My Big Brothers/Big Sisters match high school graduation ceremony was last night.

Tonight we had a cookout with his adopted family. There were 13 people there ranging from 7 years old to late 70s -- I couldn't say how many are blood relatives.

The family is an amazing bunch of folks -- I can't imagine having enough energy to raise and adopt as many now great kids as they have. When I met my match many years ago he still showed signs of severe abuse from when he was much younger but he seems mostly past that. He now has plans and I'm proud of my part (albeit not as big a part as others in his sphere) of how he has turned out so far and I'm very much looking forward to him becoming an adult as my friend.