2 of the 3 MacPhail's  represented at Ham and Cheese night!
Upon deciding we needed a family night, we, the MacPhail family headed out to the movies and then to a relatively unimpressive restaurant, just to be with one another in an uninterrupted way. We had a blast laughing through out Ice Age 4. The only argument was when we accused each other of hogging the popcorn, but we pushed through and shared appropriately. 

There was a a beautiful song during the end credits entitled We Are. I have included the lyrics below, which I think quite describes us. One of the characters new to this sequel was Syd's antiquated sloth grandmother who is somewhat senile and often nonsensical. During the closing song all the characters take a turn singing the line "we are family", when grandma comes on screen she messes up the line and sings, "we are ham and cheese". The line gets quite a laugh from those who remain to watch the end credits. Although she is corrected, she keeps singing ham and cheese instead of family. At then end, she harmonizes just fine with all the others who are singing the correct line. 

Ice Age, from its beginning speaks to what family can be like. A bunch of misfits who find a place to belong and call their own. Even in Ice Age 4, after 3 movies of solidifying the original misfit family, Syd, Manny and Diego continue to include those who are really not allowed by societies rules to fit into what is considered normal. Ice Age has created what I am now calling the ham and cheese families of the world. 

This message of finding your place speaks volumes to me. In a world where I often feel inadequate, too small, and ill-equipped to belong I find my own ham and cheese family right there beside me supporting and loving me as I am. Amazing isn't it.

I have to tell you, my ham and cheese family does not stop with the three MacPhails. I am part of a much larger inadequate, inadequate and imperfect family, God's. God did not call us into his family because we are typical or ordinary, he calls us into his family because he wants us how He created us; imperfect and ill-equipped, He gives us what is needed to shine for Him, we need not even try to bring that ourselves. We, God's family, are the perfect ham and cheese family, we might look different, and we might act different, but we have found a place to belong and friends, there is nothing..nothing greater than knowing where you belong. 



We are  By Keke Palmer
We are, we areNot your ordinary fami-milyBut we can all agree thatWe are, we areClose as close can be
So it don’t matter what it looks likeWe look perfect to meWe got every kind of loverWe’re so lucky indeedThey can keep on talkingIt don’t matter to me causeWe are, we are family
We are are are are (We are are)We are are are are (We are are)We are are are are (We are are)We are, we are family, family, familyWe are, we are family
So what?We don’t look, we don’t actWe don’t walk, we don’t talkLike you doSo what?If we hang just a hang and no shameWe both do what we want to
Cause we come from everywhereSearching for ones to careSomehow we found it hereWe found us a home
We are, we areNot your ordinary fami-milyBut we can all agree thatWe are, we areClose as close can be
So it don’t matter what it looks likeWe look perfect to meWe got every kind of loverWe’re so lucky indeedThey can keep on talkingIt don’t matter to me causeWe are, we are family
Ok, so the links in our chains makes us strangeBut really they make us strongerAnd no one would replace not a thingMother or fatherCause we…
Cause we come from everywhereSearching for ones to careSomehow we found it hereWe found us a home
We are, we areNot your ordinary fami-milyBut we can all agree thatWe are, we areClose as close can be
So it don’t matter what it looks likeWe look perfect to meWe got every kind of loverWe’re so lucky indeedThey can keep on talkingIt don’t matter to me causeWe are, we are family
(Family)(We are, we are)We are, we are family