The New York Yankees

Derek (on leave from the Peace Corps) with his girlfriend.
Sweet Jason with Melissa (a keeper!!)
Mother and son...
Uncle Gerald with his newest recruit!

Baby Ethan adored LaNelle and she loved him!
Brothers (Pete was on his tiptoes and Gerald was squatting down!!)
The Sheridan kids...Pete, Gerald and Patti (Peggy was at home in Virginia)
Gorgeous Ashley laughing with Andrew...
Pete's cousin ("Uncle" Johnny) was the life of the party!!!!

We lovingly refer to Pete's family as the "New York Yankees". We see them very seldom but it is amazing that within minutes we are as close as if we saw each other every day! Grandma keeps us all updated so we feel as if we know each other but it was awesome beyond words to actually be together. Our family is the founders and president of the "WE ADORE UNCLE GERALD" fanclub. He is "cool" beyond measure and it always amazes me how similar he and Pete are in many ways. He graciously took the boys to his police station and let them experience so much there...and he took us into the city and we had our very own personal bodyguard. I cannot describe how very safe we felt with him by our side. I noticed how he was always alert and watching to keep us safe... He made us feel like royalty and we love him for it! His wife, Jenny, spoils my kids and they adore her as well...any Mom can understand the sacrifice she made to welcome 13 relatives into her home a few days after Christmas and yet she welcomed us with open arms and we felt completely at home! As Andrew says, Aunt Jenny is "QUALITY". Their kids are awesome...we missed Patrick who is our family hero serving in Iraq and we love his fiancee Kristen. Jason is still the most gorgeous, sweetest guy I know (ok, in the top 6) and his girlfriend Melissa won all of our hearts...we hope she stays forever! Chris has grown up to be a great kid and he's such an Irishman...we didn't see much of him because 16 year olds prefer girlfriends to family (imagine that!!!) but it was good to see him. Brian is a trip!!! We adore him and his energy...he never sleeps and is always making us laugh. Peter and LaNelle enjoyed helping him with a school project. It's got to be a family trait to wait till the last minute for projects!!!! Of course the focus of the trip was Aunt Patti's son Michael's wedding to Haley. Pete just about worships his sister Patti and I have loved her since before I met her. It was so fantastic to see her and even as busy as she was with the upcoming "dream wedding", she had us all over for boar's head cold cuts and her FAMOUS mac and cheese (my family devoured a whole pan and left the second pan for the other 30 people there!!) Michael was a gracious and unbelievably handsome groom, Derek got to come home for the wedding...he graduated with honors from Notre Dame and is now serving in the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic...we are SO PROUD of him!!! His girlfriend Ashlyn is a grad student at Harvard and a remarkable girl...those Sheridan men (ok he's a Luzim) sure know how to pick women!! And Ashley (Patti and Jeff's only daughter) loves college in Arizona and is a beautiful replica of her Mom Patti at her age. She and Andrew had lots of fun although Andrew swears she hits him everytime he comes near her...she was a breathtakingly beautiful bridesmaid and we adore her! Pete's sister Peggy couldn't come but her son, Georgie brought his fiancee and their toddler son, Ethan. Georgie used to visit us all the time with Grandma before he grew up and we have missed him! He is just the same as we remembered and was agreat sport about Sarah Beth greeting him with "George George George of the Jungle..watch out for that tree" each and every time she saw him! Anna is so very sweet and she speaks "southern" like us so you know we love her! Ethan fell in love with LaNelle and was never far from her arms..it was a true love match! I can not even begin to describe Pete's cousins..."Uncle" Johnny is so hilarious and the kids were so excited that he was there..he is a hoot and the life of every party. Tiny and Mike came with their three grown sons and we loved reuniting with them. Cousin Kenneth and Karen just made our trip! We haven't seen him in about 17 years and we just feel like we've known Karen forever...they have promised to visit and I hope they do! We love our very own "New York Yankees"!!!!