the tip of the iceberg. There are many, many Lastnames. Many. And so, it makes family reunions . . . confusing, at least for someone who has only been married to a Lastname for a mere 9 years.

To be quite honest, I've just quit trying to understand. I just introduce myself as "Jen, I married H.A.'s youngest boy." And then I watch the light bulb come on and they know exactly how I fit in. Or they are really good fakers.

Aside from putting the pieces of the Lastname puzzle together, there was food,

playing in the tree house,

swimming,


pinatas,

and baseball.

And a good time was had by all who attended.