Who is this Joe?

After my initial introduction to Joe, he started becoming a permanent fixture at most family gatherings–Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, weddings, baptisms, reunions.  Every time I went to a family function, there he was.  I remember the first Thanksgiving I hosted for my family.  My brother asked me if it was OK if Joe came.  “Sure,” I said, secretly wanting to ask, “Why?” I just couldn’t understand the relationship.  I knew he was a friend of my niece (the bride’s sister), but it appeared that was all…just a friend, not a boyfriend or romantic interest of any kind.  And, in my family (as in most), if people don’t talk about it, you just don’t ask.

It was that first Thanksgiving that I realized preparing the normal amount of food was not going to be enough if Joe was there.  At least five helpings of food–here’s helping #1, and all subsequent helpings were just as large!

And, of course, Joe had his straw–never left home without it!