The idea of hurting people goes against everything I believe in for any reason whatsoever. So I tend to really censor myself sometimes, not counting or divulging certain identifying details about a situation or my feelings about it.

Now I feel like I should have the ability to at least be free about my feelings on situations without dragging anyone else in negatively in any identifying way.

This is how I can do an online dating website and still date. The thing is, I am not about destroying anyone by naming or talking about anyone in any super identifiable way, changing the names and specific details to be something less obvious since it was the actions which warranted disclosure, not the name, well, most of the time. Simply for humor drama or pure entertainment, the point is, real life is better than fiction.

My own life is better than anything I could have imagined to be true but wasn’t. And this has also come to be due to the fantastic family I have come to know and love. Tucson was amazing, and everything about my family is even more than amazing. They are just full of love and positivity and love and help and support each other. It’s actually very sweet to see the development of my youngest brother, who was 4 when I first met him, me playing hide and seek with him in their hotel room. Now he is a teenager, as of today, well, yesterday now, just about…a teenager! And really the nicest kid you could ever meet. So thoughtful, considerate, affectionate and smart, the kid is super awesome and is bound for fantastic things.

And my cousin and sister were really the best hosts for the weekend, really taking me out and making it so easy to just slide into a role I had never had before, nor had I really known very well, as cousin and sister, and really, it was fantastic to feel like I belonged and there was no question. My sense of humor, my laugh, and my nose and eyes are those of my father, who also blessed me with tinsel Scottish hair, that ashy brown with wiry white hairs scattered throughout. This is why I have to be shades of blond…much easier to hide light in light.

I belonged and I wanted them all to be close to me, have a family really be in town. They’re so cute they do family night. Everyone supports everyone else emotionally and you can see how tight they all are with each other. They are all honest to their convictions, and though they are not all in agreement, they all respect each other and are kind and supportive of each others decisions.

Here is an assortment of photos from the weekend, as my cousin is quite the paparazzi…

she and I:

birthday girl Friday night and birthday candle Saturday night:

a line of ladies: me, my sister’s BF, my beautiful sister, two lady friends and cousin at the end:

my lap dance, courtesy of a cowboy friend:

this is who I got my birthday kisses from: the wayward Swede who picked me off the dance floor