Our family gang

I didn't sleep very well last night. For some reason I felt completely overwhelmed and grateful and full to the brim with love for my family.

Before we went to bed last night we went walking and played that who stole the cookie from the cookie jar game over and over and over. We played it as ourselves, then we played it in funny voices, then we played as other people in our lives and we played and we played and we played. And we laughed so much and we all felt happy.

Its funny that family thing. Its like me and Bren have created our own little gang. We have little bits of language that only we understand (frima - a frozen Prima, shmutter - a washer, bagers - bathers, bizzy - fizzy drink...), we have our own laws (no socks with sandals allowed), we have foods we love (lentil bolognese) and eat lots of and foods that are never to enter our house (pumpkin soup and fruit and nut chocolate), we love blue and green and hate orange, we make Dad think that he rules but we know that Mum really does, we love to make, to dance, to bake, to sing, to wear jeans with dresses over the top (well maybe not Bren). We are so proud of our farm and of each other and we are all obsessed with our six month adventure next year.

As well as living our own lives, we also have important roles to play in our family gang too. Bren runs our farm, makes the best pancakes, builds the best block towers and adores us. Indi tries her hardest to be the peacemaker, teaches us how to be parents and writes the songs for our occasions. Jazzy makes sure that everything is always fair, maintains the girly element and is the best dancer. Pepper makes us all laugh, loves to help everyone with anything and can easily be persuaded to take a side. And Indi described me just now as the encourager and the maker.

We have moments when we drive each other insane. When we wish that we could leave this gang and go and live an isolated existence in a cave far, far away. But the truth is we would miss each other far too much and could never cope.

At the end of the day we are fiercely loyal and are happy to put up with Bren's loud phone voice, Indi's constant singing, Jazzy's love of all things make-up, Pepper's repeating the same thing over and over and I guess my asking them to hold that thought so I can finish counting stitches.

Where would I be with out my gang?

I love your guts you guys! You rock my socks!

How about you? Does your gang have funny idiosyncrasies? Your own language? A dress code?

Have a happy Tuesday. X