Are we that family?

Us.  

When I met my wife, it was at a copy machine. The exchange was nothing to write home about, but it was enough for me to want to get to know her.

Fast forward 18 years, a mortgage, two kids and a dog later, we are still the two same people who met while in was copying news clips (that was what we did back in the old PR days). 

Why am I walking down memory lane? Well, recently, I've had a number of people compliment me on how "cute" a family we have. How awesome it is to see that family values still exist. How great it is that we are so involved in our kid's education. How much fun we seem to have together. 

Yes, we have a good time together. Yes, my wife and I are involved in our kid's education. Yes, we have family values. 

Now, is it something special? Do we have some secret sauce? Have we been granted wishes by a genie? Are we just lucky?

No. What we do have is patience, communication, understanding and a slew of other attributes that make us who we are. We also have our upbringings. Now, I come from a family that's littered with divorce. My wife comes from a family that the big D doesn't often happen. You combine those two and there's a keen sense of why marriage is important how it creates a tight bond between two people that is unwavering. Then you add two great kids into the mix, a crazy dog and you got yourself a family.  

Are we perfect? Nope. Do we have those days? Yep. Is their arguing? Yep. Is there stress? Yep. Is there worrying? Yep. 

There are also great days, good laughs, inside jokes and a boat load of wonderful memories.

So, are we that family? I guess we are, but I think we are just the Martelli's and I wouldn't want it any other way.