(no subject)
I am knitting this baby blanket, it is nearly a third complete. (I am expanding the blanket by adding another five repetitions of the pattern, otherwise it would be 2/5 done.)
My mom and stepdad have been together for some time, but this was the source of some tension in my stepdad's family due to, er, various circumstances. As a consequence, I never really spent any time with them, despite him and his youngest son being as much a part of my family as anyone possibly could be. Now that my mom and stepdad are married, his family has made a pronounced effort to welcome us and we've returned the sentiment. We spent Christmas with his parents and sister, and it was... odd. Not entirely bad, but not entirely comfortable either; I felt that there was this expectation that we would act just like a family that had been together for a long time (and I understand the motivation for this) and yet we none of us knew quite how to act. I remember feeling like this in my early adolescence at gatherings of extended family, particularly when people remembered (or misremembered) things about me and I had no idea how to respond. I've learned how to cope with and even enjoy those situations, though (Thanksgiving this year was probably the best I can remember), and I expect that with time and activity something similar will happen with my stepdad's family. Well, my family, now.
I now have three grandfathers and four grandmothers. It's my understanding that ordinarily people lose grandparents as they age, whereas I seem only to be gaining them. But I think this way is preferable.
(I also have a niece. The blanket is for her.)
And before I'm entirely too late... Merry Christmas, all.
My mom and stepdad have been together for some time, but this was the source of some tension in my stepdad's family due to, er, various circumstances. As a consequence, I never really spent any time with them, despite him and his youngest son being as much a part of my family as anyone possibly could be. Now that my mom and stepdad are married, his family has made a pronounced effort to welcome us and we've returned the sentiment. We spent Christmas with his parents and sister, and it was... odd. Not entirely bad, but not entirely comfortable either; I felt that there was this expectation that we would act just like a family that had been together for a long time (and I understand the motivation for this) and yet we none of us knew quite how to act. I remember feeling like this in my early adolescence at gatherings of extended family, particularly when people remembered (or misremembered) things about me and I had no idea how to respond. I've learned how to cope with and even enjoy those situations, though (Thanksgiving this year was probably the best I can remember), and I expect that with time and activity something similar will happen with my stepdad's family. Well, my family, now.
I now have three grandfathers and four grandmothers. It's my understanding that ordinarily people lose grandparents as they age, whereas I seem only to be gaining them. But I think this way is preferable.
(I also have a niece. The blanket is for her.)
And before I'm entirely too late... Merry Christmas, all.