n. Friends or blood relatives to whom we would actually choose to be related, because the relationship is mutually respectful, close, supporting and affectionate. The favorite people in our lives we would include in our family, whether they are blood-related or not, typically because we love them.
Gilda thought, "Why don't I invite the entire framily?," and made labels that included her best friends Tanya and CeeCee from school, her parents, her brothers, and Vicky from next door - they had become very close since Vicky first offered to watch the dog when Gilda went to Texas.