Hello everyone! Hello 
My partner's family is big. She got a lot of nephews and nieces, while mine, I got nephews and nieces too but they are living far. We seldom see each other after our parents left. Yet, I feel belong to my partner's family. They are all kind and respectful. And they love to gather every time they have the chance. And I feel happy about it. In them, I found a another family which I always miss, and it's a big one!
Two weeks ago, Saturday night, we gathered again in my sister-in-law's house. They always love having dinner together and everybody was present, from the youngest to the oldest (my mother-in-law). The house was filled with laughter, giggles, kids playing and loud, young men talking about school and anything, and there were baby's cries too.
The women were busy preparing the table for the dinner, while I, was the in-charge to grill the bangus and pork liver, with the help of nephews. The kitchen and dining was not really wide, but everybody was there, waiting for the dinner. My partner and her sisters prepared the drinks and chicken menudo. While others prepared the fruits.
The dinner was started with a thanksgiving prayer led by my sister-in-law's husband. And the table started to got busy after the prayer. Everybody started to get their food and the kids were happily eating as they gathered around the table. They ruled the small dining table while the adults sat anywhere comfortable to eat.
After the meal, the kids enjoyed the cake we brought. They happily shared the sweets to each other. And they went downstairs after to have their animated movie marathon, they are ages 1 to 6, they enjoyed animations. Downstairs are the rooms of their kids and the master's bedroom. Their house is on a cliff, in which the garage is on the rooftop, the living room and kitchen is at the second floor and the bedrooms are in the ground floor. Unique design indeed.
(Since I cooked the bangus, the bangus belly was mine, lols)
After the dinner, everybody were gathered in the living room while the kids were downstairs. Dinner gathering is always followed with a Bible study. It is their/our way of sharing our present lives and situations to the family. Through a Bible sharing at first followed by personal sharing later. Usually it will only take an hour and a half.
But at that night, it was different. We started the Bible sharing and gathering at 8:30 in the evening and ended up at 11:30, almost midnight. Everybody shared their lives, their experiences, and ideas. We didn't notice the time because we really enjoyed the gathering. So, we decided to have our sleep-over in their house. Nobody went home that night. And it was very heart-warming as they attentively listen to everyone, including me.
In the morning, Sunday, we left very early to attend church. Good thing my partner was bringing our kids' clothes for church. At the church, the whole family gathered again, and it gave a unique feeling to my heart. They may not be my biological family, yet, they make me feel "I belong".
Family isn't always about blood, sometimes it's about the people who welcome you with open arms, share their lives with you, and make you feel at home. That weekend reminded me how beautiful it is to belong, to be surrounded by love, and to grow together in faith and joy. I’m truly grateful to be part of this big, warm-hearted family.