Day 2- My Family

This is my second day of my quest to write down my many blessing, which I realizing is going to much more than 40 (ok, I knew that going in, I just want to write something everyday for 40 days).
The second blessing I want to thank GOD for is my family, which has truly been one of my greatest blessings. And while each individual member of my family deserves their very own thanks, I’m talking about the family as a whole unit.
I am the son of a Norwegian-American dairy farmer, who grew up in the central part of Wisconsin (find the central point, and in the center of that). Actually, my dad wasn’t the dairy farmer, it was my grand father, who unfortunately I never met. My dad was also the son of a school teacher, who instilled values of education in him. She gave him courage to seek out on his own, and he moved to California after graduating from college.
So I’m blessed that my grand mother was such a positive influence on my dad, and my dad was able to transfer that to me (I think at times I tested my dad’s patience with school, because I wasn’t the best student).
On my dad’s side of the family is an incredible strong support structure, and even though we don’t get together as often as we like, the times are always rewarding. I have cousins who I consider great friends, and who care about me as a person. My aunt’s and uncles have always cared about me, and inspired me. Once more, they have always been fun to be around, and now I realize that isn’t always the case.
My mother’s side of the family wasn’t as strong, but they are all great people. I can’t imagine my life without my aunt and uncle. And then there is my cousins. I have three on that side of the family, and each cousin has a unique story. One was always the good kid, and has a strong family (now she is a grandmother). The second was the child who every teacher hated, but ended up running his own company. The third is the family’s black sheep, but much like the prodigal son, she is always welcome when she comes home, and was almost like a sister for me.
I also don’t want to leave out my immediate family. Each person is a true blessing, but as a unit, it is a joy to be apart of. We support each other, and there are the first people I want to call when something happens. When it is bad, they are there to listen. When it is good, they are as proud as I am. I can’t imagine what life would be like without my brother, or my dad.
I am also fortunate that when it came time for my dad to remarry, he choose a wife who fit in with our family. She is actually responsible for me becoming a teacher, but once more her family is now my family. That is what makes my family so beautiful: there is always room for more.