Here’s to the family I chose. The family that I wasn’t born into by way of bloodline, but born into by way of fate. The family that shows me what it feels like to be surrounded by unconditional love, friendship, and laughter.

Here’s to the family that was on the field when I met the love of my life. To the family that was together, waiting with hugs when one of us lost a loved one. And to the family that accepted me with just plain love.

Here’s to the group texts on a Saturday afternoon inquiring about board game night and the mass emails on Tuesday afternoon in preparation for softball game night.

Here’s to Christmas White Elephant parties where we trade booze as gifts and Sunday potluck dinners just because.

Here’s to marathon signs, summer bonfires and shots of Fireball to celebrate every occasion.

We’re not just a family, we’re "The Fam”. The ones who work hard together and play even harder together.

The ones who wouldn’t miss a monumental birthday, a 3, 6 or 12 month anniversary, a surprise engagement or a wedding with a carousel.

We open our homes to each other when we're not in town because they're within walking distance from the local tavern, or because they have a big bonfire pit. We open our coolers and liquor cabinets and say, "help yourself!"

We help each other move without question. Even if one of those items is a 1,000 pound pool table or two entire apartments becoming one home.

We spend summers at the pool with spiked lemonade and an oversized blow-up swan raft, and winters at the local basketball court - the girls cheering on the basketball boys while drinking wine out of water bottles.

We learned how to win as a team in the summer softball league. We learned how to lose as a team in the Fall flag-football league. And we learned how to German dance as a team in the basement of one of The Fam houses.

We’ve done it all: Break Ups. Make Ups. Bachelor Parties. Shopping Trips. Golf Outings. Girls Wine Night. Super Bowl Parties. Proposal Celebrations. Pool Parties. Summer Concerts. Pregame Drinks and Post-game drinks. And the best part of all, we’re not done.

So raise your Bud Light from the $5 bucket-o-beer to the family I chose. Or better yet, the family that chose me. We didn’t start together, but we’ll finish together.

Cheers.