My Family

I've heard a lot of sayings about family.  Things like "you've only got the family you're born into", "there is the family you're related to, and the family you choose", and "Having a place to go — is a home. Having someone to love — is a family. Having both — is a blessing." among many many others.  I spent an hour driving with the windows down, music off, just thinking, enjoying the drive, thinking about family, and what it means to me.  For me there is a lot of truth in these three statements, and indeed many of the other ones that are easily available to you on the Internet.

I can't really tell you what family should be, or what/who I think you should consider family, but I can tell you who I consider family, and how awesome they are. 

I'm a lucky guy, I've got 3 families.  I have my traditional family, the one I was born into, the ones I share my name with, the ones who I can never deny.  I dearly love my immediate family.  Wife, daughter, kid 2 (we don't know the gender yet... but #becausefutbol :D), my mother, my father, and usually my brother.  For me, as they are for most, these people are irreplaceable, and I'm lucky to have them.

My second family found me when I was going into 4th grade.  Robert and Donna Perez moved next door and brought their 3 boys, Robert, James, and Jesse.  I've been friends with these guys from day 1, they took me into their family, took me to meet the rest of the family, and our parents still live next to each other 20 some years later.  Hardly a day goes by where I don't talk to at least one of them.  I've had heated fights/battles with the two younger ones, James and Jesses, as we were the closest in ages, but just like brothers, we've always worked things out.  Lots of that through thick and thin stuff.  Love them like they were my blood, and I treat them like they are.  I'm lucky to have them in my life.   

My third family is my CrossFit family, and tonight I was able to come home to CFDS, and be with some of them.  I wanted to tell you about my other two families, so you could hopefully see exactly how highly I regard my peoples at CFDS.  I think I'll always have an "instant on" connection with anyone who has ever CrossFitted.  It's just one of those things that once you've been exposed to it, and done it, it's a bond with the people who do it...or at least it is to me. 

Let me tell you about today.  I've known I was going back to Delaware for a few weeks.  Super geeked.  Then I found out it was going to be in Seaford, DE... about 1.5 hours from CrossFit Diamond State to be exact.  This was a bit of a bummer, but I grew up in a town called Tonganoxie, and it was 30-45 minutes from ANYTHING cool I wanted to do growing up, so I got real used to driving.  So, knowing I was going to be in Delaware, I kept it a big secret, up until last night, then I told my man Dustin Simmons, since I knew I wouldn't see him today, he's out of town for work as well...

So a few weeks of holding on to the fact I was going to be close...or a lot closer than KC.  I had big plans for today, I was going to come through the front door, and loundly ask who had some scissors... I needed to cut the tags off my new kicks...reminds me, the Minimus 00's (I think) I picked up @ Rehoboth New Balance yesterday...

So my plan was to go in with these and loudly ask "who's got some scissors", ya know, like I owned the place.  Well, thats not how it happened. 

If it had been a perfect day, I'd have been able to leave slightly before 5, or even right at 5.  Today, and granted I'm still new to the site, we didn't leave until 5:45.  I can't be too mad, the big bossman is here, and I'm still trying to get my feet under me.  Last thing I want to do is leave early and get one of those demerits or some other such internal judgement from my peers.   I sucked it up... well kinda.  I was fidgety from about 505 all the way till 545. 

I finally got on the road, and started driving...and I've got to tell you Delaware, you need another North-South highway...one that isn't burdened by a 55mph speed limit, and lots of stoplights and small town speed limits...  people have places to be. 

The drive got better once I got onto highway 1.  No more stoplights, and a bump in speed to 65.  #flying now.  Exactly one hour and thirty minutes from the time I left, I made it to CFDS.  I'm kinda mad Google was right on the money.  I was happier when Mapquest would tell me the same route and say it would take 2+ hours.  Feel like I made up some time that way, but Google...no Google has to be accurate.... not that that is a bad thing most days, I was just wanting to make up some time.

7:21...right in time for the 6:30 class to be over.  I take off my flipflops, and put on some old black socks... they matched the shoes...minus the fact they were faded, and by having the shoes in hand, I could still maybe get my chosen line off. 

I walked in the front door.  Through the kitchen, and in the box proper, I see my man Andy.  He kinda leans his head to the side, I think he's trying to figure out who's at the door.  I leaned my head to the side, I'm smiling... I start walking in, and then I see it, that moment of recognition.  It's a beautiful thing.  I don't remember fully hugging, I think it was more of that sportsman bro hug handshake thing... but either way, it was good to see him.  Then Laura came up, big hug.  Then some of the rest of my peoples see me.  Jessica Simmons, Theresa Driggers, Mike Li, the list goes on.  Hugs, handshakes, fistbumps.  It's great to be back. 

Oh, and the smell... that box smell.  Can't tell you I'd want it in a bottle, but it's still a smell I miss, we don't have it at EST, and I'm kinda glad, makes CFDS special. 

I look around, don't see some of the other staples, I know coach Eli is gone (he's being an official at the CF games, lucky dude), and coach Chris usually isn't an evenings kind of guy, so I wasn't expecting him, but I didn't see Pete, coach Randi, coach Gia, or the PR dancing sensation Jaimie.

Quickly find out, they're outside...doing some crazy wod...something I'd have a time of 2 hours on... 3000m row, 300 DU's, 3 mile run.  First one back is Jaimie.  She's out of it, sees me, but doesn't make it 20 ft in the door before she's on her back, sucking air from yet another monster effort.  Next in was Pete, good to see him, then it's Randi, and finally Gia.  I get smiles and nods, while everyone catches their breath, then hugs, fist bumps, etc.  I can't wait to be able to do this sort of thing in the time they did it.   

This is the first time I've seen everyone since I left.  I can't stop smiling, I'm telling the latest deets of my world, my scandalous secret about being back in DE but waaaay down south, and we catch up.  I won't bore you with all the conversations, but my family reunion has kicked off quite nicely, I didn't get to see everyone, but I got to see enough people that I'm happy I came.  3 hours of driving for a little over an hours worth of visiting.  Easily worth the trade for me.  Easily. 

I wish I'd taken some pictures with my people so I could share them with you.  I told you I have 3 families, it's really 4.  Diamond State gets their own spot, no offense to my other boxes.  They're the family I was born with in CrossFit.   CFDS and the people that make it up have a very special place in my heart.  A drive 3 hours to spend 1 with them kind of place.  Who would you do that for?  Most peoples answer is probably not for very many people, if anyone. 

Saying bye was a lot easier this time, I know when I'll be back in DE, and I know it will be soon.  It's well past my bedtime, but I wanted to share my day with you, and tell you about my family and how happy I am to have seen them today, makes the fact I'm getting 5 hours sleep bearable.  Hopefully you can smile and nod with a fuller understanding of what these folks mean to me.

Parting thoughts:
No one said anything about the beard I was sporting.  Thanks anyway to Dustin and Chris for their inspiration.  :P
EST, I didn't get a single WOD in, it will be 5 days come Thursday, make me sweat. 
CFDS, next time can't come soon enough. 
Momma, I love you
I'm out. 

Oh, and sorry for another mushy post, I can't help it, they bring it out of me. 

And sorry for misspelling, typos, and other grammatical errors.  It's 1am again...