I've shared these thoughts a lot lately it seems like but I'm going to do it again. For me, it still doesn't seem strange how extensive my family is. Granted, it's hard to explain to other people. Ethan gets very confused sometimes (but that could be more of my explanation than his understanding ability). My parents are divorced and remarried. It doesn't bother me any that they are divorced. I never had any misconceptions as a child that they might one day get back together. They are happy where they are and I love my stepparents so I'm happy too. That does add two more branches to my family though. It was funny, talking to my mom the other day, she mentioned my two families (her's and dad's). I said no, I have four - four parents, four branches of family. That is just how I think about it but that doesn't make any side less "mine". I've always referred to my stepparents as "step" because that's how I grew up and I think it would make my mom and dad uncomfortable to do otherwise. But, I don't call my stepmom's parents my stepgrandparents or her sister, my stepaunt. I don't think of it that way. Just as she is a parent, they are my family. You don't have to be blood related to be family. My mom was adopted. That didn't make my grandma any less of a grandma.
Speaking of grandparents. This is what got me started thinking this evening. I copied a pictures of my grandparents (dad's side) to have at the wedding. I already had pictures for mom's side and we're working on getting some for my stepdad's side. They have all passed away and we want to have a little area at the wedding as a little memorial for our grandparents. Ethan lost two of his grandparents this year as well. That is eight pictures, eight grandparents. Isn't that crazy? I just wonder what it's like for people who have all of their grandparents. I wish I knew more about my grandfathers. They both passed away before I was 5 so I didn't get to know them. I wonder who they were, their personalities, what they would be like today, what kind of camaraderie they would have with Ethan, etc. I'm also thinking I shouldn't have looked back through my genealogy books I got back from my aunt who had been looking at them. I think, most of all, I'm missing my grandmas that passed away, both within the last few years. Tonight, I actually realized Ethan never met my dad's mom. We had been together 2 years when she died and they never met. Oh well, such is life. These are things I can't change.
We will be happy to have as much of our family as we can at the wedding and remember those that can't be there whether they are no longer with us or just weren't able to make it due to distance or prior engagements.
Thank you for listening.
Kara :)
God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
-The Serenity Prayer
