I remember sitting in a group of Isaac's extended family members early in our marriage (nine years ago!) and feeling so strange. I even asked my new father-in-law when his wife's family started feeling like his own.
Nine years later, I can honestly say that Isaac's extended family truly feels like my family. I look forward to seeing his grandmothers just like I look forward to seeing mine. I get excited when his aunts and uncles come in from out-of-town, and I love seeing Elizabeth run around with the pack of little cousins. This doesn't mean that I can correctly identify a Backstrom from a Lundberg yet, or tell what differentiates a second cousin from a cousin-once-removed, but give me another ten years of marriage and I'll get there! I've gone from feeling like a stranger and outsider at the family reunion nine years ago to feeling disappointed that we'll have to wait another year for the next one!
What caused the change? Probably many things. They're really nice, for one thing! I've known them for ten years now. I started taking ownership of some family communications and scheduling and visits, and I've gotten to develop relationships with them individually as well as in a large group. I'm guessing that the biggest thing, though, is that so many of them love and serve God. Unity in Christ is pretty special.
Here's a picture of Nana and 15 of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren!
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