I might be a LeCheminant!

Inlaw…..What a weird concept. You’re IN, but not all the way. It’s like you’re almost part of the family, but not quite – you’re missing the blood component and 90% of the childhood memories. Anyways, I think we should all be adopted into spouse’s families. In the movie, While You Were Sleeping (a personal favorite of mine), Lucy’s boss tells her, “Lucy, You can’t just join a family like you join the Marines!” However, these past two weeks, I found that statement to be false. I became a LeCheminant. I got adopted into the family. I found my niche. I lost the title “inlaw” and became simply Mykel. Me. I found that I could be myself with my new family and as nutty as I am, it was okay. I found that I could pretend to row blind as Mykelen Heller, and not be considered a total crazy pants. I found that I fit, and I loved it.





So, on a less tender note and a more silly note, in honor of Jeff Foxworthy and my LeCheminant family, I’ve composed some honorary river jokes. Some of them may not seem very funny, but that’s because they’re family inside jokes, and that’s okay because I am now a LeCheminant and that means they’re funny to me.

If you can sing all identical 100 verses of “Nelly dinnnnk”... You might be a LeCheminant.

If people mistake you for Snow White or Edward Cullen on a regular basis due to your skin color... You might be a LeCheminant.

If you’ve rowed/rode down the Grand Canyon 1, 3 , or 31 times... You might be a LeCheminant.

If you’ve ever “derbasized” something (especially if that something was derbis)... You might be a LeCheminant.

If you think it’s stylish to sport a bandana under your ball cap or wear a woman’s blouse even though you’re a man... You might be a LeCheminant.

If you: A. Know what a Hopper is, and B. have used it... You might be a LeCheminant.

If you’ve tipped a raft in Badger, but managed to successfully run Lava Falls upright... You might be a LeCheminant.

If you “need the calories"... You might be a LeCheminant.

If you've never had a snort of cocaine, but have had your grandpa offer you "a snort" of other liquids... You might be a LeCheminant.

If you’ve ever had the privilege of using the Frank Hansen Memorial Towel... You might be a LeCheminant

If you continue to wear tennis shoes on the river despite the impending infamous foot fungus... You might be a LeCheminant.

I’m proud to admit that Matt and I together meet 90% of the requirements – minus the fungus. We just might be LeCheminants!