Loud Family.

Kelly, Dad, Cissie, Nellie and Sarah @ Marge's Diner.

The Callahan's...also known as the "Loud Family", and rightfully so. I have met many loud families in my day, but we take the cake - by several decibels. Right now Aunt Kelly and her daughter Sarah are visiting, along with my Aunt Cissie. This morning, we all went out for breakfast - and Jesus H. Christ was it an event! At the restaurant I just kept shooting apology smiles to our very patient waitress, and tried to shake off the rest of the restaurant go-ers, who were staring at us like we were animals in a zoo. I'm pretty sure that they initially looked our way because we were so goddamn loud, and then continued staring at us because of the obscene amounts of food on the table, wondering if all of that food was just for us. My Aunt Kelly and Aunt Nellie both have M.S., a truly awful disease. Kelly just finished up chemo a few days ago, and Nellie finished about 2 weeks ago. Dad is currently half way through his. So here we were, chemo-ed up and steroid-filled, laughing and talking over one another...telling many funny, and totally inappropriate stories. And instead of being embarrassed like most sane people would be, it filled me with a great sense of pride. All of my fathers family might be completely insane, but they are good people with lots of heart. They love, and hate, fiercely - but it's their passion that I admire. Their constant enthusiasm. Particularly that of my Aunt Kelly. She has been suffering, and I mean it in every sense of the word, for over 15 years now. MS has kicked her ass from here to kingdom come, and then back again - but she never complains, and she manages to smile and laugh her way through her sickness, which I don't think is always easy to do. And that's just like my Dad -- never a boo-hoo, poor me. I may have gotten my loud voice and fat ass from the Callahan side...I got their tendency to interrupt and talk-over....I got their habits of over-indulgance...but goddamnit I also got their heart and passion that is larger than life. At times like this, it's family that gets you through, and I'm grateful to have such a noisy bunch in my corner.....

The 10 Loud and (at-times)Obnoxious, (but always) Totally Epic Callahan's:

1. Thomasine

2. Cissie

3. Mary

4. Nellie

5. Paul

6. Michael

7. Kate

8. Megan

9. Kelly

10. Sean