"Tinkerbell's" Family: Mesa, Arizona

This is Tinkerbell's family. I worked with her this summer at the ranch. She was a housekeeper and I was a server. We started talking over stomach problems. Her family is remarkably similar to my ex boyfriend, Chris. They all practice martial arts, many of them have been in the military, and they're all somewhat short and skinny. In Chris's family, his sister was a mechanic and he wanted to be a baker: In Tinkerbell's family her sister is a mechanic and one of her sister's fiances was in culinary school. The similiarities are terrifying. Especially since I love Tinkerbell's family so much! I felt right at home. She has 7 brothers and sisters altogether, and most of them are involved in relationships. It was weird to finally be a third wheel, since I haven't experienced that in so long.



This is the cactus in the neighbor's front lawn. An arm fell off of it a few days before I showed up. It was one of the first cartoony-cactuses I'd seen on my drive southwest.



Sarah is Tinkerbell's 19-year-old sister. She acts tough and in charge, but is fairly easy to talk to. She is with Vince, and the darker puppy is theirs; he's the brother of her mother's puppy Sheba.




Tinkerbell's simple wedding dress: "It's my dream dress," she says. Her wedding is next Friday at the temple: most of her family isn't allowed in, because they aren't Mormon. The reception is in October. There might be 800 guests there.



Rachel's Princess dress: Rachel is getting married the day after Tinkerbell's reception. This sounds a little crazy to me, since both of these things are happening at their large, but not masion-like house. I want to see her wedding and the reception so much!



Rachel is sitting on the stool in the middle of the living room in a poofy, tight-bodiced wedding dress and veil. She's tossing her bouquet of red flowers.
"Oh my god. I can't believe you just did that," Pepper says. ""Why do you look like such a bride?"
"I can put you in a different dress," her mother says.
"No, mine fits my personality."
Rachel walks across the room, showing me how she can walk in the dress. She turns and leaps back onto the half-foot stool, revealing the black jeans beneath.
"I'm not jealous. Your style looks like you and my style looks like me."



This is Tinkerbell with her "sweetheart" Christopher. They've been dating for 7 years.





Adam & Noel: Adam is one of the older brothers. He is allergic to the sun and lives in his van in his mom's cement garage. His wife lives there with him. She gave me a colorful skirt that she says she was getting rid of.

The family loved me because I'm Pagan. But their mother and Tinkerbell are both Mormon. I'm so glad my friend is open-minded enough to accept me. She has never tried to persuade me into her religion.