Best Fourth of July
"Hey Jenn, My cousin Pauli wants us to come over for a bbq at his place on the fourth of July. Make sure you plan accordingly" (my dad)
First time I've seen my dad's cousin pauli since I started ...remembering...was a couple months ago when my Great Aunt RoRo died and I went to her viewing. That was the first time I saw him, his wife and kids (I guess my second cousins) my Great Aunt Mary, Great Uncle Ralph and anyone from that side of the family in 10+ years. And now? Now I'm going to a bbq with them?
Yea... I thought it might have been a little awkward too.
It wasn't though. I heard so many stories that my head started painting a picture of my family's history that I never new or quite understood. I knew my grandfather came straight from Italy and made a life for himself by working his ass off. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was seven. I never really got to know him and I'm sad about that. His sister and her husband though had plenty of stories. I ended up hearing stories of my great grandfather. By the way, a lot of the buildings you guys see around my grandfather helped engineer, I guarantee it and then all the rest, my dad drilled to test the soil. :-)
And you know what? My family represents a lot of what America represents. My grandfather served in the military, so did his brother, so did his brother's sons and his sons' sons. Going to the house of a vet on the fourth of July is something else. He played the star spangled banner and the pledge of allegiance and I think I heard enough springsteen to last me forever. My mom's in the national guard herself. I had a grandfather, a great uncle and my dad's cousin all fight in wars for America. It was great to see a sense of nationalism I felt today that I haven't really felt in a long time. I was angry to hear that some grade schools don't require the pledge of allegiance anymore...
Not only that. But do you know what my heritage is? If you do, fill me in lol. I tell people I'm Italian when they ask because my last name is italian and I most identify my childhood with italian culture and cuisine because of my dad. Truth is, I'm 25% Italian. Could have fooled you right?
I'm definitely 25% Italian, I'm probably about 25% native american if you add up like three different tribes, I got some russian in me and I insert 25% of a random heritage in me because I don't know much about my biological grandfather on my mom's side.
I'm a mutt, a melting pot. I'm what America represents. My family is what America represents. I come from a family of immigrants who came here with nothing but a work ethic and a strong will power. They instilled that work ethic into my parents who instilled it into me. I come from a family who could win the olympics if life obstacles was a category.
My great Aunt Mary (Italian) apparently got a lot of crap from my great grandfather for marrying a German, my great uncle Ralph. I'll tell you what though, I can't believe how much in love they are with each other to this very day. They have great kids and great grandkids and excellent great grandkids. They are a couple of excellent people and I hope I'm exactly like them when I'm 79. My grandpop didn't marry an Italian and neither did my dad.
And here I am. Definitely 25% Italian, and questionable 75% everything else and I'm dating a Filipino boy whose first name is Italian and last name is Spanish. And what's my biggest concern in my relationship right now? The fact that his mother would rather him date a Filipino girl to keep their culture and heritage and family name going. Silly right? I don't know if Dante and I will ever get that serious to the point that we'd have to go tooth and nail with his mom to get her to accept us, but you know what? If we do, I just hope I can be as strong as those in my family before me to not give in.
There has been a hell of a lot of bad in my family which is why I haven't seen these people in over ten years. In fact, I started losing all sense and hope of an extended family because most of my childhood was spent dealing with the bad seeds in the family. Today helped restore that sense of extended family in me and nationalism and will power.
Just going to wrap this up and say that this was the best Independence day I've ever celebrated.
First time I've seen my dad's cousin pauli since I started ...remembering...was a couple months ago when my Great Aunt RoRo died and I went to her viewing. That was the first time I saw him, his wife and kids (I guess my second cousins) my Great Aunt Mary, Great Uncle Ralph and anyone from that side of the family in 10+ years. And now? Now I'm going to a bbq with them?
Yea... I thought it might have been a little awkward too.
It wasn't though. I heard so many stories that my head started painting a picture of my family's history that I never new or quite understood. I knew my grandfather came straight from Italy and made a life for himself by working his ass off. Unfortunately, he passed away when I was seven. I never really got to know him and I'm sad about that. His sister and her husband though had plenty of stories. I ended up hearing stories of my great grandfather. By the way, a lot of the buildings you guys see around my grandfather helped engineer, I guarantee it and then all the rest, my dad drilled to test the soil. :-)
And you know what? My family represents a lot of what America represents. My grandfather served in the military, so did his brother, so did his brother's sons and his sons' sons. Going to the house of a vet on the fourth of July is something else. He played the star spangled banner and the pledge of allegiance and I think I heard enough springsteen to last me forever. My mom's in the national guard herself. I had a grandfather, a great uncle and my dad's cousin all fight in wars for America. It was great to see a sense of nationalism I felt today that I haven't really felt in a long time. I was angry to hear that some grade schools don't require the pledge of allegiance anymore...
Not only that. But do you know what my heritage is? If you do, fill me in lol. I tell people I'm Italian when they ask because my last name is italian and I most identify my childhood with italian culture and cuisine because of my dad. Truth is, I'm 25% Italian. Could have fooled you right?
I'm definitely 25% Italian, I'm probably about 25% native american if you add up like three different tribes, I got some russian in me and I insert 25% of a random heritage in me because I don't know much about my biological grandfather on my mom's side.
I'm a mutt, a melting pot. I'm what America represents. My family is what America represents. I come from a family of immigrants who came here with nothing but a work ethic and a strong will power. They instilled that work ethic into my parents who instilled it into me. I come from a family who could win the olympics if life obstacles was a category.
My great Aunt Mary (Italian) apparently got a lot of crap from my great grandfather for marrying a German, my great uncle Ralph. I'll tell you what though, I can't believe how much in love they are with each other to this very day. They have great kids and great grandkids and excellent great grandkids. They are a couple of excellent people and I hope I'm exactly like them when I'm 79. My grandpop didn't marry an Italian and neither did my dad.
And here I am. Definitely 25% Italian, and questionable 75% everything else and I'm dating a Filipino boy whose first name is Italian and last name is Spanish. And what's my biggest concern in my relationship right now? The fact that his mother would rather him date a Filipino girl to keep their culture and heritage and family name going. Silly right? I don't know if Dante and I will ever get that serious to the point that we'd have to go tooth and nail with his mom to get her to accept us, but you know what? If we do, I just hope I can be as strong as those in my family before me to not give in.
There has been a hell of a lot of bad in my family which is why I haven't seen these people in over ten years. In fact, I started losing all sense and hope of an extended family because most of my childhood was spent dealing with the bad seeds in the family. Today helped restore that sense of extended family in me and nationalism and will power.
Just going to wrap this up and say that this was the best Independence day I've ever celebrated.