Growing up, my immediate family has always been the standard size. With two parents, and two siblings, the five of us could always fit in one car comfortably wherever we needed to travel to no problem. Whenever significant events roll around, whether they be holidays, weddings, or graduations among other things, I am always reminded of how big my family is. With a dad one of six, and a mom one of five, this leaves me with 20 first cousins that the majority of are now married with kids of their own. That being said, a small crowd or a small gathering is often unheard of among my extended family. With every event, comes a production, along with the 11 thoughts that follow
1. The first 15 minutes of any event consists of endless "hello's" and "how are you's?" as we catch up on the time that has passed since the last time we have seen each other.
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2. With so many cousins, comes far too many people to ever find yourself bored or unamused by the people around you.
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3. You are constantly meeting new people as others come in and out of your extended families lives.
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4. That being said, anyone you do bring around your family deserves a medal for meeting that many people at once.
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5. Providing enough food for your family that could feed an army becomes a pretty regular thing at gatherings.
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6. Small quiet dinner parties are often considered a foreign concept to you
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7. To think your family is only going to get bigger as time goes on is a strange notion.
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8. When you plan to leave, you must plan 15 minutes in advance if you plan on making your rounds to say goodbye to everyone.
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9. Holidays often turn into something somebody should honestly write a book about.
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10. Drinking throughout the night is normal.
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11. Your family may all be a little crazy, but you're lucky enough to call them yours.[rebelmouse-proxy-image https://media.rbl.ms/image?u=%2Ffiles%2F2016%2F06%2F27%2F6360265405011187961449168861_200.gif&ho=https%3A%2F%2Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net&s=736&h=878109ab4b874c5c4aa1110570d8c4cf64e3100f1d7759267faa8fe26d69aab3&size=980x&c=3102256618 crop_info="%7B%22image%22%3A%20%22https%3A//media.rbl.ms/image%3Fu%3D%252Ffiles%252F2016%252F06%252F27%252F6360265405011187961449168861_200.gif%26ho%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Faz616578.vo.msecnd.net%26s%3D736%26h%3D878109ab4b874c5c4aa1110570d8c4cf64e3100f1d7759267faa8fe26d69aab3%26size%3D980x%26c%3D3102256618%22%7D" expand=1]