Growing up, my vacations and happy holidays were spent not only with relatives, but also with much-loved friends that were as close as family.

I think of family as being like a patchwork quilt – lots of pieces from lots of places, all stitched together into a beautiful pattern.  My child will always know that families grow through bonds of love.

My parents, Jim and Ruth, live nearby.  They’re devoted grandparents who would love to welcome a new grandchild into the family.  My brother Mike lives with his wife and kids nearby in Virginia.  We all love spending time together and see each other as often as we can.  My niece Jaden loves whales, especially orcas.  She loves to read.  My nephew Kyler is great at legos and loves Star Wars.  Both of them will be so excited to have a cousin to play with!

My dad reading to my niece on Christmas Eve

This is my mom at a march for equal marriage rights.  GO MOM!

We believe everybody’s family deserves respect.

The kids love to play “Sardines.”  (Ok, ok, the grownups love it too!)

It’s like hide-and-seek, only backwards:  one person hides, and everyone looks for them.  When you find the person who was hiding,  you get in and hide with them… until everybody is packed in like sardines!  It’s silly and funny and we love it.

Here we are, hiding behind a door, waiting for Nanny Ruth to find us!

Most of my extended family live in New England, and some of my favorite childhood memories are from summers and Christmastimes in Maine.

A winter walk in Maine with my parents, my brother, and my niece

My grandparents enjoying a summer afternoon in their garden