The Publix Faimily

Those of you close to a Publix food store have probably seen a Publix TV commercial. They always show these big families sitting around the dinner table eating fresh pie right out of the oven, held with a perfectly matched set of pot holders by a beautiful aproned grandma type. You can even see the steam rising off the top. An entire family of happy people sit with their plates up, big smiles, all ages, from the grinning babies to that perfect grandma. It almost always makes me tear up.

I've always imagined I would have that.

Since I was 18 I knew what I wanted and somehow I managed to get all my ducks to line up. Just like my mom and dad, life fell into order like a well planned out movie. But best layed plans fall apart. I wasn't in control of things after all.
Will I ever get my big "italian" (not really italian) family, that sit down to family meals, laugh too loud, talk over each other, yell, cry, and get into each others business?

Maybe to some this sounds like a nightmare, to me it sounds like heaven.