On Family and Replacements

I miss my family... and people are always surprised that I live here "alone."

Guy: "Do you have any relatives or family here?"
Mary: "Em, no..."
Bizarro Mom: "You have ME!!!"
*gives me a hug*
Mary: "Right, my Ersatz-mama!"
Syd: "Mary has three families... her Texas Family, her German Replacement Family and her International Spiritual Christian Family."
Mary: "Hmm, true..."
Huckelberry: *continues punching holes in a notecard*

I think I miss my family so much because I was recently home... and because they're such kind, loving, normal people.

As you can see in this picture, my dad and I have a very gentle, loving, healthy relationship.


Katinka is always so proper and lady-like...


You'll definitely see the sisterly resemblance between me and my Emita in the next two pictures:



As Bizarro dropped me off at the airport before Christmas, we had the following exchange:

Mary: "I'm really going to miss you guys over Christmas..."
Bizarro: "But you have good replacements."
Mary: "Wait, who's replacing whom?"

Is it possible to have a Replacement Family for a Replacement Family?

Youth: "Syd, please play the piano so we can sing!"
Syd: "No, let's sing without the piano this time..."
Youth: "Please! Please! Please!"
Syd: "I don't want to... and what are you guys going to do when I'm gone next year?"
Youth: "Mary will play. You're REPLACEABLE."

Which is absolutely false. No one is replaceable. No person, no family, no one.

When I'm in Germany, I miss my family. When I'm in Texas, I realize how much I love and miss everyone here.

So ist das Leben.