When Family and Friends grow up together...

they celebrate love together.

They work hard to create the perfect space to reunite with old friends/family and meet new ones.....

and love each other's children as if they were their own....

they do strange things together....

like licked ants off the floor, and giggle over it...

they become best friends....

and love spending time in each other's arms...

They develop strong friendships with people they love....

and love them as if they are family....

When family and friends grow up together they create such an amazing amount of love, trust, and happiness that their kids spread it around without even trying....

Little boys love to sit on their fathers' laps...

and those same fathers become doting grandfathers...

they raise their children together, because it really does take a village....

And that love helps create new families.....

Husbands realize how important these gatherings are and take both children home so their wives can party until the wee hours of the morning...

they dance together....

and feel thankful to have each other....

And most importantly celebrate the people who made all of this possible, who welcomed the Bentes and the Wilsons into our lives 30 years ago.

When family and friends grow up together, everyone benefits.