Blessed

Over the weekend, on Saturday, more specifically, my family and I went to the Hobby Center in Houston to see the play Wicked.
My wonderfully charming older sister Jennifer and her husband Adam bought my ticket for my birthday. So the present itself was delayed a bit but I didn't mind at all. Especially since everyone in my family has seen this particular play and I never had.
So after the hair-raising few minutes of not knowing if we were going to be seated in time to see Act I (thanks again for that, Jeffums...) it was an absolutely FABULOUS experience.
I don't know if you've ever seen Wicked, but it's definitely worth watching.
It deviates slightly from the The Wizard of Oz, though, so if you're a purist of Judy Garland's you might want to think twice about it.
And Frank Baum's books aren't anywhere NEAR the finished product so if you're a classic literature fanatic you'll have to go in with a suspension of disbelief attitude.
And just don't even get me started on "The Wiz."
No, really. You don't want to open that box.
But it's a marvelously witty, humorous play and Stephen Schwartz did all the music so the songs are the kind that give you goosebumps. I've awakened every morning this week with one of them stuck in my head. Not a bad gig, really.
Then after the theatrics we went to Artista, the gourmet/fancy/incredibly expensive restaurant that's attached to the theatre.
Like most eating establishments of that kind it's highly overpriced but the food IS rather exquisite. And we all enjoyed ourselves quite thoroughly.
But here was the best part:
I went with my family.
My FAMILY.
My two sisters, their husbands, and my parents.
And we had SO much fun.
It was just as fun as if I had gone with a group of friends. (Well, that may be a SLIGHT exaggeration, but seriously, not much of one.)
This is why I've titled this posting as "Blessed."
I am incredibly fortunate to be able to spend hours upon hours with a group of people to whom I am related and not grow weary of their company.
Now, in all honesty, that does not always happen. We have our family issues just like everyone else. Sometimes Christmas is awkward, sometimes dinners are silent, etc., etc.
But most of the time we get along really well. I am SO glad that I am friends with my sisters and friends with both of their husbands and that we can all hang out as a "team" with my parents sometimes and just have a big old blast.
And when you throw in my extended family, as we did a few weekends ago at my cousin's wedding, WELL then! It just becomes a hysterical melee of raucous shenanigans! And who doesn't like that??
Hug someone you're related to today, people. Life is a short, precious thing. It should be spent with those you love and those who love you.
*tear* Now I'm all sentimental. I must go put on some Michael Bolton and take a nice bubble bath.