To Be a Hampe...

You must,

be LOUD,

have a heart that always has room to love more,

be LOUD,

be stubborn,

be LOUD,

have a love for children,

(I don't need to say again, that you must be loud),

love your family for better and worse.

I am all of those things and always will be, even with my awesome new last name :) 

{Cirrah, Jan-German Exchange Brother, Cody, Caleb, Dani & Renato-Brazil Exchange Brother and Fiance, Cylie, Me & Matt who looks so annoyed, nice Matt.}

I miss my family every day. 

I wouldn't ever move back to WI or anywhere close (too cold...sorry guys). But I do miss them so so much! I don't like that my baby brother, Caleb has so few memories with me. I do love that the memories I do have with him are seared into my heart so that I will never forget any of them. My baby sisters remember me living at home. And of course, I have tons of memories with my (not-so-little) little brother, Cody. 

{One of my favorite memories from our wedding}

My brother Cody sang "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars to Cirrah Emani our baby sister. He was down on one knee the whole time and she was just so in love with her big brother. Her eyes were twinkling, literally! And so were mine, except with tears of joy. I love her beautiful smile. Cirrah has Autism and Child Bi-Polar and these special moments are even more amazing and special because of how many rough days she has. She had a rough time at our wedding and just that week in general. She kept saying to us all week "I hate your wedding!"...(kind of cute). It was too loud. Throughout the night I kept looking over and seeing her just sitting at tables sobbing. No one could hear her because it was so loud. It was so heartbreaking. At one point, I couldn't find Matt anywhere. I asked around excitedly asking "Have you seen my husband?!" I found him outside sitting on a bench with Cirramani. She was crying and he was holding her all cuddled into him; in his tux and her in her little junior bridesmaid dress looking all beautiful. It was a precious moment. She was being comforted by her new big brother. He told me he didn't want to leave her alone. So, we both sat out there with her and held her while she sobbed. On our wedding day. While everyone was dancing and have a dandy ole' time, poor little Cirrah couldn't take anymore. I wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else at the moment. My parents eventually realized we were all missing and made us go back inside. I'll never forget how her big brothers loved her that day. First Cody and then Matt. That's true love. 

{Here is a weird photo of Cody and Matt, ha. I have no idea why they are posing the way they are..they get goofy together. I love that they have fun together and that Matt loves Cody so much. Same, I know Cody loves Matt a lot too. He loves having him as a big brother. It's the best. Man, writing this I miss Cody even more. (I have my days where I miss certain Hampe's, today is a Cody day)}

{Uncle Coco, the best doggy uncle in the world! Cogsy loved all the attention he got that week, and with Cylie who stayed with us for 5 weeks this summer.}

{Me and 2 of my brothers at Alki Beach where Matt proposed to me 2 1/2 years ago. Jan and Cody...man, I miss you guys!}

Mom is coming to visit soon to see my recital and I can't wait to see her!! 

Today I was really missing Cody, so here are a bunch of family photos from when they were here for our wedding. A whole week (the week before our wedding) with my whole family in our 2 bedroom apartment. We survived (just barely lol), but we did. And we still love each other, probably even more :)

{The whole gang, even Jan! Visiting Snoqualmie Falls a few days before our wedding}

{I am in love with this picture! Hampe Kids at Alki, why Matt was not sitting here with us, I have no idea. This picture was not posed...? wierd.}

Anyways, I love you Hampe Family. I may have the Lanese name now...

 but I'll always have Hampe blood. 

Love,