And In Some Cases, Money

It's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words.

I usually dismiss that valuation, mostly because I've been copied on too many "amazing photos from this year" chain e-mails that people who don't have interesting lives are compelled include me on when they forward it to the people they naively assume won't think less of them for it and hit delete.

But, rather than attempt to summarize -- or, more accurately, confess -- the delight of (re)uniting with long-lost family members to discover that you actually like these strangers who've got your blood, I think I'll let a choice photograph do the talking.



And here we are. I'm not only in this photo, I'm also the photographer. How I fit seven happy people into the same frame without ruining the shot or tearing my MCL, I'm still unsure.

It's difficult to believe, looking at it, that most of us just met for the first time the day this was taken.

But there you have it: family.