We Belong Together

I've been living with Grant and Vanessa for about 2 1/2 months now. In a way, we've settled into a groove with our non-traditional living situation. My students have been the least phased by the changes; they know Vanessa because she worked at Cloud last year. They either might have a distant relative, cousin or friend living with them, or they know someone who does. Also, Vanessa and my coworkers have gotten over the initial questions about our living arrangement.

Friday we were bowling (very poorly I might add) for kids, and so I got to meet a lot of Vanessa's coworkers as well as their families and friends. Vanessa was introducing Grant and I to a friend of a coworker, and it went something like this.

"This is my husband Grant, and this is our roommate Abi."

Puzzled look.

"Yeah," I said, "We belong together."

I was semi-joking, but aside from my own family, and families I've nannied for, Grant and Vanessa and Luke and Laurel are the closest thing to my actual family. Laurel and I have fought like sisters, Grant is like another brother, and Vanessa and I give back rubs and watch trashy TV. These are people that I am completely myself around. They see my beadhead in the morning and they've seen me cry. They love my dog. There is something amazing that happens when people's lives are intentionally intertwined with one another. I only hope that where ever I end up going in the future, that I will always have people with which I can create a community.