Hey guys-
Thanksgiving this year was very different from past experiences. This fall, my grandma remarried and I've recently had to deal with a huge addition to our family (its a little bit bigger than having a new baby; a whole new side of the family is a lot to get used too). We had my new step-family over to introduce them to the group, and it was a bit uncomfortable at first because none of us knew the other terribly well. We didn't even have the buffer of dinner to ease some of the awkwardness; it started really late, due to the fact that my mom had accidentally set the turkey on fire. Since the Strom side of the family is majority adults, me and my sister Janna and my new cousin Hannah were kind of stuck at the other end of the table. We tentatively figured each other out by lots and lots of questions. I found out at the end of the night that even though the beginning of dinner was awkward, our families clicked pretty well. We played Gestures (which is my mom's favorite party game: it is introduced at EVERY SINGLE PARTY we host the moment after dessert has been finished), and it loosened everyone up. Conversation was noticeably lighter and easier after that, and the time passed much quicker.
After everyone left, I thought about how different this year had been from other years. I realized that in fact, I did have a lot to be thankful for. Not every family has the opportunity to add some new characters to predictable get-togethers. And it was worth it to see how happy it made my grandmother when she saw the party meshing together and getting along. I'm really happy that she's found someone that she loves enough to spend the remainder of her life with, and that she cares enough to make it official at the age of 76. Its nice to know that family isn't always a matter of chance. You can sometimes piece together a collection of people who mean the world to you, and that's what really made me thankful this thanksgiving.
P.S. Im sorry I posted late, I was busy all day yesterday.
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7 comments:
Seems like you had a very nice Thanksgiving indeed :)
It's so nice to see that our grandparents live life to the fullest, it shows that no one is never too old for anything. Your grandmother is truly very inspirational. :)
Wow.
That is truly a wonderful story, Lindsay. I almost began to cry after reading it.
It's a good reminder how important family is to our lives. They're the people who are always with us, from beginning to end. It's nice to have a holiday like Thanksgiving to stop and take a moment to be thankful for that.
Also, that was admirable how your family easily let in a new addition to the family. It makes Thanksgiving all the more wonderful.
Aww, Lindsey, that was sweet. It's funny how you could take a more uncommon change in your life and make it into something wonderful.
Your grandma sounds like a real character. She reminds me of my feisty Grandma McCarthy, who actually is not much older than your grandmother. Sadly, my grandma is battling cancer right now. Yet another reminder to cherish the ones who mean the most to us. Lastly, I agree with your mom on the Gestures idea--it's a game that invariably leads to wholesome, belly laughter.
I understand where you are coming from because like your family, my grandpa remarried. It has always been a little awkward. My sister and I never really got along with our step cousins because they are a couple years younger than us, along with other reasons. But you are really lucky that you all get along!
yeah my grandmother is definately different than most; she still hosts tours on those tour boats on the Chicago river, and she used to be a professional tennis player.
I agree with Sam, new additions are tough to get used to. It was very awkward but i feel like it was still a great opportunity
Lindsay, if I were in your shoes I know that I would be less likely to let your new step cousins become a part of my family like that. It shows that you are very willing to accept others and I am very glad for your family. As for Sam..........I know its hard, but it is imperative that you accept them by talking to them and treating them as part of the family.
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