This is my family. My mom, dad, papa, brother, myself and now my friend in the back is slowly being adopted in.

I met him over a year ago through working at comic/anime/gaming conventions. We quickly became friends despite me attending school in Troy and him still living in Birmingham. He also got along with my parents well before I left to head back to Troy one summer.

Over time, my parents began to invite him over to the house more and more, especially when I am down in Troy. I noticed this when he would send me photos of food and I would recognize the room as my parent's living room. My parents seemed to invite him at least twice a week for dinner. After some time, he began to attend the movies with them throughout the week as well.

Then came the when I noticed my dad referring to him as his new son. I could not help to laugh at it all. My parents had practically "adopted" one of my friends! They joke and do fun things together. The picture above was actually when my family took him out to a baseball game for his birthday. He's eaten at my grandparent's house and even attended my brother's baseball games. He had no issue fitting right into my crazy family.

I just want to say this is not a result of my parents suffering from "empty nest syndrome," they were actually extremely happy to see me go to college and become my own person. I think they were just happy to have on of my friends that lived nearby that can keep up with their eccentric personality. Considering most of my close friends are now in Troy (except for a few that are back home), they don't get to know the people who I spend a lot of time with.

I think my friend just gives them someone else to talk to and spend time with. It's not as strange now since the majority of my friends are older now. They give him advice and life lessons, much like they do and did with me growing up. I'm not sure how much he absorbs and listens to it, but they give some of the best advice in my opinion. They have never sugarcoated anything.

This is not even the first time my parents have done this to one of my friends. Back in middle and high school, I had another friend they treated the same way. I think my parents are just good at spotting meaningful people that I bring into my life and are willing to help those who accept them.

So even though my friend seems to spend more time with my family than I do now, I am happy for them and glad they have found comfort in each other. Though the amount of jokes that come my way when they are together is fatal.